Page 78 of Dirty Padraig: Dirty Dusters

“You do that. Is it soon yet.” She sounds hopeful.

“Soon?”

“You know? What my daddy spoke to you about. You said you’d tell me soon.”

“It’s imminent, Jessie.” I chuckle.

“How imminent? Weeks? Months? Years?”

“Weeks, because I’m done with keeping secrets. It’s time.”

“That sounds ominous. Should I be worried?”

“That all depends on how you take the news. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Anyway, I had my chat with Roisin, and we both agreed that Sophia knows about Fin’s true parentage and that she was the one who told Molly.”

“Well, Hallelujah. It’s great to hear you two finally agreeing on something.”

“There’s just one problem. We have no proof.”

“Don’t you have Molly’s phone?”

“What do you mean?”

“Check her messages, partner. It’s unlikely she ever took the time to delete anything, given the amount of time she spent with her head in the clouds.”

I sit bolt upright. “Jessie O’Connell, did anyone ever tell you you’re a goddamn genius?”

She lets out a smug snort. “Well, I always said that I got all the brains in the O’Brien family, but those brothers of mine wouldn’t hear any of it. What did you call Eoin again?”

“A misogynist.”

“That’s my brothers right there.”

“I could kiss you right now, Jessie.”

“I’d rather you did something else for me?”

“What?”

“Go see Eoin.”

“I will.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

I disconnect the call, then rest my head on the sofa again.

Jaine:Dec, can you take me to see Eoin tomorrow?

I press send before I get chance to change my mind. I realize I won’t get an immediate response. He’ll have to check in with his boss first. I’m not naïve enough to think he’ll take my instruction.

Will Eoin want to see me, or won’t he? He’s ignored my calls. He’s ignored my messages.

Maybe he’s still healing, or perhaps he’s been busy. Either way, we can’t continue as we are. When I was staring death in the face, one of my biggest regrets was that I should have tried harder to make things work between us.

There’s no disputing how much I love him. Jessie seems convinced he can change. That we both can. I’m not so sure. Sometimes people are just too set in their ways. You also have to want to change.

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