Page 31 of Accidental Irish Daddy

I frown. I don’t like that point…but I can’t deny its validity.

“Just think about it some more. She could be someone you need by your side.”

I honestly hate it when Aidan makes sense. I don’t admit it, though. I just grumble, “Yeah, yeah.”

We switch the topic and talk about the job for a few more minutes before Aidan returns to his office, and for the rest of the day, I continue my path to distract myself. I know Aidan means well, but I just can’t risk it.

I’m just going to have to ride this out until Aisling finds her own place.

9

Aisling

So, let’s start with the good news. Bridget and I are about as safe and comfortable as we could possibly be now that we’re living with Mr. Duncan. And everything that I normally have to do to get myself and Bridget ready and out of the house has been cut in half practically.

I don’t have to navigate around Liam, for one thing. Whether passed out or not, every morning felt like a roll of the dice. Sometimes, I could drive Bridget to school and other times, I had to stay behind because Liam felt the need to cause a ruckus at eight in the morning and then Bridget would have to walk to school on her own.

The old neighborhood wasn’t bad, mostly, but it wasn’t great either. I used to worry about her making it all the way there without getting hassled by the older kids at the senior school down the block.

That’s a thing of the past now. Every morning, I can drive her to school without worrying about anyone stopping me. So longas I’m back by ten when Mrs. Duncan gets up, then it’s never a problem.

But the bad news…the bad news is that being in this close proximity to Mr. Duncan is beginning to get to me.

I don’t see him in the mornings anymore when I’m making Bridget her breakfast. He’s usually gone to work by the time I come back from dropping her off.

But sometimes our paths cross and…and it’s a problem. It’s a constant battle of wills to push his handsome face out of my mind and not mistake his kind gestures for anything more than a person being just kind.

I find myself constantly reminding myself not to cross the red line between employee and employer.

Sighing, I roll out of bed. It’s the weekend but I am up earlier than usual. I tidy the bed and head downstairs to the kitchen to make myself tea before showering.

I look out of the window, and there he is outside, exercising. He’s lifting weights with his shirt off and a pair of loose workout pants. He’s moving slowly and methodically, a sheen of sweat over his chest and abdomen. He’s got some kind of tattoo on his back, but I only see a small part of it on his shoulder when he turns a certain way. He’s fixated on a point somewhere beyond the horizon, his face commanding and focused all at once.

I’m completely mesmerized. So much so that I forget all about my tea and I just watch him.

This man is so handsome it’s almost unreal. The way he moves with slow, precise movements…I can’t stop watching him.

“Aisling?”

I jump and nearly drop my teacup.

Bridget’s standing behind me in her pajamas. She’s rubbing her eyes wearily. I sit my cup down on the counter and turn around to her.

“Hey,” I smile, “What are you doing up so early? It’s Saturday.”

“I had a bad dream,” she mumbles.

“Did you?” I kneel and take her hands. They’re cold and clammy.

She nods. “About Uncle Liam. I dreamt he was a big monster stomping through our house. We were hiding from him, and he said he was going to find us and hurt us.”

I note the tears clinging to her lashes, so I pull her in and hug her. “It’s all right,” I whisper. “It was just a dream, love.”

“But what if he finds us here? What’s going to happen if he shows up here looking for us?” she asks, her voice trembling.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” a deeper, familiar voice answers before I do.

I startle and pull away from Bridget slightly. Mr. Duncan is standing in the doorway looking at us…still shirtless and covered in sweat. I tear my eyes away from him to focus on Bridget.

---