“You’d better be joking right now.”
“About?”
“Jesus Christ, don’t tell me you’ve sat through strategy meetings and—” Her eyes narrowed. “Youarejoking.”
“Of course I am. Haven’t heard anything about a home store. Where they sell towels and shit? Should I rec that to Finn?”
“Probably. It’d work too. Do some influencer collabs and Eef’s set.”
“You should talk to Finn about that.”
“Mid-Christmas movie or dinner?” she taunted, but she finally turned on the faucets and fiddled with the water temperature.
“Finn won’t mind.”
“I’ll mind! I’m not talking world domination over turkey. Certainly not Aoife’s turkey.”
“You’re right. I think she laces it with fairy dust or something. That shit’s never dry.” I rubbed my chin as I faced the mirror, where a couple days’ worth of scruff awaited me.
“Your ma’s reaction to you not shaving was priceless.”
“She asked me if I was taking lessons from Uncle Paddy,” I said around a grin. “I told her she needed to take lessons from Aoife on the stuffing front.”
“You didn’t!”
“I did. She asked me why I hadn’t cleared my plate. After the Uncle Paddy comment, I wasn’t going to hold back.”
The pseudo-Christmas meal at Ma’s had been great—for the most part. Until Ma had turned psycho on Inessa not having given Eoghan any kids yet.
Honestly, it was a relief Ma had gone out of town. Only Inessa threatening Eoghan had gotten him to stop laying into Ma, and I fully intended on enjoying the holidays.
Having an older kid, I knew we were lucky to still have Shay around for Christmas.
There’d come a time when he’d prefer to be with his buds or his girlfriend’s family.
The only reason we barely saw Aela’s was because she preferred my batshit parent to her own.
So I’d hug this potential last holiday with my son to my chest.
Your daughter’s your daughter for life. But your son’s your son until he gets a wife…
I arched a brow at Aela when I realized she’d said something I’d missed.
“What, babe?”
“You should grow a beard.”
I chuckled. “Nah.”
“Why not? You hate shaving.”
I peered at her over my shoulder. “You go pink when I don’t shave. Not putting your skin through that. I only didn’t yesterday because Cameron set off the fire alarm and distracted me. And the day before…”
Well, I wasn’t bringing Victoria’s situation up by choice.
Thankfully, Cam’s shenanigans distracted her.
“He did what?!”
