“It was fine.” It wasn’t. I still didn’t know how he’d set the fucker off either.
“How was it fine? What did he do?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s why you replaced it yesterday?”
I shrugged.
“You know it’s not snitching when you’re the dad, right?”
“Of course.” I still rubbed my chin. “He’s going to be a nightmare. I can already see it.”
“Don’t sound so delighted.”
“It’ll be fun!”
“It’ll be something.”
“Shay never got into that much trouble, did he?”
“No.” She stared down at the water. “I often wonder if he repressed that side of himself. When I see how much mayhem Jake and Cam cause when they’re in a room together and I think about Shay… I thought we were happy.”
“Of course you were. It’s the O’Donnelly influence. Hellraisers, the lot of us. Ma’s insane for a reason. Imagine raising six of us!”
She pursed her lips. “You think?”
“I know.” I took a seat beside her on the tub. “What did you tell me? Shay’s Shay and Cam’s Cam.
“Some souls are always older. I think that’s Eoghan for us. Even before he served overseas, he had a way of seeing the world that defied his age.” Curving my arm around her shoulder, I rested my head against hers. “But we definitely need to watch Cam around devices that beep.”
“Bah! What did he do?”
No way was I admitting I didn’t know for real. She thought I was messing with her—I wasn’t! And I hadn’t been fucking around either—I’d gone to take a goddamn leak!
The last thing a man expected was to use the restroom and for the fire alarm to go off.
I’d end up with PTSD after eighteen years of this.
“I may sic him on Conor. Maybe he’s a technological genius who needs his skills honed in.” Quickly, I changed the subject. “You got your gift done?”
“You’re changing the subject,” she accused.
“Did I ever tell you that you’re the best, smartest, most gorgeous wife in the world?”
“Funny how I’m always that when you’ve been watching Cameron and he pulls some Houdini stunt on you.”
Crossing my fingers behind my back, I shot her a winning smile. “Father-son bonding time. You can’t beat it.”
FIFTEEN
It wasa toss-up what I hated more about Christmas Eve.
Visiting Da’s grave—no matter the weather.
Mass—boring.
The kids’ play at church—funny, but I only liked seeing my nieces and nephews on stage.
