I’d spent weekends away with the Callaghans, there as a friend of Jackson and Vanessa, but I’d gotten to know Jackson’s brothers and sisters and their partners, which was how I knew Seph. They were a family of beautiful people; confident and charismatic, with businesses that were successful and thriving. To an outsider, they were perfect, future goals. But I knew them a little better than to see only what was on the surface: they were all slightly crazy and very unique.
Right now, I saw what the rest of London did: five tall men, three of whom were carrying babies, one carrying at least two bags that I knew would be full of baby paraphernalia. Killian O’Hara, my security god and one of Vanessa’s brothers-in-law, had hold of his daughter Eliza; his brother Nick had his new baby and Jackson was wearing a papoose containing his new son. Maxwell and Seph followed, babyless, although I figured it wouldn’t be long after Max’s wedding before Victoria was expecting. I’d seen her recently with Vanessa’s boy, and she’d found it hard to tear her eyes away.
Baby fever wasn’t something I’d been infected with. When I was married to Phillip, I’d been too young to think about it. With Eliot, I’d already been massively focused on Blue, which had been a blessing. Now I was thirty-two, childless and part of me had just been captivated by the men with the children, as had most of the female population of the restaurant.
The accounts lost their appeal, so I headed downstairs to catch up with my weekenders and have a hold of a baby or two. Jack was standing at the table when I got there, his back to me. He was wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt, his early shift having ended, and he was holding a bottle of beer.
My feet had decided not to go any further. Instead, I wanted to watch how this man I was becoming attached to was with people I considered my friends. There was laughter, babies being sat on the table, a sulking Eliza, a sulking Seph – mimicking his niece.
Jack picked Eliza up, her face brightening when he gave her his attention, mouth curving into a smile. He swooped her up in his arms, his beer on the table out of the reach of children and I heard her giggle.
“Let me know if you fancy an evening of babysitting,” Killian said. “She’s as fussy as her mother with who she likes.”
“No one can be as fussy as Claire.” Seph had discarded his menu, which didn’t surprise me as he pretty much knew it by heart. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Please don’t tell her I called her fussy.”
“She’d take it as a compliment. And then kill you.” Max was deadpan.
“She isn’t speaking to me anyway.” Seph didn’t look at all concerned by this.
“Enjoy it while you can,” Killian sat back in the seat, watching Eliza who was fascinated with the scruff on Jack’s jaw.
I understood the attraction.
“I sometimes remember why me and Claire didn’t speak for several years.” Killian sipped a beer.
Jackson snorted. “If only we’d have that luxury. Anyway, Jack, what’s your secret?”
Jack laughed. “Practice. I have a fifteen-year-old. Spent the first four years of her life working on about two-and-half hours sleep a night.”
“Four years?” Killian raised an eyebrow, his version of being perplexed. “No. You’re joking.”
Jack shook his head. “No. She was four-and-a-half the first time she slept all the way through from eight till six. But don’t worry, she makes up for it now. School holidays and weekends she gets cranky if she doesn’t get twelve hours.”
Killian shook his head. “I’m still stuck on the four years. Is that why you just had one?”
“Claire going on about number two?” Jackson said, bouncing his son on his knee.
“Every day. I hide in the bathroom most nights now.”
“We don’t need that level of information.” Max shook his head.
My eyes were on Jack, how his focus was on the little girl, smiling at her, telling her secrets I couldn’t hear.
“You know, if you stare any harder you’ll leave marks.”
I jumped, almost yelling.
Sophie leaned over my shoulder. “Although, to be fair, I’d stare at that naked if I could.”
I shook my head and closed my eyes, praying for the patience not to murder her.
Vanessa laughed. “I’m pretty sure Jackson knew we were coming here so he’s kind of crashed our party.”
“Aren’t you meant to be having a baby-free day?” Sophie narrowed her eyes. “This was meant to be lunch and then shopping. Guilt free, sexy underwear, non-baby shopping.”
“He knew I’d miss him.”
“You’ve been gone two hours.” Sophie channelled a dead head mistress.
