I run a palm across my two-day-old stubble and nod. I’ve been waiting for years to take him to court. To make my dad pay for the way he’s treated my mother. I always thought it would be the ultimate accomplishment. He’s the sole reason I chose to specialise in family law. But now the time has finally come, I feel nothing but sorrow.
There are no winners here, not really. My mother gave her entire life to him, and he gave her only a sliver of his.
‘How’s Phoebe?’ Alex asks with genuine concern.
‘Blissfully ignorant. Thank goodness.’
‘And Ava?’
‘Also blissfully ignorant.’ Though truthfully, it’s me that’s the ignorant one.
With everything that’s been going on, I haven't called her, despite saying I would. Though, she hasn’t called me either.
‘We’ve been friends a long time.’ Alex slaps my back. ‘I’ve never seen you look at a woman the way you look at her. You two have something special, you know. I mean, you must do when she turned the chance to dance with me down.’ He jokes, trying to lighten the mood.
My spine stiffens at the memory of Huxley Castle. ‘You might want to get a DNA test. You’re uncannily like my father.’
‘Worryingly, I thought the same.’ He tilts his head to the side and rubs a thumb over his chin. ‘The difference is, if it transpires that we are related, I’d move mountains for you, not leave you buried beneath them.’
The thing is, I know he means it. We’ve locked horns often over the years, but we’ve always had each other’s backs.
‘Thanks buddy. That means a lot.’
Could this week get any weirder?
‘What are you doing here?’ Beth demands, her neat eyebrows pinching together with suspicion.
‘I came in for the Secret Santa. You know I love all that shit.’
‘Clearly.’ She scoffs. ‘Seriously, you weren’t due back until Monday. I know Phoebe’s nativity play is tomorrow, but I thought you were on the island until today.’
‘I came home early.’ I try to nudge past my PA to reach the quiet sanctuary of my office, but she’s having none of it.
‘You came home early?’ She folds her arms across her blouse. ‘Or you and Ava came home early?’
‘I came home early.’ I admit, beckoning her into my office.
She follows me and shuts the door behind her. ‘What happened? Is it because of your dad? Alex told me everything last night. I would say I’m sorry, but I know you hoped your mam would leave him years ago. You’ve been dreaming of taking his slimy ass to court for years.’
‘Careful what you wish for, right?’ Good thing I wasn't expecting any sympathy from my PA. ‘And no, Ava isn't with me.’
‘Trouble in paradise?’
‘She’s been stalking me for an entire year.’ My back slams against my leather chair with a thwack.
Beth tips her head back and laughs. ‘In your dreams. She’s way out of your league.’ Her cackle catches in her throat as her eyes rake over my stony expression. ‘You’re serious.’
‘Deadly. Apparently, she and her friend used to watch me walk to Steamy Fix most mornings. They gave me a stupid nickname and everything. It reminded me of what Teagan did.’
Beth scoffs. ‘That’s different Cillian, and you know it. Teagan took a job here specifically to get close to you. She had access to your calendar. She knew which functions you’d be at. She deliberately got pregnant to keep you, for goodness sake. You’re telling me Ava had noticed you around before you met properly, and it’s a problem? You should be flattered, you floundering eejit. What’s this really about?’
This is the problem with having the same PA since forever. She knows me too well. ‘At the wedding Ava’s parents were teasing us about marriage and babies and, fucking hell, Beth’ – I rub my palm across my stubble – ‘I panicked. Then when Bonnie said Ava had been stalking me for a year, I freaked out.’
Beth perches on my desk in front of me and crosses her legs. ‘Look, I know your parents’ marriage is fucked-up. I know you deal with other people’s fucked-up marriages every day. But real relationships go the distance. Look at Carly and me. We’re together fourteen years and still going strong. We both came from broken families. Neither believed in true love. Then wham bam, one day we both end up in the same animal shelter fighting over a pussy.’ She shoots a smirk. ‘And the rest is history, as they say.’ She throws her hands in the air.
‘That’s a lovely story.’ I roll my eyes.
‘Seriously Cillian. Grow a pair. Take a chance on a relationship with Ava. She’s perfect for you. Even a blind person could see it. These last few weeks you’ve been walking around here grinning like a lovesick fool. So much so that the staff who normally scuttle around here trying to avoid you felt brave enough to ask if you want to be part of this year’s Secret Santa.’
