Paul shrugs.“He’s fine.”
“I like him too,” Blaine says, “but mostly because he listens to me when I talk.”
“He’s better than Dad,” Clara mutters.
“Yeah, he is,” Hannah says.
“You don’t mean that,” I say.“You guys love your dad.”
“We do,” Hannah says, “but he didn’t treat you right.Cillian treats you better.”
“Dad’s been trying lately,” Blaine says.
“It’s just too little too late.”Amelia hums a little tune, and Hannah and Clara join in.
“You guys, stop.”I smile.
“Butcouldyou take Dad back?”Paul asks.“He is trying to be better.And he moved here.”
Oh, boy.“Well, buddy, it would be really, really hard.”
Paul frowns.“He is trying hard.What if he keeps trying?”
I can’t bring myself to tell him no, and I wonder whether that has any meaning, or whether I’m just not able to break his tiny heart.Masonhasbeen trying hard.He’s helping with the kids, and he’s showing up for everything, and he’s stopped badgering me.I can’t help thinking about what he said at Christmas.That he’s glad Cillian’s not good with kids.
I talked to Cillian about it, and he said he’d try to be better.
I’m not sure Cillian really wants to, and I’m not sure he even knows how to try, but at least some of the kids like him.I wasn’t great at mothering right after having Clara.I grew into it.
When I text Cillian, he’s keen.
I have to go by my place, but I’d love to meet you there.I can cook for you.
I’ve never been there, and I’m a little nervous, but I agree.I suppose seeing his apartment or house or whatever it is will tell me something about him.When I follow the address, it takes me to the one high-rise apartment in all of Lismore.His apartment’s the penthouse,of course.
As the elevator goes up, the numbers lighting up in sequence, my heart races a little.I know it’s not like he’s trying to seduce me at two in the afternoon, right?
Right.
Surely.
I had to enter a code to get his floor to light up, but when the elevator door opens, I don’t expect it to open directly into his entry hall.“Oh.”
Cillian’s definitely surprised me, but he’s not planning to seduce me.
At least, I don’t think so.
He’s holding a puppy.It’s black and white and very, very wriggly.
“Oh.”My eyes widen.“You got a dog?”
“I gotyour kidsa dog!”He beams.“Don’t you think they’ll love it?My neighbor was telling me his parents’ dog had puppies, and that they need a lot of space, and I thought,perfect!They have kids, and kids love dogs, and they have plenty of space, too.”
Oh.My.Word.“You got my kids adogand you didn’t think to ask me?”
He frowns.“Did you not want one?”His shoulders fall.“I thought they’d love it.”
“Cillian, dogs are so much work.I’m already drowning.”I step closer.“What kind of dog is that?”
