“Like I said,” there’s a glint to his eye, “good lad.” Dadsips on his tea, settling further into his chair as the match comes back on, and for the rest of the evening, I feel uneasy.
I hit send beforeI can second guess myself.
Tieran
I’ve been thinking, and I feel like you need some hobbies.
Fuck, can I unsend it? I shouldn’t have sent that. It’s none of my business if she doesn’t do anything for fun. If she wants to work sunrise to sunset every day for the rest of her life, then that’s her prerogative, and it is none of my business.
And yet, here I was, making a right arse of myself by making it my business.
She’s going to tell me to fuck off any second now, and it’s probably going to give me a semi.
My phone pings from my hand, making my blue staffy’s head lift off my lap. Her soft grey eyes are inquisitive as her head tilts back and forth from where she sits next to me on the bed. My heart rate kicks up like I’m in grade school and my crush is calling when I see the notification from her.
Jade
Who is this?
A smile stretches across my face.
Tieran
I believe I remember saving my name in your phone yesterday.
Jade
Your name? Are you confident in that lie?
My God-given name, yes.
You deleted it, didn’t you?
Obviously.
How’s Archie doing?
There’s a long lapse in conversation, and I don’t think she’s going to answer. My stomach dips at first, but then three jumping dots appear, and I’m grinning at my phone like an idiot. This is ridiculous; she’s made it clear she wants to pretend like nothing happened between us. So why am I putting myself through this?
Jade
He’s doing okay today, thanks for asking.
Tieran
If you need someone to stop by, I’ll be at my parents’ for our weekly Sunday roast tonight.
At your parents’ two nights in a row?
…yeah. Want to come?
No.
Can Archie come?
Do you have a crush on my dad, Tieran? Are you trying to be my step-daddy?
Not really my kink, but I can adapt.
