She studies me carefully. “Do you trust her?”
“I don’t know.” I try to get the vision of her beautiful eyes out of my brain.
Ma tilts her head skeptically. “You want to.”
I don’t answer.
She puffs out a breath. “Seamus, love, you’ve carried the weight of this surgery on your shoulders for months. It’s not your burden to bear.”
“I’m not so sure.” I clench my fist. “I can’t stop thinking about Miranda.”
She reaches across the table, resting her hand over mine. “Maybe helping this attorney will give you some peace when it comes to the wee girl.”
“I’ll have to spend a lot of time with her.” I stare at our hands, at the delicate lines of her fingers against my rougher skin.
Ma lifts an eyebrow. “Miranda? Ach, no, you mean the lawyer?”
“Yeah.” I swallow. “I… I don’t know what I think.”
A knowing glint sparkles in her eyes. “Huh.”
“Don’t even. Marcella is going to ruin my career,” I fire back.
Her smile widens. “No, she’s your advocate. I think she likes you.”
I open my mouth, then close it.
Ma pats my hand. “You remind me so much of your da when he was your age.”
“I’m nothing like Da.” I tense.
“You are.” Her gaze softens. “You have his heart.”
I shake my head. “No, I wouldn’t ever put my own family through what he put us through. I don’t understand why you stayed.”
She winces like I’ve slapped her. “Love isn’t about perfection. It’s about standing by your person, even in their worst moments. It’s about seeing past their mistakes to the person they’re trying to be.”
“He hurt you.” I look away. “He hurt all of us.”
“He did,” she admits. “He fought to be better. I believed in the man he could be and now we have him back.”
I swallow hard. “I’ve never wanted to fall in love. I don’t think I have it in me.”
“You have more love in you than you know, Seamus. I’m sorry for not getting you boys help. It never occurred to me, it’s not the old-school Irish way.” She reaches over, cupping my face.
I shake my head. “I don’t want love. I don’t need it.”
“Ah, my sweet boy. You do and you’ll fall hard and give yourself to the right woman.” She gives me a sad smile.
Give myself? Does she know my secret?
No. there’s no possible way.
I finish the last bite of my stew and shove back my chair. “Fine. I’m going to sign the settlement.”
“Good man, yerself.” She nods, as if she already knew.
After I help her with the dishes and head back home, her words stay with me. Wrapping around me like a warm hug. Making me believe I don’t have to be alone anymore.
