Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Aislinn looked up. “Permanent?”
“Now that we’ve decided you’ll stay in New York with me, I think we should consider letting Finn live with us indefinitely. We can be a family.”
I’d even considered bringing up adoption but Aislinn and I still had to work through a few of our issues before we should take that step.
Aislinn’s eyes grew wide. “What about Imogen?”
“Do you really think she’d mind? You already took care of Finn when she was still around.”
She nodded slowly, her eyes solemn. “No. She probably would have given him up for adoption at birth if it hadn’t been for Mum and me. She was relieved that we took care of him. It was too much for her to handle.” She swallowed, her eyes searching my face. “You sure?”
“Absolutely. I like the kid and he’ll have a better future with us than in Dublin with your mother who needs to work all the time just to get by.”
“Mum won’t like it.”
I gave her a doubtful look. “She knows you’re the best caregiver for Finn, and she knows my money and power can buy Finn a future he might not get in Dublin for various reasons.”
“Maybe. She didn’t hesitate to send him here.” Aislinn lifted her chin in that stubborn way. “But I don’t want him to be part of your business. Finn’s clever. I want him to go to college and do something with a real purpose in life.”
My eyebrows rose at the many insults Aislinn had managed to pack into her words. “So I’m a stupid brute without a purpose in life?”
Aislinn choked out a laugh, her cheeks reddening. “You aren’t stupid, no. But you’re a brute, and I want another purpose for Finn than making money.”
“I guess the kid will decide which purpose he wants in life. But I certainly won’t force him to become part of Five-Leaf Clover. The business isn’t for everyone. You need to be dedicated to the cause. I’d rather have loyal men than men who need to be coerced to work for me.”
I pulled Aislinn in for a kiss. I could tell that Aislinn was more willing to give this marriage and us a chance this time around. I was glad I’d managed to rein in my fury when I found out about her cooperation with Desmond. My restrained reaction had probably made the difference. Maybe it was the first time she saw I wasn’t just a senseless thug. According to my father, my parents had worked on their marriage every day of their lives. A good marriage doesn’t come easily. It takes work, consideration, and on occasion, restraint. I was willing to work on it. Aislinn leaned her head against my shoulder and I had a feeling Aislinn was too. She stroked my chest, her fingers playing with the cross dangling from the gold chain around my neck.
“This was my grandmother’s,” I said quietly.
Aislinn stilled. Her eyes met mine. “Were you close?”
“Very. She made me feel like her favorite grandson when I was with her. But she managed to make each one of my brothers feel the same way when she had them over. She just had so much love to give, it made all of us feel special even when she had all of us over. I admire her patience and dedication. Having all five of us boys over was wild and chaotic but she never lost her patience.”
“She sounds wonderful,” Aislinn said quietly. “I wish I could have met her.”
“She would have loved you. Your patience with Finn reminds me of her.”
“So she gave you the cross before she died?” As usual Aislinn had trouble hearing me praise her, especially about how great she was with Finn.
“She gave me the cross on her deathbed. She was very pious. Each of my brothers got another piece of her religious treasures. She died two years ago.”
“It must be horrible to lose someone from your family. I always only had Imogen and Mum, and later Finn as family, so I didn’t have to watch a loved one die yet.” She swallowed thickly.
I stroked her head. She was worrying about Imogen and I could offer her little consolation. The situation didn’t look good. “Have you longed for a bigger family?”
“Yes, especially at Christmas or birthdays. Some of my friends at school had huge families and their stories about big weddings and messy family reunions always made me jealous.” She laughed, but I could tell that this was a topic that had bothered her in the past.
“My family is big and messy, so you’ll get your fill, and we can create our own little family. In a few years we can have a few more kids.”
Aislinn pushed up and kissed my lips.
I cocked an eyebrow. “What was that for?”
“For saying more kids as if Finn were our kid too.”