Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“The library, sir.”
Shawn kissed his wife’s cheek tenderly and nodded. “Show me to your library.”
Declan and Trick had planned to talk to Shawn together, but he was in a deep discussion with Jeremy and Declan didn’t want to disturb him. It was disconcerting as hell, having “the talk” with a man like this, a man who knew too much about him for not knowing him at all. But he was ready for any argument. If he’d gotten Solomon and Brady to back down, he could handle the Finn patriarch.
He hoped.
Shawn took one look at Declan’s recliner and made a beeline for it. “This is my kind of chair,” he sighed, leaning back. “You have a nice house, Kelley. A little on the obnoxiously big side, but this room I like.”
“So do I, sir.” He leaned against his desk. “I practically lived in here before… Before,” he finished lamely.
Shawn nodded. “Any brothers or sisters?”
“No, sir. My dad died before I was born. It was just my mother and I.”
“Too bad. Family is a blessing.” He shifted in the chair and sighed again. “Ellen is a wonderful woman and the love of my life, but she’s been too hard on herself, and too hard on Jennifer. That’s the way with mothers and daughters, I think. And fathers and sons, for that matter. We see ourselves in miniature, growing up right before our eyes, and we try to stop them from making the same mistakes we made. Which isn’t really fair, when you think about it.”
Declan wasn’t sure how to respond. “No, sir.”
Shawn was staring at the bookshelf, but his eyes seemed farther away. “Maybe I’m an old sentimental fool, but when I look at my children now? At my wonderful nephews that we’ve finally gotten to see more of this year? When I think back to that summer and the life I was heading toward before it happened? I’m not sure we made a mistake. Despite what and who I’ve lost…I don’t think love can ever really be a mistake, Kelley. Do you?”
Now I understand why Jen believes you hung the moon. “I think I love your daughter, sir. We both do. And more surprisingly, the wonderful woman you raised loves us back. I think this is an unusual and uncomfortable situation, but I know Jennifer is a Finn to the bone. She’s all about her family, we almost lost her once because of that, and so I’ll be damned if the first gift we give her for loving us is taking that away. Sir.”
Shawn smiled and his blue eyes lit up like Jen’s. “Guts and honesty. She likes that I bet. You know, we finally got a law passed so my son can marry the love of his life, but I’ll be honest in return—I don’t think we’ll see one for you three any time soon. No matter how much you love each other.”
“I know and that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Mr. Finn.” Declan swallowed.
“Shawn.”
“I want to marry Jennifer, Shawn,” he blurted like a nervous prom date. “I’d ask her today if I didn’t think she’d run out the front door screaming. But Trick and I have already talked to my lawyer and drawn up a will for her and—if she decides she wants them—any children we might… Sir?”
Shawn was laughing. He pushed himself up to his feet and put his hand on Declan’s shoulder. “You should change your name, son. If I didn’t know any better I’d call you a Finn. When you go in, you go all in, don’t you?”
Declan smiled and reached up to adjust his glasses. “Yes, sir.”
“Good man. Life is too short for doing things halfway.” He paused at the door. “But it’s also nice to slow down and enjoy what you have right this moment. Let’s get through this next bit and see where it takes us.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jennifer was watching for him when he reappeared in the living room. She came up to him, kissed him on the cheek and whispered, “What were you doing with Dad?”
“Talking. It would be strange if I asked him to adopt me, wouldn’t it?”
She smirked. “Yes. We don’t have to break every sexual taboo for your research, Professor. Save some for my cousins.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Did you see your mother?”
“I did.” Jen smiled hopefully. “I think we’re better. She hugged me a lot. We’re having lunch next week. This brought up a lot for her and she says she’s thinking about talking to someone.”
“Good.”
Trick joined them and handed Declan a beer. “Jeremy is in. Says Owen hasn’t stopped talking about the house for weeks and he’ll get with Tasha and start working on Ellen right away.”
Jennifer frowned. “Working on her for what?”
“Christmas. Weddings. The usual.”
“Actually.” Jen looked around. “That’s genius.”
“I know,” Declan and Trick said at the same time.