“I wasn’t sure until now.” Seamus buried his face in his hands. “God, this is my nightmare. I was trying to protect the kids. Our family.”
“By hiding it? Seamus, if you can’t talk to us or ask us for help, who else is there?”
Bellamy helped. He was sneaky as hell about it and that wasn’t okay, but he’d helped. And he understood why Seamus hadn’t told his kids.
You won’t always be able to count on him. He’s a bird, like his mother.
“I think I felt like I used up my quota, you know? Everyone helps me with the kids. Any more would just be taking advantage.”
Solomon socked him in the arm.
“Ouch.”
“We help with them because we love them. They aren’t favors, you dumbass. They’re family.”
Seamus scowled at him. “Vacation Younger is kind of a dick.”
Solomon’s lips curved. “Maybe. We’ll find out.” He stood. “I need to get to Noah, but we’ll talk more about this later. I just thought I’d give you a heads-up. Your mom wants to call you tomorrow, but she does plan on telling your father tonight and I’m not sure how he’ll react.”
“It’s always good to have something to look forward to.”
Solomon startled him by pulling him into a real embrace. No manly back pats. A genuine hug. “I am so sorry you were dealing with that on your own. If I’d known years ago… If you’d told me she’d tried to hurt Penny and Wes, I’d—” He pulled back and shook his head. “I’m just sorry.”
Seamus’s throat was tight. “Thanks, man. I mean it. And if you ever want to commiserate again? I’m here.”
He was still staring at the closed door, wondering what the hell he was going to do, when Penny tapped on his leg to get his attention. “Daddy. I said is Bell back yet? He said he was coming.”
“He’ll be here soon.” He picked her up in his arms and held her tight, burying his face in her blonde curls. Horrible scenarios were running through his head. What if Presley had known where they lived now? What if he’d been in the shower and she’d found the kids playing in the backyard?
The possibility of her leaving Parkridge on her own had never occurred to him. She’d never shown any signs of that kind of behavior. Not in the six years she’d been there. Now everything had changed. Now the decision he’d made to take care of his family and minimize their suffering seemed like an unacceptable mistake. A selfish lie that could have endangered all of them.
They were all inside now; all his children and their strange little dog, watching him hug Penny and wondering why their father was so upset. He met Jake’s gaze head on, knowing he’d have to tell him too. He would take it in stride, like he always did. They were a team.
He’d lied to him too.
He didn’t think he could feel any worse.
***
“Is it Disneyland?” Wes asked with wide eyes.
“Guess again.” Bellamy shook his head.
“The North Pole?” Penny scrunched up her nose doubtfully.
“Guess again.”
“The moon?”
Seamus leaned his body against the door of Bellamy’s car and met the driver’s eyes. Dan. That was his name. He was smiling, obviously enjoying the mystery as much as everyone else. Bellamy was driving the kids crazy with their surprise destination, but part of Seamus wished they’d stayed home so he could figure out what he was going to do next.
Before he could process what Solomon had told him, Bellamy had burst through the door getting the kids riled up for a big surprise and demanding they all go for a ride. Even Vini.
Seamus had wanted to drag him upstairs and pull him into his arms as soon as he saw him. He wanted to tell him everything so he’d have someone to talk to about what had happened. Someone to tell him everything was going to be okay. That he wasn’t a horrible person. A horrible father.
But in this car, with the kids around, he couldn’t do any of that. It wasn’t fucking fair, and he knew it, but he resented the surprise before he’d even found out what it was. Couldn’t Bellamy see how upset he was? Didn’t he care?
Jake was looking out the window carefully. “It looks like we’re close to Aunt Jen’s house.”
“Because we are.”
Seamus stared at Bellamy suspiciously. “Where exactly are you taking us?”
He winked as the car slowed. “You’ll find out in a minute. We’re here.”
He watched Bellamy cuddle little Vini to his chest and help Wes out of the car to stand in front of a house that could give Declan Kelley’s a run for its money. “The door is open. Why don’t you guys go ahead with Dan and we’ll meet you inside?”
Penny, Wes and Little Sean started running to catch up with the driver while Jake followed at a slower pace.