He sighed. He wasn’t in love with Evangeline. Not anymore. He could honestly say that he was over her. But it still stung that she’d left him and their son. He deserved some answers.
Pops swallowed his whiskey and nodded, “I know it’s hard to talk about her. But I also know this; the woman came into my family’s pub a year before she left you. Sat on a bar stool here in Lucky’s and flirted with some guy in front of me. Even went home with the man.”
“Pops…” Keenan shook his head, not willing to hear whatever his grandfather would say.
“Ye didn’t want to hear me out at the time, but hopefully ye’ll listen to me now.”
Keenan always had his suspicions, but he never acted upon it to find out for certain if his gut was right.
“Where did ye think she went off to?”
“I don’t know, Pops. It was one dead end after the other. After a year I said to Donovan he should stop his search.”
“Ye know that Don is one of the best, lad. If you’d ask him, he could find her. I’m sure of it.”
Keenan knew his cousin would help him out if he’d ask him. Donovan had his own security company and could hack into any system. But after a while of not being able to find her, he figured she must have grave reasons to disappear into thin air like that.
He didn’t know if any of her reasons would hurt his son, so he decided to let her be and stop his search.
“What does Ryleigh say about all this?”
Keenan swallowed the last gulp of his beer and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “I’m not sure, Pops. We never talk about Tommy’s mom.”
“Why?”
He fought the urge to roll his eyes at his grandfather because he’d surly get a knock against his head—and rightly so.
“Who wants to talk about his ex with his girlfriend? That’s a minefield I don’t want to step into.”
Pops narrowed his gray, bushy brows. “Yer an arsehole. Ye need to talk to the lass and let her know that she’s the one. And let her know that she’s eventually gonna be the boy's momma and that ye are doin’ everythin’ in yer power to make that happen. I know that if ye don’t fix this loose end, it’s gonna bite ye in the arse.”
After years of sticking his head in the sand, he knew Pops was right. He needed to make sure Evangeline wouldn’t turn up out of the blue one day.
He wondered what Ryleigh would say if he’d suggest searching for his ex.
“Okay, Pops. I’ll talk to Ry.”
“Good. See ye later.” Pops waved his hand in goodbye.
“What? Now?”
“No time like the present, boyo. Go home and tell yer lass how ye feel. Let her know she’s it for ye. And fix those damn loose ends.” Pops slammed his palm on top of the table, making other patrons jump in their seats.
Errin chose that time to walk over to their table. “Are you scaring our customers again, old man?”
Only Errin could call Pops that and get away with it. Pops beamed at Errin and said, “Ah, there she is, our little troublemaker. How’s my boyo treatin’ ye?”
Errin’s gaze drifted over to Brennan, who’d kept his eyes glued to her at all times. There had been a time that he’d been interested to get to know Errin. The thought had gone through his head before he realized his cousin was already head over heels for her.
He couldn’t see himself with anyone else but Ryleigh now. In a matter of a few months, this playful, sexy, sweet and above all—loyal woman had stolen his heart and became his one true love.
His grandfather was right. Ryleigh deserved the best. He stood from the table and said his goodbyes. When he got home, he’d entered the living room and found Tommy and Ryleigh asleep on the couch. He stepped over the upturned popcorn bowl on the floor.
After clicking off the television, he first carried Tommy to bed and went back for Ryleigh. A cute snore escaped her lips when he hoisted her from the couch. Coming home to find the two of them asleep on the couch filled his heart.
He knew what he needed to do. He placed her in the middle of his bed and undressed her. She opened her eyes and said groggily, “Did you have fun?”
While running his hand through her hair, he said, “Yes, darlin’. I did. Go back to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”