The Cad and the Co-Ed
Page 100

“What?”
“Patrick’s suits. I had them tailored so that we can let them out as he grows.”
“Why would Bryan get rid of Patrick’s suits?” I shook my head at my cousin, giving him a bewildered look, the inner workings of his head worried and astonished me.
“Because he’s going to be a proper father now, to Patrick.” Again, Sean hesitated, clearing his throat before adding, “You mustn’t forget, he’s a Cassidy, too.”
My heart constricted, and I also had to clear my throat before speaking. “Patrick will never forget you, you know. Bryan is his father, but you’ll always be his Monkey Sean.”
He nodded tightly, releasing my shoulders, not looking convinced. “Yes. I know.”
I sighed, and I’m afraid to admit the sigh was a touch unsteady and watery, but before I could give the big doofus additional assurances, my phone rang.
“You better get that.” Sean shuffled away. “I have to check in with the defensive team about tomorrow’s match.”
“Fine, but I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Of course.” He grinned, looking more himself. “And hopefully, now that this silly business is behind us, you’ll be back to your post where you belong.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond as he hurried out the door, so I glanced at my phone screen, spotting Josey’s avatar and number.
“Hello?”
“Eilish! Tell me what happened. Are you okay? Did he get custody? Or what’s happening?”
“Calm down,” I walked to the office door and closed it, frowning because I hadn’t told Josey about the DNA test or the custody case. The last time I’d spoken to her was Sunday, eons ago.
“Firstly, who told you about the custody case?”
Her side went quiet for a protracted moment, and then she said, “Don’t be mad.”
That gave me pause.
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because your mother told me about the custody case.”
I felt my frown morph into a confused scowl. “My mother? Since when are you speaking to my mother?”
“Since she called me after you moved back to Ireland.”
What?
“What?”
“I can explain. She was worried about you, I was worried about you. So I may have let it slip that Bryan is Patrick’s father—”
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. I couldn’t believe my ears.
“—but, I swear, it was only because I thought, maybe if she knew she could help. You know, help Bryan do the right thing and step up. I had no idea he would file for custody instead. I thought things were going well when I saw you at the café, I am so sorry.”
“Stop. Just, stop talking.” I shook my head, willing these facts to be untrue.
How could she?
“Eilish?”
“Give me a minute here, Josey. I mean, how . . . why . . . what could possibly possess you to tell her? You know what she’s like.”
“She seemed genuinely happy when she found out Bryan was the father,” Josey rushed to defend herself, “and, I’m sorry, but he did need to step up.”
“But that’s between Bryan and me, not you, and definitely not my mother.”
“I thought she could help,” came her small voice from the other end, making me sigh again.
“Cara Cassidy only helps herself,” I responded harshly. “You know that. I can’t believe you would do this.”
“Well, what else was I supposed to do, Eilish? I never see you. I just thought, you know, if Bryan was in the picture. I mean, you’ve liked him for so long, you deserve happiness, and if your mother could help him see reason—”
“But she didn’t, Josey. She didn’t. She just spewed her poison all over the situation and made everything worse.”
She was quiet for a beat, then asked, “Did he get custody?”
“No.”
“He didn’t?”
“No, I’m not discussing this with you.” I hated how cold I sounded, but how could I trust her now?
“What?”
“I can’t talk to you about this. Not if you’re informing my mother.”
“You make it sound like I’m a snitch; I’m not. I just want you to have some free time to have fun, like before you got pregnant and everything went to shit.” Now she was yelling at me.
I yelled right back, “Everything did not go to shit, Josey. My life is not shit, it never has been. Patrick is the best thing—”
“See, you say that, but you can’t possibly mean it. Not unless it gets you Bryan, otherwise what’s the point?”
“Oh my God.” I sat down at the desk, my anger mounting to near uncontrollable levels. “That’s it. We cannot talk anymore.”
“Why? Because you don’t like hearing the truth?” she spat.
“No. Because you don’t listen. Patrick is precious to me. He is the most precious, the most wonderful, the most important person in my life. I love him soul deep and oceans wide. And you’ve never been happy for me.”
“How can I be happy for you? You gave everything up, everything.”
“You’re wrong. I am so lucky, so blessed.”
“You wouldn’t be saying that if Sean hadn’t come to your rescue, would you? Then where would your love for your precious Patrick be?”