“You can’t mean that, Hazel. For all his faults, he does love you. I know he has a funny way of showing it, but you know he only reacted the way he did because he thought it’s what was best for you. On paper, you and I don’t make a lot of sense to most people. He probably thought I was trying to take advantage of you because you’re so young.”
“Why are you defending him? He should’ve known that wasn’t something you’d do. I mean, how can you know someone for six years, call them family and then throw them out on their ass? There’s no excusing his behavior.”
“Hazel.”
I shake my head, trying to shake away my agitation along with it. I don’t want to be fighting with Cillian just because I’m pissed off at my father. At the end of the day, I think the only thing that matters to him is that restaurant. And if I’m honest with myself, I don’t care if he loses it. Maybe he should’ve cared more about his daughter. Then he wouldn’t be in this mess.
“Why don’t you just tell me what happened?” I say, meeting his eyes. “Did he even ask about me?”
Cillian wipes a hand across his mouth. “I did most of the talking,” he says, which just tells me that no, my father did not ask how I was. Excellent.
“Then what did you say?”
He reaches across the table and takes my hand and his, running his thumb over the top of my knuckles. God, I love him. Even when I’m feeling slightly annoyed, I’m only a moment away from jumping his bones.
“I told him that you’re an amazing woman. I told him that I love you. And I told him that you’re happy, and that I’m planning to marry you.” Swoon. “I also suggested that if he can see his way through his stubbornness, he might be able to reconcile things with you before he misses out on his grandkids. And then I told him that if he can make it right before he fucks his entire business up, I might be willing to come back. But only in the head chef position.”
“Wow,” I say, feeling impressed by how big my man’s balls are. Going in there and saying all of that would’ve taken a lot of guts. I don’t know that I could’ve done the same. “And what did he say? Did he say anything?”
“He nodded. And he said he’d take what I said under advisement.”
“That’s all?” That doesn’t sound like my dad. He’s a man who always has something to say about everything. “Was he… did he seem OK?” I ask, letting go of some of my anger as concern takes hold. As pissed as I am at my dad, Cillian is right, he is still family. And I know that deep down he loves me. He just has a funny way of showing it when he doesn’t get his way.
“To be honest,” he starts. “He looks a bit of a wreck. I don’t think he’s OK.”
“Oh…” I pull my bottom lip into my mouth, pressing my teeth into it. “Do you think… Do you think I should go and talk to him?”
“I think that decision should be up to you. But you should know I’ll support you in whatever you want to do. Just like I know you support me.” He lifts my hand and presses a kiss against my bent fingers. “At the end of all of this, it’s just you and me.”
“I know. And I love you for it.”
“I love you too. Always.”
After breakfast, Cillian walks me to work like he always does. I love that everything between us is easy and comfortable, like we’re both so into each other that we just fit. Any disagreement we have is only momentary, because love always wins. I never want to waste a moment away from him when I could spend it happily beside him instead.
“I’ll meet you Kelly’s later?” he checks, moving so he’s standing in front of me, holding both of my hands. It’s a beautiful sunny day, and I’d love to be spending it outside with him. Actually, I think I’d rather be inside. We can have more fun together that way.
I look over my shoulder at the clothing boutique I work for and wish I could just take him in with me and keep him all day to myself. The sucky thing about being a grown-up is the responsibility that comes with it. But I suppose that just means I have to cherish moments like this, when my husband-to-be makes me feel like I'm the only woman in the world just by the way he looks at me.
Rising on my toes, I press my lips to his, sucking gently. “Definitely. Are we eating there or at home?”
He sighs. “I’ll see how exhausted I am after work.”
“OK. And if you’re too tired, I could always cook. I know how much you enjoy my Ramen noodles.” I smirk, knowing the comment is going to earn me a smile. Cillian learned very quickly that I have zero skills in the kitchen whatsoever. Thankfully, he is such a master. I can barely make toast. But he’s patient in trying to teach me. I’m now capable of boiling water.
“I’ll cook.” He laughs before he brings his mouth to mine, kissing me sweetly before he drags himself away and wishes me a good day.
“I’ll be happier when it’s over and I can see you again,” I say, standing there and watching him walk away. “On second thoughts, just come back here and play hooky with me. Will make love in the back room.”
He flashes me a massive grin over his shoulder. “Don’t tempt me,” he calls out as he continues on his way.
I stand there for a while longer, mainly because I like watching his ass in those jeans he wears. Are they painted on? And then I turn around and open the shop, going inside and turning off the alarm so I can prep everything to open. I’m in there for barely a minute before there’s a knock on the shutter and I rush to open it, a massive smile on my face.
“Back already?” I ask, throwing it open dramatically, expecting Cillian to be there with a naughty idea in his mind. But it isn’t Cillian at all. It’s my father. “Oh.” I take a step backward.
“I thought we could talk,” he says, his voice soft and his eyes rimmed with dark shadows. He looks like he hasn’t slept for the entire month I’ve been gone. He doesn’t look like he’s shaved either. Or showered…
“Sure,” I say, letting him inside and closing the door behind him. My heart thumps in my chest, nervous that this moment is finally here. I’ve had zero contact with him since that morning I packed up and left. I’d almost convinced myself that I’d be fine and unaffected the next time I saw him. But I’m not. I’m sad. I’m sad that it came to this. I just wanted him to love and support me, and to trust me to choose for myself. And he couldn’t do that.
“Cillian came to see me,” he starts.
“I heard. I also heard the restaurant isn’t doing so great right now.”
His hand lifts and rubs the back of his neck, his head tilting as a wry smile curves his mouth. “There isn’t a lot going great at the moment, if I’m honest,” he says, moving so he’s standing not far from me.
“And why do you think that is?” I ask, folding my arms in front of me. There’s a thickness in my throat. It’s harder to breathe.
“Hubris,” he says. “I couldn’t admit that maybe I was wrong, couldn’t bend my own rules even for my own daughter, and as a result I pushed away the two most important people in my life. My daughter, and my prodigy.”