Read Beneath an Irish Sky (Choc Lit) for Free Online
Authors: Isabella Connor
sharp. The pillow talk would be great. He felt a stab of guilt. A dead wife and an injured son, and he was working out how to screw the bereavement counsellor.
Back in the bedroom, he stood by the window, watching worshippers leaving the church across the street. Sunday was almost over. How would he have spent the day in Baronsmere? A workout, the newspapers, lunch with the family at Edenbridge, an afternoon walk with the dogs, a drink or two in the evening with friends. No romance, although that flicker of hope he’d find someone special hadn’t yet gone out. It had been his choice to end things with Sarah a couple of months ago, so he had no right to complain about being lonely. They’d broken up so many times over the years that the villagers were probably placing bets to see how long it was before they were back together. It was final this time, though. She hadn’t made a big fuss when he’d broken things off, and had made no attempts to win him back, although she’d been a bit quiet of late – it was hard to know what she was really thinking.
He could guess what his parents would think, though, if he brought Luke back to Baronsmere. His would-be son, the thorn in his side. They’d think Jack had lost his mind. Emer had no idea what she was asking. Damn her. Damn Annie. And damn Luke. It had taken Jack so long to get over the shock of Annie leaving, but he’d survived and got his life back on track. The last thing he needed right now was a constant reminder of all that trauma in the form of a twenty-year-old with an attitude. And what the hell was all that about not being wanted because he was a
gypo
? Jack had never used that insult in his life, and he and Annie had wanted a child of their own, a brother or sister for Matt.
Matt! He’d have to tell him in case Luke got it into his head later to phone – or even worse, turn up on the doorstep. Then there would be some explaining to do. Jack took out his mobile and dialled his son’s number.
‘Dad!’ It was good to hear Matt’s voice. ‘What’s going on? Maggie said you’re in Ireland.’
He hadn’t given his housekeeper any details. Didn’t want her weeping all over the place. ‘Matt – I’m here because of Annie.’
‘Annie?
Our
Annie?’
‘There’s been an accident …’
‘Shit! Is she okay? Where’s she been all this time?’
Jack had expected anger or indifference. How could Matt sound so concerned after Annie had abandoned him?
‘Dad?’
‘Matt, I’m sorry … she’s dead. A car crash. I had to identify her.’
‘Oh my God! Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have come with you.’
‘You had the stag night.’
‘Fuck that! This is more important than some piss-up. Look, I’ll come over …’
‘No!’ That was the last thing Jack wanted. Things were complicated enough.
‘But what about the funeral? I should be there. And Maggie. We’ll—’
‘Stop! Just stop. There’s something else. She had a son. He was with her in the car.’
‘Is he dead too?’
‘No, but he’s injured. He’s in hospital.’
‘Poor sod,’ said Matt. ‘So his family are there, yeah? That must be tough for you.’
Jack was tempted to leave it there. Say Annie’s family were taking care of things. But what if the truth came out later? Matt would know he’d lied. ‘Well, that’s the thing, Matt. Luke seems to think we’re his family.’
‘Come again.’
‘Luke’s twenty. His birth certificate says he’s mine.’ Jack hated doing this over the phone. He wished he could see Matt’s reaction. ‘Matt? You still there?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What are you thinking?’
‘For starters – why the hell didn’t Annie tell you?’
And now the questions would start. The last thing he needed. ‘It’s complicated. Too much to go into right now. I’m still trying to get my head round it.’
‘I can imagine. So what’s he like?’
Hostile, stubborn, unforgiving, throws things. That about summed it up. But he didn’t have the
Back in the bedroom, he stood by the window, watching worshippers leaving the church across the street. Sunday was almost over. How would he have spent the day in Baronsmere? A workout, the newspapers, lunch with the family at Edenbridge, an afternoon walk with the dogs, a drink or two in the evening with friends. No romance, although that flicker of hope he’d find someone special hadn’t yet gone out. It had been his choice to end things with Sarah a couple of months ago, so he had no right to complain about being lonely. They’d broken up so many times over the years that the villagers were probably placing bets to see how long it was before they were back together. It was final this time, though. She hadn’t made a big fuss when he’d broken things off, and had made no attempts to win him back, although she’d been a bit quiet of late – it was hard to know what she was really thinking.
He could guess what his parents would think, though, if he brought Luke back to Baronsmere. His would-be son, the thorn in his side. They’d think Jack had lost his mind. Emer had no idea what she was asking. Damn her. Damn Annie. And damn Luke. It had taken Jack so long to get over the shock of Annie leaving, but he’d survived and got his life back on track. The last thing he needed right now was a constant reminder of all that trauma in the form of a twenty-year-old with an attitude. And what the hell was all that about not being wanted because he was a
gypo
? Jack had never used that insult in his life, and he and Annie had wanted a child of their own, a brother or sister for Matt.
Matt! He’d have to tell him in case Luke got it into his head later to phone – or even worse, turn up on the doorstep. Then there would be some explaining to do. Jack took out his mobile and dialled his son’s number.
‘Dad!’ It was good to hear Matt’s voice. ‘What’s going on? Maggie said you’re in Ireland.’
He hadn’t given his housekeeper any details. Didn’t want her weeping all over the place. ‘Matt – I’m here because of Annie.’
‘Annie?
Our
Annie?’
‘There’s been an accident …’
‘Shit! Is she okay? Where’s she been all this time?’
Jack had expected anger or indifference. How could Matt sound so concerned after Annie had abandoned him?
‘Dad?’
‘Matt, I’m sorry … she’s dead. A car crash. I had to identify her.’
‘Oh my God! Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have come with you.’
‘You had the stag night.’
‘Fuck that! This is more important than some piss-up. Look, I’ll come over …’
‘No!’ That was the last thing Jack wanted. Things were complicated enough.
‘But what about the funeral? I should be there. And Maggie. We’ll—’
‘Stop! Just stop. There’s something else. She had a son. He was with her in the car.’
‘Is he dead too?’
‘No, but he’s injured. He’s in hospital.’
‘Poor sod,’ said Matt. ‘So his family are there, yeah? That must be tough for you.’
Jack was tempted to leave it there. Say Annie’s family were taking care of things. But what if the truth came out later? Matt would know he’d lied. ‘Well, that’s the thing, Matt. Luke seems to think we’re his family.’
‘Come again.’
‘Luke’s twenty. His birth certificate says he’s mine.’ Jack hated doing this over the phone. He wished he could see Matt’s reaction. ‘Matt? You still there?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What are you thinking?’
‘For starters – why the hell didn’t Annie tell you?’
And now the questions would start. The last thing he needed. ‘It’s complicated. Too much to go into right now. I’m still trying to get my head round it.’
‘I can imagine. So what’s he like?’
Hostile, stubborn, unforgiving, throws things. That about summed it up. But he didn’t have the