Damien (Slater Brothers #5)(21)

I leaned back just in case she got slap happy.

“No,” she continued. “I do not hate you, and I will never hate you.”

My shoulders sagged with relief.

“I thought you might, given who Dante is to you.”

“Alannah.” Aideen sighed. “I’m not jumpin’ for joy that you had this secret relationship with me brother. If you had a relationship with ’im, without the secret part, I’d be delighted for you both. I just ... it’s just ... we’re friends. Since I got pregnant with Jax, we have both become really close. We’re a big part of the other’s life, and I truly love you. It just caught me off guard that you’d keep this from me. I know it was your decision, and you had your reasons, but I can’t help but feel upset.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry. I could just never pluck up the courage to tell you about it. To tell anyone about it, to be honest.”

“I know,” Aideen said, “and that’s me own fault for makin’ you feel that you couldn’t talk to me about it, so I’m sorry.”

I blinked and didn’t know what to say, so I stayed mute.

“How are you doin’?” she asked me. “Really?”

I exhaled a deep breath and sat on the bed, letting Jax sit beside me. I kept my hand on his back for balance.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Me head is so messed up, and when I think of why, it pisses me off. I don’t understand why Damien and I even argued. We aren’t a couple, and we’ve never been a couple, so it was all over nothin’ when you think about it.”

Aideen clicked her tongue. “You both have history, you share an attraction, and dare I say you even care for one another. You’re both just utterly shite at communicatin’.”

Unexpected laughter spilled free, and it felt good to relax and shoot the shit.

“It’s all just a big mess.”

“Do you plan on cleanin’ it up?”

I gnawed on my lower lip. “I’m goin’ to talk to ’im, but God only knows how that will turn out.”

“I don’t think it’ll be as bad as you think it will.”

“You’re right; it’ll probably be worse.”

Aideen chuckled. “You never usually talk this negatively.”

“I know,” I acknowledged. “I’m just a bit down lately.”

“Everythin’ will work out,” Aideen said with confidence. “What’s meant to be will be.”

I kissed Jax on the crown of his head.

“You’re so mellow since you had the kids.”

Aideen grinned. “Only when they’re quiet.”

I snorted and looked down at Jax as he grabbed and played with my fingers.

“Are you goin’ to stay for lunch?” my friend asked.

With my eyes still on Jax, I shook my head.

“I have to collect me car from your da’s garage,” I replied. “One of the lads had to replace the ruptured diesel pump. I had to wait for the part to be delivered.”

Aideen whistled. “Damien is at work today. He doesn’t just do roadside rescue with Ryder anymore. Me da has taken them both on as apprentices.”

I looked up. “But I thought Ryder said he wasn’t interested in goin’ back to school?”

“He wasn’t until he took an interest in engines.” She shrugged. “Me da already has them set up with FAS so they get paid for workin’ in the garage from me da, and get paid from FAS at the same time. The schoolin’ part of it is cool, too. It takes four years to get their certificate to be approved mechanics, and they split that up between workin’ in the garage and bein’ in school. They’re on the job eighty percent of the time, and then three months out of each year, they have their evenin’ classes to prepare them for their exams. They get trainin’ allowances too, so no college fees.”

“That’s brilliant,” I praised. “Your da really did them a solid.”

Aideen nodded. “He said they are as hard workin’ as me brothers, so he was happy to get them on board.”

“I’m happy for them.”

“Are you still goin’ to collect your car?”

“I have to,” I said with a shrug. “Not only do I need to go shoppin’ to put food in me presses, but I’ve also got a meetin’ in town tomorrow with a lad who applied for the assistant job to help me with the business, and I’m not takin’ the bus. They’ll be packed because the Luas is still on strike.”

“The Luas is always on bloody strike.”

I snorted and looked down at Jax, who was drooling on my fingers as he chewed on them.

“You’re lucky you’re cute, fella.”

Aideen laughed as I moved him into the centre of the bed and went to the bathroom to wash my hands. I popped my head back into her bedroom when I was finished and said, “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Let me know how it goes and if you have a run-in with Damien!”

I leaned my head against the door panel. “Say a prayer for me.”

“I’ll say two.”

I grinned as I walked down the hallway.

“Bye, Kane!” I shouted as I opened the front door.