Angel's Peak (Virgin River #10)(44)

“I told that son of a bitch not to say anything yet!”

“I haven’t talked to Mom, so relax. You in Phoenix yet?”

“No, Aiden, I’m not even to the Sacramento airport! I just left Franci’s a few hours ago and stopped for the night. I’ll head there first thing in the morning. She doesn’t know I’m coming.”

“You’re not going to warn her?”

“Nope. Mom never leaves town without checking in with at least three of us, so worst case I wait around while she finishes a bridge game or round of golf. Thing is, I couldn’t head for Mom’s before I squared things with Rosie. I had to tell her who her father is.”

Aiden whistled. “How’d she take it.”

Sean thought for a second. “Truthfully? She wasn’t that impressed. She knew her daddy had a plane and she wants a ride. She took it right in stride, like she’d been expecting me to show up any second.”

“And you?” Aiden asked. “You take it in stride?”

“Aw, hell, it wore me out so bad I fell asleep on her little bed. Slept until the sun was down. After spending about three hours with her—eating her imaginary chicken and broccoli, reading books, picking up toys, talking about bikes and dogs and playmates at school—I was shot. She has these high heels she wears. She took some to school so her friend Jason could wear them, too.” He grumbled. “While I was asleep, she painted my face with magic markers…”

Aiden whooped with laughter.

“Yeah, you laugh. I’ll turn her loose on you.”

“I’d love that,” Aiden said. “When can I meet her?”

“Gimme some time, Aiden. I’m way behind the power curve here. I don’t know anything about kids, and there is so much to know. You have no idea.”

“She’s just a kid, Sean. Don’t overthink it. Enjoy her.”

“Did you know that when a little kid poops, you have to check their little butt to make sure they wiped it clean? Did you know that?”

Aiden chuckled. “Yes, Sean, I knew that.”

“Where the hell do you learn something like that?”

“I dated a woman with a couple of little kids. Haven’t you? Ever dated a single young mother?”

Sean was quiet for a moment. “Not really.”

“How can you not really date a young mother?”

“I’ve gone out with women with kids before, yeah. But I’ve never been around the kids. I have friends with kids, but I never paid attention to that stuff. I’m in way over my head.”

“Franci will help you with all that. How is Franci?”

“Cautious. I told her I thought we should get married and she told me to slow down—she wants to be sure it’s the right move.”

“Bullshit. She wants to be sure you’re in love with her. That you can be a lover and a family man. Don’t you know anything about women?”

“Not as much as I thought I did,” Sean admitted.

“My little brother the playboy,” Aiden said. “Time to take life a little more seriously, huh? I want to meet her. Rosie. Let me know the minute I can. And I’d love to see Franci again.”

“You know, just because Rosie took me in stride doesn’t mean the entire Riordan clan won’t be a little overwhelming for her,” Sean said. “Let’s not throw her in the deep end of the pool, huh?”

“Red hair and green eyes, I hear,” Aiden said. “Like Mom and Paddy and half our cousins. That must have been a shock.”

“The second I saw her, I knew. Plus, it couldn’t be anyone else’s kid—Franci and I were tight.” He paused. “Till we weren’t.”

“Well, lucky you—you get another chance. Call me after you talk to Mom. I can’t wait to hear how she likes this news.”

“About Mom…I’m going to tell her in person because she’s going to kill me and then she’s going to rush to California and throw herself on Rosie. I can’t let her do that, Aiden. What am I gonna do about Mom?”

“Reason with her,” Aiden said easily. “Just tell her she’ll meet Rosie very soon, but you have to introduce your very large, very excited, extended family one at a time after you work things out with Rosie’s mom. Be firm—she’ll be fine. Call me if you need me.”

“I’ll give you two thousand dollars to meet me in Phoenix and tell her for me.”

Aiden laughed. “Talk to you tomorrow, little brother. Good luck!”

Sean arrived in Phoenix before noon the next day. He rented a car and headed for his mother’s condo complex.

He remembered when she’d bought the place, almost ten years ago. They’d been born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, but after their father died twelve years ago, Maureen Riordan had had enough of harsh winters, especially when she had to face them alone. The boys were all devoted to her, but they were also all military and it wasn’t easy for them to be on call to help out their mom. The oldest was Luke, who back then had been in the army flying Blackhawks, and the baby of the family, Patrick, or Paddy as they called him, had just entered the naval academy. All of them had left home and visited their mother at the pleasure of Uncle Sam.

Maureen, as she was known to do, took matters into her own hands and found a condo in Phoenix. It was in a complex much like a resort—more the kind of place Sean might choose, and that had surprised him about his mom. There was a golf course, tennis courts, a community center, swimming pools and a hefty association fee. More importantly, there was no grass to cut or snow to shovel, and there were guaranteed friends. All she had to do was sign up for certain activities and she met people. Thus, Maureen had learned to play golf and tennis and had put her bridge-playing skills to the test.