Finally, he looked at me. “That would be appreciated.”
I nodded.
“I’ll do what I can as well,” he carried on.
“That would be good,” I said softly.
He hooked his coffee cup, took a sip, put it back and addressed my fork, “This man you’re seeing, he spends time with the kids, you’ve introduced them to his kids.” He lifted his gaze to me. “I take it that means you’re considering a future with him?”
“This man is called Mickey and yes. We both are,” I declared.
“He’s a fireman, Amelia,” he told me.
I tried not to react negatively. It wasn’t scathing but it was condescending.
“He’s a contractor and roofer, Conrad. And he’s starting his own company.”
He kept sharing things I knew. “You’re the Calway heiress.”
“And he’s one of four of the Maine Fresh Maritime heirs.”
Conrad’s eyebrows shot up.
He was impressed.
How that was a measure of a man when he knew Mickey had nothing to do with the company outside being an heir, I couldn’t fathom. But to Conrad, it was.
Yes.
Boring.
“He went his own way. He’s his own man,” I informed him. “But even if he didn’t come from serious money, he’d still be perfect for me.”
“Your parents might not agree,” he retorted.
“I’m forty-seven, Conrad. I’m well beyond caring what my parents think of my decisions. I know what’s right for me.”
He took another sip of coffee.
I took one of iced tea.
“Perhaps we should discuss the situation of Pippa bullying,” he suggested.
I relaxed.
That was his business. Mickey was too, considering Mickey spent time with his children. But he’d given me no choice with Martine (or this Tammy) so it also wasn’t. He had to trust I’d choose well.
But I gave him the brief info he needed on Mickey because I was a grown up and I wanted this to work.
Now, we could discuss our daughter.
Which we did. Surprisingly, he agreed with my reaction and the plan going forward, that being barring all connection with Polly. We also both agreed to carry forward with Auden’s two weeks of being grounded from his car. I felt my son had learned his lesson but I didn’t feel that backing down on a punishment earned was the appropriate message to send. Conrad felt the same.
We had lunch. It was tense and not enjoyable.
But we managed it.
I only ate half my meal.
Conrad paid and he was polite enough to walk me to the door.
We parted ways on the sidewalk.
I made my way to my Rover alone, got in, started it up to get the heat going, grabbed my phone and called Mickey.
“Hey,” he greeted.
“Hey back,” I replied.
“You done with him?”
“Yes.”
“It go okay?”
“For me and Conrad, it went swimmingly. It was still not an hour packed with fun.”
Mickey chuckled.
I enjoyed listening to it for a few seconds before I shared, “He’s decided not to move to Texas, Mickey.”
He spoke my thoughts. “Good for the kids, sucks for you.”
“Yeah,” I mumbled and turned our conversation to brighter horizons. “Lawr’s here. Your kids are with Rhiannon. Any chance you’d be able to go out to dinner with us tonight?”
“Seein’ as your brother’s around and that doesn’t happen often, I could talk to a guy, get him to take my shift at the house.”
“I’d like that Mickey,” I told him softly.
“Then it’s done, Amy,” he replied, also softly. “Now, gotta go. I’ll come over after I get home and shower. Be there around six.”
“Okay, honey.”
“Later.”
“’Bye.”
We rang off.
I went home to report about the lunch to Lawrie and then hang with him and my kids.
Mickey came over at around six and we all went out to dinner, Auden and Pippa declaring we just had to introduce Lawrie to Tink’s.
Lawrie had no problem with the establishment at all. He enjoyed the burgers. He enjoyed being with his little sister, her kids and the man she loved.
Pippa ended our evening by begging Mickey to come over the next night for a dinner she was going to cook for him and her uncle.
Since his shift at the firehouse was during the day, he agreed.
Thus before Lawr was on the road in his rental to go back to the airport on Sunday, he’d had a good dose of the life his little sister was leading.
And after he gave the kids their tight hugs and good-byes, when he hugged me, he said in my ear, “Really fucking good to see you this happy, MeeMee.”
I tilted my head back and caught his eyes. “Happy to be this happy, Lawrie. I’ll be happier when you officially separate from Mariel and ask out Robin.”
He sighed.
I smiled.
And with my kids standing beside me in the drive of our fabulous home, we waved away their Uncle Lawrie.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Do What I Gotta Do
“Okay, what is your problem?” Alyssa asked me, brushing varnish on my nails.
I focused on her. “I’m sorry?”
“Babe, you’re here but your mind’s so far away it’s a wonder you aren’t drooling,” she told me.
My eyes shifted to Josie sitting next to me in her pedicure chair.
“We’ve been chatting for fifteen minutes, you haven’t said a word, and Alyssa called your name three times,” she said. “You didn’t even blink.”
“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” I mumbled, horrified.
“So, what’s goin’ on with you?” Alyssa asked.
I looked to her. “Tonight, the kids and Mickey are all spending the night at my house. Movie night and together night. They live across the street but Mickey feels we’re heading toward that time where they’re gonna have to get used to an us that’s blended, so he’s renting a bunch of movies. We’re having a pig out fest of crappy foods while lazing around the TV. And since I have two guests rooms instead of his one, his kids are staying over.” I paused for the dramatic affect the next words needed. “With Mickey sleeping with me.”
“Oh my,” Josie whispered.
“Big shit, sister,” Alyssa decreed.
It was.
The good news was that it said a lot, Mickey pushing for this (and he’d pushed).
It said a lot in a variety of ways.
It was close to Christmas. The last three weeks had been bumpy, though not for Mickey and me.