Page 39 of Alfie: Part One
“Hey, knock yourself out,” Finn said. Just then, one of the twin boys started climbing Finn’s leg, so he picked the boy up and smooched his cheek. “What’s up, baby?”
“I’m hungwy noooww. Where’s Momma?”
“She was gonna give Auntie Luna a call,” Finn told him. “She’ll be back soon. How about I prove to you that I can make you a burger that’s as good as Momma’s, huh?”
I was fucking surrounded by mini-Finnegans. They all had darker hair than he did—so I guessed they got that from Emilia—but otherwise, no need to wonder who was the father. Then there were two more. They ran up behind me, one older, around four or five, and the other stumbling forward the way only a toddler could. One had dark hair, the other was a copperhead like Finn, but…
Correction, copperhead like Liam. He arrived on the scene and picked up the youngest, and his actions, his obvious affection for the kid, made it clear the lad was his.
Kellan draped an arm around my shoulders, at the same time as the nanny coaxed my own kids to her. So she was just gonna take care of all the kids? Seriously?
“I hope Finn pays her well,” I said for only Kellan to hear.
He laughed and nodded once. “Oh, she’s set. She’s part of the family—some uncle’s wife on Shan’s side. Finn bought her a fuckin’ house when she came over from Killarney.” He jerked his chin at the two Liam was focusing on. “That’s CJ and li’l Eddie.”
I looked at him, surprised. “Your nephews?” I’d heard him mention them before, obviously, but I’d had no idea they were Liam’s kids. “You never said your sister married Liam.”
“’Cause she didn’t,” he snorted. “That’s—hold up. Ryan!” He got the boy’s attention as he got ketchup and relish all over his face. “What do we say to Auntie Luna and Uncle Liam about their family?”
Ryan grinned goofily and held up a hand like a stop sign. “I don’t need tickets to your shitshow!”
Kellan and I cracked up, and Finn said, “Fuckin’ amen” and fist-bumped his son.
“Find something new to gossip about,” Liam bitched. He had an accent too, though it wasn’t as pronounced as the nanny’s.
“We’re not gossiping, mate,” Kellan chuckled. “We’re avoiding the topic like the plague.”
“Yet you find every goddamn opportunity to bring it up.” Liam shot him a quick glare before he went back to fixing his sons’ hot dogs.
Kellan’s shoulders trembled with silent laughter. “It’s a touchy subject.”
Evidently.
“Anyway, they’re not together and never have been,” he added quietly. “Long story short, Liam and CJ bonded over a holiday, and somehow, my sister ended up pregnant shortly after, resulting in Eddie.”
Somehowended up pregnant?
It wasn’t a mystery.
Interesting that CJ wasn’t Liam’s biological kid, though. I’d been under the impression that blood meant everything to the Sons.
When the young girls, Autumn and Nessa, came over, Finn literally bribed them with two hundred bucks to help the nanny with the kids so the grown-ups could sit down for a moment. I wasn’t sure the girls were in need of money, considering the brands displayed on their bikini designs, but they agreed.
“That’s four hundred you owe me now, Dad,” Autumn reminded in a singsong voice.
“Well, fuck.” Finn hauled out his wallet. “Let’s get that sorted.”
“The fuck’s wrong with you, cousin?” Liam asked. “You know they babysit for free.”
“We’ve already told him! Don’t remind him,” Nessa warned.
I grinned.
She shifted her gaze to me, still visibly curious, but made no move to introduce herself.
“I believe in fair pay for hard labor,” was Finn’s response. “Reagan’s got the runs, so…”
Oh Christ.