Her jobs;
bringing out the best
in me.
- Liam stood with a glass in his hand watching Ian’s guest mingle. If someone was to come upon him he’d be shocked out of his wits how intent he was on following one of Ian’s guests in particular. “Bloody ‘ell. She’s here then.” The words escaped Liam Kelly’s mouth with his usual thick Irish brogue. This time the words were thicker than usual, laced with the brandy in his glass and the emotions that always seemed to surface when he thought of the very women he couldn’t keep his eyes off of. In the church, Liam has resorted to blinking to make sure he hadn’t been seeing a ghost. There he’d been standing in his suit gapping as he watched his ex girlfriend walk in the door with a young kid in her arms. Well when the hell had she gone settled down with a kid? And where was the father of the child he wondered? Liam hadn’t been able to see if she was wearing a ring or not. He couldn’t believe his eyes. She had mentioned wanting a family to him time and time before, he’d danced around the issue. She obviously meant business. What did she go out and get busy with the first man that came her way? The kid didn’t look older than two years. And, hell they’d only broken up about two many three years ago. She hadn’t wasted any time getting over him had she?
Slamming his glass down on the table Liam turned to leave. The woman left him nearly two years ago. He was a fool to stand there mooning over her like some love sick pup. she’d obviously moved on. There was no point in crying like some wounded love when he’d had a fair share of bed mates since they’d broken up. What did he expect? A woman as good looking as her would have found a man aye. But, so soon after they broke up? He knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t’ just have a child for some man she didn’t plan on staying with. So she’d done it. Gone and gotten married a few months after they’d broken up and started the family she wanted. Well that was find and dandy. She didn’t need him and he damn well didn’t need her. What he needed was to get out of this place before he went right over to her and demanded explanations. The last thing he wanted was to cause a scene at Ian’s wedding. The chap would never forgive him that. He’d never forgive himself either. Still he didn’t want to seem like the love sick pup running away. He could greet her and meet her child couldn’t he? Damn right he could. A shot of scotch would do the trick. Pouring himself a glass he downed it quick enough for a cough to escape his lips as it burned its way down his chest.
His intent once he found his bearings was to walk over to her and say hello. Stand about, make idle conversation. Then leave. Oh he’d want to be nosey ask her about her kid. But that would mean too much. It would say too much on his behalf and he didn’t want to seem like some creepy ex lover stalking her life. If she mentioned the kid and his father then she did. If not, he’d find everything out from Ian. One of his closest friends who managed to keep it a secret that his ex girlfriend had a kid. That was just pissy now wasn’t it? He’d sock the bugger right in the nuts if it weren’t his wedding day. Seeing as it was…Liam decided he’d give him a free pass. Enough of that. It was time to pull up his draw strings and head on over. Liam moved through the crowd his focus on one Trista Amelia Lynn.
There are things that happen in life. Some call it faith, chance, destiny, but Liam called it pure luck. And being an Irishman he knew lots about luck. Well he’d been walking heading towards the woman in question when he found himself stumbling into her son. Luckily, he’d finished his drink before the collision. Liam found himself reaching down to steady the little child before it was sent stumbling to the ground. The clothing triggered his memory. Trista’s child had been wearing these clothes and he only knew so well because he’d spent most of his time staring at both of them in the church. Liam too this as mother nature sending her blessings a confirmation that he was indeed suppose to speak with Trista. Bending down before the child Liam would have asked if he was okay but the words were caught some where between his trachea and cerebellum. It seemed these things always came down to blind, well not so blind, moments of understanding. The child before him looked everything like its mother but for the eyes. Those eyes could not hide from him. How could they when he saw them every morning he woke up and looked at himself in the mirror. You didn’t forget your own eyes, especially when they happened to be looking right up at you.
Now this was the tricky part. Liam’s mind did a data search through old memories anything that would make this-make sense. Nothing. There was nothing. It didn’t make sense. Trista would have told him if she had a child for him. She wouldn’t keep something like that away from him. True at the time he hadn’t wanted a family but he would never have missed out on it if it had already been in the making. No, it was simply an uncanny resemblance. “ Well now little one what’s the rush? You’ve got to pace yaself a wee bit. Here…let me get a look at you.” Liam pretended to inspect the little child making all sorts of noises that caused the child to giggle behind its tiny hand. “You no worse for wear. Now where’s ya mum? I’ll take you to her…she can make sure you’re not hurt. And, slow you down a bit, aye? Come on then take my hand. I won’t bite that I promise. I’ve had my full of little kids for the day can’t take another one.” He grinned down at the little child whose hand slipped into his with a natural ease that caused his hear to ache. Not a familiar feeling, and not one Liam was willing to explore with Trista’s child.
“ I’m called Liam…what’s your name?”
The distance to the child’s mother wasn’t far. In fact, Liam found himself standing before Trista in little time at all. “ I believe I found something that belongs to you.” Not the greatest line no. But, Liam was scourging for something to say. It had been a while since he’d seen the woman and as usual just looking at her did something to his heart. Years hadn’t dulled the pain of loving her. Letting go of the child’s hand he winked as it moved over to its mother, “ beautiful kid you have there Trista. How old ? If ya don’t mind me asking.” Because, some part of his mind couldn’t resist the truth staring him back in the eyes when he looked down at the little one. Even though he protested in his heart that the child could be his, his mind had him thinking other wise. And, when it came to Trista Liam knew it was always best to go with his mind because his heart would lead him astray every time.
And she does it;
perfectly
perfectly
