Page 96 of The Science of Attraction

I glanced at Liam who seemed just as bemused as I was.

“You’ve completed all the sections individually and in groups,” he reminded Paddy. “Today, we’re just gonna try and put it all together. If you don’t make it in one go, you don’t. No pressure. This isn’t a competition. The chairs and straw bales are in place if you need to rest. You can do this, Paddy, and you will. If not today, then we try again tomorrow.”

Paddy’s gaze never moved from Liam, like he was drawing on Liam’s strength, and not for the first time, I sensed a change in my father, a kind of reluctant acceptance of the new circumstances he found himself in. It felt like he wasn’t fighting his stroke anymore. He was trying to work with it. And I admired him for that.

“Okay.” He nodded. “B-but you’ll stay close?” It was an order more than a request, but Liam didn’t seem to mind.

“Of course.”

“Knock, knock. Morning all.” Zach strolled into the kitchen and took a seat at the table without waiting to be invited, as he usually did.

I smiled to myself. We were making progress.

He looked to me. “I had Spencer following me all the way up the drive. You guys got a problem?”

I shook my head. “Just a couple of bloaters and the annual dog vet check.”

Zach turned to Paddy. “Big day today.”

Paddy threw his wife a belligerent look. “You t-told him?”

She regarded him squarely. “I might’ve mentioned you were going to try the full circuit this morning, but so what? Since Zach agreed to help Jules build some weatherproof shelters for you at intervals along the drive in both directions for when you can manage further distances, I figured it might be nice if he was here for today.” Her brow arched in a less than subtle challenge.

My father looked between Zach and me and sighed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Zach answered way too brightly, clearly struggling not to lose his shit in the face of our mother’s authoritative manner.

“Oh, I didn’t realise you had company.” Marty stood in the mudroom doorway, his rheumy gaze slowly circling the table until it landed on me. His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed. “It can wait.”

“Don’t be silly.” Norma waved the old shepherd into the kitchen. “I’ll pour you a coffee.”

Marty hesitated, then realising he wasn’t going to be let off the hook, he made his way to the nearest chair and took a seat. Norma placed a steaming mug in front of him and patted his arm. “Was there something you needed from us, Marty?”

He thanked her, then looked to Paddy. “Well, I was, um, hoping to have a word with you, Paddy.” He glanced to where Liam and I sat beside each other and quickly looked away. “Alone might be better.”

Alone?“If it’s anything to do with the station?—”

“It’s not.” His gaze flicked to me again and then back to Paddy.

My father frowned. “Can it w-wait?”

“Yes.” My mother took her seat. “This is an exciting morning for everyone.”

“Of course.” Marty shuffled in his chair, his cheeks pink. His gaze slid sideways over Liam with obvious distaste and something close to... fury?

The penny dropped.

Oh hell. Oh fucking, fucking hell.The woolshed door.

My gaze shot sideways to find Liam staring at me with wild eyes.

My mother prattled on, unaware of the growing tension in the room. “Paddy’s worked so hard to get to this point. I’m so proud of him. And Liam’s been a godsend, hasn’t he, Paddy? I don’t know if we’d have made it this far so quickly without his help.”

Paddy regarded a pale Liam with a rare look of gratitude and murmured, “Yes.”

Marty grunted, his hands busy, that loose Parkinson’s tremble becoming more pronounced with the growing tension in the room.

Maybe he’d let it go.

---