Page 17 of Sam's Forever
We all know that years of hurt and missing out on family won’t all be sorted with this one meeting, but this broke the ice, and hopefully, the O’Shea family will be able to heal old rifts and hurts.
I’d be doing some of my own soon enough.
CHAPTER 9
CASH
Wiping nervous hands down my jeans as our plane descends, Lizzie catches my hand in hers and leans over. “It’s going to be okay, babe. You’ve got this. It’s not the first time you two have met. You’re making this into something bigger than it is. Speak to Sam and go from there. We’ll manage. You have backup with you as buffers, but Sam’s a good man. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
Lizzie is trying to make me feel better, and I appreciate her support, but it’s still his wedding week, and I’m wondering if we should wait. “I should have done this earlier. It seems wrong to be having a heart-to-heart the week of his wedding.”
Lizzie pats my hand. “Don’t worry so much. I have enough faith in both of you.”
I blow out a deep breath and turn to the woman who has owned my heart since I met her when I was twenty. It’s hard to believe that the years have flown by. She’s still the only one for me, and I’d do anything for her, and she knows it, but it doesn’t hurt to remind her. “I love you, Lizzie.”
Her eyes soften, and she reaches up to press her lips to mine. “I love you too. We’ll get through this, I promise.”
“Yeah, we will,” I agree, catching Maestro’s concerned gaze. Tilting my chin, I let him know I’m okay. Or as okay as I can be.
I’m not sure who is picking us up, just that Sam assured us that someone would be. I’m surprised but happy when we walk out and find him and Thor, my mum’s Old Man, waiting on us.
Our kids fly away from our side as soon as they see him with cries of ‘Grandpa’. I have to say that my mum did good the second time round. I like Thor, and he loves my kids just as much as his other grandkids. Once they greet Thor, they throw themselves at Sam, who’s smiling as he hugs them, assuring them that he’d missed them.
He pulls Lizzie into his arms, and the two of them have a conversation while I greet Thor, who immediately pulls me into a man hug.
“Good to see you, Cash. Your mum can’t wait for you to arrive. She’s waiting at the hotel for you,” he tells me, letting me go so he can greet Maestro and Stacey, who had hung back while we greeted everyone.
Sam lets go of Lizzie and holds out his hand to me with a smile, “Cash. Thanks for coming.”
“Of course,” I reply, shaking his hand before pulling him in for a hug. “Wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” I tell him softly before letting him go as Stacey and Maestro come up to us. He turns to greet them, and then it’s a flurry of getting us to the parking and into the two vehicles for the long trip to the New Forest. We’re about twenty minutes away from our destination according to the satnav, and the chatting has slowed down because the kids and Lizzie have passed out in the back seat.
Sam slants a look at me, hesitates a bit, then asks, “I know you guys are wiped from travelling today, but I was wondering if you’d like to go for a ride with me tomorrow. Alec says you can use his bike.”
My heart beats double time as I turn to look at my son. I’m always struck by how little of me there is in him; he’s all Abby. All I passed down was my height. “I’d love to,” I tell him. “Let me know when, and I’ll be ready.”
“Good,” Sam nods, and the grip he’s had on the steering wheel eases up. It’s only then that I realise my son is as nervous as I am. “I’ll text you in the morning, but it will probably be around ten-ish if that’s okay. I’ve got to be back in the afternoon for our family dinner.”
“Ten is good with me, Sam. I’ll be ready,” I assure him with a smile. I’d been wondering how I was going to approach Sam, but he’d taken that worry away from me.
Twenty minutes later, we’re pulling into the drive in front of a gorgeous hotel. I had to take my hat off to Reaper’s kids—they had their shit together. On the steps waiting for us are my mum, Ally—Sam’s fiancée—and Bren. I’d never met Ally, but Lizzie has shown me pictures of her. I also know she’s a princess of one of the most dangerous families in this area. And I’m not talking about the men.
We get out, and my mum flies at me like she hasn’t seen me in years when it’s only been a few months. I hug and kiss her before letting her go so that she can greet Lizzie and the kids. Sam comes to a stop next to me and grins up at the woman he’s chosen. The way she’s looking at him makes my heart happy, and when he says, “Hey, beautiful, come meet my father,” my nose burns and my throat tightens with emotion. That he’s acknowledged who I am means the world to me.
Ally beams a wide smile at him before walking quickly down the stairs and straight into his arms. She raises on her toes to kiss Sam before she turns to me with a smile and holds out her hand.“I’ve heard a lot about you, Cash. It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”
Taking her soft hand in mine, I gently squeeze it. You can tell just by looking at her she’s a good person, but it’s the way she’s curled protectively into Sam that makes me like her. I know her history; I’d made sure to find out as much as I could about the woman my son was tying himself to, and I’d relaxed when I’d realised who she was related to. I’d been angry on her behalf when I’d found out what had happened to her, but seeing her now, whole and very obviously in love with my son, makes me a happy man. Realising I still hadn’t greeted her, I say, “I’m happy to finally meet you, Ally. Thank you for inviting us.”
“Of course,” she replies like it was a given when I’m not sure it would have been with anyone else.
Lizzie comes up next to me with the kids following, and chaos enfolds like it usually does when my Lizzie is involved. But she does stop any awkwardness, and before long we’re checked in and given an itinerary of what to expect over the next few days.
Maestro will want to go to the other chapter, but as for me, I’m here for family.
Ally, Sam, Thor, and Mum follow us up to our rooms. Once they’re assured that we’ll be comfortable, they make to leave. But before he does, Sam reminds me, “Ten tomorrow.”
Aware that everyone is watching us with wide eyes, I nod, “I’ll be outside waiting,” I assure him.
With one last nod and a wave from Ally, they leave us to get settled. I expected Mum to say something, but she doesn’t, and I know I have Thor to thank for that.
