Page 186 of The Secret We Keep
He takes my hand and opens the boot of his car. “What do you have in here?” He carefully tosses my bag into the boot housing a pair of dirty football boots.
“My notepads. Wanted to make sure I have plenty to send off to New York.”
The smile Paddy gives me is pure, unbridled love. “I think you’ve got a year’s supply in there.” He closes the boot, and I follow him, hand still in hand to the passenger side, where he opens the door for me.
“Thank you.”
Paddy slips into the driver’s seat and closes his door. “I set up an office space for you.” My head jerks his way, but he’s quickto hold up an apologetic hand. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure how to tell you, but before you say that I shouldn’t have done that—”
“You shouldn’t,” I say anyway.
“I didn’t want to throw any surprises your way as soon as you got home.”
“You didn’t have to go to any trouble.”
“I didn’t, curly fries. I actually made Jerry do most of it, but that’s only because I had work.”
Hearing him say that makes me sit back in my seat. “How are you finding it?”
His head nods to and fro. “Much easier on reduced hours. Four days commuting to the city, three days at home. I like the balance.”
I’m hesitant to ask, but we’ve spoken about it in recent weeks. “Will that change again, now that I’m coming home?”
Paddy takes my hand in his. “Not unless you need it to.”
I curl my fingers around his, feeling a new sense of life surge through me. Looking out of my window, we sit in silence, his thumb stroking over the back of my hand. “Things are going to be different now. Aren’t they?” I sigh but try not to dwell on it.
We’re a week away from Christmas, and there was a real chance I wouldn’t be coming home to spend it with the people I love. The fact that I am is something to be happy about.
“Different, yes. But not for the worse.”
Looking down at our joined hands before meeting his gaze, I drag in a breath, glad he’s by my side. “Is everyone meeting us there?”
Paddy nods, letting go of me to press the button to start the engine. “Everyone excluding Kevin.”
I chuckle, missing my four-legged friend. “Poor little fella.”
Paddy grins. “Poor little fella?” he repeats. “The little shit went and grew legs like a horse. There’s nothinglittleabout him.” He reverses the car and heads to the main road.
Covering my mouth, I’m unable to stop the snort from escaping me. “I can’t wait to see him.”
“I can’t wait for you to be back on shit picking duties.” He holds a hand to his chest, feigning a gag. “I can’t handle how much crap he produces.”
“You’re kidding, right? You’d really make me pick up shit on my first day of coming home?”
Paddy suppresses a frown. “Alright,” he concedes so easily. “So I’m still picking up shit until you’re ready.”
God, I love him. “I’m messing with you, Paddy. I don’t expect you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
He looks at me out of the corner of his eye sceptically. “You mean it?”
A rush of laughter escapes me. “I mean it.” I shake my head at his ridiculousness. “But it is funny how a young man as fine as yourself struggles with something like picking up dog shit.”
His nose curls up dramatically. “It’s demon shit. And being fine has nothing to do with it.”
No, maybe it doesn’t. But my boyfriend has certainly got finer, if that’s even possible, in the time we’ve been apart.
“And these?” I poke at his bicep, which is clearly visible underneath his jacket. “Where didthesecome from?”
