“That’s not true. He’s worried about you.”
She harrumphs. “Yeah. I’m sure he is.”
I frown a little. “You think he doesn’t care about you?”
She shrugs. “I don’t care either way, and I’m not doing this with you. Just because we shared a moment last night doesn’t mean we’ve automatically turned into the Kardashians.”
I pray to God for patience. “I wouldn’t want us to be. Look, I’m here for you, and I’ll let you call the shots. You have my number. Use it if you need to.”
She shrugs again, and I head back outside, frustrated and a little upset if I’m honest. I thought we had turned a corner but it seems we’ve taken ten steps back.
The gang arrives promptly at six, sans Keven. Alex makes excuses on his behalf, presenting my grandmother with wine, flowers, and a luscious strawberry pavlova. James and Adam stand as far away from one another as possible, doing their best to pretend as if nothing’s wrong. Alex is making the introductions, and my cousins are all laying the charm on real thick. “I hope I remember all your names,” my grandmother says with a laugh.
“You can blame this lady right here if you can’t,” Kent supplies, gesturing at Alex. “It was her idea to give us K names. It fit with her brand, isn’t that right, Mom.”
Alex fails to hide the hurt look on her face, and a potent urge to slap the shit out of Kent accosts me. Ky and Kaden obviously share my sentiment, glaring at Kent and willing him to shut the hell up.
“Actually, that’s not technically true,” Alex says, recovering quickly. “I had named Kaden and Keven before I even met your father. I liked the idea of calling my children names starting with the same initial, and when I became a Kennedy it made more sense to me to continue the pattern.” She smiles at Richard, graciously accepting the glass of sparkling wine he offers her. “If you hate your name so much, Kent, you can petition to have it legally changed.” She smiles sweetly at him, taking a small sip of her wine.
Nicely played, Alex. That’s one way of putting him in his place.
Chapter Thirteen
Kyler
We say our goodbyes just after nine, and it warms my heart to see Faye pulled into a hug by both her grandparents. I know she was worried about today, and I’m so happy things went well for her. Her grandparents are awesome, and they have welcomed her with open arms.
I’m surprised when Dad tells us to go home without him since he is going for a drink at the local pub with Adam. Mom eyes him warily, but she doesn’t protest or warn him not to start any more fights. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Faye and I watch a couple hours of TV with some of my brothers when we get back to the house before retreating to our room, craving some alone time after spending the entire day surrounded by family. We sit out on the balcony. I’m sipping a soda while Faye is drinking a sparkling water. I pull her feet into my lap, kneading them. “I think today went well.”
Her eyes sparkle. “Me too. They’re just so… nice and so normal, and I don’t feel like an outsider.”
“I’m happy for you, babe.” I lean over and kiss her sweetly.
“I think I’ll have to watch Eileen around you. I definitely caught her ogling you on more than one occasion,” she teases.
“What can I say? She’s got good taste, like her granddaughter.”
Faye laughs, throwing back her head, and her hair swishes over her shoulder. She has the bare minimum of makeup on, and her dress today was simple but elegant. Her beauty is effortless, radiating from the goodness inside her. Every day I fall more and more in love with her.
“What?” she says, studying me curiously.
“I was just thinking how gorgeous you are, inside and out, without even trying. And how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
Moisture pools in her eyes. “God, Ky. You are the sweetest, most romantic man I’ve ever met. I’m the lucky one.”
“Sweet? Huh?” My hands wander up her leg, creeping under her dress.
“Hot and sexy too. You’re the complete package, babe, and you know it.”
“I could say all those things about you too.”
She sticks her fingers in her mouth, pretend gagging. “You do realize there’s no hope for us now, Ky? We are officially one of those lovey-dovey mushy couples that everyone can’t stand.”
I lift her up, pulling her into my lap. “I honestly couldn’t care less. You are everything to me, Faye, and that is all that matters.”
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, cursing the timing. It’s Dad. I’m hoping he’s not calling to tell me he’s flattened Faye’s dad to the ground. “Hey.”
“Kyler. Could you come and collect me? There are no taxis to be had out this direction, and both Kaden and Keven have been drinking.”
He gives me directions, and I hang up promising to be there as quick as I can. Faye already has her shoes on, having overheard most of the conversation. “I’ll come keep you company.”
Taking her hand, I lead her outside.
We arrive in the small town close to Faye’s grandparents’ house about twenty minutes later. There are three bars, a convenience store, a vegetable shop, a pharmacy, a butcher, and a gas station, and that’s about the extent of it. The streets are clean and empty as I pull up in front of one of the bars. Dad and Adam are leaning against the wall outside, slugging from bottles of beer, with their arms around one another, and they’re singing. Faye’s puzzled expression matches my own.
We climb out of the car, and I round the front, taking Faye’s hand. It’s as natural to me as breathing these days. We stroll toward our inebriated fathers. They are belting out a U2 classic at the top of their voices, and it’s a wonder no one has complained.
“Eh, Dad,” Faye says, rubbing the back of her head. “What are you doing?”
“Fixing things,” he says, slightly slurring his words.
“How much have you two had to drink?” I pin Dad with a serious expression, and the irony of the role reversal hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Enough,” Dad says, stopping singing just long enough to answer me.
“All righty, then,” Faye says, looking to me for direction. I just shrug, trying to hide my laughter as Dad attempts to mimic Bono.
“Faye.” Adam pushes to his feet, setting his beer on the window ledge behind him. He pulls her into a hug, and I reluctantly let go of her hand. “You don’t have to worry anymore. James and I have sorted everything.”
“We’re good,” Dad says, reaching out a hand. I help him stand up.
“I’m glad.” Faye looks up at her dad.
He brushes hair back off her face, peering into her eyes with so much adoration. “I have many reasons to be grateful for the life I lead, but never more so than having you in it. I hate that we missed those early years, but I’m so happy we found each other. You are so special to me, sweetheart. And don’t think this is drunken babbling because I’m completely sober in this moment. I just need you to know this, honey.” Tears glisten in his eyes, and the look of love is unmistakable. “I love you, Faye. So, so much.”
A choked sob rips from Faye’s throat, and her arms tighten around his waist. “I love you too, Dad,” she whispers.
Dad and I walk over to the car, affording them some privacy. They talk in hushed voices, and tears fall silently down Faye’s face.
“Is everything really fixed?” I ask Dad while we wait.
He nods. “Life is too short to hold onto grudges or to hate someone for something that happened so long ago. We both acknowledged that.”
Dad wraps his arm around my shoulder. “I’m very proud of you, son. I don’t think I’ve told you that enough.”
“I know.” My muscles stiffen. I can spout romantic endearments to Faye to my heart’s content, but emotional conversations break me out in hives.
> He chuckles. “I’m very pleased that things are going so well with you and Faye. She’s a wonderful girl.”
“She is, and I meant every word of what I said that day in the hospital. I am going to marry her one day.”
“I know, son, and you have our blessing. I know Adam approves too.”
“What are you two talking about?” Faye asks with an inquisitive expression.
“Nothing,” we both reply at the same time, sharing a conspiratorial smile.
Faye eyes me curiously. “Well, then, let’s get these drunken men home to their beds.”
The rest of the week flies by. Faye goes shopping with Whitney, Eileen, and Mom one afternoon while I play a round of golf with Dad, Kal, Kaden, and Keaton. Kade and Kev are still barely speaking to one another, and it would be tense if we weren’t so busy all the time. We spend another afternoon with Faye’s extended family. Eileen threw a massive barbecue and invited her other children, their spouses, and grandchildren. I think Faye’s a little overwhelmed by it all but pleasantly so. Whitney and Kent were caught by Adam making out in the kitchen, and he was not a happy camper, but he didn’t make a scene. I caught him and Dad huddled in deep conversation a little while later, and I don’t need a crystal ball to work out who or what they were discussing.
Faye is sad saying goodbye to her grandparents on Saturday morning, promising to return for a visit as soon as possible. I’m not sure when we’ll find the time once we start college, but I’ll move heaven and earth to make it happen if that’s what she wants.
Adam, Whitney, and the boys are on the same flight as us, so we rent a minibus to take us to Dublin Airport. Rachel, Sam, and Jill are waiting in the departures lounge, and we have a quick coffee with them before our flight is called. Rachel is sobbing in Faye’s shoulder, and my girlfriend is struggling to keep her composure. They part with fervent promises to visit more often.
“Are you okay?” I ask when we are buckled into our first-class seats on the plane.
“Yeah.” She looks wistful as she stares out the window. “I had the best time ever, and I’m sad to be leaving my friends, and my new family, but I’m also excited for Harvard, and it feels good to be heading home.”
My heart swells with pride and happiness. “It really feels like home?”
She turns to face me with a blinding smile on her face. Raising our conjoined hands to her mouth, she presses a delicate kiss to my skin. “It does.”
“Isn’t it strange how life can do a complete one-eighty? How everything you thought you knew can change almost overnight.” I could say the same for myself.
She nods. “It is. The last time I was on a plane heading to the States, I was in limbo, grieving and unhappy, and I didn’t know where my life was headed. It’s amazing the difference a year can make.”
“I’m glad you’re happy. Your happiness is important to me.”
She cups my face. “As yours is to me, but you never have to worry about that.” She plants a feather-soft kiss on my mouth, and I sigh contentedly. This, right here. This is all I need.
When she pulls back, her eyes are full of happy tears. “As long as you are in my life, I’ll always be happy, and I’ll always know where home is, because it’s wherever you are.”
“Ditto, baby. You are my life, and I’m going to spend the entirety of mine making sure you know it.”
THE END
Please continue reading, as I’ve enclosed some bonus content from the series at the back of this book. You can read additional scenes from Finding Kyler, bonus scenes in several of the boys’ narratives from Losing Kyler, and an exclusive sneak peek at Saving Brad, the fifth Kennedy Boys book.
The Kennedy saga continues with Loving Kalvin, out now. Keep reading for a first look at the fourth novel in the series.
Bonus Content From Finding Kyler
In this scene, James has just discovered Saoirse has died and learned he has a niece he never knew about. This scene is told from Kyler’s perspective.
The cell phone slips out of Dad’s hands, crashing to the ground and shattering into a million pieces. Shards of glass litter the tiled floor. Everyone stops talking, looking at him with the same “what the fuck” expressions. Mom rises from the table, hurriedly walking toward him. Dad is visibly trembling, and huge tears tumble silently down his face. My insides tense up as I watch him fall apart.
“What the fuck is going on?” Kal asks in a low tone as I watch my parents for any tell-tale sign. I shrug. Dad latches onto Mom, clinging to her as if he’s drowning. She’s struggling to prop him up, almost collapsing under his bodyweight.
I walk over to help her. She’s trying to get him to look at her, to talk to her, but he’s just hanging onto her body, sobbing desperately into her neck.
There’s little love lost between Dad and me these days, but it’s still hard to see him like this. “What’s going on, Mom?” I ask, stepping behind her. I place my arm around her waist to help steady her.
“I’m not sure, Kyler. He’s not making much sense.”
“Saoirse,” Dad mumbles in between sobs, and I frown. Where have I heard that name before? And then it hits me. Dad never mentions his long-lost sister in Ireland, and Mom has always told us not to ask after her. They haven’t spoken in years, and all I know is that it wasn’t Dad’s choice to sever ties. Apparently, she decided she wanted nothing to do with him. It’s not a topic I’ve ever given much thought to. She’s never been a part of our lives, so I’ve come to accept that she doesn’t even exist. I never give her a second thought. If Dad is crying out her name, it can only mean bad news.
“James.” Mom is trying to pry Dad off her, so I reach out and grip his shoulders, helping to pull him upright. Dad grabs me around the shoulders, leaning into me, using me as his new crutch.
This is not who we are.
Awkward doesn’t even begin to call it.
The triplets stare open-mouthed at the scene, while a familiar mocking smile is creeping across Kal’s mouth. I send him a warning scowl.
“James, please. Just tell me what’s wrong. You’re scaring us.” Mom’s eyes crinkle with worry.
That seems to do the trick. He looks over at my brothers, seated quietly around the kitchen table, before his eyes dart to Mom and then me. “Son.” He presses his forehead to mine, and I stand there like a dummy, not knowing what to do, how to comfort him, or if I even should.
I clear my throat. “Dad, just let us know what’s happened. What is it?”
Smoothing a hand over his hair, he takes a step back, straightening his spine. “I’m sorry, everyone. I’ve just heard some bad news.” Tears well up in his eyes again, and it’s like looking at a stranger. I’ve never ever seen him cry, and I don’t like it. Though we haven’t gotten on for quite some time, I know I can count on him. It’s always there in the background—the knowledge that I can call on him if I need him. No matter how harshly I yell at him, how hard I push him away, I never doubt that he’s solid, that’s he’s always there for me. Except for…
I stop that line of thought before it derails me.
But seeing him like this? Broken? Crying? Like a shell of himself?
It scares me.
He seems so human.
So vulnerable.
Like he isn’t invincible and there may come a time when he can’t be there for me. When the roles are reversed, and I’ll be the one that has to prop him up.
It’s unnerving, and I don’t like how it’s making me feel. I shuffle awkwardly on my feet, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans for want of something to do.
“That was Dan,” Dad says, referencing my parent’s attorney. “He received contact from an Irish attorney, today. My sister and her husband were killed in a car accident five days ago.” He swipes under his eyes, and a terrible sadness ages him.
“Oh, James.” Mom pulls him into a hug. �
�I’m so, so sorry.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t believe it. I always thought there’d be time to repair our relationship. Time to reconnect. Now it’s too late.”
A strangled sound rips out of his throat, and over at the table, Keaton looks like he’s about to bawl. Getting up, he strides toward Dad, wrapping his arms around him without hesitation. “I’m so sorry, Dad. That’s awful.”
Dad hangs onto Keaton, hugging him to death. A spark of jealousy flares inside me, and I hate myself. It’s wrong to resent my brother for having a genuine bond with Dad. Keaton exemplifies the very best of our family. Somehow, he manages to avoid the dark forces plaguing the rest of us.
Mom smiles warmly at them, despite the circumstances, and I know it pleases her that at least one of her sons has a semi-normal relationship with him. Dad shucks out of Keaton’s embrace, slapping him affectionately on the back. “There’s more.” His eyes brighten a little as he scans the room. “She has a daughter. I have a niece.”
“What?” Kal asks, his eyes out on stalks. “We have a cousin?”
“Yes. It appears so.” He grabs his keys off the counter. “I need to see Dan. There’s some paperwork to sort out, and I need to make plans.”
“Wait, James.” Mom grips his arm to stall him. “I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
“Saoirse listed me as her daughter’s guardian. I’m going to Ireland to meet my niece, and then she’ll be coming to live with us.”
Mom went with Dad to the attorney’s office, and the rest of us are pretending to watch TV when all everyone is thinking about is our new cousin. “I hope she’s hot,” Kal pipes up, and I swat him across the back of the head.
“You have such a one-track mind, and you can’t perv over her, asshole. She’s our cousin.”
“I know that, jerk face, but it’d be nice to have something pleasant to look at for a change around here. Besides, she’s going to be one of us, and she needs to look the part.”
The Irish Getaway: A Kennedy Boys Optional Short Novel (The Kennedy Boys) Page 12