38. Cillian
thirty-eight
Cillian
The Next Morning
Holy shit.
What the actual fuck has happened over the past couple days?
Yawning, I roll over toward the window. I slept hard. Ivy’s warm body is pressed against mine, which means she’s where she belongs.
I’m glad we both got some rest. It was probably inevitable. I fucked her so many times yesterday, we eventually collapsed with exhaustion .
Christ .
Until the day I die, I’ll never forget the look on Stan’s face when he spotted Ivy’s panties under the couch in my office. His reaction was exactly what I’d feared. I wish to God he hadn’t found out about us the way he did—but there’s no turning back time. At least there’s no more sneaking around.
We’re free to be together.
Finally .
I gently kiss Ivy’s forehead before slipping out of bed to let her sleep a bit longer.
Stepping into the hallway, I check my phone. I’ve missed quite a few texts from my da and I really need to speak with him—I can’t abdicate my responsibilities forever. I briefly glance back at Ivy—who stirs slightly but doesn’t wake—then quietly slip downstairs to make the call.
“Morning, Da.” I sink into my recliner to prepare for the worst. Considering all the logistics, pulling off this particular jobsite won’t be easy, there are too many components to the whole operation.
Except, he seems almost cheery. “Morning, son. How’s Ivy holding up?”
“She’s sleeping. Yesterday things seemed to stabilize. At least as far as she and I are concerned.” I realize my anger has dissipated slightly, if not completely. “We’re heading to her house so she can pack. She’s moving in with me.”
“Good man yerself,” Da encourages. “Now, then. It might be a bit premature, but tomorrow is family dinner. Everyone’s in town and I think you should bring Ivy. Might as well jump into the deep end.”
“I’ll ask her.” Ivy’s been through a lot, adding a dinner with my entire family may not be something she’s up for yet. “Anyway, I’m calling for a reason. Tell me how things went down yesterday.”
My dad takes a deep breath. “Business as usual.”
“Da! Stan fired me.” I clench my teeth. “I don’t want to rub salt…”
“Cillian, listen. Let cooler heads prevail. I met with our lawyer, Joe Finney, who walked me through the contract.” Da describes the analysis. “Bright Shipping can’t fire McGloughlin Construction without us breaching our agreement. Dating his daughter is not a breach, so he has no legal authority to fire us. Technically, the contract doesn’t allow us to walk off the job either. For now, I’ll take over and try to talk to Stan once he’s released from the hospital.”
It feels like I’ve shed a heavy coat on a hot day. “What a relief. I’m still worried. How are you holding up with all this?”
“I’m alright. I don’t mind hard work.” I can feel him smile through the phone.
“Thanks, Da.” I feel grateful to have his help and support. “I’ll check on the other projects Monday. Ivy’s putting on a brave face, but she’s shaken. What happened is a lot to process. I’m putting her first.” I lightly pound the railing with my fist for emphasis.
My father’s voice softens. “You’re doing the right thing, son.”
“Well, we’re heading back to the scene of the crime to get her things soon, so I’d better go. I’ll let you know if we’ll be there for dinner on Sunday.” I hang up and head back upstairs, finding Ivy awake and sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her phone.
“Everything okay?” I sit beside her.
“Yeah, my mom’s been texting me.” She turns her phone to show me. “She’s home and wants to talk. I think we have to face her before I pack. I plan on coming clean. About everything. I really don’t care what my parents know at this point, I need to move on from these secrets.”
I stand, hold out my hand and waggle my eyebrows. “It’s your choice, baby. First, let’s shower. I’ll make sure you ‘come clean.’”
“Oh, I’m counting on it.” Ivy actually giggles, which sounds like music considering the heaviness of the past two days.
One long, sexy shower later, I load a couple of empty suitcases into my truck and we depart. On the way, Ivy’s fingers drum nervously on her thigh as she stares out the window. I reach over and squeeze her hand, offering silent reassurance. None of this is easy for her, but she’s resilient.
Ivy’s mom, Allison, is waiting for us outside.
“Hi, Mom.” Ivy’s voice is wary when she gets out of the truck.
Allison embraces her but doesn’t look at me. “Ivy, are you okay? I’m confused about what’s happening. Let’s go inside and talk.”
I follow her into the house and notice the tension is palpable, which is to be expected, I guess. It’s funny, I’ve always liked Allison when we’ve interacted but she’s giving me the cold shoulder. It makes me nervous.
Ivy sits down on the couch opposite her mother. For a second, I contemplate sitting in the chair next to her out of respect. On second thought, if we’re going to present a united front, I’m staying by Ivy’s side. I sit next to her on the couch.
The three of us stare across the coffee table for a few long moments.
Finally, Allison breaks the silence. “Ivy. Please tell me what happened last night. Your father is furious.”
“Mom, Dad walked in on Cillian and I yesterday. We’ve been seeing each other and it’s serious, but I need to tell you the entire story.” Ivy takes a deep breath and looks at me. I nod my encouragement. “We don’t want any more secrets. ”
Allison’s eyes widen. “Secrets? What do you mean?”
Ivy’s voice is steady as she explains our history from the day of her birthday to us meeting at Kells, the development of our relationship to the demise. “The thing is, Cillian is the guy I never identified to you. He and I have never gotten over our breakup. When I got back into town, we realized our feelings hadn’t diminished. We’re still deeply in love and were planning to tell you and Dad after my birthday weekend, except Dad had the setback and we decided to wait until he felt better. The other day, he showed up to the job site unexpectedly and found us in Cillian’s office after we’d…”
“Oh.” Allison’s expression softens, but there’s a hint of worry. “How embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I admit, looking at Ivy’s mom directly. “If it’s any comfort, I’ve loved your daughter from the moment I met her and I’ve never stopped. I broke it off back then because I thought our age difference was too great…”
“…because I lied and told you I was twenty-four,” Ivy interjects, then looks at her mom. “I’ve told you most of the story over the years and now you know the whole truth. I don’t want you or Dad to be angry at Cillian. I’m the one who deceived him.”
Ivy’s mom looks between us, crestfallen. “All these years you’ve kept this a secret? ”
“I was scared of what Dad would say. How he’d react.” Ivy leans forward. “We’re done hiding, now. Cillian and I are in this for the long haul. I’d love your support, but even if I don’t have it, I choose him.”
Ivy reaches over and takes my hand and threads her fingers with mine. Our eyes lock and, in this moment, the invisible weight we’ve been carrying seems to dissolve, leaving only clarity and strength between us.
Allison takes a deep breath to compose herself. “Your father is a stubborn man, but he loves you. He’ll come around eventually.”
“Can we address an elephant in the room?” I try to keep my voice steady. “Mrs. Bright, I know this is a lot to take in, and you don’t know me well—what shocked me to my core was the way Stan spoke to Ivy the other day. It was unbelievably cruel and demeaning. I won’t stand by and let it happen again. Ivy deserves much better from her father.”
Ivy squeezes my hand and looks at her mom. “Ever since Forrest died, I’ve endured Dad’s outbursts. I’ve lived in fear of setting him off. Of disappointing him.” She stops for a moment and looks up at the ceiling. “I came back this year thinking things had changed. I was ready to step in and take my place at Bright Shipping, but now I can’t bear to be around him. He can be the most generous, loving person in the world, but the flip side is scary. ”
“Don’t be so judgmental, darling. He’s never going to stop grieving. Losing Forrest shattered us—he got angry. He takes it out sometimes…” Allison trails off.
“ Judgmental ?” Ivy raises her voice. “I’m the one who was being judged. Everything I did.”
“Until you have children of your own, you can’t understand what it’s like to learn your eighteen-year-old daughter—your only living child—put herself in a potentially dangerous situation. We didn’t know the circumstances or who the guy was. He could have been a predator. How could we have protected you? You broke our trust.” She shakes her finger at Ivy, then her demeanor changes. “I knew he was angry with you—it didn’t warrant how he handled it, though. When I came home, you couldn’t even get out of bed, a shell of my beautiful, vibrant girl. I thought sending you to Italy would give you and your father a fresh start, but I see now it wasn’t enough.”
Shocked, I glance at Ivy. She never told me about the aftermath and what she endured. It makes sense given how she reacted to his vitriol the other day.
“I was crushed.” Ivy’s voice breaks. “And it sucks to learn nothing’s changed. At this point, I’m not interested in revisiting the past. We’re here to talk about the future.”
“I can’t lose you.” Her mom buries her head in her hands .
Ivy gets up and sits on the other side of her mom and hugs her tightly. “You and I will be fine, but unless things change with Dad, I can’t risk allowing him in my life. I don’t want to live in fear. If he gets help, I’m willing to try and rebuild our relationship. If not, then I need to cut him out of my life.”
Observing Ivy and her mom gives me some perspective. All families all go through their ups and downs. How you navigate the obstacles is what’s most important.
“Until yesterday, I respected Stan immensely. If he’s willing to put in the effort and make some serious changes, this can turn itself around.” I stand up and move toward the door. “Ivy, I’ll grab the suitcases.”
When I return, Ivy and her mom are talking softly. She’s smiling, at least. I move closer and relief washes over me. Her mom extends her hand.
“Cillian, I look forward to getting to know you,” she says warmly. “I’m sorry this isn’t the best of circumstances. I always thought meeting Ivy’s first serious boyfriend would be different.”
Ivy and I glance at each other and she looks back at her mother. “Mom, to be clear, Cillian is my first and last boyfriend. There won’t be anyone else.”
“ Oh . I see.” Her eyes widen.
Ivy joins me and takes my hand, giving me a small, hopeful smile. “Let’s pack my things. ”
I can’t help but admire how strong she is.
Ivy’s room is elegantly furnished with antique white furniture, a plush canopy bed, and walls adorned with classic artwork. In other words, sterile. There’s nothing to indicate anyone under forty had anything to do with the decor. We work quickly, filling suitcases with her clothes and personal items.
I know we’re both relieved the sneaking around, stolen moments, and fear of getting caught is behind us now. Ivy and I are finally free to be a couple. Openly. Honestly.
On our way out, as I load the suitcases into the trunk, Allison stops Ivy. “I want you to know I’ll support you and Cillian. I want you to be happy.”
“Thanks, Mom. It means everything to me.” Ivy hugs her and the embrace lasts a long time.
Eventually, Ivy gets in the passenger seat and we drive off.
Whether we’re ready or not, we’ve chosen each other.
I can’t wait to begin our new chapter.