40. Cillian
forty
Cillian
Three Months Later
I haven’t been this nervous in years.
I’m waiting at a small, cozy café near Madison Park. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air. The soft murmur of conversations and the occasional clink of cups is comforting, but my heart races as I wait for him to arrive. This meeting has been a long time coming and weighs heavily on my mind.
I know it’s my last chance to make things right for Ivy and her family before our son is born.
The bell above the door chimes, and I look up to see Stan walk in. He looks a million times better than the last time I saw him. He scans the room until he spots me then strides over, his presence commanding as ever. I stand to greet him, extending my hand.
“Stan, thank you for meeting me.” I try to keep my voice steady.
He ignores my hand. “Cillian,” he replies curtly, sitting down across from me.
Well, then.
We order our coffees and there’s a heavy silence between us as we wait. Finally, the server sets our cups on the table. Stan takes a sip before looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
He cuts straight to the point. “What is it you want to talk about? I’m pretty sure I’ve said all I want to say.”
“You must know Ivy’s pregnant.” I take a deep breath, organizing my thoughts. “You’ve made it clear you don’t approve of our relationship, but I thought we could talk man to man because we had a great relationship for years. I love your daughter and I’m going to always take care of her and our child, which means I don’t want her to be sad. She misses you.”
Stan’s eyes narrow slightly, but he doesn’t interrupt, so I continue. “I know you’re angry about how things happened. I also know I’ve made mistakes. I’m not sure how much Ivy’s mother has told you about Ivy’s and my relationship, but it’s the real deal. She’s it for me and I’d like to ask for your blessing to marry her before the baby is born.”
“You think you can ask for my blessing, and everything will be fine? Do you have any idea what you’ve put my family through?” he scoffs, shaking his head.
I meet his gaze and don’t take the bait. “I’m not here to make excuses. I’m here to make amends.”
Stan leans back in his chair, his expression hard as nails. “Oh, really? And how exactly do you plan to unwind the clock? Seems like you can’t undo what’s been done. My daughter isn’t even twenty-two and she’s already knocked up by a man pushing forty. Her brilliant mind—wasted.”
“I understand why you’re furious, Stan.” I take a deep breath and try to keep my composure. “I know you had different dreams for your daughter, but I think if you’d stop being angry, you’d realize she’s living her own life now. There’s nothing I won’t do to support her. You and I are alike in this way.”
Stan’s eyes narrow. “How do you expect me to trust you?”
“I earned your trust in business. I’d like the chance to earn it in my personal life. I love her.” I lean back and open my arms up. “I love her more than anything in this world.”
Stan scoffs, shaking his head. “You’ve got a lot of nerve. You love her? No, you snuck around with her. Put her in a compromising position in your office. You got her pregnant. Why should I believe anything you say?”
“Because I’m devoted to her and she’s happy. Happier than she’s ever been.” I shrug. “I feel the same. I’m building our new home. We’re planning our future. I’ll be by Ivy’s side for the rest of our lives. It’s why I’m here now. Ivy needs her family and you need Ivy. We want you to be part of your grandson’s life.”
“Grandson?” Stan looks at me for a long moment. The anger in his eyes dims.
“Yes,” I confirm, feeling a surge of hope. “We’re naming him Forrest. We want our son to know his entire family loves him.”
Stan’s shoulders slump slightly. “A grandson,” he murmurs, almost to himself. “I never thought…”
“Ivy loves you,” I say gently. “We truly didn’t want you to find out about us the way you did. I’m trying to make things better.”
Stan’s hands clamp into fists. “You have no idea what it’s like to see your daughter…”
He shuts his eyes and shakes his head vigorously.
“She’s not a little girl anymore.” I reach across the table and touch his arm. “You, of all people, know how special she is. Get to know her for who she is, not for who you want her to be.”
He opens his eyes. Nods slowly. Every ounce of fight seeps out before my eyes. “Maybe it’s time I faced some of my own demons.”
“Thank you, Stan. You have no idea how much it means to me.” Relief whooshes through my body.
Stan stands up and finally offers his hand. “I’m not doing this for you, Cillian. I’m doing it for my daughter. Maybe, in time, we can find a way to move forward.”
“I can’t ask any more of you. Thank you.” I take his hand and shake it firmly.
On my way home, a sense of cautious optimism settles over me. If Stan is willing to work on himself, maybe Ivy can have the loving father she remembers from her childhood back instead of the acerbic-tongued asshole who tried to control her. I’ll do everything I can to help them find their way back to each other.
I walk into the house and the scent of fresh paint hits me. Taking two steps at a time, I bound up to the nursery, eager to see what Ivy’s working on. I’m blown away. I knew she planned on painting a full-wall jungle mural, but this is something else.
She’s sketched it out in pencil—a majestic lion lounging under a tree, a family of elephants near a sparkling river, playful monkeys swinging from vine to vine, and vibrant parrots perched amidst lush foliage. She’s filling in some of the details with color, bringing the scene to life with each brushstroke.
Ivy wears a snug white tank top and loose pajama shorts that cling to her curves, belly prominently straining against the fabric. To say I’m fascinated with her growing bump is an understatement. I can’t believe we created a wee little being whom we already love so much.
“Hey, baby.” I step into the room and gesture to the wall. “This is incredible.”
She glances over her shoulder and smiles. “Thanks, babe. How was your meeting?”
“He was defensive, then he seemed to listen to reason..” I step toward her and notice I can see her nipples, which have enlarged and darkened, through the thin fabric.
My dick twitches. Ivy’s pregnancy hasn’t diminished our sex drive. If anything, it’s increased.
Ivy’s hand pauses mid-brushstroke. “Really? Forgive me for being skeptical, but self-reflection doesn’t sound like him.”
“I think he knows he needs to change for the sake of Forrest.” She looks skeptical, hurt still lingers from his harsh words. “I didn’t press him, but I told him he was having a grandson. ”
She presses her lips into a thin line. “Well, I’ll believe it when I see it.” As if on cue, our baby kicks, causing her to gasp slightly. “Did you see him move?” Her eyes light up.
I move behind her, wrapping my arms gently around her belly, feeling our child move beneath my hands. “Hey there, little one.” My hands slide up and down her bump.
“He always gets excited at the sound of your voice.” Ivy leans back into me and closes her eyes.
“I can’t wait to meet him.” I lower my head and kiss the top of her shoulder.
Ivy turns in my arms and our lips meet in a tender kiss. I feel love radiating from her, enveloping us both. Our kiss deepens, becoming more urgent, and my hands roam over her body, feeling every curve, every inch.
Carefully, I lift Ivy’s tank top, revealing the smooth, rounded expanse of her belly. I lean down and press soft kisses to her skin, feeling the baby move beneath my lips. “Forrest,” I whisper between kisses, “I love you.”
“I think he already knows you’re his hero. You two are going to have such a special bond.” Ivy smiles down at me, her fingers threading through my hair as I continue to shower her belly with affection.
It’s hard to explain how I feel—all I know is there’s a deep, sweet connection to both Ivy and our child, which will never be broken .
“I need you, baby.” I push Ivy’s tank top above the swell of her breasts and cup one in each hand, pinching her nipples.
Ivy pushes down her pajama bottoms and steps out of them. “Let me ride you.”
“Yeah.” I make short work of my own clothes, sit on the rocker, which she’s dragged to the middle of the room, and guide her to straddle my lap. “Climb on.”
Ivy giggles and sinks down on top of me. She takes my hands and places them on her belly, guiding them over the firm, round curve. I can feel the baby’s gentle movements under my palms as we make love. I trace the beautiful stretch marks that have started to form.
“You’re incredible.” My eyes never leave hers. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Ivy smiles then closes her eyes and sighs with pleasure when I slide my fingers down to her clit. “And, oh how I love your magic fingers.”
My God, she’s beautiful. Funny. Smart. I’m the luckiest man in the world.
It’s hard to believe Ivy was once my tender temptation. Against all odds, our relationship has grown into something solid and true.
Despite the obstacles we faced, we’re living life on our own terms now.
I wouldn’t change a thing.