Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
T hat evening, after a full day of shopping all things baby with Matt, I headed to Maple Ridge Market for groceries because I had no food in my apartment. I usually ate out, but I figured that wasn’t the healthiest. Besides, I had to get used to cooking for my children. I stumbled while pushing my shopping cart over that thought.
Let’s just say men weren’t drawn to me for my culinary skills.
Grammy had a chef, housekeepers, groundskeepers, a chauffeur, and more. I never really knew what it was like to live a normal life. I was determined to bring my children up to be well-rounded, humble, kind, and self-sufficient. They needed to be able to relate to all sorts of people, and most importantly, be able to take care of themselves.
Zoe had given me tips, like shopping on the outskirts of the store for fresh, non-processed foods and a list of ingredients to buy. I traveled halfway around the store when I finally reached the health food specialty section.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw a man with a jar of honey in his hands. I thought it was Matt for a moment, but he was already at McGinny’s Pub, getting ready for the dinner crowd. I looked closer. The man was smaller than Matt and younger, but not by much. Other than that, they looked just alike.
He glanced up at me and smiled wide. “Hey, there. Yer me cousin’s fiancée, right? I’m Aidan.”
“I’m not his fiancée.”
“Wait, girlfriend then?”
“No.”
“But aren’t ye having his babies?”
“Yes.”
“Ohhh.” His eyes grew wide and then glanced briefly at my H brooch before snapping back up to mine. “Sorry, I thought I heard he proposed. I didn’t realize ye said no.”
“First of all, he didn’t propose.” I set my jaw. “He ordered me to marry him, to which I firmly let him know I can take care of myself.”
Aidan grinned wide, revealing the same set of dimples as Matt. “Aye, I can see why he likes you, lass.”
I rolled my eyes and then my gaze locked on the product in his hands. “I-Is that clover honey?”
“Absolutely. Clovers are full of antioxidants, they’re good fer the heart, and help with digestion. Matt always uses them in his recipes. He sent me here to fetch some clover honey and sprouts.”
Hmmm, I was pretty sure I’d witnessed a sprouting clover firsthand. “I take it clovers are pretty special to your family.”
“Well, we are Irish, after all.” He winked. “Most people see shamrocks, which are only green with three leaves. Clovers can be four leaves and either purple or green. They’re rare and special. If ye see a four-leaf clover, especially the purple ones, consider yourself lucky.”
Matt’s four-leaf clover looked purple, if memory served me correctly, but considering his wasn’t made by nature, I didn’t feel lucky. I felt deceived and worried. The evidence was stacking up in favor of him being a part of that crazy cult.
I cleared my throat. “So, um, do you have any tattoos?” Like, say, a particular clover tattoo? I thought as I studied him.
“Oh, no, me mum would tan me hide.” He shook his head.
“Smart woman,” I muttered.
“Speaking of tanning hides, I’d better get these back to Matt before he tans mine.” Aidan shot me a wave over his shoulder and said as he walked away, “Yer a good egg, Ms. Eisenhower. Take care of me cousins.”
Cousins? Oh, the babies. “Don’t you worry, Aidan. I won’t let them get tattoos of any kind, either. You can mark my words on that one,” I hollered back, more suspicious than ever. I had to do something to find out for sure, and there was only one way I could think of to do that.
I needed to get a closer look at that clover tattoo.
A while later after I finished my grocery shopping, I pulled into the parking lot of my store and apartment. I grabbed a couple bags and walked around front to the porch, which had an entrance to my spa and a separate entrance to my apartment upstairs. I froze in my tracks and stared at the man before me.
“What are you doing here, Bud?” I ground my teeth to keep from saying what I really wanted to.
After all, the man was suing me yet again. It wasn’t like we shared children. He was the child. Constantly faking injuries, telling lies about me, and claiming I’m the reason he’s hurt and can’t work. That I owe him and can settle that debt by paying him more money.
“I’m here to see you, babe.” He grabbed his back as he stood. “I would help you with those grocery bags, but my back is bad…as you know.”
I set the bags down. I wasn’t about to unlock my door until he left. “You’re not getting any more money from me, and I don’t want to see you.”
“Oh, I think a judge will have something else to say about that.” He took a menacing step toward me.
I fought the urge to take a step back. I wasn’t wearing high heels this time, so he was slightly taller than me…and definitely stronger.
“Lucky for me I inherited Grammy’s attorneys as well. I really don’t think you want to mess with Victoria Steele and Alexandra Knight of The Steely Knight Agency.”
His face paled slightly at the mention of their names. He was a male chauvinist by nature, but even he knew of their reputation for being ruthless and brutal. They would eat him alive and not think twice about it.
“Don’t you worry. My family has pull in this town.” His face looked smug.
I laughed. “Your family doesn’t want anything to do with you because you’re a loser. They only cared when you were married to me because they knew I would one day inherit Grammy’s money, same as you. None of you ever wanted me, and now I want nothing to do with any of you.”
His gaze locked onto the grocery bag with newborn diapers inside, and I silently cursed. He would find out sooner or later, I had just hoped it would be later.
“You’re pregnant,” he ground out, sounding less than thrilled, probably because he didn’t want to share my inheritance with anyone. “I thought you hated kids.”
“I never said I hated children. I was just afraid I wouldn’t be a good mother.” I realized I said that out loud and snapped my spine straight.
“Aren’t you too old to have a baby?” He snorted with a twisted grin.
“Apparently not, since I’m having babies ,” I said with emphasis, relishing in the shocked look on his face that had replaced his grin.
“Who’s the poor bastard you tricked into that one?” He snorted.
A shadow blocked out the setting sun, covering us both.
“That would be me, laddy, and if yer not very careful in how ye talk to a lady, I’ll show ye what a poor bastard really looks like.”
At six foot five, Matt towered over Bud, and he was twice as muscular. I’d never seen that look on Matt’s face before, and I never wanted to be on the receiving end of it. It was quite comical watching Bud’s face pale considerably.
Bud held up his hands before him. “Dude, all I’m trying to do is get what is rightfully mine.”
“Let me be perfectly clear, dude . Absolutely nothing about Ms. Eisenhower belongs to ye. Understood?”
Bud stuck his chest out, but suddenly he didn’t look as strong as I remembered. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
Matt’s grin looked downright intimidating. “I don’t need a lawyer to win or a court to pass judgement.”
Bud took a step back, eying him warily. “Is that a threat?”
Matt briefly flexed his chest, which even made Bud take notice. “That’s a promise, laddy. I suggest ye heed me warning while ye still can.”
Matt’s hands were balled loosely into massive fists, and he took a step forward. Bud jumped backward and fell off my porch. He scrambled to his feet and his gaze shot quickly to me.
“This conversation isn’t over, Tiff.” Bud bolted down the street, not looking injured in the least.
I looked at Matt. “Thank you, but what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the pub?”
“I was at the pub, and then I saw yer porch from me office window. I knew who he was from yer grandmother’s funeral. Not that ye needed me help or anything. I know how ye hate that. But I just thought I would make sure everything was okay.”
“Well, thank you for that. I really do appreciate it.” I picked up my bags, and Matt immediately took them from me. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“For me babies.”
I shook my head, but didn’t argue, too tired to do anything but unlock my door. I stepped inside and climbed the stairs to the apartment above my spa, just now realizing how difficult this was going to be once I was hugely pregnant with twins.
I frowned.
Matt followed me up, carrying both bags easily. “Aidan said he saw ye at the grocery store earlier.” He set the bags on the counter. “Is that all ye bought?”
“No, the rest is in my car. I didn’t want to unlock my place until Bud was gone.” I slipped my shoes off and rubbed my lower back.
“Have a seat and don’t do anything. I’ll be right back.” Matt disappeared.
I looked at the groceries, contemplating putting them away, but my back ached, and my feet were killing me already. It had been a long day. I would put them away in a minute. I just needed a second off my feet. I sat on my couch and closed my eyes.
It felt like only minutes passed by.
A strong sensation that someone was watching me had my eyelids fluttering open. Matt sat staring at me from the chair next to the sofa I was lying on. Somehow, I was lying down and a blanket was draped over me.
I glanced around. All of the groceries were put away and the sun had set.
I sat up. “How long was I out?”
He glanced at his watch. “About an hour.”
I gaped at him. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
He shrugged. “Ye obviously needed the sleep.”
“You didn’t have to put my groceries away.” I was decidedly uncomfortable that he had watched me sleep. It made me feel vulnerable. I folded the blanket and draped it back over the couch.
“Ye had perishable items. Besides, I didn’t mind.” He stared at me as he paused a beat. “That’s what friends do.”
“Well, thank you, but I imagine you have to get back to the pub, don’t you?” I stood and went into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea.
He followed me and sat at my table. “Aidan has it covered. It’s good for him to be on his own for a bit. Besides, Finn is singing tonight, so he’ll let me know if I’m needed.”
“Care for something to drink?” I felt the need to ask after all he had done.
“Tea is good.”
I raised a brow. “Really?”
“I love a good cup of tea.”
“All I have is caffeine-free herbal tea. I hope that’s okay.”
“Do you have any honey?”
I blinked and then carefully said, “I do, but just normal honey.”
“Is there any other kind?” He laughed.
This was my opening. “Funny you should ask.” I handed him the steaming cup and a jar of honey. “Aidan was in the health food section when I ran into him. He said you asked him to pick up clover honey. You must really like clovers.”
He arched a brow and just stared at me. “Clovers are very healthy.”
“Don’t forget rare and special.” I pursed my lips.
“Well, the four-leaf ones, yes,” he said flatly.
“The kind that would make for a great tattoo…if you were into that sort of thing, of course.”
“So, I’ve heard.” He sipped his tea, which was growing colder by the minute, while studying me over the rim of the cup.
“Aidan said clovers are a big deal to your family.”
“Did he now?” Matt set his cup down.
“Aidan said his mother wouldn’t approve of him getting any tattoos. Just so you know, I won’t approve of our kids getting any tattoos either, especially if they are boys?” I didn’t mind tattoos at all, but he didn’t need to know that. I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t recruit our children into the Children of the Clover cult. If he was a member, that is.
The jury was still out.
“Don’t ye think it’s a little early to worry about our children getting a tattoo? Why don’t we let them be born before we add that to the list of things to stress out about.”
“Do you have any tattoos?” I tried to ask as casually as I could.
“I know what yer trying to do, but fer the life of me I can’t figure out why.” He stood. “I told ye before that I wasn’t going to verify the foolish legend one way or the other.”
“I wasn’t asking about that.” I laughed and waved off his suspicions. “I just meant tattoos in general. Did your mother forbid you from getting any, like Aidan’s did?”
“Aidan is still a lad.” He locked eyes with mine. “I am not. I have the utmost respect for me ma, but she doesn’t have a say in what I do.”
That knocked the wind out of my sails. “Like having twins out of wedlock with a divorced, forty-year-old woman.” My shoulders drooped and I set my cup in the sink, wondering if I would ever have his parents’ approval.
“I didn’t say that.” His tone was gentle.
“You didn’t deny it either,” I responded quietly.
“I have to get going. Lock the door behind me, lass.” He walked out the door, and I followed him, locking my apartment up tight. This is what I wanted. My independence. Being on my own. Navigating life by myself….
Then why did I feel so alone?