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"Have you been drinking?"

"Yes"

"And driving?" she barked

"No, darling I’m not a bloody idiot, ae to O’Rourke’s and then had a drink More than one And then I walked home to our pleasant abode to find my affianced, adorably concerned"

"I was concerned Why didn’t you call ht and all that But here I arowl "Hallo, Ratty," Tom said "Careful, I’d hate to step on you" Spike took the laces of Tom’s shoes in her teeth and whipped her head back and forth

The phone rang again Honor answered it "Hey, it’s Colleen Just wanted to ot home okay Connor took his keys"

"He’s here and fine," Honor said "Thanks, Coll And thank Connor for me, too"

"No prob, hon He’s a sweetheart, your Toht you were going to cut back," she said

"And I have," he said "Three drinks is hardly pissed,Nor is four"

"Connor O’Rourke had to take your keys"

"No, love I gave hiht have a fit of idiocy and decide to drive" He certainly sounded sober "Now, I’ Care to join ht, then"

With that, To Honor standing in theroom, surrounded by the quiet once more

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

IT HAD BEEN five days since the return of Mitchell DeLuca, and To in a motel down near the Laundromat Aside from four lunches in three years, Charlie hadn’t seen his father at all since Melissa died Two trips to McDonald’s, one to Pizza Hut and one to Wendy’s And now, for some reason Tom did not trust at all, Mitchell was here, all parental interest after fourteen years of essentially ignoring the boy

It was bloody awful Honor knew so was off If he could’ve talked about it, he would have, but the words stayed ja that he’d lost Charlie, now, after all this timewell, shit It felt like those words would crack him in half He wanted to hold her, take her to bed, bury himself inside her, but instead, he was brittle and jolly and fking exhausted

Charlie hadn’t wanted to see hiether That was understandable, Toot to see his idiot father once every year or so--or less--and naturally, he’d want to spend whatever ti over?" Honor asked

"His dad is visiting," he answered, turning a page in his azine, he couldn’t quite say

"Really" She frowned "How are you doing with that?"

Such an American question And she didn’t want to know "It’s fine" Such a British answer

She didn’t ask anyclubthe walls He had to go up to Blue Heron after this and take a look at the bottling systeineer and all And To his approval, which he’d instantly revoke if he knew just why Tohter

But, of course, he’d said sure He i a nice faive Charlie the chance to remember that he was part of that clan, as well