CHAPTER 7

MAYA

I'd slept surprisingly well, considering how off kilter I'd been when Johnny kissed me goodnight. I'd expected to be up all night worrying about today, but instead I'd gone to sleep with a smile on my face.

Stretching, I looked at my bedside clock. Seeing that it had just gone six, I got up and went through my usual morning routine. Once I'd had my coffee, instead of rushing off to pick up Jackson and Emy like I usually would, I made use of the time packing a bag for the beach and getting a cooler filled with juice boxes and ice packs as I wasn't sure that Johnny would think of packing such things.

Once I'd done all that, I checked the time again, and seeing it was just after seven, I rushed through a shower. Getting dressed for the day, I put on a navy blue one-piece swimming costume that had a cute red trim around the sweetheart neckline cut around the top. It was very retro nineteen fifties, and I loved it. Pulling on a pair of mid-thigh shorts in khaki and a bright red flowing top with my sandals, I felt ready for the day. Picking up my brush, I pulled it through my hair and put it up in a high pony. Spraying sunscreen on, I called it a day.

Picking up the cooler and bag from the kitchen, I took them with me to the main house and left them in the garage in a corner out of the way, knowing that Johnny would have to park there, and it would be easy to load them up before we left.

Pushing open the kitchen door, I'm met with the familiar mayhem in the kitchen of getting everyone fed at the same time. I wasn't sure how Maggie did it without getting flustered.

Waving at everyone, I say morning to any adults and teenagers that are in the kitchen before making myself known to my children. Sometimes it's nice to watch them interact with others without them being aware Mummy is around. Emy is the first to see me and her ear-splitting squeal probably just about deafens poor Ben, who's sitting next to her. Rushing in, I scooped up my baby, pressing kisses all over her face, making her giggle and laugh. Putting her back in the highchair, I walked around to my boy and gave him a far more sedate hug and kiss, although he did let me hug him for longer than I usually did.

"Hi, baby," I said, running my fingers through his hair. "Did you have a good time last night?"

"Yeah," he replied with a nod.

"Good," I reply. "Are you all done?"

When he nods again, I pick up his plate as well as any others that are empty and take them to the dishwasher and start filling it up.

"Thanks for feeding them, Maggie," I say as I close the dishwasher door.

"It's not a problem, love. Did you have a good time last night?"

There was no way I could have stopped the smile that broke out on my face even if I'd wanted to.

"I did."

Maggie smiled broadly at my words, "I'm glad. Johnny's a good lad."

There was just something calming about Maggie, and I couldn't resist telling her. Leaning in, I whisper, "He's picking us all up at eight this morning. "

She beams, "Even the children?"

I nod.

"Yeah, we're going to the beach for the day."

"I'm so happy for you, love. If anyone deserves to find a good man, it's you."

"Oh, hang on," I say, holding my hands up, "let's not get too hasty. We're just getting to know each other."

Maggie stops what she's doing and turns towards me, her face serious, "Maya, I get that you don't trust easily, and you have every reason not to. It's a big thing that you are letting him spend time with your children. Your heart's already made your decision. It's your head holding you back."

She takes hold of my hands, "I promise that Johnny is not the type to mess you around and if he's already wanting to spend time with Emy and Jackson, then he's in this for the long haul. He's no different from our men. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to him, much like the Crow men the O'Sheas are straight shooters. He won't mess you around. But if you don't want this to go further, then do me a favour and tell him now because he doesn't deserve to be strung along. "

My lip trembled and my eyes filled with tears. "I'm scared," I whispered. Maggie's face softened, and she pulled me into her arms, wrapping them tight around me in a mothering embrace, "Oh, baby, I know," she whispers before letting me go and wiping at the tears under my eyes. "You don't have to be, not with him. Just relax and enjoy your day. It will all be okay, you'll see."

Nodding, I take a deep breath, conscious that we were in the kitchen, but when I glanced around, nobody was paying us any attention. "Okay," I agree. "I'll take it one day at a time. You're not the first to tell me he's a good man and you're right. In my heart, I know this, it's my head that I'm having a problem with."

"That's all any of us can do, sweetheart. Take things one day at a time. I'm here if you ever need anything," Maggie assures me, squeezing my hand, then she lets go and offers me a paper towel to clean up my tears. It's as I'm doing this that the back door opens and Johnny walks in; he's dressed the most casual I've ever seen him in a dark green T-shirt, navy shorts, and trainers. It's like he has a homing beacon on me because as soon as he sees me, he stops, and his eyes narrow when they take in my tear-stained face.

It's Emy that breaks the connection when she shouts out, "Daddy," as soon as she sees him, holding up her arms as she demands, "up." I can feel my face heat at her demand, but Johnny takes it in his stride as he unbuckles her from the highchair that she's in and picks her up; she snuggles right in, little arms hugging around his neck. He continues to walk over to me, only stopping to rest his hand on Jackson's shoulder as he passes and giving it a little press. With his finger under my chin, he tilts my head back so that I can meet his eyes.

"What's wrong, milseán ?"

"Nothing really. I was having a moment and Maggie was comforting me," I reassure him. His eyes dart over to Maggie, who's smiling wide at us.

"It's true," she assures him. "Sometimes a woman just has to have a little cry. It's how we work."

"I don't like it," Johnny grumbles.

Letting out a choked laugh, my head falls forward onto his chest. He wraps his free arm around me.

Maggie's chuckle echoes my laugh, "It's something you'll have to get used to, Johnny, especially if you're still around when Emy hits teenage years."

"Oh, I'll still be around," Johnny assures her, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head, asking, "Are you finished with the tears though because if you're not, I'm going to have to go and find one of the guys so I can hit something because you in tears is making me feel a little murdery."

I can't help the laugh that burbles out of me, and I lift my head up from his chest. "I'm just saying," he continues.

Smiling wide at him, all traces of my tears vanished, I assure him, "I'm good now that you're here."

"Well, if that's all it takes, consider me moved in," he mutters softly, his eyes twinkling, laugh lines at the corners deepening with his amusement.

My attention is torn away from him when Jackson leans against my leg. My hand automatically cups the back of his head, and I look down into my little boy's serious eyes. Eyes that are too serious for a four-year-old.

"Hi, baby."

"Are you okay? "

"I'm fine, sweetheart. Can you say hello to Johnny for me? He's going to take us out for the day."

Jackson turned assessing eyes to Johnny, but he did as I asked, "Hello Mr. Johnny."

Johnny let go of my waist and held his hand out to Jackson, "Just Johnny, it's good to see you again, Jackson."

Jackson shakes Johnny's hand but doesn't say anything, just wraps an arm around my leg. I hate that he's so uncomfortable around men. It would take time, but I hoped that he'd eventually be comfortable around Johnny.

Credit to Johnny he doesn't make a big deal out of Jackson being slightly stand-offish. Emy, on the other hand, is the complete opposite; she's snuggled into Johnny, thumb in mouth, head on his shoulder, twirling her fingers in his hair, and by the looks of her heavy eyes, she's about ready to go to sleep. "Are you ready to go?" Johnny wants to know.

"I am," I nod. "We just have to get their car seats from my car."

"No need," Johnny assures me. "I had Adam buy me car seats while I was away."

My heart stuttered, and another protective chip falls away at his words. Here's a man that has never had children but is seemingly completely comfortable with my daughter drooling all over him, and he's taken their safety into consideration when he asked us out for the day. That he'd bought the car seats weeks ago had me realising that he'd not only been thinking about me while he was away in Ireland, he'd also thought about my children.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice thick with tears that I didn't seem to be able to stop from welling up.

"Nope, no crying. Not today. Today is for fun. What do you say, Jackson?" Johnny looks down at Jackson, who's nodding, but his eyes are on me. Blinking rapidly to stop the tears, I smile down at Jackson reassuringly. "Johnny's right," I tell him. "It's a sunny day. It's a good day to have some fun. What do you say we go and check out your new car seats?"

How we'd managed to have a conversation for this long with the kitchen being so busy was beyond me, but it seemed that everyone was working hard to ignore us and for that I was grateful.

"Thank you, Maggie," I say, looking from Jackson to Maggie, who'd gone back to doing whatever it was that she was busy with, but there was a small smile curving her lips.

Tilting her head to look at me, she smiles and winks, "No thanks necessary, you go ahead and have a good day."

Taking that as her telling us to get a move on, Johnny and I shuttle my two out to the garage and get them settled in their new car seats. Walking towards where I'd left the cooler box and my bag earlier, I go to pick them up, but Johnny beats me to it and loads them up alongside his. Waiting until he's closed the back of the vehicle, before snaking my arms around his waist as he turns around. Standing on tiptoes, I press my lips to his in a soft kiss that deepens before turning soft again. "Thank you for thinking of my children," I whisper against his lips.

"Of course," he replies, "they're yours and if this goes where I hope it's going, they'll be mine and O'Sheas know how to look after our own."

With those words rattling around in my head, he helps me into the car, buckles me in, and shuts the door. I'm quiet because he's given me a lot to think about, but I like where it's going. It's time my head and my heart synced up. Because I had a feeling if I let this man slip through my fingers, I'd regret it forever.

It doesn't take too long to get where Johnny is taking us. I smile when I see he's taken us to Hayling Island; not only is there the beach but there's also a funfair for the children.

"What do you want to do first? Beach or funfair?" Johnny asks, turning in his seat to Jackson.

Jackson's eyes swing to mine. "You decide," I encourage him.

"Beach please," he replies.

"Beach it is," Johnny says, getting out and coming around to my door. Once he helps me out, he leaves me to help Jackson out of his car seat, then goes around to unbuckle a still sleeping Emy and gently manoeuvring her out of the vehicle. While he does that, I open the boot and take out my bag with the picnic blanket and their swimming costumes.

"Leave everything else," Johnny tells me. "I'll come back for it once you're settled into a spot."

"Okay," I agree, taking hold of Jackson's hand to follow him to the beach. It doesn't take us long to set up. Johnny places Emy on the picnic mat I've put down, shading her face with his hat before jogging back to the car. I can't help but watch as he jogs away, muscles bunching in his legs. Who'd have thought that under those suits he was so built. I wasn't the only one watching–a few other ladies had turned to eye him as he jogged past them.

"Lucky lady," an older woman who'd stopped to watch him says and winks at me before continuing on with her walk.

A giggle escapes at her words. I'm beginning to see what everyone has been telling me. Deciding that I needed to stop worrying about everything and take it one day at a time.

Turning back to Jackson, I help him into his swimming costume and spray sunscreen on him. By the time I'm done, Johnny is back and has set up an umbrella to shade Emy. Stripping his shirt off, I gulp at the six-pack he has on display, not that he seems aware that I'm ogling him.

Turning to Jackson, he picks up a bucket and asks, "Do you want to come with me and look for shells?"

Jackson looks at me for permission. Nodding with a smile at him, reassuring him that it's okay. He doesn't say anything, just takes the hand that Johnny holds out to him. I watch the two of them walk away, and they are about ten feet away when Johnny turns and winks at me. Blushing slightly at the look he sends me. I guess he wasn't unaware of my ogling.

It turns out to be one of the best days I've had in months. It takes time, but Jackson slowly warms to Johnny, and my heart sings with happiness. Emy doesn't take any work at all, she makes it clear that Johnny is her favourite and he's loving it. It's hard to believe that no one's snapped the man up.

Lucky for me!