Liam still couldn't believe how small the world was. Small enough that he'd met someone else from the Devlin family, someone who had only never spent time with them because her father had issues with them. And when his best friend told him that his wife—who had been his friend since childhood and had gone to school with her since kindergarten—was the cousin of the woman who had not only protected his children but had delivered them to him safe and sound, Liam could barely believe it. It was all so surreal, especially since the woman and her cousin's husband had never met before, and in a single day she'd met not only him but also his godchildren.
The moment he heard the story with his family, he understood why his friend trusted the pink-haired woman so much to care for his children. She was part of his wife's family, someone trustworthy who adored children. Liam just didn't know whether she'd last longer than the others had. He was genuinely worried about how his children would treat her, especially because of whose relative she was, and that was why he'd said he needed to think about it.
When Ryan left, saying he had a very important appointment that day, Liam's parents, brother, and sister-in-law bombarded him with questions about the young woman his best friend had mentioned. So he told them the whole story: how she'd been his hero by bringing his children to the company, and how kind and affectionate she'd been with both of them. Naturally, he expected more questions, such as whether she was single. That one came from his beloved mother, who couldn't stop trying to find him a woman, even against the wishes of her grandchildren—or Liam himself.
The children had decided to go play since their father had told them they'd talk more later when they asked whether the woman who had saved them would be their nanny. Liam just couldn't tell whether they liked their uncle's idea, since there hadn't been any complaints or screams—the latter usually coming from his hotheaded son. They might have liked it, or they might already be planning something against her, and that genuinely worried him. He might even have spent some time thinking about it if his extremely curious family hadn't been there.
His mother didn't leave him alone all afternoon.
She was curious about Lafferty and had already warned him that she wanted to meet her, regardless of the decision he made about whether she'd be the twins' nanny. Liam already knew why she was making such a decision. He wondered whether she'd ever give up on finding a good woman for him to marry and, consequently, a good mother for Thomas and Natalie. Liam had to admit that they truly deserved a mother, but giving himself over to someone still wasn't in his plans, especially after Lillie's betrayal.
For several hours, he imagined that his mother was the only one curious about Mia Lafferty, since she was the only one questioning him about the woman. But then, just as he'd expected, he realized his father was curious too when he was alone with his father and brother and was blindsided by their questions about the young woman.
He'd expected that from Killian, not from Andrew, his father.
“Is she pretty?”
“Killian, please!” He rolled his eyes.
“You didn't answer, so that means she is!” Killian exclaimed, making their father laugh. “Admit it, little brother.”
“Why do you want to know?” Liam huffed.
“I’m still surprised the twins trusted her.”
The brothers looked at their father.
“They never approached strangers, never got along with any of the nannies, and were always complaining about the women at the apartment complex where they lived…”
“And unbelievably, they asked the complete stranger to bring them to my company,” Liam finished, already knowing how his father's sentence would end. “Yeah, I was surprised too, especially when Naty commented on the way home about how kind and pretty the woman was.”
“And Thomas?”
“He wasn't as fascinated as his sister, but he thanked her when she said goodbye.”
“Are you sure they didn't switch your children somewhere along the way?”
Liam rolled his eyes as his brother laughed.
“I don't know if hiring her is a good idea.”
“Why not?” his father asked.
“Because she's Aurora's family. If the twins do something to her, it'll be a disaster. I don't want to get on the Devlins' bad side, much less have problems with my friends because of her.”
“Liam, you have to consider that you may have finally found someone you can trust, someone who'll be in your home to take care of the twins instead of hitting on you.”
And Liam couldn't help agreeing with his father.
“Besides, Naty likes Lafferty, and she knows how to manipulate her brother masterfully.”
Again, he couldn't help agreeing—this time with his brother.
“You have a chance to stop worrying so much about what's happening to the children while you're at the company. Besides, didn't you say you'd seen her résumé?”
“She was perfect for the position, but I'd already hired someone,” Liam told him. “Do you really think I should hire her?”
“Yes.”
“And please, make a move.”
“Shut up, Killian!”
Their father laughed, enjoying his sons' exchange.
“Don't you understand that the twins drive women away because they don't want me with anyone?”
“They don't want you with women who only care about their father and not about them, that's all.”
“He's right, son.”
“And speaking of relationships…” Killian glanced around to see whether his nephews were still in the backyard. “What about Amelia Maher?”
“What about her?”
“Are you still sleeping with her?”
“You're so nosy.” Liam shook his head. “I do spend time with her, yes. Why?”
“Because when the twins find out…”
“They won't. Besides, what I have with her is casual, nothing concrete and certainly nothing labeled.” He leaned back against the couch. “You know perfectly well that I don't want a relationship right now.”
“I think you should make a move on someone who cares not only about you but also about your children.”
“I don't need her to care about them, Dad. I'm not going to marry her, after all.”
“And does she know that?”
“I've made that perfectly clear to her, Killian.”
“Well, I think you should make it even clearer.” He saw his brother frown. “I heard my wife talking to a friend, who'd heard it from another friend, that the redhead has been going around saying she's dating you.”
“What?” Liam frowned. “Are you sure?”
“That’s what I heard.”
“If that's true, son, deal with it before Thomas and Natalie find out. And do it quickly.”
Liam was genuinely afraid they would find out about Maher and end up angry with him. He had to admit that was what he feared most. They'd seen her five times at most and had already said several times that they didn't like her. He'd never understood why, but he hadn't cared either; the twins were difficult to please. Twice out of the five times they'd seen her, they left her talking to herself, ignored her the entire time they were together, and made a point of staying as far away from her as possible. The other times, they hid in their bedroom or even in the backyard so they wouldn't have to interact with her.
Amelia was Ryan's cousin, the redhead with cobalt-blue eyes whom his parents had raised as their daughter since she was ten, after she lost both parents in a car accident she was also in. She was the only survivor. Her older brother had been at a friend's house in another city, and when he found out, he asked their aunt and uncle to take care of her. He was a college student, after all; how could he take care of a child?
Aaron and Izzie Maher agreed, of course, for the girl's sake.
That was why Liam had known her since childhood, since she was part of the same family as his best friend. But they'd never had anything between them. He hadn't even considered it for two reasons: first, he didn't want a commitment and didn't want to use his best friend's sister, and second, he'd never felt any desire for her. But then he was abandoned, and she came closer to support him. Before he knew it, less than a year later, they were having a more intimate relationship. Of course, he'd made sure to warn her that he didn't want a serious relationship. Even so, she'd accepted.
Ryan didn't mind, especially because his sister was capable of deciding for herself what she wanted. But he advised his friend that this wasn't how he was going to find happiness, since he didn't love the redhead—and Ryan was absolutely certain of that. He also advised his sister, whom he'd always known was in love with his friend, that she'd never manage to win Liam over, especially when he was so completely afraid of commitment. But neither of them listened to him.
The younger Kavanagh, knowing that his little ones wouldn't accept Amelia—especially since she was the woman they disliked so much—had decided to keep the relationship, if it could even be called that, a secret. Now, with this story about them dating being spread all over town, he'd need to prepare himself, talk to the woman to straighten things out, and, of course, talk to the children before they heard it from anyone other than him. And the dark-haired man would do that after speaking with the redhead.
He left his children with his father and brother, unwilling to put off until tomorrow what he could do that same day, and headed to the house where his friend's cousin lived. They always met there, but he hadn't seen her in several days because of the problems he'd been having with the twins' nannies and the demands of the company.
“Hey, sweetheart.” She opened the door with a smile. “When I saw your car, I could hardly believe it.”
“I need to talk.”
“Of course.”
Liam noticed the irony in her tone but didn't care. He simply walked in and let her close the door. Before he could say a word, her lips claimed his, and the woman's body pushed him against the wall. He grabbed her by the waist and pushed her back. He couldn't deny that his body heated up, but this wasn't the time for sex.
“I need to talk, Amelia.”
“You really came here to talk?” She pulled away, completely confused, especially because he hadn't called her Amy as he always did. “I thought you missed me.”
“What have you been saying about us?”