Beneath an Irish Sky (Choc Lit) Read Online Free

bothering. Because it was the thing to do, he supposed.
    ‘I hope the patient feels better soon,’ smiled the assistant.
    ‘Me too,’ Jack said, and meant it. He had a job and a life to get back to. Now if he could just get some answers …
    Seeing Luke again was a shock. Jack had tried to forget how much he looked like Annie. The long lashes, the hair colour – the far-too-discerning blue eyes. It was unnerving. Luke was scowling at him, chin jutting defiantly. Emer, seated on the other side of the bed, was smiling encouragement. It was like good cop, bad cop.
    Jack put the fruit on the bedside locker. ‘Vitamins,’ he said. Then he held up the chocolate. ‘This won’t do any harm either.’
    Luke said nothing. Probably guessed it was just for show.
    Jack sat down, scooting the chair back slightly as he gauged the distance between himself and the water jug. He cleared his throat. ‘First off, I’m sorry about your mother, Luke – truly sorry.’
    ‘Sure you are.’
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Jack was being sincere, and the little git was mocking him.
    ‘Course you’re sorry,’ Luke replied. ‘You’re afraid you might be saddled with me.’
    There was some truth to that. Deep down, Jack wanted to get away with giving the kid money, setting him up in a job somewhere. Not having to see him on any regular basis. Perhaps not having to see him at all because Luke’s face was Annie’s face, and the similarity was too painful. ‘Is that what you think?’ he asked, stalling for time.
    ‘It’s what I know,’ was the response. ‘You didn’t want me before, so don’t pretend you do now.’
    There was that accusation again. ‘I already told you – until yesterday, I didn’t know you existed.’
    ‘That’s a good one,’ Luke retorted, ‘but not what I heard.’
    ‘Then you heard wrong!’
    Luke’s eyes flashed, and Jack was startled again by the hostility there. ‘Don’t call my mother a liar!’
    Emer put her hand on Luke’s arm to calm him, giving Jack a warning glance.
    This was hopeless. He was only making things worse. ‘I’m sorry, Luke. You obviously don’t want me around. Do you know where your uncles are? I can call them.’
    Luke shook his head, his eyes wide. ‘No! I don’t want them here!’
    He seemed panic-stricken, his breathing rapid. Not just panic, though. Fear.
    ‘Calm down,’ said Jack. ‘I won’t call them. I don’t even know where they are. Just relax, okay?’
    ‘I think that’s enough for today,’ said Emer, but Jack wasn’t finished. He’d been unjustly accused. He couldn’t shrug that off. Perhaps now Luke had exhausted himself, he’d have a chance to speak.
    ‘Luke, you have to believe me when I tell you I never knew Annie had a child.’ Luke sighed and closed his eyes. But he couldn’t close his ears. He would hear what Jack had to say. ‘I don’t know why your mother told you what she did. She must have had her reasons, but what do I do? Let you keep believing I threw her out? There was obviously a huge misunderstanding. I was working a lot – maybe too much. Perhaps she told me what was troubling her, and it didn’t register.’
    It was the best he could come up with, though it could be true. He’d probably never know. There was no response from Luke. The meeting had been a waste of time. Jack left, feeling bitter disappointment.
    I didn’t know you existed until yesterday.
Yeah, right. The man must think Luke an idiot. As if he wouldn’t have been told what a scumbag his father was. He’d wanted to confront Jack Stewart ever since the day he learned his life had been a lie ….
    Why didn’t he stop? Even with his hands over his ears, Luke could still hear his uncle shouting. Annie was crying and that always made Joe even more mad. Only a matter of time till he slapped her. But Luke was eleven now. Time he did something to help her. ‘Leave her alone, you bastard!’ Annie wouldn’t like him swearing, but it was what men did.