Free Ellery Mountain 3 - The Carpenter and the Actor by RJ Scott Page B

and said nothing
when his dad sat down next to him. Mayor of Ellery, his dad was a responsible man who had
done his best to bring up Kieran, despite being left a widower with a teenage son. “I’m glad you’re here,” Thomas said gently. “I needed to talk to you.” “I was just killing time,” Kieran said. “Waiting for Jason.”
“The actor in the top cabin. I’ve spoken to him. Seems a nice man.”
“He is. What did you want to talk to me about?”
“It’s your mom.”
“What about her?”
“You know it’s been some years now. I hope you know I loved your mom so much.”
Thomas looked uncertain.
Kieran frowned. Of course he knew that. His mom and dad had been very happy and
he recalled his dad being devoted to his mom and vice versa.
“When she died, I felt like half of me died with her. But I had you. You were important
and helped me keep myself sane. It’s just… I’m with Brenda now.”
“I know.”
“It’s not a secret. Everyone knows. Do you like her, Kieran?”
How did he answer that one? Of course he liked Brenda—she’d become somewhat of a
surrogate mom until Daniel had come back from Afghanistan. Then she’d become a den
mother to her son and his two friends, making them cookies and generally fussing around
them.
“Of course I do.”
“I have something to ask you. To give you.” His dad reached into his pocket and pulled
out a box. He opened it and held it out to Kieran. Inside was familiar jewellery. A necklace
and two rings. His mom’s jewellery. “I thought you might like these. Not sure what you
would do with them, but it is right that you have them.” His dad looked so serious. “It’s
just…” His dad sighed. “I’m in love with Brenda. I have been for a while.”
“I know, Dad.” And Kieran did know. Anyone who saw them together knew they had
a bond that had moved from friendship and on to love after his mom had died. He never doubted his dad loved his mom. He never doubted that Thomas grieved for Mary. Their love had been solid. But in the last few years, Thomas had somehow moved on by falling in love
with Brenda Skylar.
“I want to ask Brenda to marry me,” Thomas said softly.
Kieran smiled then pulled his dad close in a hug. “I am so pleased for both of you,” he
said. “When are you asking?”
“I wanted to tell you first. To ask you even…”
Kieran’s heart lifted at the words. He was lucky to be close to his dad, even more so
when it was just the two of them.
“You didn’t need to ask me. I’m so happy for you.” They separated and Thomas had
the widest grin. Kieran returned the smile. “Go ask, Dad. I need to track down the elusive
actor. He’s probably gone for a walk and got lost in the woods. Go ask Brenda and tell me
what she says.”
He watched his dad stand and go into Brenda’s home. He was certain Brenda would
say yes, which would make him and Daniel stepbrothers. Interesting.
He left the porch and wandered back to Jason’s cabin. His cell vibrated and he pulled it
out to check the caller, expecting it to be Jason telling him he was lost. Instead he saw it was
Finn.
“Hey.”
“Small problem. I have Jason here and he’s a little the worse for wear—whisky. Bob
called it in from the bar and said he’s been drowning his sorrows for two hours solid. I was
going to bring him home, but he’s demanding you pick him up.”
“Where are you? Still at the bar?”
“Managed to convince him to come to the station with me. I put him in the holding
room for a lie down.”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
He was in his car and on his way down to Ellery in seconds. In the few days they had
been together, he hadn’t seen Jason with any more than a few beers, and never spirits. Shows
how little you knew about a guy when all you had with him was sex.
He parked outside the mayor’s office in his dad’s space and walked in then turned left
to the office area that the cops had used ever since their small precinct house had been burnt
to the ground.