As the car glided downwards, the air in it vibrated with an odd tension. Frankie slid a sideways glance toward Liam’s profile and saw that his jaw was tight and his lips had lost any curve of a smile.

“What is it, Prince?”

He shook his head, making the lock of hair curve onto his forehead again. Before she could probe further, the elevator door opened, and he swept her out to the limousine waiting in front.

When they were settled in the back, he interlaced his fingers with hers and fixed his gaze straight ahead. “Carolyn’s engaged to be married. She just told me.”

His grip tightened.

She put her hand flat against his cheek and rotated his head toward her so their eyes met. “You will still be his father.”

But she understood that the new stepfather would have the advantage of being with the boy every day, a constant presence in his life. While Liam was just a visitor, no matter how glamorous he was.

He turned to kiss her palm and looked away again. “I’ve met him. He’s, well, he’s the kind of man you’d choose for a boy to have as a father.”

“You wouldn’t want any other kind for Owen.”

“I know.” His voice was like gravel. Her heart wept for him.

“You’re Liam Keller, international soccer superstar, coach of a major New York team, media darling. His friends—and their fathers—will beg to meet you.”

“I don’t want to be some sort of status symbol. I want to be his da.”

“So you buy a house nearby. You negotiate a schedule with Carolyn. You take him to school some days. You pick him up from school some days. You get some holidays with him. And Owen will be a lucky boy to have two men in his life who are great role models and who love him. It’s a hell of a lot more than you and I ever had.”

Liam nodded and she saw some of the tension leave his face. “You always knew how to kick me in the arse when I was acting the maggot.”

“You aren’t acting the maggot. You’re being a father.” And she wanted to take the hurt away from him. “Does Owen know about the engagement?”

Liam shook his head. “He knows Don and his mom spend a lot of time together.”

“I’m sure he hopes you and Carolyn will get together. That’s what children do.” She hesitated a moment before asking, “Did you and Carolyn consider marrying?”

“We did, but we barely knew each other.” He blew out a long breath. “As we spent time together, she felt she deserved better.”

“She must be a gobshite of the first order if she thinks she could find a better man than you.” Frankie had an overwhelming urge to smack sense into a woman she’d never met.

Liam gave her a long, level look. “She deserved better than a man who’s in love with another woman.”

Frankie felt as though he’d slammed her back against the seat, but she concentrated on not moving a muscle. “You told her that.”

“I’m not an eejit. She figured it out on her own.”

Her stomach plunged like an airplane caught in a downdraft. She’d dismissed all his declarations of undying love as exaggerations, meant to blarney her into his arms. But Carolyn had seen the reality of his feelings.

“I’m sorry,” she said, stalling to give herself time to wrestle her own response under control. Because her heart had soared back up and hurled itself against the walls of her chest, trying to force her to tell Liam that she loved him too. Always had.

Always would.

“I’m not,” he said.

Her heart slammed into her rib cage again. Maybe the age difference no longer mattered. Maybe his athletic success could counterbalance her enormous wealth. Maybe Owen would be enough of a family for him.

Too many maybes. She’d never go into a business deal with all those unknowns.

Liam leaned against the door of the limo, scanning the crowd of children pouring out of the brick school building’s double doors. Frankie had elected to stay in the car, claiming Owen needed to know he was the focus of Liam’s attention.

She’d changed the subject after he’d told her about Carolyn. And he’d let her do it because he was afraid to push any harder. Frankie had built so many walls between them. He wasn’t sure he could tear them all down. And the thought of her walking away again shredded his guts.

“Da!” Owen’s young voice yanked him out of his unhappy thoughts. The boy was barreling down the front sidewalk, his backpack bouncing behind him as he waved a square of brown paper in the air.

Liam’s chest squeezed as it always did when he saw his son’s face light up at the sight of him. In two strides he was across the street and kneeling to catch Owen in his arms, the boy’s thin shoulders feeling as light and fragile as a bird’s under his hands.

“Look at the cool picture frame I made you. It’s a reindeer,” Owen said, leaning back against Liam’s embrace to hold out the construction paper frame decorated with antlers on the top, two plastic eyes on the sides, and a button nose on the bottom. “It’s a little babyish because the teacher made us outline our hands for the antlers, but the moving eyes are cool. Mom said I could give it to you because she got the snowman snow globe.”

“Your mom’s a generous lady to give up such a magnificent gift,” Liam said, working to keep his voice steady as he touched one hand-shaped antler. He still had every paper, painting, and craft project that Owen or Carolyn had given him. “I’ll need a picture of you to put in it, and then I’ll display it on my coffee table for everyone to admire.”

“Maybe we could take a picture with you in it too,” Owen said, with a shy sideways glance.

Liam wanted to squeeze Owen in a bear hug for that. “That would be even better. I’ve got a friend with me who could take that photo for us.”

The light in his son’s face dimmed. “It’s not just us?”

“It’s my old friend, Frankie. I’ve told you stories about her.”

Owen perked up. “The chocolate lady?”

Liam nodded and rose, taking Owen’s hand to walk to the limo. A couple of parents nodded to Liam with recognition written on their faces. Several of Owen’s classmates wished him happy holidays.

“Let me have your backpack and then you can scoot in beside Frankie,” Liam said, before he slid onto the leather seat beside his son. “Frankie, meet Owen. Owen, you’ve heard a lot about Frankie.”