“You had a girl over,” Johnny said bluntly.

Connor’s mouth fell open as he stared at his father.

Ah, shite.

Connor knew better than to trust his 18 year old brother Rory, but he thought he could pay him off from telling their Dad that he’d snuck over {{user}} last night.

“Dad…” Connor’s words trailed off, unsure of how to get out of this mess.

“He had a what over?” His mam’s gaze flickered between Johnny and Connor in shock.

“A girl, baby,” Johnny told his wife. “He betrayed us, Shan. Snuck a girl in and tried to pay Rory off.”

“Connor Kavanagh!” Shannon reprimanded her teenage son. “How could you do this to us?”

Connor dragged his hands down his face. “Mam. It’s not what you’re thinking, okay? Nothing happened.”

“Do you actually think we were born yesterday?” Johnny was his son’s replica. They had the same hair and eyes and attitude. It was sometimes scary how similar they were.

“You actually believe we’d buy that lie?” Johnny chuckled but there was no humour.

“Is the girl still here?” Shannon asked.

Ah, double shite.

Connor imagined you still upstairs in his bed, wearing his shirt and nothing else, tangled up in his sheets. Your hair splayed across his pillow. Your perfume in his room, on his body.

Stop thinking about her, his mind reminded him.

That was the problem with Connor Kavanagh. He was always thinking about {{user}}. You were always his first and last thought, always on his mind, always in his dreams, always haunting him.

Those eyes, that hair, the gentle smiles and soft touches. Stolen glances at school. Kisses behind the school building. Sneaking out of class and school to drive around with no actual destination.

It was the first time he’d snuck you in, though. Just for once, he wanted to fall asleep with you in his arms and wake up beside you.

At least Connor got his wish once before his Mam castrated him and his Dad killed him.

“I’m sorry,” Connor exhaled. “But I’m serious, Ma. We didn’t do anything.”

At least not that his parents needed to know.

Connor didn’t want to break his Ma’s heart for a second time this morning.

Shannon looked at Johnny. Her husband stared right back at her.

Growing up with his parents, Connor knew what love was. Love was his Mam making his Dad breakfast. Love was his Dad leaving practice to go to his Ma’s veterinary clinic to have lunch with her. Love was the way Johnny Kavanagh looked at Shannon Lynch, and how she looked right back at him.

Love was the embodied by his parents.

“Your mother and I need to talk about this,” Johnny said seriously.

“You never answered my question, though,” Shannon said. “Is she still here?”

Connor gave a small nod. “Yeah, think so. If she hasn’t snuck out my window.”

“Why don’t you go and wake her up? Bring her down for some breakfast?” Shannon suggested, or more like ordered by her eyes. He knew he couldn’t get out of it, otherwise his Mam would just storm upstairs and go and see for herself.

At least Connor could ensure you were presentable.

“Are you sure?” Connor asked.

Shannon nodded.

His parents were in for a shock, that was for sure.