“They think you won’t.”

I shake my head. “I want him to be punished for what he did to me. Of course I will.”

“Oh, I know that, but Noreen is making sure that no one knows anything about you. It’s kinda spooky how much she is hidin’,” she says with a nod. “Good, though. She is protecting you.”

“Yeah,” I agree, wrapping my arm around her, ignoring the sting in my chest. As I lean my head against hers, she kisses my temple and smiles against it.

“Make sure to tell her thank you,” she reminds me.

“I will,” I say softly. I can feel the tension in her body, and it worries me that I put it there. “Are you mad at me?”

She shakes her head. “No, I’m worried a bit, that’s all. I just want to make sure I am doing right by my brother’s and your ma’s memory, is all.”

“I think you are,” I say, leaning back to look at her. “I know you are.”

“It’s scary. You’re so young, my love. I don’t want you to waste this life you have on the first boy you fall for.”

“I don’t see it as a waste. I wish you could feel what I feel. The overpowering burst of love that rattles me to the core. I love him. And I want to marry him. My mom married her first love.”

“Yes, but she had some duds before that,” she says, cupping my face. “You’ve had none.”

“Good, so I’ll never know the feeling of heartbreak. I take that as a good thing in my book.”

She shakes her head and then sucks in a deep breath before letting it out. She looks over at me with all the love in the world and I smile. Since I came to Ireland, she has done nothing but treat me like her own. It’s amazing how much she means to me. I always knew about her, spoke to her a few times on the phone, but now, I know I couldn’t go a day without speaking to her.

“You’re an adult, my love. You do as you please. I’ll be here to guide you, and, above all, love ya like yer ma and da would.”

I smile as I lean my forehead to hers. “That’s all I could ever ask for.”

She kisses my nose, and I giggle as I pull back. “We need to go dress shopping.”

She nods. “Sure, when?”

“Soon, the wedding is October seventeenth.”

“My goodness, so soon, yes?”

“Yeah, that’s his deadline,” I say with a shrug.

I kind of wanted to be a June bride, like my mom had been. She had even gotten married out beside the B&B when she was my age, but I won’t be a June bride. Declan’s father isn’t budging, and while Declan has told me repeatedly he’d throw it all away to make me happy, I won’t be happy if he does. So October bride I am! It’s really no big deal, I guess. Orange will look great on Fiona, so that’s a plus.

With an unpleasant sound, my aunt’s thought on the matter is, “Ah, gobshite of a deadline, it is.”

I laugh as I nod. “It is, but that’s how those O’Callaghans work.”

She squeezes my hand, tears gathering in her eyes. “You’ll be one of them soon.”

“Yeah, but I’ll always be a Reilly deep down,” I say with a wink as the doorbell rings.

Kissing her cheek loudly, I get up and head to the door. Pulling it open, I smile when my gaze meets Declan’s. His lips curve up at the sides before he reaches for me, bringing me up to my tippy toes as his lips move with mine. Desire swims in my belly as my hands run up his chest and around his neck. I just love kissing him. Parting, he grins down at me before tucking a stray piece of my hair behind my ear.

“Howya,” he says softly, running his thumb along my bottom lip. “You’re beautiful.”

I smile shyly as I lace my fingers with his. He’s wearing a suit, not a tuxedo, but a dark blue suit with a light blue shirt underneath the jacket. The first few buttons are open, giving me a delectable view of his sexy neck. He isn’t wearing the beanie either. I’ve noticed he hasn’t been wearing it at all lately. “So are you,” I say. “I feel a little underdressed.”

He shakes his head, taking a step back before drinking in the sight of me. I hope he sees that I’ve taken time straightening my hair and doing my makeup since Fiona had to work. The dress I’m wearing is sweet enough, I guess; it’s a pale green color, the skirt long with a cute little bird design all over it while the bodice is sparkling and tied around my neck. Smiling down at me, he gathers me in his arms before running his lips along mine.

“You’re stunning,”

I kiss his jaw and close my eyes, leaning against him. I’ve missed him. He had to work all day yesterday and most of the days since I was shot, and it’s sucked being so far away from him all day. Thankfully, I start back at work tomorrow, so I won’t be so lonely.

“I missed you,” I whisper against this jaw, the blond hair tickling my lips.

“I’ve missed ya too, my love. I got something for ya.”

I lean back and meet his gaze. “Yeah?”

He lets me go to reach into his pocket and pulls out my engagement ring. His great-grandmother’s ring. It didn’t fit, it was too big, so he took it to be resized. I thought it would take longer to get here, but knowing Declan, he probably had it rushed. I am still in such awe of the beauty of the ring. The diamond is so big, almost a little gaudy, but the diamonds on the sides accent it beautifully, and it really is stunning.

Taking my hand, he slides it on my finger and smiles at me. Kissing the ring on my finger, he massages my hand with his thumb. “Perfect fit, yeah?”

I nod, my heart pounding against my ribs. “It is.”

“You ready?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” I say, looking back at my aunt. “We are off.”

“Howya, Mrs. Maclaster.”

“Howya, Declan, good to see ya,” she says and I actually believe her.

“You too, we’ll be back later.”

“Sure, give your parents my best.”

“Will do,” he says with a nod.

He then pulls me out the door and to his car.

We don’t say much as we head to the O’Callaghan estate. My fingers are laced with his, resting on his leg as we drive. I feel so complete. It’s such a euphoric feeling he brings me. Glancing over at him, I take in the beauty that is my fiancé. His eyes are trained on the road he is following, and I notice that his hair is getting longer. It’s curling around his ears in a cute little way. The hair on his jaw is longer than normal too. He looks all unkempt, and I have to admit, it’s rather sexy.