I can’t help it. I laugh. Shaking my head, I meet his worried gaze. “Not in a million years.”

“Oh,” he says, letting out a long breath. “Thank God!”

I’m still laughing when Kane joins in with me as I lean back in my chair, kicking my legs up on the desk. Calming down, I look back over at him.

“All I saw was ya going back to the way you were before her, and I really don’t want that guy back. I’m happy, and I want ya to be happy too.”

A grin pulls at my lips as I nod. “I know, and I am happy. But I can’t be when she isn’t. I don’t know how to make her happy, short of getting us a place.”

“Yeah, but is that what ya want?”

I shake my head. “To be honest, no. But,” I say and then pause, thinking for a moment. “I think it was yer da who told me once that marriage is about compromise. Remember that time yer ma painted the cabinet pink, I think, and he lost it. But she said it was what she wanted, and even though it was visibly not something he wanted, he let it be.”

Kane laughs as he looks up at the ceiling. “I do remember that. Crazy coots.”

I nod in agreement. “Sure, but I figure I won’t be happy unless she is happy. Living in my home is what I thought my married life would be, but I’m not marrying someone who wants that life. She just wants me.”

“Which is what ya wanted from the beginning,” Kane adds, and I couldn’t agree more. “Ya always wanted a girl who didn’t want this life, and ya found her. So don’t expect her to live the life you have.”

“No, I know,” I say with a nod. “I mean, she doesn’t want that part, the house, the service, and parties, but man, Kane, she loves helping people.”

He grins at me as he nods. “She’s a great lass, Dec. Ya did good.”

“I did,” I agree, my heart fluttering in my chest like a damn schoolboy. “Did ya see she started a coat drive for those kids?”

“I did and then that yous two is gonna build that library.”

“Yeah,” I say with a grin. “She wants to work there once it opens.”

“She’d be good at that. She’s a nerd at heart.”

I laugh. “Yeah, when she isn’t at school or work, she’s either in my bed or reading.”

He just grins at me as he nods, and he doesn’t have to say anything. I know what I need to do. “So I have to find somewhere, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “But maybe ya can find somewhere and let it be a compromise, still?”

“Yeah? How?”

“Get a place on the grounds or have something built for ya.”

What a great idea! Kicking my legs down, I smack my desk before pointing over at him. “You’re a fuckin’ genius, Kane.”

“Eh, stop. Yer makin’ me blush,” he teases as he turns to his computer. “Your ma won’t like it.”

“I don’t care,” I say. “It isn’t about her; it’s about Amberlyn.”

When I get back to the house, I feel good.

I spent most of the afternoon on the phone with different contractors and have someone who wants to meet with Amberlyn and me to look at designs for a house. He’s gonna draw up something nice, he says, and I believe him. I’m pretty sure my family has used him before, but first I have to talk this over with my da.

Walking toward my da’s study, I knock on the door and wait for him to tell me to come in. Opening the door, I find my ma is in the room too. Well, I guess I’m gonna tell them both, then.

“Declan, sweetheart,” she says as I come in, falling into the chair beside her.

“Hey Ma, Da,” I say, sending a nod to him.

“Got your email, good work. Michael will be good for us.”

“I agree,” I say, resting my ankle against my knee.

“Did you get the email from production?”

I shake my head, pulling out my phone. “No, when?”

“Just a minute ago,” he says, a grin on his face. “Cathmor goes to stores and pubs in three months.”

Grinning, I nod. “Bloody fantastic,” I say, my heart pounding in my chest. Pride is seeping out of my pores, and I can’t wait to tell Amberlyn. First though, I have to get this taken care of. “I didn’t come to talk about that, though.”

“No?”

“What is it? Are you okay?” my ma asks before running her fingers through my hair lovingly. Moving away, sending her a sheepish grin, I nod.

“Yeah, Ma,” I say, covering her hand with mine. Looking at my da, I say, “I was on the phone with Mr. Molloy today.”

“Molloy? Why?” my da asks.

“Who’s that?” My ma wants to know.

“Contractor. What do we need, son?”

“A new house,” I say, letting out the breath I am holding as they both stare me down. “There is some land out by the old church and lake. I think I want to build there, if Amberlyn likes it, of course.”

“A house? For what?” my ma asks as my da leans back in his chair, crossing his arms.

Clearing my throat, I look over at my ma. “She ain’t happy, Ma.”

“Who? Amberlyn?”

“Why’s that? Is she not being treated right?” my da asks, and I shake my head.

“No, not anything like that. She just doesn’t want to live here. She doesn’t like being waited on and having my ma walk in on us while we have sex.”

My ma blushes as she looks away, and my da booms, “Noreen, I told ya to stop that.”

“I don’t mean to; it just happens.”

“Every week, it seems,” I supply and shake my head. “But it’s more than that. She wants her own space, and I can respect that.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, but my ma sure doesn’t.

“It just seems a little daft to build a house when this one is perfect for all of us. Take your grandparents’ side; they aren’t here anymore anyway.”

I shake my head. “But they’ll be back once they’re done traveling. I want her to be happy, and for that to happen, I gotta move her to our own place.”

“That just seems a little ridiculous, don’t ya think, Ivor?”

Looking over at my da, I see that he is really thinking it through. His chin is resting in his hand as he moves his thumb along it. Looking up at me and then my ma, he shakes his head. I don’t realize I’ve been holding my breath until he goes to speak. What he says matters. Ultimately, he owns everything on this land. If he doesn’t want me building on it, I won’t be building. Which means I won’t even be living on my land because I’m gonna give Amberlyn what she wants.