Whiskey Prince Read online

“I am, hello,” I fumble as I back away, embarrassed that she heard us talking about Declan. Even Fiona is red with embarrassment when I turn to her. “This is my cousin, Fiona Maclaster.”

  She smiles as she hugs Fiona. “Yes, you’re dating Kane, right? I saw you two together. He’s always been a big brother to me, too, and he looks beyond happy with you.”

  “Thank you,” is all Fiona says, and I swear she looks like she is talking to someone famous.

  I roll my eyes as Lena looks back at me. “Are you two having fun?”

  “Yes,” I say as Fiona nods. “It’s a beautiful party.”

  “Thank you, I’m so glad you could come or that Declan finally got the balls to invite you!” She laughs, and we both laugh along with her. “We’ll have to get together, maybe next week? Get to know each other.”

  “I’d love that,” I admit, and her eyes light up.

  “Wonderful, I’ll give you a ring next week then. You’ll have to come, too, Fiona.”

  Fiona can only nod as I say, “That’s so sweet, thank you.”

  When her gaze leaves mine to look down, I wait as she types something on her phone before looking up at us with her brows together. “I’m so sorry, excuse me. I have to go tend to something, but I look forward to getting together with you next week. Maybe tea?”

  “Sure, me too,” I say and before I can say more, she is gone. “Well, that was odd.”

  “I can’t believe she hugged me. That was so cool.”

  I roll my eyes. “You are acting like Aunt Shelia. She is just another person.”

  “She has dresses made for her by all the great designers, she is marrying the one of the richest bachelors from England, and she’s my idol,” Fiona gushes as I just shake my head.

  “You’re crazy,” I tease as we start for the ballroom.

  “Let’s make another stop for the chocolate fountain before finding the guys. I should have had dinner instead of having sex with my hot boyfriend,” she laughs as we beeline for the fountain.

  “Probably would have been a good idea,” I say with a shake of my head.

  Once at the fountain, we both make us a little plate before grabbing a glass of wine. Finding a table, we both munch as I people watch and look for Declan. I find him standing with Kane and an older man. It’s not his father, but he does look a lot like Kane.

  “Is that Kane’s dad?”

  Fiona looks to where I am pointing and covers her mouth as she says, “Yup, cool guy, his ma is real nice, too. I like them. I think they like me. I hope so at least.”

  “I’m sure they do. You’re fabulous.”

  She grins. “Maybe, I did spill the gravy all over the floor and they still invited me back.”

  “See! They loved you!”

  She laughs as I grin at her before looking away, my nerves getting the best of me. “I haven’t met Declan’s parents yet.”

  “No?”

  I shake my head. “Not yet. Tonight I will.”

  “Cool, good luck.”

  “Thanks,” I say as my heart skips a beat. The thought of meeting Declan’s parents has me on edge. Will they like me? Will they think I’m good enough for Declan? And if they don’t, will he care?

  “Ma thinks you’re going to leave her now that you’re selling your house back in America.”

  I look over at Fiona and shrug. “I’m not sure what I am going to do.”

  “I say you stay and go to school. It’s gonna be tough working and going to school. No reason having to pay rent when we can stay with my parents for free.”

  “True,” I agree. “I just don’t want to be a bother.”

  “Not at all. We love you, so stay with us.”

  I lean into her and say, “I love you.”

  She winks at me and pops a strawberry in her mouth just as someone asks, “You’re Amberlyn Reilly, yea?”

  I look up to meet a very pretty redhead with bright green eyes. I smile as I nod. “I am.”

  “It’s wonderful to meet the future Whiskey Princess. You must be very excited.”

  Fiona chokes on her strawberry as I say, “Excuse me? What?”

  Surely I head her wrong, but she isn’t derailed as she says, “You must be excited about getting married and having the baby.”

  Fiona is full-out laughing by now while all I can do is look at this girl like she is nuts. “Baby? Married? I’m sorry; you have it all wrong. I am with Declan, but we aren’t getting married or having a baby.”

  “That’s not what I heard or read for that matter. Why else would Declan choose someone like you to be with unless he’s knocked ya up?”

  “Whoa, screw you,” I say in shock. “My relationship with Declan is none of your business, but to set the record straight, I’m not pregnant, nor am I engaged to Declan. Get your facts straight. He’s with me because I’m freaking amazing.”

  Heat courses through my body as I stomp away. Something is seriously wrong here. I haven’t even slept with the guy, how could I be fucking pregnant! And where does she get off with all this false information? What the hell!

  I head right for Declan, despite Fiona yelling for me. He turns right before I reach him and his face goes white as he asks, “Amberlyn, what’s wrong?”

  “Do you know people think we are getting married and that I’m pregnant?”

  He lets out a breath as his shoulders fall. “Yea, I read it today. Well, not the pregnant part.”

  “Read it? And you didn’t tell me?” I say a little louder than I mean to, but seriously! What the fuck? This is viable information that would be nice if someone had warned me about. Now I look like the idiot that is completely blind to all the gossip that is being spread about me! “Why would they say that? Why wouldn’t you warn me about something like that?”

  Nervously, he looks around the room before taking my elbow in his hand. He then directs me out the ballroom to a side hallway. This house is so damn big and beautiful, but I refuse to enjoy it. Not when I am this upset.

  “I thought you said it doesn’t matter what people think.”

  “It doesn’t, but I still would have liked to know. I can’t believe this. Why would they think that?”

  He swallows loudly as he looks way. “I don’t know, Amberlyn. I’m sorry.”

  “No, don’t be sorry for these assholes. I’m just mad that I didn’t know about this or that you didn’t tell me. If it came from you, it would be different. I wouldn’t be mad, I’d probably laugh, but finding out from someone that I have no clue who they are, and for them to insult me at the same time, is a little shitty.”

  He looks back up at me, surprised. “Who insulted you?”

  “I don’t know, some girl. She said why else would you be with someone like me if I wasn’t pregnant.”

  His face falls as he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Amberlyn. Please know that that is not the case at all. I’m with you because I care about you.”

  “Oh, I know this. I just don’t like that the bitch said otherwise. I don’t care what she thinks but still, it would have been nice to prepare for something like that.”

  He reaches out, pulling me to him before gathering me in his arms. I allow him to as my anger subsides. I guess I really shouldn’t be mad at him. It’s not his fault that this freaking town is dumb when it comes to him and his family. I get that they are rich and famous to some, but to me, he is just Declan. My heart. Turning my face up so that he can kiss me, I meet his heated gaze.

  “I’m sorry, my love, but this is my life. The gossip, the false stories… are you sure I’m worth it?”

  I smile as I give him a come-on kind of look. “Of course you are. Don’t be sorry, just kiss me.”

  He doesn’t even nod or answer me at all, only lets his mouth fall to mine before kissing the ever-loving crap out of me. His fingers bite into the lower part of my back as he presses into me. I can feel every single inch of him, and desire swirls deep in my stomach. Biting at his lip, I fight my grin when he sets me with a heated, lust-filled loo