“Of course I do.”

“Then don’t worry. Everything will be fine because we’ll be together. That’s all that matters, right?”

His eyes are swimming with something. I don’t know what it is, but looking into them, I can’t help but feel like he loves me. Running my thumb along his jaw, I get lost in his eyes and I want to whisper the three little words but, before I can, Fiona is there, urging me to wait. So I bite on my lip to keep the words in as Declan says, “You’re right, and I’m sure it will be okay.”

Leaning up to brush my lips against his, I flash him a grin before saying, “Of course it will.”

Cuddling beside me, he asks, “Do you think your ma and da would have liked me?”

I smile as I slowly nod. Tears sting my eyes as I say, “Yes, they would have loved you.”

Holding me closer, he whispers, “I wish I could have met them. I feel like I know them because of you, but I wish I could tell them how amazing you are and how much you mean to me.”

I smile and without much warning, a single tear runs down my face. “I would love for that to happen but it isn’t in the cards. Plus, you know, if I wouldn’t have lost them, I wouldn’t have been here and we never would have met.”

Holding my gaze, he says, “As much as I couldn’t fathom my life without you now, I would rather you have kept them than come here and met me. I see how much it pains you to be without them, and I honestly don’t know how you do it.”

When another tear falls, I suck in a breath before saying, “I do it because I have to. Because my mom raised a strong woman, and I want to be the type of person she would be proud of.”

“They are. Proud of you, I mean.”

“Thank you.”

“No thanks needed, love. It’s the truth.”

Not knowing what to say, my lip wobbles. He smiles before running his thumb along my cheeks to catch my tears. Leaning forward, he presses his lips to mine and kisses me long and thoroughly, curling my toes and making my heart sing. When we part, he kisses my nose, then my temple, before wrapping me up tight in his arms. I cuddle into his chest, and his lips dust my forehead before he whispers, “Don’t ever change, Amberlyn. You are the light of my day and anyone else you meet.”

Closing my eyes tight, I kiss his chest before laying my head down to keep myself from whispering the words that I so want to say. As much as I believe he may feel the same with the words he just said to me, I can’t help but wonder why he didn’t say it if he did. Deciding that this moment is too amazing to spoil with rejection, I cuddle in closer to Declan and this time, I don’t fight the sleep away, I welcome it being wrapped in the arms of the man I love.

A man my mom and dad would have loved.

I can still feel Amberlyn in my arms.

Softly snoring, her little nose tucked into my chest as she sleeps. I never expected her to fall asleep. I wasn’t mad it happened, I was glad, because watching a girl that beautiful sleep is a gift from God. Something that I’ll treasure until the moment I get to go to sleep and wake up with her for the rest of my life. As much as I would love for that to happen right now, I know that it’s not time. I am still so nervous about it all. I have a feeling that I am going to lose the distillery I love, but I know it’s worth it as long as I get to be with her. I know I’ve put everything on our relationship when it is so young, but I trust my decision. I trust the power of my love for her.

Leaning back in my chair, I stretch out my neck before rubbing my eyes. When I open them, Kane is standing before me in a tux, along with what looks like the local newspaper.

I smirk up at him before saying, “Lookin’ sharp there, Kane.”

Kane gives me a look before dropping the paper on the desk. On the front is a picture of Amberlyn and me from the movies. I am holding her so tight that her shirt has come up in the back, but we both look so blissful as we share a long kiss. I want to keep staring, but then I see the headline above it.

Is she out for the O’Callaghan fortune?

“Ah, for fuck’s sake,” I mutter before reading the article. It a bunch of hogwash, basically saying that my girl is a gold-digging American out to steal everything from my family. It’s disgusting and so far from the truth that I crumble it up before tossing it in the trash. “Bullshite, that is,” I say, pointing to the paper and hoping like hell Amberlyn hasn’t seen it. I doubt she has though, because we’ve been in the paper many times and she hasn’t said anything. Since she hasn’t brought it up, I sure won’t. No reason talking about something that is a complete lie and means nothing.

Kane nods. “I agree. She hasn’t seen it from what Fiona said,” he says, answering my unasked question.

“Grand. Fuck, why do they say these things? They don’t know anything about us.”

“You know that Amanda Dralls has a thing for ya, so you better believe she is going to do everything to run your relationship through the mud,” he points out, speaking of the local paper editor. I slept with Amanda once when I was a kid, but I haven’t spoken to her since. She is a little off her rocker, obsessed with me and shite, which makes what Kane just said plausible.

“Fuckin’ bitch,” I say, venom lacing my voice.

“Sure is,” Kane agrees, tucking his hands in his pockets. “Your da saw it, though.”

“Fuck it, I thought today was supposed to be a good day,” I groan, rubbing my temples with my fingers.

“The night is still young, Dec.”

I roll my eyes. “Maybe, but you know my da will have something to say.”

He nods. “I know but don’t let it get to you. It doesn’t matter.”

“True, true,” I mutter, even though I know I’ll still allow it to bother me.

“All right, well, I’m excited to get my hands on Fiona, so I guess on that note, I’m off. See ya tonight.”

I glance at the clock. The ball doesn’t start for another two hours. “Why so early?”

He turns, a grin on his face before he says, “I’m taking her to dinner before and hoping for a quickie somewhere in between.”

“You’re a dirty man, Kane Levy.”

Kane laughs as he heads through the door. “Be jealous, Dec.”

I stand, coming around the desk as I call out, “What the hell do I have to be jealous about?”