by Toni Aleo
“After the engagement party.”
She nods. “And when is she quitting the bar?”
I make a face because I haven’t thought about that at all. “I don’t know? Probably after we marry.”
She again doesn’t like my answer. “Hm. Well, people are saying we have no money and that she has to work to help you get by.”
Kane and I let out loud hoots of laughter. “Ma, if we were poor, would we be throwing these lavish parties? Be real. I am done with these fucking papers and people talking shite,” I say, and then I throw my arms up. Looking up at her, I point at her before saying, “New rule. No one from the media is allowed at any more of my parties.”
“Attaboy! Fair play,” Kane exclaims in agreement.
“Declan, be real. And don’t encourage him, Kane.”
Kane smiles up at my ma and says, “But it’s true. They are all causing so much drama. It isn’t about anyone but Declan and Amberlyn, yeah?”
“Yes, that is true, but still, they are needed so that we make the papers.”
Slamming my hands down, I say, “I don’t want to be in the papers, Ma! I’m done. No more. I am about to be the head of this estate, and that’s my decision.”
She eyes me and then shakes her head. “I’ll be speaking with your father about this.”
I nod. “Be my guest. Would you like me to come too?”
She glares, and I may have crossed the line there. “I don’t care that you are about to marry or even that you’re in your twenties, but I’ll take ya over my knee and wear your arse out. You watch your tone with me, Declan.”
My face reddens as Kane chuckles, that is until she says, “Same goes for ya too, Kane.”
Meeting her gaze, I nod. “Yeah, Ma, sorry. But I’m so irritated with it all.”
Her eyes soften a bit as she smiles. “Yeah, I know. It will all be over soon, and you’ll start a new adventure with that sweet girl at your side.”
A smile comes over my face as I nod. “I can’t wait.”
We share a smile, and I hope that my eyes tell her I’m not joking around. I’m done with it all. I have the power to stop it, and I’m going to. Instead of parading for the damn media and hoping to make a show like my family does, I want to stay private. Like Kane said, nothing matters but Amberlyn and me. That’s it.
“I’ll see ya at dinner. Bye, Kane.”
“Yeah, have a good day, Ma,” I say as she heads out the door.
“Bye, Mrs. O’Callaghan,” Kane says as the door shuts.
Letting out a breath, Kane laughs. “Well, it’s always so much fun with your ma.”
I chuckle. “Sure is. She’s mental, I swear.”
“Indeed,” he agrees as he leans back, kicking his feet up on my desk. A comfortable silence falls upon us as he plays on his phone and I work. Being the boss of the malting room has its perks. Kane is able to sit in here and hang with me most of the day. But when he works, he works; that’s why I don’t mind it all. I like it. It’s good to bounce ideas off him, and he is always there for a good laugh.
As I click through emails, out of the corner of my eye, I can see him grin as he texts wildly on his phone. Must be talkin’ with Fiona. Taking a pull of my water, I clear my throat and ask, “How’s things with Fiona?”
He looks over at me and shrugs. “Good. She’s moving in.”
One brow goes up. “Oh yeah?”
He nods, letting his phone fall to his lap. “Yeah, she was leaving shite all the damn time, and then she brought up yous two getting married. And I was like, whoa, not ready for that, but how about you move in? And she agreed.”
I smile. “Don’t act like ya don’t want it. I know you do.”
He shrugs one shoulder, not looking at me as a grin pulls at his lips. “Maybe so, but I sure as hell ain’t ready to be married though.”
I roll my eyes. “Yer already married in a sense. Lord knows you aren’t going anywhere and neither is she.”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment and then waves me off. “Eh, shut up with ya.”
I laugh as he goes on, “I’ll ask when I know that she meant what she said—that I was enough as just a malter. She’s gonna start school and make loads of money, while I’ll still make the same, ya know? So we’ll see.”
I don’t like this side of Kane. The part that was damaged by his real ma. No one really knows that his ma ran out on his dad when he was four. Only I know because I watched it happen. She didn’t like the life they had, but there was no changing it. Then his da met Kane’s stepmom and she took Kane as her own. She was the ma he needed, but still, sometimes, this part of him comes out. I’m usually the insecure one he helps pick up; never are the roles reversed. But I guess some things don’t ever go away, and his real ma is someone that still rears her ugly head to hurt Kane.
Clearing my throat, I say, “She’ll still love ya and you know it. She isn’t like your real ma, Kane. She isn’t going to run.”
He nods. “She says that too.”
Shocked, my eyes go wide as I hold his gaze. “You told her?”
Kane doesn’t tell anyone about that. Maggie is his ma, and that’s all there is to it.
Shaking my head, I say, “See, you know it’s true. You wouldn’t have told her that if you thought she had a foot out the door, yeah?”
He shrugs again and bites his lips. “I was drunk when I told her.”
I laugh. “Liar.”
Kana laughs too but then stops when he looks over at me. “I love her and I pray she doesn’t leave me, but I know it could happen.”
Holding his gaze, I say, “That’s the scary part about love. You’re all in and pray that they are too.”
Kane nods. “Love expert now?”
I smile. “Eh, fuck no. But I know that we both picked some top birds, for sure.”
He smiles as he nods. “That’s the damn truth.”
When my email dings, I look back at the computer and see that it’s an email from my da. “Fuck, guess my ma went straight to talk to my da.”
“Really? Jeez, it’s not that big of a deal, I think,” is Kane’s opinion as I open the email. Reading it quickly, I find that I was wrong to assume what I did. It isn’t about what I discussed with my mom.
It’s about my whiskey.
“He approved it,” I whisper, shocked. I really don’t know why I am because I am about to own this company, but I thought I would have to wait to do it myself. I sent the email to get beta testing done on a whim, in hopes he’d agree.
And he did.
“What’d he say?”
Looking over at Kane, a grin pulls at my lips as I say, “Cathmor is going into beta testing.”
Kane’s face breaks into a grin as he exclaims, “Fuck yeah! Awesome, Declan, congrats!”
I can only nod as I reread the email. I still can’t believe it, but it’s there, in black and white. Glancing back at Kane, I ask, “Wanna go to the pub?”
Kane nods as he shares a knowing look. “Yeah, let’s go.”
Standing up, I can’t wipe the grin off my face. Before, I would throw one back with Kane to celebrate, but there is now another person I need to make this moment a billion times better. The only person who matters.
Amberlyn.
When the door slams behind me to the pub, my brows shoot up to my hairline, I’m sure. Standing before me is my fiancée, but not dressed the way she normally would be.
“Don’t laugh,” she says, running her hands down the front of the flowy gold dress she wears. It has a big flower embellishing the front of it with sheer sleeves, and it’s very form-fitting. It’s something my mother and sister wear on the daily. Her hair is done very elegantly and her makeup done just as well. “Your sister sent it over,” she informs me when I am done drinking her in before meeting her gaze. Her eyes are not as bright as I like them to be, and I can tell she is completely uncomfortable.
And then I remember that she has tea today with my sister, Ma, and the Fadmish ladies.
“Love, I wouldn’t laugh ’cause there is nothing to laugh about. You’re beautiful, of course.”
She makes a face, obviously not believing a word I say. “I look all old.”
With my brows pulled together, confused, I ask, “Old? How?”
“She thinks the dress is something an old lady would wear,” Fiona supplies.
I nod as I close the distance between us. Taking her by her hips, I smile, kissing her nose. I don’t think that at all. She looks distinguished. Like an O’Callaghan, but cute as a button. With the heels she’s wearing, she’s as tall as me, and I enjoy it more than I’d like to admit. Kissing her nose again, I say, “You’re stunning, mo stór. Don’t think that.”
She brings her lip between her teeth and shakes her head. “This isn’t me.”
I smile, holding her chin in my thumb and hand. “Then go take it off. Go as you please.”
She looks away as she lets out a breath. “I can’t. I can tell it cost money, and Lena called to make sure I liked it. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I would never wear such old-looking stuff.”
“I told her she looks nice. She fits the part of an O’Callaghan going for tea,” Fiona says, leaning on her hand as Kane drains a pint, the least bit entertained by my fiancée’s drama.
Meeting Amberlyn’s gaze, I nod. “Ya do.”
She looks down and lets out a breath. “So I should get used to this? Being dressed like this?”
I lift her chin. “No, love, you pick your own clothes, design your own stuff. Don’t allow my sister or ma to do it for ya. Be you.”
A smile pulls at her lips as she nods slowly. “But what about your mom?”
“What about her? You are my fiancée. I want you to be comfortable.”
She smiles shyly before wrapping her arms around my neck. She then kisses my jaw and the side of my mouth before saying against my lips, “I am now.”
“Good,” I say, kissing her nose one more time. Then her cheek and her neck, before kissing her lobe. Softly, I whisper, “I’d love to peel this dress of ya.”
She lets out a girlie giggle as her arms tighten around my neck. “I have tea with the Fadmish ladies in an hour. I need way more time to get ready.”
I chuckle as I kiss her lips once more. “Rain check, then?”
She laughs as her shoulders slump. “We are one big rain check,” she says sadly, and I hate that she is right. Also, that look on her face. The one of complete disappointment. I haven’t had a free moment with her, but I know that’ll all change once she moves in. Only a couple more days.
Kissing her lips, I pull away and ask, “Are you packed to move in yet?”
She shakes her head. “A little, but I haven’t told my aunt and uncle yet.”
I set her with a look. “Think ya should, yeah?”
She nods. “Yeah, I’ll get to it. Tomorrow, for sure, since I’ll be moving in Sunday.”
“Yeah, I gotta tell them about me too,” Fiona says as my lips press against Amberlyn’s again.
“Might want to wait a bit. Let her leaving die down,” Kane suggests as I cuddle Amberlyn into my side.
Stroking her jaw with my thumb, I watch as she yanks at the sheer fabric on her shoulder and says, “It itches.”
“Change then. I’ll tell my sister.”
She waves me off. “No, I’m fine, but I’m picking my own clothes from now on.”
“Sounds good to me,” I agree, kissing her temple. “Hey, why don’t I come over after tea, and we’ll have dinner with your aunt and uncle and tell them?”
She eyes me. “You want to be there for that?”
I smile. “Of course.”
She grins back at me and nods. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Grand,” I say, kissing her temple once more as Kane stands up, raising his pint.
“Fiona, love, get three more pints for me.”
She eyes him and asks, “Why?”
“I want to make a toast.”
“Okay, ya weirdo,” she mutters as she gets us all pints. Amberlyn looks at me questioningly, and I shrug as Kane clears his throat.
“Okay!” Kane says with the biggest grin on his face. “My best mate, Declan O’Fucking-Callaghan is the shite. Not only is he about to marry the bird of his dreams—”
“I really hate that you call me that,” Amberlyn says with a laugh. “I’m not a bird.”
“Shh, you,” he says, laughing before raising his pint up more. “He is getting his distillery and things are going to be grand, but today we found out that his whiskey is going into beta testing, which is fucking awesome!”
“Oh my God!” Amberlyn gasps, hugging me tightly. “That’s amazing, Declan. Congratulations!”
She kisses my lips hard as Fiona cheers, “Fair play! That’s awesome, Declan.”
I grin against Amberlyn’s lips and hug her tightly to me. It’s funny though. Because, out of all that Kane says, all I really care about is the fact that I am about to marry the bird of my dreams. I am extremely happy that the distillery is almost in my grasp and that my whiskey will soon be enjoyed by the world, but the most important thing, the one thing that gives meaning to my life, is that I’m about to marry Amberlyn.
As I stare into her aquamarine eyes, I can see our whole life together. It will have ups and downs because she isn’t one to be strong-armed into something. Though I would never do that, I have a feeling she and my family will butt heads. Through the years, the men of my family have always married quiet women who were to accent them in public and reproduce. It has been drilled into me since birth to find a woman who will stand quietly and do as I say, but I never wanted that.
I wanted someone like Amberlyn. Someone who will stand up for herself against me, or anyone else, for that matter. She isn’t a pushover, and I believe that all the pain and loss she has been on the receiving end of has made her tough as nails. Something she’ll need if she’s going to be my wife. It won’t be easy, but I believe that our love will overcome the obstacles that may arise. All we have to do is get through the next couple months. Once we are married, nothing else will matter. It will be her and me, and that’s it.
As her eyes sparkle with love and pride, I know we have it all wrapped up. We are meant for each other. Two halves of a heart. My Amberlyn. Mo stór.
“I am so proud of you,” she says, her fingers tickling the back of my neck.
I smile as I brush my lips against hers. My cheeks burn with color. I don’t like the attention on me, but when I’m in her arms, I don’t have the desire to take off and run. I don’t want to be anywhere but where I am. Kissing her lips, I melt against her as she holds me tight.
Backing away, she grins at me as I whisper, “Grand ’cause I want to be a man who you are proud of.”
“Well, Mr. O’Callaghan, you have that in the bag.”
“So do you, future Mrs. O’Callaghan.”
Her lips curve as she leans into me, looking deep into my eyes. “I love the sound of that.”
Closing my eyes, I lean my forehead against hers as I take in the same air she breathes. “As do I, mo stór. I can’t wait till it’s for real.”
As she cups my face, I open my eyes and she smiles. “Not too much longer.”
“I’m counting the hours.”
“I’m counting the minutes,” she counters.
“Fine, the seconds are what I’m counting,” I tease back, kissing her nose.
“I wish it would just happen so both of ya will stop all this ooey gooey counting shite! Jaysus,” Kane supplies before looking over at Fiona. “I refuse to be like that.”
She laughs before looking over at us. “Don’t let him fool ya a bit. He’s as ooey gooey as a melted slice of cheese, that one.”
That has everyone laughing, and as Amberlyn laughs in my arms, I pull her closer.
I live for moments like these.
Just holding her and feeling her laugh against me.
I almost lost her.
These moments
.
That is something I’ll never forget, and because of it, I treasure her.
Completely.
“And this is my future daughter-in-law, our soon-to-be Whiskey Princess.”
Six pair of eyes cut to me as I stand awkwardly near Mrs. O’Callaghan and Lena. While I am dressed like them, even look as if I could be one of them, I feel so out of place. Both of them are very slim, long legs, and long, flowing blond hair. Their dresses make them look like a billion bucks, and while mine is obviously by the same designer, I’m pretty sure I look frumpy in it. I never really cared for tea dresses; I don’t like the length or the look of them, but apparently everyone who is in the world of upper society loves them.
Declan assured me that I looked great, but I am sure I could wear a paper bag and he’d think that. By the look of the ladies around the table, I don’t look great, I look stupid, and I want to go home. Wringing my fingers together, I wish that Declan were here. He’d assure me that the Fadmish ladies aren’t looking at me like I don’t belong. That they aren’t stuck-up people but very sweet ladies, but he is nowhere to be seen. He drove me over here and said he’d take me home afterward. I’m pretty sure he’s out playing with his horse.
Lucky duck.
I want to stop being nervous, but I don’t get what I wish for. Smiling, like I assume I’m supposed to be, I walk with Mrs. O’Callaghan and Lena into the gazebo before taking my seat between them. Everyone falls into fast conversation while I sit there and try to keep up. Some of the ladies’ accents are very thick and I try to understand them, but it’s hard. Lena and Mrs. O’Callaghan keep up with no issue at all, not that I thought they wouldn’t, I just wish I could. I’ve been here almost six months; shouldn’t I be a little more fluent in the Irish manner of speaking?
I’ll catch on. Hopefully. Looking off to the left, I watch as two bluebirds play carelessly in the bird bath. I’d love to be one of those birds right now. It’s a gorgeous day. Fall is coming and you can feel the cool in the air, but still it’s beautiful. I love the weather here. It’s so crisp and instantly makes you feel happy. It isn’t just weather though, I’ve realized since being in Ireland. No, it’s a part of you. The way the air brushes your hair off your shoulders or kisses your cheeks. It’s poetic almost. I just love it here.