Trying Sophie: A Dublin Rugby Romance
Page 40
“I would have stayed,” he whispered on a pained admission.
“I know,” I tossed back, my own frustration flaring to the surface. “And what would you have told your daughter? The one who idolizes you and wants to be just like her daddy when she grows up? Would you have said you were too afraid of something bad happening to mommy while you were gone so that’s why you stayed? What message would that have sent to our fierce, independent girl? Huh?”
When he didn’t respond, I continued. “Well, I’ll tell you. It would have told her that she needs to be frightened about things she can’t understand or control. It would have instilled in her a fear of something bad happening to her family. She would have watched me like a hawk every minute of every day because she would have felt like she needed to since it was important enough for you to give up your spot on the team.”
My voice gentled. “Is that the lesson you want to teach her?”
Declan turned sheepish. “Shit,” he muttered and took a long swig from his bottle. “You’re right. But goddamn it Soph, you can’t keep shit like this from me. We’re a team, you and me. And her up there—” he pointed to Moira’s window over his shoulder “—and him in there,” he added, pointing at me.
“And him in here,” I agreed, resting my hand against my abdomen.
“You think it’s a boy?” he asked wonderingly.
“We won’t know until next month’s ultrasound. It’s just a feeling I have. Everything’s so different from how it was with Moira. My grandma says all signs point to it being a little man in here.”
“Fuck me, a boy,” he whispered in amazement, his eyes shining bright. “Another little Declan O’Shaughnessy to terrorize the world.” He laughed, the sound happy and anticipatory, and suddenly I had the sinking feeling that maybe he didn’t want another little girl. It was an uncharitable thought but my emotions were hardly my own.
“You won’t … you don’t …” I faltered, hesitant to even ask.
His eyes sought mine and held them. Seeing the worry there, his face changed, understanding dawning. “I won’t love him any better than Moira for being a little lad.” He gripped my hand in his and squeezed. “I’ve already got my mini-me. If the baby is a boy, I hope he grows up to be just like his mam, traveling the world and going on grand adventures.”
He smiled and scooted his chair closer to mine. “I don’t need a boy, love. I just need you and my baby to be healthy, that’s all that matters.”
“So you’re happy then?” I asked, tears of joy and love bubbling over the surface.
“Yeah, Soph,” he answered, dropping a kiss on my lips. “I’m the happiest man in the world.”
THE END
More Dublin Rugby Romance
Don’t forget to sign up for Rebecca’s newsletter to be notified about new releases in the Dublin Rugby Romance Series, including:
Ruck Me (Dublin Rugby #2)
Eoin and Aoife: coming mid-2017
Click here to read an exclusive sneak peek
Break Down (Dublin Rugby #3)
Liam’s story: coming mid-to-late 2017
Locked in Love (Dublin Rugby #4)
Cian and Katie: coming early 2018
Winging It (Dublin Rugby #5)
Aidan’s story: coming mid-to-late 2018
A Note from the Author
There were two major things I wanted to address about this book before you leave me.
Since moving to Dublin in September 2015, I have fallen in love with rugby. I have spent a number of hours reading up on the sport and learning all about it, but for the purposes of this book, I took a lot of liberties with how rugby is done here. The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) oversees four teams, hailing from the four proud provinces of Ireland: Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and Ulster. Leinster is the team best associated with Dublin, and the one we are season ticket holders to. I understand some people who are proud fans of Irish rugby may take issue with how I characterized (or bastardized) the teams, but I wanted to create a completely different set up from something that is so well known and beloved. I hope I didn’t offend anyone too greatly by taking creative license with this.
Second, I’m getting questions about the village Declan and Sophie hail from. Sadly, you can’t visit there as Ballycurra is a completely made up place, taking inspiration from some coastal towns we’ve wandered around, including favorites like Malahide, Howth, Dalkey, and Greystones. Sandycove, the area of Dublin where Declan resides, is a real neighborhood.
One of our favorite things to do when we travel around the country is to stop into the pub for a pint and to listen to trad music, so in that regards Fitzgerald’s Pub is an amalgamation of all of the ones we’ve enjoyed most. I’m sure there is at least one (hundred) Fitzgerald’s Pub somewhere in Ireland, but we’ve never been to one.
Acknowledgments
First, I would like to thank my husband who has graciously put up with my obsession with Irish Rugby, and for enabling me to follow my dreams.
Second, I would like to thank Amy Stearman and Jamaila Brinkley who have been unfailingly supportive of this book since its earliest inception. Also, extra special thanks to Jamaila for helping me with the blurb.
Thanks to all the book bloggers who have been so excited about the release of Trying Sophie since it was first announced, including Tina Jaworski and Nicole McCurdy whose lovely, encouraging words made me so excited to unleash Declan and Sophie’s story on the world.
Thanks to my handful of beta readers who caught all the little things I had missed and helped make this book what it is.
And last but not least, thank you to all my fans who have supported me since my first book (a paranormal romance), and made the transition with me to contemporary romance. I love you all!
About the Author
Rebecca Norinne writes steamy contemporary romance. She is originally from the U.S. but lives in Dublin, Ireland, with her husband. She is obsessed with beer, whiskey, travel, and rugby … which is pretty much what this whole book is about.
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Copyright © 2016 by Rebecca Norinne
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental or meant to lend credibility and authenticity in the story. The use of brand names and locations should not be read as an endorsement of this author’s work.
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