“’Bout time Brogan brought you over…although Spencer’s an English name. Don’t ‘spose you’ve got any Irish blood in you at all? Even a little bit?”

Ginny stared at Pops, suddenly uncertain, not knowing anything about her heritage. “Uh…”

“Dad, leave her alone,” Eric commanded, walking from the back of the house to engulf her in a bear hug. He whispered in her ear, “Welcome to the family, Ginny. Good to have you with us.” As he stepped back, his eye caught the make-up covered bruising on her cheek. His gaze jumped to Brogan’s, but he said nothing, his warm smile staying in place.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she smiled up at the large man, so easy to see where Brogan and Aiden inherited their physiques. Eric was a big man, still muscular but now with a slight thickness around the middle. His dark hair was sprinkled with grey, but his blue eyes twinkled as much as his sons’.

“Humph,” Pops complained, pushing past Eric. “I’m not messing with her,” giving her a hug as well. “But you can’t blame an old Irishman for trying.” Standing upright, he eyed her and then Brogan. “Good bloodlines. You’ll have strong children,” he added, thumping his chest.

Ginny blushed, but could not help laughing, seeing the love the elder, white-haired MacFarlane had for his family.

Corrine pushed her way to the front, an apron tied about her waist. “Oh, these men,” she grumbled. “They’ll worry you to death, so stay strong, Ginny.” Drawing her into a hug as well, she pulled back, patting Ginny’s cheek gently. “Such a beauty. So glad you could join us,” she said, winking at Brogan. “Come on back everyone, supper’s almost ready.”

Brogan pressed his front to Ginny’s back, offering his support as they watched Dad and Pops follow Mom down the hall toward the rear of the house. His hands on her shoulder gave a little squeeze. “You okay, honey?”

Nodding, she said, “Yeah, I think the worst is over.”

He was not sure, but wisely kept his mouth shut. With a gentle push, they followed the others.

The large den held comfortable chairs and they were greeted by Katelyn, Gareth, and Aiden who had already arrived. Ginny slid easily into the kitchen with Katelyn and Corrine.

Corrine checked the dish in the oven and, as she stood, turned to Ginny. “My dear, please don’t think we always have the women in the kitchen while the men lounge. Actually, Eric and I share cooking duties, but for family night, when Pops demands my Guinness Irish Stew, then I’m in charge of the meal.”

“It smells delicious,” Ginny responded truthfully.

Katelyn pulled the soda bread from the oven, the scent clearly teasing the crowd, as they heard the men in the den moaning. Ginny had to admit, her stomach growled at the sight and smell of the tantalizing bread too.

Soon, the lively group was seated around the large table, the food being served in heaping portions. Katelyn laughed when she viewed Ginny’s wide eyes at the amount of food. “Don’t worry, Ginny, it’s better to have it on your plate to begin with before all these men start fighting over the food.”

“We never fight,” Aiden quipped, his mouth full of buttered bread. “We just know how to make sure we got our fair share.”

“Your fair share?” Corrine asked, arching a brow. “I seem to remember sending you away from the table a time or two until you learned your manners.”

“I was just an enthusiastic connoisseur of your cooking, Mom,” he protested.

Brogan’s spoon halted on its path to his mouth as he turned a narrowed eye toward his brother. “Connoisseur? You tried to stick a fork in the back of my hand when I reached for seconds—”

“Me? What about the time you threatened me with a knife when Mom offered me more pot roast?”

“I never threatened you with a knife,” Brogan argued. “I was making a point and just happened to have a knife in my hand at the same time.”

“I call bullshit,” Katelyn argued, her laughing gaze darting between the two. “You both dove into Mom’s food so quick, there was precious little for me unless I got there first.”

“I’ll have you know,” Aiden began, his smile overriding his attempt to be serious, “I have never—”

“No arguing at the table,” Corrine dictated, her eyes wide as she shook her head, also attempting to hide her smile. “Gareth, you’re used to this motley crew, but Ginny, I’m terribly sorry for my children’s table manners. It seems I have failed as a mother.”

Ginny laughed as she said, “Corrine, the food is delicious and the company is…enthusiastic.”

Brogan’s hand dropped to her thigh, a gentle squeeze offered as she turned her eyes up to his. He winked before returning to his meal.

“Well, I for one, never minded the kids messing about at the table,” Pops declared, scraping the bottom of his stew bowl with his bread, sopping up the last goodness. “When y’all got in trouble and had to leave the table, who do you think got to finish their meal in peace and eat as much as they wanted?”

Katelyn stared at her grandfather for a moment before asking, “Is that why you used to tell me to steal Aiden’s bread?”

The gathering burst into laughter as Aiden protested Pops’ conniving ways. Ginny could not remember the last time she had laughed so much at a meal. After the stew and bread, Corrine carried out a huge platter of apple tarts and compliments to the cook called out from all.

A few minutes later, Ginny looked on as Brogan finished his second tart, and rolled her eyes. “Where do you have room for all that?”

He looked at her half finished first one and shook his head. “Eat up, babe.”

“Honey, I’m stuffed.” Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she slid it to his plate and he gobbled it up with no problem.

“So,” Pops said, “Did your parents let so many shenanigans go at the table?”

Her smile dropped from her face, her thoughts racing as she tried to think of what to say. She felt Brogan’s hand on her leg, offering a reassuring squeeze.

“Pops, not everyone’s family needs to be dissected,” Brogan said. Looking at his mom, he diverted, “Dinner was great, as always, Mom.”

Ginny realized everyone noticed the swift change of subject and, as her eyes landed on Brogan’s grandfather’s kind eyes, she blurted, “I was an Army brat. I’m afraid my dad didn’t allow much talking at the table.”

Brogan turned to her and said softly, “Honey, you don’t have to say anything. It’s all okay—”

She looked up into his face, the concern for her so evident. “I know. But I want to be with you, and your family is important to you, which means they’ll be important to me. I don’t want to have to hide my family situation.”

She turned to see equally concerned expressions facing her, and Pops said gently, “Girl, just ignore me. You don’t gotta talk about anything you don’t want to.”

“No, Mr. MacFarlane, it’s fine. Just being here tonight has reminded me what family is…or can be. And to be honest, it’s nice. A little overwhelming, but nice.” Swallowing, she said, “My dad was Army…military right down to his bones. We moved around a lot. My brother was Navy and a pilot. I joined the military right out of high school. Uh—” she felt Brogan put his arm around her and she leaned into his side, his large body’s warmth seeping into her. “My brother was killed in service and my parents never recovered from that.”

“Oh, how horrible,” Corrine said, pain lacing her voice. “I’m so sorry.”

“I am sorry, darlin’,” Pops said.

Ginny hesitated once more. She knew she could stop talking. Katelyn and Corrine knew more to the story but, while she understood the men did not have to know, looking around the table at the sympathetic gazes and understanding nods, having experienced all the fun that had been a MacFarlane family dinner, she wanted to share. Had to share.

So she blurted, “Katelyn, Corrine, and Brogan know I was the victim of sexual harassment and assault while in the military. My Command wanted to cover it up, but I pressed charges. I refused to stay a victim and stay quiet. So, I caused quite a ruckus until my superiors had to deal with the mess. It went bigtime anyway and…and I got out at the end of my tour.”

The table was quiet and she felt her breath leave her in a huge sigh. Somehow the unburdening was easier now that the words had already been out of her mouth. Come what may, they were out.

“Honey,” Brogan said softly, his hand on her shoulder pulling her in tighter to him. “Please, you don’t have to say anything.”

“Don’t you see, Brogan,” she said in a rush, looking into his blue eyes. The same eyes that peered at her from everyone around the table, with the same concern. “I’ve finally realized that holding on to this for so long has given it power over me. But now, I’m taking back my control.”

Looking at the faces of Brogan’s family, she said, “My father was disgusted with me for not dropping the inquiry, assuming women brought harassment on themselves, and then again for getting out of the military. My mother wouldn’t go against him, so they told me to leave and not come back.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Corrine gushed. “I’m sure they didn’t mean it. No parent would ever mean that—”

“Mom,” Brogan started, shaking his head.

“I know that’s how you feel about your children, Corrine,” Ginny said, “but my family is different. My father said that he wished my brother had lived and I had died in his place.”

Ginny leaned back against Brogan, exhausted from her confession, but strangely at peace. Looking around, she began to second-guess her decision as she observed the horrified expressions on their faces. Before she could speak again, the entire table erupted.

Curses, tears, angry voices all spoke at once. Corrine jumped from her chair and rushed over, pulling Ginny into a huge hug and she felt tears sting her eyes as she realized she had missed a mother’s arms around her. Aiden slammed his hand down on the table, cursing, “Fucking hell,” while Eric’s face was thunderous as he exclaimed, “No man who’s any kind of a man would turn his back on his child.” Katelyn followed her mom, hugging Ginny as she said, “You’re right. You are empowered now.”

“Okay, okay,” Brogan said, pulling Ginny back into his embrace, peering deeply into her eyes as he took the pulse of her emotions. Wiping a stray tear, he said, “I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m kinda proud of myself,” she whispered in return.

The family pushed back from the table and the men did the cleanup while the women headed into the den. Ginny flopped back on the sofa, suddenly exhausted. Katelyn sat next to her, leaning her head onto her shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re with Brogan. He needed you.”

“I needed him,” she whispered, her heart so full, she was almost afraid the spell would break.

Corrine sat on the coffee table in front of her, taking her hand in hers and, with tears in her eyes, said, “Oh, my darling girl, what you’ve been though. And to come out so much stronger. We women do that you know. We carry our families, bear our children, and often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders…and we are stronger together. And you…oh, Ginny, I could not have chosen a better woman to be with my Brogan.”

In that moment, Ginny realized she had held back from people for so many years—afraid to make friends, afraid to let others in. And now, to be enveloped into this loving family, she blinked back the tears. Just as her heart was full to bursting, Brogan came over and said, “Babe, let’s go home.”

She stood, accepting hugs from everyone. When she came to Pops, his eyes misted over as he said, “All kinds of people in this world, darlin’. Some good from the start but they let life tear ‘em up and they get nasty. Sounds like that’s happened to your parents. Coulda happened to you, but it didn’t. ‘Cause there’s others in life…they take what comes…make the world a better place. That’s you, darlin’. And I’m glad to have you part of us.” He wiped his eyes and then added, “Humph. I’m sure you got some Irish in you.”

With a laugh and final hugs, she snuggled close to Brogan as he tucked her into his side. “Come on, honey. You’ve got to be exhausted.”

Looking up, she asked, “Take me home?”

“Oh, yeah, babe. No place I’d rather be than home with you.”