Declan

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.