Amberlyn

“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.

Leaning back in my chair, I cross my legs but soon Mrs. O’Callaghan is tapping my ribs. “Sit up, my love,” she whispers, and I almost think she isn’t talking to me until she sets me with a disapproving look. My brows come together as I sit up like I’m asked to. I’m not sure why I do that, but I do. Crossing my hands on my knee, I keep smiling as one of the ladies and Lena talk about Micah. From what I hear, she is a friend of Micah’s family.

“And you’ll go with him?” she asks Lena.

Lena smiles as she shrugs. “I’m considering it. I just don’t know what I’d do without a straightener or my phone, even!”

Everyone laughs and I smile attentively. I feel someone looking at me, and when I glance over at the lady who was talking to Lena, she’s smiling at me. She then asks, “Would you go if our sweet Declan were leaving for Africa?”

I clear my throat before saying, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

Everyone smiles and I know it’s because of my accent. My non Irish-speaking accent. “Considering I didn’t throw it, I’d doubt ya would.” I try not to be offended as she says, “My name is Rhonda.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say with a grin, one that is totally fake, of course. “Yes, I would go.”

“Yous wouldn’t be scared about not having a straightener? Or other things we women need?” Another of the ladies asks with a look of horror on her face. “I wouldn’t go! I’d wait like a good wife would.”

Everyone nods in agreement and even laughs softly as I shrug, running my finger along the rim of my teacup.

“I’d have Declan. What else would I need?” I say simply, a small grin pulling at my lips. I’d go anywhere Declan was. We’d figure out a way to be happy wherever we are.

“A phone? Makeup?!” Lena laughs.

“Who would I need to call? Declan is there. I would call my cousin and family when I could. They’d understand,” I answer and receive nothing but looks of surprise. “And as for makeup or even nice clothes, Declan loves me no matter what. I don’t have to get all glammed up for him to be attracted to me. He’s seen me at my worst and my greatest, and thankfully, he still loves me. As I do him,” I say, and then I feel like I’ve said too much. Lena is looking at me like I’ve grown two heads within the time it took for me to say all that. The other ladies just look skeptical of me. Maybe it did sound like I was trying too hard? Trying to prove that I was good enough for their beloved Whiskey Prince.

Lena lets out a laugh and then covers my hand. “I guess my love isn’t as strong as Amberlyn’s, then.”

I know she meant it as a joke, but there is some truth in her eyes that I see before she looks away.

Rhonda looks back at me and smiles. “Well, she did take a bullet for the lad. He is obviously important, yeah?”

I nod. “More than anyone would ever realize.”

Reaching for my cup, I take a long pull, but when the tap comes to my ribs, I almost spit the tea out.

“Love, don’t slurp, sip,” she says to me, and I blush before swallowing what was in my mouth.

“Didn’t realize I was,” I say, but that rewards me with looks of disdain from my future mother-in-law. Abandoning my gaze, she looks across the table.

“They are quite in love,” Mrs. O’Callaghan says, and when I glance over at her, I see that she drinks with her pinkie up. I always through that it was in stories, but nope, she is rocking the one pinkie up as she sips her tea. “I worried that she was only in it for the money, but she didn’t even know who we were.”

“No?” Rhonda asks, shock visible along her wrinkled eyes.

I smile. “I’m from America; I had no clue who the O’Callaghans were. I never drank whiskey, and I’d only been here two months maybe before I met Declan.”

“You stay with the Maclasters, yeah? They didn’t tell you?”

I nodded. “Yes, with my aunt and uncle and cousin. Fiona had told me about it, but it didn’t seem like a big deal to me. I don’t consider someone royalty like you guys do because they are rich.”

A few ladies gasp as Mrs. O’Callaghan laughs. “It’s more than that,” she informs me.

My brows come together as I meet her affronted gaze. “I didn’t mean to offend you. Sorry if I did. But what I mean is that I’ve met rich folks, even some famous ones, and still, they don’t get treated the way you guys do here.”

“It’s a different way of life here,” Lena says with a smile. “Our family has been around since the formation of County Mayo, even then we were what people held the standard to.”

Mrs. O’Callaghan nods. “We are the bar. The high bar in society. Everyone wants to be us because of how we carry ourselves. We are not only rich, as you say, we do a lot for the community, we make the best damn whiskey in the world, and that’s why we are considered royalty, as you say.”

I can tell I’ve pissed her off. I’m not entirely sure how to fix that, so I only nod, tucking my hands in my lap. An awkward silence falls on the table before Mrs. O’Callaghan clears her throat, lifting her cup from the table. Looking at the ladies, she smiles. “Declan adores her.”

I feel as if she said that a tad offhandedly, kind of like Declan is crazy to adore me, but then I think maybe I am being paranoid or even feel a little guilty for what I said. So I don’t say anything as the ladies nod in acknowledgment, grinning at Mrs. O’Callaghan.

“That’s wonderful. He deserves to be happy,” one of the ladies says. She is younger. My age, even.

Meeting her gaze, I say, “What was your name? Sorry.”

She waves me off. She is very pretty, long brown hair to her butt, built like Lena, and, of course, she is rocking her dress like she’s on a runway and not at a tea party. Meeting my gaze, she smiles widely at me as she says, “Keeva O’Malley. It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“You too,” I say, a little perplexed. Glancing at my mother-in-law, I ask, “I thought everyone’s last name was Fadmish?”

She smiles, tapping the back of my hand. “No love, we are the Fadmish ladies. A tea group.”

Oh, ’cause that’s cool, but I smile just the same.

“We’ve been doing this since before Noreen was born. I was friends with Ivor’s parents. It’s an old tradition around the O’Callaghan estate.”

“Wow,” is my thought, but who am I to think it is stupid? They probably think I’m stupid for not liking their little tea party.

“Have you gotten your dress for the wedding yet?” Rhonda asks me.

I grin as I nod my head. “Yes, it should be ready by the end of the week. They had to take it in some.”

“Do ya have a picture?” someone asks and I reach for my phone, but Mrs. O’Callaghan stops me.

“Sure, she does, but it’s a surprise. We aren’t showing anyone.”

Rhonda rolls her eyes before waving at Mrs. O’Callaghan. “Ya sly dog, you just don’t want to show us ’cause you don’t like it.”

I look over at Mrs. O’Callaghan expectantly, and she laughs in a very stuck-up way. “That isn’t true. It is a surprise.”

“I didn’t know that it was,” I find myself saying. “But you don’t like the dress?”

Mrs. O’Callaghan doesn’t meet my gaze. Instead, she sends a look at Rhonda before looking back at me. “It isn’t what I would have picked for you.”

Which was a nice way of telling me she hated it.

“Oh well, I love it,” I say proudly.

“I do too,” Lena agrees, squeezing my hand. “It will blow Declan away, for sure.”

“Which is all that matters,” I add and everyone smiles at me.

Rhonda nods as she says, “This is true. From what I heard, it’s blue. A blue wedding dress is very traditional. I like your style, my dear.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

“I can’t wait for the wedding. It’s gonna be so much fun,” Keeva says. “Seeing both of you all dolled up and pretty. It’s gonna be great.”

“Yes, it’s gonna be gorgeous, for sure,” Lena agrees. “I’m gonna be a crying mess!”

I send her a grin as Mrs. O’Callaghan says, “So will I. I can’t wait though. Declan is so happy with you, Amberlyn. She’s good for him. ”

“He is,” Lena agrees and it warms my heart, but when I look at the ladies, I don’t think they feel the same as my future in-laws. Especially Keeva, which I don’t understand at all.

“Well, let’s hope it lasts a lifetime!” Rhonda cheers, holding up her teacup to me.

“It will, don’t worry,” I inform her with a grin.

“You are very young,” Keeva says. “Only twenty, yes?”

I nod. “Yeah. I’m one of the lucky ones to find her soul mate so young.”

“I couldn’t say it any better myself.”

I turn quickly at the sound of Declan’s voice as he climbs the stairs, a grin on his face that is only for me. He holds himself so regally and handsomely. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he kisses my temple before squeezing my shoulders tightly.

“Ladies, good afternoon,” he says and they all beam at him. Except for Keeva. She is just staring at him. My brow comes up before I look up to see that he is looking at her in a distressed way. What the hell? Looking down at me though, the look goes away and he smiles. “Having fun, mo stór?”

I grin at my nickname from him but then lie, “I am.”

“Grand. I was coming by to see if ya was done. Figured we’d go for a ride.”

“I’d love that,” I say excitedly.

“They don’t go long without each other,” Mrs. O’Callaghan says with a grin.

“Ya can tell they’re very much in love,” Rhonda says and Declan grins.

“She’s it for me. Ready, love?”

“I am,” I say, standing up and cuddling to his side. Looking out at the ladies, I say, “Thank you. I had a wonderful time.”

It’s a lie, but then again, it wasn’t that bad.

“You’ll have to join us every week, so we can get to know ya better,” the lady who sits next to Keeva says. She looks like an older version of her, so I assume she must be her mother. Keeva is still looking completely distraught as she stares up at Declan. I’m not sure what that is about, but I know that coming to another one of these is the last thing I want.

It may have not been that bad, but I still feel like they don’t approve of me. No matter how much I love Declan and he loves me.

But instead of saying no, I say, “Sure, if I have time.”

I wish I could say no, but it just worries me. I feel like they don’t think I am good enough for Declan, or at least that is the way they are looking at me. Maybe I can convince them before the wedding. I don’t know why I want their approval. As pathetic as it is, I find myself wanting it. Don’t ask me the reason; I’m not even sure why.

Looking up at Declan, I smile when he grins down at me and I know why.

For him.