Bree

Six Months Later

“Can’t go back to broken promises…” I sing, smiling when I catch Owen’s gaze a few feet away, still overwhelmed that I’m actually doing this, recording an album. “…catch me when I fall.”

Owen grins at me through the microphone filter as he sings in harmony. “…worth fighting for…”

Our gazes remained locked as the music fades. My heart is so full, it knocks the breath out of me.

God, I love him.

I never thought any of this was possible. Some days, I’m just waiting for it to all fall apart. But each day I’m here, in Ireland, surrounded by my family, I’m learning to open my heart a little wider.

“Sounds great,” Shane says into our headphones from the sound room.

“I think we should do the last part one more time.” I chew on my bottom lip, the perfectionist in me wanting it to be flawless. “I think my voice cracked in the last verse.”

“Ye sounded incredible,” Owen says, putting his guitar down and moving around the mics to place a palm on the back of my neck. “I think we’ve got it. Leave the rest to the sound guys.”

“You’re sure?”

“We’ve been here for hours.” He grins down at me, his eyes twinkling with promise. “I want to spend time with ye somewhere other than the studio.”

“What do you have in mind?” I run my palms up his chest, around his neck, fisting my fingers in his hair, and trailing a line of kisses along his jaw.

Shane clears his throat, speaking into our headphones again. “Reservation’s at eight.”

“Reservation?” I frown.

He tries to hide it, but I see him wince. “Almost forgot about that. The guys are coming into the city tonight to talk over a few contracts we’ve been discussing.”

“Oh.” I don’t mask my disappointment. “I can go back to the apartment.” With the money Frank left me, I bought a small apartment close to Owen’s new recording studio. We’ve been alternating between spending time at his house and the apartment in Dublin, but the past few weeks, seeing as we’ve been finishing up the last recordings of my album, we’ve been mostly here.

“I want ye to come with me,” Owen says, his hands roaming down my back. “It involves ye, too.”

“You’re sure?”

His lips press against mine, soft and possessive, and I can’t help the tremble of desire that races through me. It’s unrelenting, the undeniable attraction he holds over me.

“I’d have ye by my side every second, if I could,” he murmurs.

Shane groans into the headphones. “Ye know I’m still here, right?”

I chuckle, and Owen grins. “We better go.”

There’s a nervous energy in the car as the three of us drive to the restaurant. Owen keeps glancing at me from the corner of his eye, and even Shane won’t stop bobbing his knee up and down.

It isn’t just Cillian and Aiden who wait for us at the X70 Bistro, but Delaney and Emer as well. The women stand when they see me, huge grins stretching across their faces.

“Owen didn’t tell me you’d be here,” I say, allowing them to hug me, no longer uncomfortable with the affection they both lather on me.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Emer says.

Delaney nudges her and gives her a look.

“Miss what?” I ask, frowning between them.

“Ye’re first album,” Emer says quickly. “Aiden says it’s almost finished.”

“Cillian hasn’t stopped talking about it.” Delaney rubs a palm over her extended belly, looking like she’s ready to pop at any moment. “He says it’s brilliant. I can’t wait to finally hear it.”

My cheeks burn at the compliment. “It’s all so surreal.”

A small little wail has Emer turning to the stroller behind her.

“Oh, you brought Cadence,” I gush, happy to take the baby from her arms when Emer hands her to me. “She’s getting so big.”

The baby smiles up at me with a toothless grin. Already, she’s starting to look like Emer.

“Looks good on ye,” Owen’s warm voice rasps in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

I glance up at him and suck in a breath. We haven’t talked about babies, or even marriage. Not that I expect him to. I’m happy where we’re at right now. We haven’t made any official promises, but when he smiles at me the way he is now, and when he touches me, I have everything I need. Everything I could ever want.

And if that makes me a little bit like my mom, I don’t care, because some things, some people, are worth the risk.

The conversation is easy, like it always is among our group, and it hits me halfway through dinner that I’m a part of them.

My family.

My friends.

My roots.

This is where I belong.

Tears prick the backs of my eyes. I take Owen’s hand under the table, and he glances over at me, concern drawing his brows down.

“Ye all right?” He brushes his thumb across my bottom lip.

“Just happy.”

His lips twitch up slightly. He takes my hand, brushing my knuckles across his lips before standing. He picks up his champagne glass. “I want to make a toast to Bree.”

The table goes quiet, a nervous tension mixed with excitement seeming to hum like an almost visible energy.

Owen takes a visible breath. “Shane and I both want to thank ye for being Lucky Fours’ first signed artist. I believe in ye and this record. Ye’ve got a truly special gift, and I’m proud to be part of the journey to help bring it to the world.”

There are claps, and Shane hoots, while the others lift their glasses.

“Thank you.” I sip my champagne, the damn tears I was holding in earlier slipping down my cheek.

“Ye’re not allowed to cry just yet,” Owen says, pulling my chair out, then kneeling in front of me on one knee.

It takes me a full second to realize what he’s doing.

He takes my hand, and I feel him tremble. I hear the long, uneven breath he lets out. “I love ye, Bree.”

A tangle of emotions has me twisted up inside, but I know one thing is true. “I love you, too.”

He grins and lets out another nervous breath, then drags a hand through his hair. “I had this all planned out, but the words…Shit, I’ve never been so damn nervous.”

There’s a small rumble of laughter around the table.

“I once told ye that if ye had strong roots, ye could survive anything. And I know ye felt for a long time like ye didn’t have any. But ye’re stronger than anyone I know.” His voice is like gravel, filled with emotion. “But I want ye to know ye don’t have to be alone anymore. Never again. We’re yer family. And I…”

He pulls out a small box from his pocket and rolls it around in his palm.

My heart beats, frantic and wild.

“Until ye came back into my life, there was an emptiness inside me. I didn’t know what it was, or how to fill it. But ye fit in it perfect. I know we said no promises. And if ye still want that, then I’ll honor yer wishes. But I want to make a promise to ye.”

“Owen-”

“Let me finish, love. I don’t know if I’ll get through this if I don’t say it now.” His gray eyes darken with hope and insecurities. “I love ye. And I make this promise in front of our friends and family. I promise to protect ye, to honor ye, and to be yer husband, if ye’ll have me.”

He flips open the ring box and takes the white gold band between his thumb and index finger. There’s a pattern cut into the band, and it takes me a moment to realize that it’s the Dara knot.

“Will ye marry me, Bree?”

“Yes,” I cry, causing the table to erupt in cheers.

Owen pulls me up, kissing me hard.

My chest squeezes tightly.

Happiness, that strange emotion I’d had very little of until recently, overwhelms me as I stare up at the gray eyes filled with so much love.

Love.

I feel it with every touch, every word Owen gives me. In the hugs that follow from my old family turned new.

I didn’t think any of this could happen. I just never let my heart hope that much.

I know there’ll be storms.

There always are.

But, for the first time in my life, I know I’ll be able to weather them, because my roots are tangled and twisted with the people in this room.

We stand together.

We fall together.

But we’re never alone.