Through His Eyes

by Nikki Ash

  When we pull up to the Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Quinn is lying back in her seat, but when she spots the two-story manor that’s situated on several acres of lush green property, she pops up and gasps. I chose this hotel because I knew she would love the restored castle. It was originally a church, and then it was bought and turned into one of the most luxurious hotels in Galway. Tourists, who aren’t even staying here, will make the drive just to get a look at the castle in person. I imagined Quinn taking a million pictures here.

  “Lachlan,” she breathes, “this place is amazing! This is where we’re staying?”

  “It is…but only for two nights. My mom asked that we stay with her the night before the wedding and the next night.”

  “We could’ve stayed there the entire time.”

  “I know, but I wanted some time with you alone.”

  We pull around to the side of one of the bays, and park, so we can go check in. Quinn, as I expected, pulls her camera out of her carry-on and starts snapping pictures as we walk up the steps. “I can’t believe how gorgeous this hotel is. It looks like an old church.”

  “It’s a restored church,” I tell her. “Wait until you see the inside.”

  We’re greeted by a butler who takes our luggage and guides us to the front desk. When I give the woman my name, she confirms we’re staying for two nights in the Grand Suite. I hand her my credit card, and when she gives me the total, Quinn gasps. I was hoping she wouldn’t know the Euro to US dollar rate conversion, but judging by the look on her face, she knows. Quinn and I haven’t talked money—not what she or I have. I know she’s well off by the car she drives and the designer labels she wears, but we haven’t had an actual conversation about it. Truth be told, I don’t really give a shit about money, which is why I rarely spend any, and is probably the reason I have so much of it.

  After taking the key, and being told our luggage will be brought up shortly, we head upstairs to our room. Quinn is quiet the entire time, and I know she’s itching to ask how in the world I’m able to afford luxuries like a BMW, a condo in Hell’s Kitchen, first class tickets to Ireland, and a hotel that costs a night what some pay a month for their mortgage.

  When we step into the suite, Quinn stops in her place to take it all in. The entire suite is over six hundred square feet with a separate living room and bedroom. In the living room, the furniture is elegant with mahogany wood and gold trim, giving the room an enchanting feel to it. The bedroom has a large king-sized four-poster bed with crisp white sheets and is topped with a plush duck feather duvet—and no, I don’t actually know this shit. I read about it when I was booking it.

  “Lachlan, I don’t want to sound like some gold-digger”—Quinn scrunches her nose up adorably—“but how are you able to afford all of this?”

  “I’m a damn good tattoo artist,” I joke, and she laughs.

  “I’m kidding…I sell drugs.” When her eyes bug out, I crack up laughing. “I’m kidding! I’m an only child.” I shrug. “Since I was old enough to walk, I’ve helped my parents with the distillery. I worked there all through high school. When I turned eighteen, my parents gave me one-third ownership of the business. I told you I owned it with them.”

  “Yeah, you did. I guess I didn’t consider what that means.”

  “It means I get a five figure quarterly check for as long as we’re in business. Whenever they need me, like when my dad had his stroke, I’m there.”

  “Wow, that’s awesome,” she says. “I love that you’re so involved in your family’s business. If I could tattoo, I would’ve opened Forbidden Ink with Jase and Jax, but drawing is not my forte.” She laughs.

  Taking her hands in mine, I pull her into me until we’re almost flush. “Family is important to me. Sure, having money is a positive since we need it to survive, but being with family, spending time with them is what’s important. I could’ve worked full-time for my parent’s distillery, but they knew inking was my passion. I didn’t ask or expect them to give me a percentage of the business, but they did it because they wanted to make sure I’m always taken care of. The same reason your brothers wanted you to have that townhouse instead of selling it. It’s part of being in a family. And one day I would really like for us to be a family.”

  Quinn nibbles on her bottom lip and nods. “I want that too.”

  * * *

  Because of the time difference between home and here, Quinn isn’t the least bit tired. I warned her she’ll regret it tomorrow, but tonight she can’t sleep, so we spend the next few hours lounging in the spa tub, talking about this weekend and the wedding, who she’ll be meeting, planning our day tomorrow, Facetiming Kinsley, and getting fully acquainted with our comfortable as fuck bed.

  The morning comes too soon, and while I want to stay in bed—and in Quinn—all day, I also don’t want to waste the time we have here. So, after ordering breakfast from room service, I wake her up so she can jump in the shower and we can start our day. After we eat, we head out. We’re planning to have brunch with my entire family tomorrow morning, but I already told my parents that today and tonight would be just Quinn and me.

  We drive to the center of the city, to Eyre Square, and get out. It’s not spectacular, just a typical downtown type of area with places to shop and eat, but it’s a nice day out, and the walk over to the Salthill Promenade, which runs along the northern shore, makes it worth it.

  “Lachlan! This country, this city, is seriously so beautiful,” Quinn gushes as she takes picture after picture of everything she sees. As she watches everything and everyone around her, I watch her. I love seeing her excitement, her love for the city my family is from.

  After checking out all the different shops, we eat at a bistro in the square and then walk hand-in-hand along the sidewalk that leads to Salthill. The closer we get to the beach, the more nervous I get. Quinn of course notices and asks if everything is okay.

  “Everything is perfect,” I tell her honestly.

  When we get to the shoreline, we walk a bit farther until we’re alone. Quinn takes pictures of the water, the pier, and the rocks. She gushes over everything, from the smell of the salty air to the beauty in the way the water hits the rocks. Briefly lowering her camera, she turns to me with the most beautiful smile and says, “Thank you for bringing me here,” and my heart feels like it’s about to explode. She’s the best mom, the most selfless, caring woman. She loves with everything she has, and she has no idea how much she deserves, how much I want to give her. What I want, and plan, to give her, if she’ll agree to spend her life with me.

  She turns back to take more pictures, and I pull the ring box out of my pocket and get down on one knee. It takes her a second before she looks back over at me, but when she does, when her eyes glide downward and she sees I’m kneeling with an open ring box in my hand, her camera falls, which is thankfully hanging around her neck, her hands go to her mouth, and she gasps loudly.

  “The moment I saw you walk through the door of Forbidden Ink, I knew you were the one. Not only were you the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, but your sass was a damn turn on.”

  Quinn’s hands remain covering her mouth, but I can see her shoulders shake with laughter, and the curve of her lips turn up around her hands.

  “You were dressed all professional, but I knew, under those conservative pants and blouse, was a tattooed, sexy woman, waiting to break out of that shell she was hiding under.” Tears shine in her eyes. She knows what I’m talking about, but I’m still going to tell her. She needs to hear how I feel about her. “I instantly fell in lust with your luscious curves and perfect tits…those dark, soulful eyes and pouty lips. And the way you blush over every emotion. I knew I needed to make you mine. And that was all before I even got to know you.” I chuckle softly.

  “I know we’ve only been dating for a few months, but I’ve fallen in love with you, Quinn, and I can’t imagine there ever being a day that I’m not in love with you. All I want to do is spend every moment with you. When you cry, I want
to make the tears go away. I want to be the one who makes you laugh, and be the one by your side while all of your dreams come true.”

  Twenty-Two

  Quinn

  I’m standing on the edge of the water, listening to Lachlan tell me all the reasons he’s in love with me and wants to marry me, and the tears are threatening to come with each word he speaks. But then he stands and bridges the gap between us. With the ring box still in his hand, he closes it and pushes it back into his pocket, so he can take my hands in his. I’m confused why he put the box away, until his eyes lock with mine, and he continues to speak.

  “But I didn’t just fall in love with you,” he says, his voice so strong, not wavering in the slightest. “I also fell in love with your daughter.” And the tears that were threatening to fall, spill down my cheeks. “How could I not, though?” He laughs softly. “She’s literally a mini version of you. And I want nothing more than to make her mine. When she asked me that day in the bounce house, if I married you, if I could be her dad, I wanted to tell her I would love nothing more than to be her dad, but I knew I couldn’t do that. It wasn’t my place to make that promise before I made a promise to you. It killed me having to wait for you to catch up, but I’m a patient man.” He chuckles. “Kind of,” he adds with a shrug.

  “My point is, I knew one day we would get here, with me asking you to marry me, but I also knew I would have to wait a little while for you to get to this point. On Thanksgiving, when you told me you loved me, I knew we were both finally at the same place.” His smile shines so bright, it’s almost blinding. “You’re everything I could ever want and need. I want you and Kinsley and me to be a family. And I promise you, I will spend every day for the rest of our lives loving the both of you with all of my heart.” He pulls the ring box back out and opens the top, the ring sparkling in the sun, and takes it out. “Will you marry me?”

  There’s only one answer to give him. There’s only ever been one answer, but I have a couple things I need to say before I tell him yes. “When I met you, I didn’t realize how insecure I was. I didn’t understand the damage my ex-husband did to me. I thought I was healed. I was happy and living my life. I had my business and my family and Kinsley. But it wasn’t until you, I understood how unhappy I really was. With myself. I read once somewhere that nobody can make you happy. You have to make yourself happy. And I fully believe that. But what I also believe is through you loving me, despite all of my imperfections, I’ve learned to love myself. And once I was able to love myself, it allowed me to fall in love with you.”

  I don’t even realize I’m crying again, until Lachlan reaches up and catches my falling tears. “Thank you for loving me unconditionally, and for loving my daughter as if she were your own.” I brush a soft kiss to his lips. “Yes, I will marry you.”

  The corners of Lachlan’s lips curve into a soft smile as he takes my left hand in his and slides the ring onto my finger. “You just made me the happiest guy alive.”

  After Facetiming Kinsley like Lachlan apparently promised, and learning my daughter already saw the ring and knew Lachlan was going to propose, we spend the rest of the morning exploring Galway. In the afternoon, we take a ferry over to Aron Island and explore over there. I’m absolutely in love with Ireland, with Galway. Everything is so lush and green and breathtakingly beautiful. The people are friendly, and there is so much to see and do. We end up having dinner at the hotel, and after making love, we fall asleep with Lachlan’s body wrapped around mine. I told myself he wouldn’t move in until after we’re married, and since I can’t see myself lasting much longer going to bed and waking up without him, I imagine the engagement will be rather short.

  * * *

  “What if they don’t like me?”

  “They’re going to love you.”

  “But what if they don’t?”

  “They will.”

  Lachlan and I are driving over to his parents’ place—because apparently they visit so often, they own a home here—and it’s just hit me I’m engaged to a man whose parents I’ve never met. My mind has been running wild all morning. What if they’re like Rick’s parents and stuck up? Or hate me like Rick’s parents hated me? What if they think Shea is better suited for him? Or what if they think my tattoos look trashy? Okay, that’s probably a dumb thought since their son is covered in them, but what if they’re sexist and think ink should only be on men? What if they find out I have a daughter and are against blended families? They are still married after all.

  I haven’t asked Lachlan any of these questions, though. Mostly because I don’t think he would tell me the truth. He loves me, and because of that, I think he would do anything to protect me, even if that means lying to me. But also because I’m afraid of what his answers might be if he does tell me the truth. My line of questioning also tells me something about myself… I’m still a work in progress. And with that thought comes one I’ve been thinking about more often lately. Maybe it’s time I find someone to talk to. A professional. I want to be the best version of myself for Kinsley and Lachlan, but in order to do that, I need to be whole. And being whole means being healthy—emotionally and mentally. And while I feel like I’ve made strides in the right direction, I still have a long way to go.

  We pull up the driveway, and even though I shouldn’t be, I’m in shock by the extravagance of his parents’ home. It’s two stories with a three car garage, a huge wrap around porch and second story balcony, complete with a freaking running fountain in the front yard.

  “Tell me everyone’s names again,” I beg, suddenly feeling nervous over meeting his entire family at once. I’ve spent a lot of time with wealthy people like Rick’s parents and know firsthand how unforgiving and judgmental they can be.

  “My mom is Evelyn, and my dad is Matt,” Lachlan says for the third time with the patience of a saint. Every time I do or say something I know would’ve aggravated Rick, I hold my breath, waiting for Lachlan to behave in a similar way, but every damn time he proves me wrong, making me fall that much more in love with him.

  “My mom’s brother is Anthony, and he’s married to my Aunt Tracy. They have two daughters. You met Kiara, who’s here with her husband, Kevin, and then there’s Emily, who’s getting married to Steven. My mom’s sister’s name is Patricia, and she’s married to my Uncle Thomas.”

  “They’re Declan’s parents,” I add, trying to remember.

  “Yep, and Riley is his sister.”

  “Who’s best friend’s with Shea,” I mutter, needing to remind myself she will be here because she’s close with his family. Her mom is best friend’s with Lachlan’s mom, of course.

  Lachlan smiles softly and turns my face toward him, leaning over and kissing me tenderly. “I love you,” he murmurs against my lips.

  “I love you too.” I inhale and exhale, allowing his words to run through me like a soothing balm to my nerves.

  “You ready?” he asks.

  “Yes.”

  The minute Lachlan turns the ignition off, the large oak door swings open, and out runs a petite orange-haired woman. She’s light-skinned with tiny freckles dotting her skin. When we step out, she wraps Lachlan up in a hug and her eyes briefly land on me. They’re green just like Lachlan’s. She must be his mom. She smiles sweetly, and my nerves come down a couple notches.

  “Ay, my boy, it’s so good to see ya!” Her Irish accent is thick—thicker than his cousin Kiara’s—and I immediately fall in love with it, just like I’ve fallen in love with everything about this country.

  Just as they finish hugging, an older version of Lachlan steps outside to join the party. Lachlan gives him a hug as well. Unsure of what to do or say, I stand here, waiting for Lachlan to lead.

  Once the three of them have finished hugging each other, they step over to me, and Lachlan introduces us. “Mom, Dad, I would like for you to meet Quinn, my fiancée.” Lachlan grins, and I choke on my saliva, shocked he just threw it out there. Way to ease the family into it, buddy…

  Hi
s parents, though, don’t appear to be surprised, like at all. Instead, they both smile warmly. His mom embraces me in a hug first. “We’re so glad to finally meet ya,” she says sweetly. “Lachlan, here, hasn’t stopped talking about you and your wee one.”

  “Congratulations,” his father says, giving me a friendly hug. “It’s so wonderful to meet the woman who’s stolen our son’s heart.”

  “Thank you, it’s nice you meet you, too,” I say politely, in shock at how nice they are.

  “You ladies go in, and Lachlan and I will grab your things.”

  The second we’re through the front door, I can hear all the voices. I must’ve been too nervous to notice the cars in the driveway, but just as Lachlan said, everyone is here. One by one, they each introduce themselves to me, and I take a deep breath when I don’t see Shea here.

  Evelyn tells us they were just finishing getting brunch ready and everyone is heading to the dining room to eat. Since it’s the next room over, I don’t get a good look at the house, but I do notice the striking crystal tear-drop chandelier hanging in the foyer. The living room is to the right, and looks like it’s never even been sat in. The dining room is to the left. In the center is a large sweeping staircase, which leads to the second floor. When we enter the dining room, the huge rectangular wood table takes up the majority of the room. Intricately carved wood bench seats run down the length of the table with a matching armchair on each end.

  As if Lachlan can sense how nervous I am, he pulls me to sit next to him and starts making me a plate of food. He’s naming each of the foods, asking if I would like some, since I have no idea what any of this is, when the sound of the front door shutting, reverberates through the room, and in walks Shea. She’s dressed in an adorable yet sexy olive-colored romper with her perky breasts peeking out on the sides. Her blond hair is down in perfect beach waves, and she’s wearing cute nude heels.