O'Malley: Summer (Shifter Seasons Book 7)
Page 17
“I have something for you.” Kelos reached into his pocket. “Not that one.” Kelos made a big show of not being able to find whatever it was he was looking for.
“Dragons, huh, forgetful beasts.” Amber glanced nervously at O’Malley before taking hold of Kelos’s jacket. She plunged her hand into the first pocket Kelos had tried and drew out a small box. Her eyes locked with her mate’s for a moment and she arched a questioning eyebrow at him. Kelos nodded in response.
The whole episode had passed by so quickly most people would have missed it, but O’Malley was trained to look for the smallest of details.
“What is going on?” He shook his head as if he’d gotten water in his ear. There was something off, something... A lot of something.
“I wanted to give you this.” Kelos took the box from Amber and placed it down on the counter. His eyes were hypnotic as he stared at O’Malley.
“Is there someone outside?” He swept around the bar and went to the front door that led out onto the street. Yanking the door open, he was faced with a small crowd of his friends, both old and new.
“Surprise!” they shouted and crowded forward.
O’Malley successfully hid the disappointment from his face as he grinned widely. This was not the surprise he’d sensed, but it was a good surprise all the same.
“I’m glad you all could come.” He stepped forward and his friends surrounded him.
“We wouldn’t miss it.” Jake shook his hand and patted his back before O’Malley was enveloped by Joanna and Jane, who was held in Shawn’s arms.
“Ah, it’s good to see you, Jane.” He kissed her cheek and she flung her arms around his neck.
“I’m only allowed to stay for half an hour,” she whispered in his ear.
“I’ll make a special mocktail for you,” O’Malley promised.
“Hey, I never gave you my gift.” Kelos and Amber stood outside of the bar.
“Dragons, always wanting the attention,” Shawn said lightly.
O’Malley chuckled and stumbled forward, his senses filled by the scents and sounds of his friends. “She’s here.” He murmured the words as a hush fell over his gathered friends. O’Malley turned to face them. “You knew.”
“Duh.” Joanna grinned. “That was the surprise.”
“We figured if we were all here together, it might block your senses enough to sneak Hannah in.” Shawn laughed. “We were right.”
O’Malley choked back tears as he hurried toward the bar. “Thanks. I don’t know what you all did but thank you.”
“Here, you might need this.” Kelos placed the small box in his hand as he staggered forward.
“Thanks.” O’Malley didn’t stop to take a peek at the contents of the box. There was only one thing, one person he wanted to see, and she was inside his bar.
“There you are,” Hannah said as he walked inside. “I was waiting to order a drink. You are open, aren’t you?”
He didn’t answer as he ran forward and flung his arms around her. Holding her close, he lowered his head and captured her lips in a searing kiss filled with longing. Hannah slipped her arms around his neck and hugged him so tightly O’Malley was left in no doubt of why she was here.
I told you, his cougar said happily.
“You’re here to stay?” he asked when he finally came up for breath. He wanted to kiss Hannah all night and never stop.
“I have a few loose ends to tie up.” She nodded. “But yes. This is my life now.” She stroked his cheek. “You are my life now.”
“What about your dad?”
She looked a little sheepish. “We’re kind of a package deal, although I was hoping to find him a place of his own here in Cougar Ridge. So that I can be close, but I don’t think either of us wants to live with each other. We need our own space.”
“I’ll help all I can.”
“And he’ll be spending some time in the mountains with Karl.” Her eyes misted with tears which she quickly wiped away.
“Is Karl all right?”
“Yeah. He called a couple of days ago. He is starting to remember. Just little things. But he remembered me and Dad. He invited Dad to go and stay so he can meet Wiroo.” She looked down at the floor for a moment before taking a breath. “Karl said he didn’t want to come home. That he’s left this life behind, but he wants us to be part of his new life.”
“That’s good, right?” O’Malley brushed his lips across hers. “Although, he doesn’t know what he’s missing by not visiting O’Malley’s.”
“Oh.” Hannah put her hand to her mouth. “I’ve totally hijacked your big opening.”
“I don’t think anyone minds.” He clutched the small box in his hand. “Hannah, I have something to ask you.”
He took a step back and went down on one knee.
“You don’t have to...”
“Yes, I do.” He took hold of her hand and said, “Hannah, will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”
Hannah nodded and then said, “Yes, please.”
A cheer broke out from the street where his friends were all still gathered as he opened the box and took out the ring. “Wow.” Kelos had given him a ring adorned with a perfectly cut diamond surrounded by sapphires.
“Wow is an understatement.” Hannah’s hand trembled as O’Malley slid the ring onto her finger. “It’s beautiful.”
“It is.” He grinned and stood up. “Kelos just gave it to me. The guy has better taste than me.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She tilted her head to one side. “You got me.”
He laughed and threw his arms around her, whirling her around as he headed toward the door. “Together?”
Hannah’s feet touched the ground and she reached for the handle of the door. “Together.”
“O’Malley’s is officially open!” he called out.
O’Malley was also officially happy, and he would be for the rest of his life with his mate by his side.
Epilogue
“You’re sure you want to leave me in charge?” Axel asked as he helped O’Malley clean the bar and stack the chairs after another busy night.
“Yes.” O’Malley cast a glance at his mate who was behind the bar talking to Joanna. The two women had become good friends since they had returned from their search for Karl, who had begun to remember more and more.
So much more that Karl and Wiroo had accepted the invitation to attend O’Malley’s marriage to Hannah. Which was why he was asking Axel to take on a bigger role at the bar. The guy had more than proved himself while O’Malley was off traipsing across a mountain.
“I’m honored that you trust me.” Axel seemed genuinely moved.
“You and Greg make a good team, with the two of you here to support each other…” O’Malley grinned. “What can go wrong?”
“We don’t exactly support each other.” Axel shook his head. “We have a good working partnership.”
“And that is all I need to hear. You have both earned my trust and I know that you can work together. The fact there’s a little friction is good. It means you will keep each other straight.” O’Malley arched an eyebrow at Axel. “Don’t you agree?”
Axel shook his head but said, “Yeah, sure. Thanks for the opportunity.”
O’Malley smiled and nodded. “Good man.” Then he turned away from Axel and headed over to his mate.
“I was just leaving,” Joanna told him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Hannah.”
“Thanks, Joanna. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Hannah reached for O’Malley’s hand as Joanna left the bar.
“Night.” O’Malley raised a hand and waved then turned to his mate. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I think it is.” She inclined her head and pulled him toward the back of the bar. Instead of going up to their apartment, she went out into the back area where they stacked the empty barrels and crates of bottles.
With a sigh, Hannah tilted her chin and looked up at the starlit sky.
“I miss the m
ountains.” She turned to him as he reached her. “I know how much you love the bar but when we come back from our honeymoon, not straight away, I know how busy you are. But can we find a house with a big yard for our kids to run around in.”
O’Malley’s eyes lit up. “Does that mean…” He placed his hand on her soft belly.
“It might.” Her eyes flashed brightly. “I want to give it a few more days. And I certainly don’t want to make the announcement until after the wedding and the honeymoon.” She placed her hand on his cheek. “Are you happy?”
“More than I can ever say.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
It didn’t matter where in the world he was as long as Hannah was by his side.
A baby, his cougar purred.
Life is just purr-fect, O’Malley said, and his cougar groaned.
As he held his mate in his arms O’Malley was the happiest man in the world. He had the woman he loved in his life, a successful business, and now the prospect of a child of his own. What more could a man ask for?
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Bound To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book One)
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Lonely Bear (Bear Bluff Book Six)
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