“You also work for me, I believe,” Aidan was saying, snapping her attention back to him. Faith immediately sobered, wondering where this was heading.
“Yes, sir. I do.”
“Call me Aidan. Environmental, right?” She nodded warily, wondering where this was going.
“Well, I think we need to talk about that.”
“Sir?” Was he firing her?
“Aidan,” he corrected patiently. He extracted a familiar-looking tablet and placed it on the table between them. Faith froze as she realized she was looking at one of her sketchbooks. “These are yours?”
Faith nodded, feeling the numbness seeping through her limbs.
“You have talent, Faith. May I call you Faith? ‘Mrs. Callaghan’ applies to more than half the women in this room.”
She nodded again, dumbstruck. She was on a first name basis with Aidan Harrison. Add that to the fact that she was in the middle of a fairy tale wedding and now married to her soul mate, and she felt downright stupefied.
She took another sip of the Virgin Slayer and fought the urge to giggle at the improbability of it all. If she saw a dancing unicorn, she was soooo going to go lay down in the ladies room. Actually, she might just do that anyway. Just five minutes, maybe ten, to recharge and she’d be good as new.
“Well, Faith, I love your ideas. I’d like to hire you to re-design the interiors of the latest set of luxury suites.”
She gawked at him. Not quite a dancing unicorn. But close.
“It’ll be a bit different than what you’re used to. You’ll have an office on the same floor with Lex and me, well, more of a design studio, really. You’d design exclusively for the Goddess. You’ll be expected to attend meetings and travel to the Corporate headquarters in Georgia with us from time to time. I think once they see your ideas we’ll be renovating all of the Goddesses, and perhaps some of our other chains as well.”
Faith was glad she was sitting down, because otherwise she was certain she’d be slumped on the floor. That feeling only intensified when Aidan started throwing out mind-numbing possible starting salaries and signing bonuses and stock options.
“Aidan, you’re not talking business at our wedding are you?” Kieran chastised, joining them at the table. He leaned down and kissed his bride. She gripped his hand. Hard.
“Just wanted to put my bid in before you left on your honeymoon,” he said, offering Faith a wink. “I see Johnny over there chomping at the bit. Think about it, okay?”
She nodded numbly.
“Baby? You okay?” His eyes grew concerned when he saw her weak smile. Out of the corner of her left eye, she saw him signaling for someone.
Somehow she managed to relate what Aidan had told her, though she thought she might have messed up a few of the words along the way between her mind and her mouth. She was just so tired. And maybe just a bit in the grips of shock.
“Faith?” Michael’s soothing voice registered about the same time she realized his long, warm fingers were discreetly checking her pulse. “How are you holding up, sweetheart?”
“I’m tired,” she breathed. “Really, really tired.”
Michael exchanged a glance with Kieran, who had lifted up Faith’s barely-touched drink and sniffed it suspiciously before shooting Brian a scathing glance.
“Would you like to lay down for a little bit?”
“Oh, yes, please,” she said, her voice growing dreamy. To Kieran, she offered a smile. “Your brother’s really nice.”
“Yeah, he’s a prince. Come on, baby. Put your arm around me. There you go.” Kieran lifted his bride into his arms.
“Hey, is she okay?” Maggie asked, joining them.
“I’m just tired,” Faith said sleepily. “I’m sorry.”
“Let’s get her up to Lex’s office,” Michael said quietly. “I’ll grab my bag and meet you there in five.”
* * *
“Well?”
“She’s fine,” Michael said confidently.
“Are you sure?” Kieran asked, looking worriedly to where Faith was sleeping soundly on the sofa in Lexi’s office, covered with Michael’s tux jacket.
“Yes,” Michael said, his eyes twinkling. “Quite sure.”
Kieran narrowed his eyes at his older brother. “Mick...”
Michael put his hand on Kieran’s shoulder. “Relax, Kier. It’s perfectly natural for Faith to experience fatigue at this stage. It should only last a couple of weeks, then she’ll get her second wind. In the meantime, plenty of sleep and some good prenatal vitamins should help.”
Kieran blinked. One minute he was standing next to Michael, the next he was on his knees, looking up at him. All of the breath left his lungs in a single whoosh. “Faith’s pregnant?”
Michael laughed. “I’d bet my license on it. Where the hell have you been the last seven years or so? Congratulations, little brother. You’re going to be a father.”
“I can’t believe I fell asleep at my own wedding,” Faith moaned later. Kieran fluffed the designer accent pillows behind her back and held the glass of orange juice to her lips.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“Tell you what?” she asked innocently.
Kieran might have thought she was joking, but there was nothing but confusion in her soft gray eyes. “I guess it just finally caught up to me,” she said. “Working all day, running around in the evenings, making love half the night,” she said, her face coloring a lovely pink. “Your family must think I’m a complete ingrate.”
She didn’t know. “Faith,” he said slowly. “No one thinks any such thing.”
“Yeah, right. I bet none of them fell asleep at their receptions, did they?”
“No,” he admitted, wondering how he was going to tell her. If anyone but Michael had told him, he might have his doubts, but Mick was never wrong about that sort of thing (his own firstborn notwithstanding). Faith groaned and leaned back onto the pillows.
“Faith, have you been overly tired lately?”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “But you know how busy things have been.”
He nodded. “How about your appetite? You don’t seem to be eating much.”
“Nerves. My stomach’s been full of butterflies lately, but I guess that’ll ease now that the wedding’s over. Oh, boy. I need to apologize to everyone before we leave tonight.”
“Trust me, they understand.”
“How could they possibly understand?”
Kieran took a deep breath. “Because they’ve all been through it.”
Faith looked at him doubtfully. “But you just said - ”
“Faith. You’re pregnant.”
She froze. Blinked once. Twice. “I’m pregnant?”
He nodded.
“But I can’t be pregnant. I’d certainly know, wouldn’t I? I mean, with Matt I was tired all the time, nauseous for the first three months, wildly emotional, ...” She stopped, mid-sentence, clamping her mouth shut as the truth dawned. Her eyes widened and filled with tears and she looked at Kieran, terrified. He didn’t need their special connection to figure out what she was thinking. It was all right there on her face. She was terrified of his reaction.
“Faith,” he said, sliding onto the sofa with her and pulling her into his arms. He sensed her fear keenly and wanted to reassure her as quickly as possible. “You are my croie. I’ve known from our first time together that this was a possibility. And I couldn’t be happier.”
She sniffed against his chest. “Really?”
“Really.” He kissed the top of her head, and chuckled. “Surely after having met my family you realized we tend to be a prolific bunch. You didn’t doubt my virility, did you?”
“No,” she smiled weakly, sniffling. “Maybe that’s one of the reasons I fought you so hard. I was afraid of what might happen. That history would repeat itself, and that you’d leave me, too.”
“Faith,” he crooned, holding her to him. “My Faith. Don’t you know that a child will only strengthen the bo
nd between us? I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, woman, and if I have to keep getting you pregnant to prove that, I will.”
Her lips twitched. “Well,” she said, her little claws petting his chest, “you just might. I’m kind of a cynic, you know.”
“Are you now?” His hand rubbed possessively over her still flat stomach as he leaned in for another kiss. “Because that sounds like a challenge...”
IT’S NOT OVER!
I hope you enjoyed reading Kieran and Faith’s story – thank you!
Writing the Callaghan Brothers series has been an amazing experience. The characters have become very real to me, and from what you are telling me in your emails, posts, and reviews – you, too!
Before you worry that this is the end – don’t. There is still more to come.
Aidan might not technically be a Callaghan, but he is close enough to the family to be considered an honorary brother. Look for his story – Book 8 in the series – coming soon.
Also, you might have noticed that the Connelly cousins (Celina, Johnny, and Michael (yes, another Michael)) pop up occasionally. They have their very own stories, too.
AND, if that wasn’t enough, I’m considering writing some more, too. Many of you said you would like to read Jack’s, Nick’s, Taser’s, Brian’s, and Corinne’s stories. As soon as they start whispering in my ear, you’ll be the first to know.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for coming along on this crazy, wonderful ride with me. It’s not over yet
Abbie
Thanks for reading Kieran and Faith’s story
You didn’t have to pick this book, but you did. Thank you!
If you liked this story, then please consider posting a review online! It’s really easy, only takes a few minutes, and makes a huge difference to independent authors who don’t have the mega-budgets of the big-time publishers behind them.
Log on to your favorite online retailer and just tell others what you thought, even if it’s just a line or two. That’s it! A good review is one of the nicest things you can do for any author.
As always, I welcome feedback. Email me at [email protected].
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Thanks again, and may all of your ever-afters be happy ones!
Abbie
About the Author
Abbie Zanders loves to read and write romance in all forms; she is quite obsessive, really. Her ultimate fantasy is to spend all of her free time doing both, preferably in a secluded mountain cabin overlooking a pristine lake, though a private beach on a lush tropical island works, too. Sharing her work with others of similar mind is a dream come true. She promises her readers two things: no cliffhangers, and there will always be a happy ending. Beyond that, you never know...
Also by Abbie Zanders
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First and Only (Callaghan Brothers, Book 2)
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Guardian Angel (Callaghan Brothers, Book 5)
Beyond Affection (Callaghan Brothers, Book 6)
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All Night Woman (Covendale Series, Book 2)
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Lost in Time I
Lost in Time II
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Having Faith: Callaghan Brothers, Book 7 Page 24
