by Forbes, Sara
“That’s true,” I say.
“And you are so good for me,” he says solemnly. “You’re great for me. You’re the best and the only one for me. I love you, Cliona Stephenson. I know you know that, but it’s time to say it out loud and not just in my stupid head as it has been since fourth class in school.”
“I love you, Seamus,” I say. “I’m not sure you know that, but I do. I’m not sure when or how it started, but I’ve a sneaking suspicion it was always there, just buried too deep under guilt and distractions to even realize it…but now it’s definitely time to say it out loud.”
His massive smile lights up his face. “Despite what I put you through? And what my family put you through?”
“I gave you my fair share of grief, too, remember?” I say, stroking his cheek, tracing his laughter lines. “But hey, at least you can’t say we haven’t tested each other, and smashed our way through some taboo territory, right?”
“Nope, can’t say that,” he agrees. “We sure didn’t make it easy on ourselves, did we?”
“But maybe, from here on out, it can be a little easier?”
He laughs. “Just let anyone try and stop us. ‘Cos we’re going to make it.”
“Ballytirrel, watch out, we’re coming,” I say.
Epilogue
CLIONA
(SIX WEEKS LATER)
Enda is due out of hospital today. Dr. Harlow said the skin graft would take many months to totally heal but that he may as well be at home, especially if home was a five star hotel. We’ve all come to appreciate Dr. Harlow in the meantime despite the inauspicious start. He has a droll sense of humor that can be appreciated over time.
Seamus wanted to drive up and collect Enda himself but I persuaded him to let Niall do it. Niall feels the most guilt and he needs to do something to atone for the fire disaster. At the very least, it gives the brothers a chance to talk.
“OK,” Seamus says, agreeing to my plan on the phone. “In that case, I have the afternoon free. Are you and Lorcan around later? I’ve something to show you. I’ll call up.”
“Sure. I’m with a client right now, but she’s just over in Mallow and I’ll be back soon.”
Seamus and I still live in our separate homes, but he’s in our place almost every night. On weekends however, Niall or Deirdre often do the babysitting of Lorcan and Seamus and I get to spend a luxury night in the hotel. Usually the suite. We joke that when we get married, there won’t be any novelty in honeymoon suites.
And yes, we joke. About when. Not if.
The thing is, we know we’re together for the long term. Both of us being in our thirties and being responsible for a child makes it marriage-like already. I don’t need a rock on my finger to prove that. I’m enjoying the fluidity of the uncle-dad relationship that Seamus is developing with Lorcan. I feel that if we marry, it’ll force us into category territory again, and I’m not a fan of that.
Seamus understands. Says he doesn’t like conventional weddings, but that if I do ever change my mind, I’ll need to drop extra strong hints for him to pick up.
Danny, Shannon, and I meet up often. Last week, Seamus even agreed to a dinner party at the manor with just the four of us. Yes, another test, and he had his reservations, but it turned out well. So much so, that he extended a spontaneous invitation to Danny to come dine in Callaghan Castle next week.
Later in the afternoon, when I’m done helping Lorcan play his tunes on the piano, I tell him that his uncle is coming over.
“Which one?” he asks. “Seamus, Niall, Enda, or Danny?”
Lorcan is allowed to call Danny “Uncle” again. Seamus is mellow about that. I tell Lorcan that having four uncles is better than having one dad. He repeats it to all his classmates and some people are scandalized, but I think so what?
“Seamus,” I say. Then I add, “He says he’s got something to show us. Do you happen to know anything about this?”
My son’s eyes light up. “No. But what could it be?”
“Beats me.” I smile at Lorcan’s excitement. I’m not materialistic, and I don’t let Seamus buy us things. He’s been quite good at sticking to that. But I have to admit, it’s nice to see Lorcan so excited.
At four sharp, the doorbell rings. Lorcan torpedoes down the stairs and flings the door open. “What is it? What did you bring?”
I follow behind. Seamus is empty handed. He claps his big hands together. “What? Did I say I’d bring something?”
Lorcan lets out a wail of disappointment. “Aw, come on.”
“Lorcan, we have enough things. We talked about this,” I say gently.
“Ah, you’re going too spoilt, kiddo,” Seamus says. “Anyway, come around the back with me.”
Lorcan shuffles off behind him and I follow.
There, standing in the space where my stable used to be, is a big Frenchy-gray Connemara mare, about fifteen hands high. She lifts her head majestically and looks straight at me.
“Whose…is that?”
“Yours.”
“But—”
Then I shut up. I walk to the horse, transfixed. I know I’m not materialistic, but this is different, I want this. This is something I totally desire but wouldn’t have bought for myself.
“It’s not a thing, so it doesn’t count,” Seamus says. “Seven years old, good temperament, ex-riding school. The stable and equipment will follow, which also don’t count because they’re for her, not you.”
“She’s for me?”
“Aye, for you.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Then just hop up and ride because I still have to give Lorcan his not-thing.” He takes some steps back and lifts a cardboard box from the ground. We’d overlooked it because of the horse.
“Open it,” he says to Lorcan.
Lorcan takes it and peers skeptically at the writing on the box. It’s the name of a well-known brand of clothes detergent. Then he lifts the flap. A tiny puppy’s nose pokes out.
I shriek. So does my son.
“Oh my God, cuteness overload,” I gasp as I watch Lorcan take out the puppy—a tawny spaniel.
“Get up on your horse, woman,” Seamus says to me. “And ride off to your heart’s content. I’ll watch the boy.”
“You’ve saddled her up with my old saddle and everything!” I marvel. “I don’t know how you managed that without me knowing.”
“I have my ways and means,” he says with a sly wink. “And also your sister might have helped. Go on, ride over to Danny because he says he has news and he won’t tell me.”
I know the happy news already because I have a woman’s intuition about these things, but I don’t need an incentive to gallop across the fields toward the manor once again, just like old times.
As I canter along the river valley, I feel it—a thrum of deep contentment. This is the place I love, and I know I’m never going to leave. Because with a man like Seamus Callaghan at my side, I’d be mad to even think about it. What my forefathers tried unsuccessfully to do—weave the Stephensons and the Callaghans together—we’ve finally done. I like to think that the spirits of my forefathers are waving at us and wishing us luck on our journey together.
Continue reading the saga
What's next?
Niall—the fire-starter, the rebel, is feeling guilty for starting that fire that burned his beloved younger brother so badly. He's never playing with matches again.
Niall looks to his internet companion, Texas girl, Marci, for some safe fun and games.
But when their relationship heats up and she visits Ballytirrel in person, it turns out she's a risk-taker too, and not interested in playing it safe.
Are they set to self-destruct or is this dynamic duo excatly what Ballytirrel needs?
You know you want Nialls story, "Small Town Rogue"
Make sure you put this sequel about hotlove on your reading list today!
Releasing July 2019
Other Series by the Author
(Al
l available in Kindle Unlimited.)
TheEndowedseries is a four-book series of standalone romances featuring a modern, British aristocratic family, The Belgraves, who are looking for love. Normal courtship rules do not apply!
Endowed 1 - Cocky Duke
Endowed 2 - Earl Power
Endowed 3 - Picky Viscount
Endowed 4 - Countess Badass
The Bitcoin Billionaires series is about a group of young men who get very rich, very quickly, via Bitcoin. It's a risky world out there in the Wild West of cryptocurrencies. Sizzling heat from overworked CPUs combines with scorching heat from these dangerous liasions—watch out that your Kindle doesn't melt!
Bitcoin Billionaires 1 - Jack
Bitcoin Billionaires 2 - Felix
Bitcoin Billionaires 3 - Egan
Connecting with the author
Sara Forbes's Preferred Readers:
If you'd like to keep track of what I'm doing and what's next then pop over to my website at saraforbes.com and join my select reading group of avid romance readers who happen to like my flavor of writing. Sometimes, I just moan about not getting stuff done, and sometimes I'm rejoicing over getting my next book out. I love hearing back from you and making new friendships this way. There may even be some freebies in it for you from time to time.
Acknowledgements
To my indiepub friends whom I've had to neglect while writing this book.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
