Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“What the hell are you doing, man?” the first guy yelled as he splashed beer on the front of his shirt and shoes.
“Are you kidding?” the second guy groused as he bounced off another guy, one of Finn’s friends from work, who deftly rolled him over the arm of the couch, and he ended up on the floor. I think the guy’s name was Lawrence, but I wasn’t positive.
The third guy tried shoving Jake back, but Finn told him it was an accident, and he ended up plastered to a wall, face-first, and from the groan where he kind of splatted, I was thinking that his guy parts somehow ended up smacking the wall.
“What were you doing?” Finn asked, smiling at Jake.
“Your family should always be good to you,” Jake replied, squeezing his shoulder.
“That hasn’t been my experience,” Finn apprised him solemnly.
“Well, don’t worry,” Jake said with a nod. “You’re part of Kola’s family now, and that’s how we do things.”
It was good to hear.
Hannah was directing in the kitchen, and I saw Finn’s mother, and one of his aunts, watching her and shaking their heads. As I never liked to see that, I walked over, taking both of them a glass of champagne.
“Oh, Jory, how thoughtful of you,” Anne stated, taking the glass. “Did you meet my friend Isabelle? She’s been in Finn’s life even more than some of Eammon’s and my family.”
“I haven’t had the pleasure,” I told her, offering my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“And you, Jory,” she said with a grin. “Now tell me, is it you who taught your daughter to be so bossy?”
I bristled, but I kept smiling. “Actually, I’m fairly certain she was born that way, and I’ve always liked it.”
Isabelle reached out and took hold of my arm. “Me too,” she divulged, leaning forward, lowering her voice. “I was watching some of Eammon’s relatives try and not listen to what she was saying about ‘you eat, you do it in the dining room, but God help you if you spill on my rug,’ and I thought oh, you tell them, girl. Bunch of ingrates, I tell you.”
I glanced at Anne, who had a hand pressed to her forehead, and then back at Isabelle.
“I know you heard about St. Patrick’s Day, as your darling son took video.” She cackled then, and Anne swatted her on the arm. “And look, did you see that Conor has a new friend? He’s not even divorced yet.”
I didn’t say a word.
“Not that being married has stopped him before.” Isabelle cackled.
“Izzy!” Anne shook her head.
“Stop,” she ordered Anne. “You and this man are going to be related through family, and I’m telling you right now, if Hannah wasn’t going to marry that sweet Jacob, I would tell either Grady or Caden to see if they might turn her head.”
Anne put a hand on my wrist. “I’m sorry about her.”
“Don’t be,” I said, smiling at Isabelle. “I love people who speak their mind.”
“You see?” Isabelle asserted haughtily. “Everyone likes me but your husband, his dear dead sainted mother, and his brother, Conor.”
I smiled at Anne. “Sainted mother?”
“Please forget she’s even talking right now,” Anne pleaded, looking like she wanted to die.
“Anne was never good enough for Eammon, even though by rights Anne should have never glanced at the man twice. He’s nice to look at, but that’s all.”
I covered my mouth so I wouldn’t laugh.
“Oh God, take me now,” Anne begged, looking up.
“She had been engaged to a charming man, Niall Coburn, and not only did he cut a striking figure, but he was also a lawyer.”
I was enjoying this so much, but I took hold of Anne’s hand, and she squeezed back for strength. Clearly, this was a familiar rant.
“Now, do I think lawyers are better than men who have blue-collar jobs? No, I do not. But I can promise you that Niall was the whole package, and he’s aged well,” she said, giving me a pointed look. “He married our friend Miranda—well, she was our friend, not anymore—and they have three lovely girls.”
“Jory doesn’t want to hear any of––”
“But I can promise you if she had married Niall, that he would not have had an issue with his daughter marrying a woman. And do you know how I know? Because his middle child did marry a woman last year, and the pictures on Facebook were lovely.”
But I got hung up on Niall not caring if his daughter married a woman. I turned to look at Anne. “Is Eammon having trouble with Finn being engaged to my son?”
She squeezed my hand. “No.”
“Yes,” Isabelle insisted.
Anne let me go and then gave all her focus to her friend. “You know it’s not that black and white.”
Isabelle thought a moment, squinting. “That’s probably true. It’s more that he has a specific idea in his mind of how all of his sons’ lives should look.”