Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“She showed me baby pictures of you and your cousins.” I nudged him. “Your arse was nice even then.”
He groaned. “She didna.”
I laughed. “She did. And she told more stories of you growing up.”
“I am certain she exaggerated.”
“Maybe, but I enjoyed hearing them. She talked a lot about Niall and Finn. Their wives. She loves them dearly.”
“And they her. She adored you.”
“I liked her a lot. She made me very welcome. She didn’t seem shocked over our relationship at all.”
“You expected her to be? Even after I told you how fast Finn and Niall fell for their women? It didn’t faze Bonnie either.”
“No, I guess it didn’t.”
“Roisin fell pretty fast for her Rory. And my da met my mum at a dance on Friday and had proposed by Sunday, from the stories I was told. And even though he turned out to be an arse, her sister, Finn’s mum, fell quick for his da.” He rubbed his chin. “It’s in our genes, I think.”
“Well, something is in your jeans,” I joked.
He leaned over the armrest and kissed me. “I’ll show you later, lass. Trust me, you’ll like it.”
“I already know that.”
I changed the subject. “How was your visit with your friend?”
“It was good to see Seamus. He is well. Looks healthy. He’s seeing a lady from his parish. Seems smitten. He’s a foreman at the local plant. His grandson, Ryan, works there too, but he plans to go back to uni and get his teaching degree.” Sully looked thoughtful. “I might see what I can do to speed that up.”
“How?” I asked, intrigued.
“A scholarship of sorts. Something to help. Seamus wants more for Ryan. Not the never-ending monotony of the plant. He says Ryan has always wanted to teach, but things haven’t gone his way. But he’s a good lad, and he helps Roisin and the troublemakers.”
I squeezed his hand. “You’re a good man, Sully.”
He looked at me, intense and serious. “I try to be. I fail at times, but I try. I’ve been lucky, Autumn. I have a great career, no money trouble, and a good life. Not everyone I grew up with has that. I try to help those I can, but I do it quietly. Behind the scenes. Not everything is visible.”
I smiled, getting the feeling he was trying to tell me something, but I wasn’t sure what. I cupped his cheek and kissed him.
He kissed me back, his mouth claiming and hard. Then he drew back, his gaze locked on me. “And my life is complete with you in it now, mo fhiadh beag. You mean more than you know, and I will do everything I can to be the man you deserve.”
The flight attendant appeared before I could speak, offering us a drink. Sully took a whiskey, and I asked for water, sipping it as he shut his eyes, leaning back into the seat with a quiet sigh.
I had asked Roisin earlier about Sully and the gang he was in when he was younger. She had stayed silent for a moment before she spoke.
“That’s his story to tell you, lass. Growing up where we did wasn’t easy. Gangs were prevalent—some worse than others. Sully did what he had to, I think. My Niall was deep into the life when Finn took him to Canada, which I was grateful for. Sully moved on and found his own path with his career. Moved away to escape it. Some didn’t.”
“Like the ones last night?”
She shook her head. “That’s more an attitude. Young pups who think they know everything and that the rules don’t apply to them. I’m glad Sully was there and put them in their place. We don’t have many. Since Finn and Niall bought me this place, life is more peaceful. It’s a lovely village, and what happened last night was rare. Just a bunch of arses trying to be more than they are.” She patted my hand. “You’re grand.”
I frowned, and she smiled. “That means not to worry.”
I nodded in understanding. I was learning lots of little Irish phrases I could use. Sully would love it.
A hand folding over mine brought me out of my musings.
“You’ve yawned twice in the past ten minutes.”
“I’m tired.”
“We’ll be home by eight. I’ll tuck you into bed early.”
“I was going to unpack.”
“Do it tomorrow. You can have a bath when we get home and get a good rest.”
I leaned my head on his shoulder. I liked the sound of that.
SULLY
I yanked a hand through my hair in vexation. “I just got back from Dublin. Now you want me to go back?”
My boss, Archie, regarded me steadily. “Unfortunately, yes. I need you there for this. McFadden is ill and can’t go. Zoom won’t work. It needs to be in person.”
I wanted to thump my head on the desk and say no. But I couldn’t. I knew how important this was to the firm. But it meant a couple nights away from Autumn, and our time together was dwindling fast. She had barely settled into my place, and even though I knew she’d be back, the thought of her leaving loomed in my head constantly.