Chapter 20
AISLYNN
The strains of Dermot Kennedy’s song “Lucky” filled the room as I waited behind Maeve at the end of the aisle. Tristan and Maeve’s friend Emily had already walked down and were waiting for us.
The wedding venue was packed to the rafters as the happy couple’s wedding guests craned their necks, waiting for the bride to appear with our uncle Patrick, who also happened to be Maeve’s adoptive father.
A gasp went up from the crowd as she moved into view in her white dress with tiny sage green flowers embroidered into the lower part of the skirt.
She looked like an Irish fairy princess with her porcelain skin, beautiful red curls, and gorgeous curvy figure, which was set off beautifully by the fitted, layered see-through gossamer of her gown.
God, she looked incredible.
We began to walk down the aisle, and I ensured I stayed a few paces behind her. Maeve was the star of the show today, and I wanted her to make the impact she should have on her first wedding, before her bitch of an adoptive mother and sisters ruined it for her.
Maeve let out a sudden little squeak and came to a halt.
I peered around her to see my brother Callum stalk up the aisle toward his bride, and I let out a soft laugh.
His face was full of love and longing for his wife, and tears filled my eyes as I watched his eyes, the same color as mine and Mam’s, also well up with emotion.
I knew Cal would be missing our da today, the same way I knew he’d be feeling bittersweet, the same way I was. Out of all of us, it was Callum and I who had the best relationship with Da, even though our auld fella had his faults.
Uncle Paddy leaned down to Maeve and whispered, “Are you sure about this? He’s fuckin’ loo-lah,” but Maeve just stared up at Callum as he approached, as if he were the only person who existed for her.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Ma said from the front row of the seats, doing the sign of the Holy Cross over her chest.
Callum’s friend Atlas’s deep, booming voice demanded, “What’s he doin’?”
“He’s claiming his woman,” my other brother, Donovan, Callum’s best man, announced from his spot near the priest.
A wave of excitement went through the congregation, and laughter filled the air along with hoots and hollers and shouts of encouragement.
“Go on, Callum,” Kennedy yelled.
“Sweet Mary, mother of Jesus,” Ma exclaimed. “My son’s an eejit.”
My da’s friend, John Stone, drawled, “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.”
Callum got to Maeve just as she threw her head back and laughed joyously. He tagged her waist and pulled her away from Patrick, then he lowered his head and gently kissed the tip of her nose, growling, “You’re stunning.”
“And you’re handsome,” Maeve giggled.
His wet eyes searched hers earnestly before he swiped impatiently at his face. “You ready to do this again, baby?”
“I’d marry you every damned day for the rest of my life, Callum O’Shea. I love you, husband,” Maeve breathed. Her hand reached for his, and she rested it gently on her stomach. She leaned up and whispered something in his ear.
Callum froze, and his jaw dropped as his eyes glazed over and he quietly asked, “Baby?”
My heart soared, and I smiled at their little secret as I watched Maeve beaming while she murmured, “Isn’t it awesome?”
I closed my eyes, swallowing down my tears at the beauty of what I’d just witnessed. The happiness I felt for Callum and Maeve filled me to the brim, but I couldn’t help feeling a little sad for myself because it would never be me.
The love of my life was a pure-bred bastard.
Even after I walked out on him last weekend and told him to get lost, Pagan hadn’t left me alone. He messaged, called, and even visited. I saw him on Main Street a couple of times, and he was even in the coffee shop when I went in to pick Mam some treats up.
I couldn’t believe the effort he was putting in to try to win me back.
In a way, it made my blood boil because if he’d given me this kind of energy when we were together, then maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.
An effort was all I ever wanted from Pagan.
So, to get it now, when I wasn’t interested—well, it caused me some sleepless nights.
Callum laced his fingers with Maeve’s and tugged her down the aisle toward our family priest, Father Michael. Patrick followed, and I fell into step behind them, fixing what I hoped was a serene smile on my face.
As I took my place beside Tristan, I looked out over the congregation and stilled as my gaze fell on Pagan, who sat a few rows back.
He looked gorgeous, dressed in a black button-down shirt and black dress pants.
He wore Ray-Bans pushed up onto the top of his head, and his ear glistened with a diamond stud earring, which gave him a polished look, despite the myriad tattoos on his hands, chest, and neck.
His gaze skimmed my body-hugging, floor-length, strapless green gown, split up my thigh appreciatively, and his mouth curved into his signature sexy smirk. Dark eyes locked with mine, and my throat went dry at the raw, hungry expression on his face.
Goose bumps erupted over my skin at the way Pagan looked at me. As cliché as it sounded even to my own mind, his eyes seemed to undress me in a room full of people. He didn’t hide it or even try to look away; it was like he wanted me to see it.
A muscle rippled in his jaw as I turned my profile to him, but I could see from the corner of my eye how he watched every move I made.
My fingers tremored as I took Maeve’s bouquet while she said mass, and I smiled my way through the ceremony while Callum spoke his vows with so much reverence that a tear fell down my cheek at how beautiful it was.
Through it all, I could feel Pagan’s eyes on me, burning my soul through the layers of fabric and flesh. Tristan gave me a couple of wide-eyed looks before his gaze drifted to Pagan and back to me again, but I just kept my smile fixed and tried to enjoy the ceremony.
Still, by the time Father Michael pronounced Callum and Maeve man and wife, I was ready for it to be over.
Pagan had a way of unnerving me. Maybe it was because I knew what he was capable of and that if he wanted to cause a scene in order to get to me, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Either way, the sooner I could escape from his all-knowing stare, the better.
A loud round of applause went up, and everybody stood, clapping and whooping as Callum swept Maeve up in his arms and carried her down the aisle and through the doors, leading to the gardens.
Tristan held his arm out for Emily to take, and Donovan sauntered over and linked arms with me.
“Why’s Pagan looking at you like he wants to eat you up?” he asked quietly.
I glanced up at my handsome brother and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Probably because he does.”
His lips twitched as he led me down the aisle after Cal and Maeve. “Heard you were seeing him.”
“Yeah,” I confirmed.
“Be careful,” he warned. “There’s more to him than meets the eye. He’s a smart motherfucker.”
I made a non-committal noise and, in a breezy voice, told my brother, “No need to worry about me, Donny. I’m not seeing him anymore.”
His hand covered mine, and he pulled me closer. “You okay, Sis?”
The tears came out of nowhere, but I fought them back like a champ. “Yeah, at least I will be.”
“You know where I am if you need me, right?”
I nodded.
“Aislynn,” he prompted. “I’m not the kind of brother who gets involved in your love life. I think it’s weird, but if you need me, you come to me. I don’t care who the fucknut thinks he is; if he’s being a dick, I’ll sort it.”
My heart warmed.
Donovan had a reputation for being a ladies' man, but I knew there was way more to him than that. He was kind, sensitive, and sweet. I couldn’t wait for him to meet his woman because I knew that when he met the right one, he would make her the happiest girl in the world.
We walked outside, and the warmth of the late spring sunshine hit us.
The wedding venue was at the Meadows’ family ranch.
They’d converted a couple of barns, one where they held the wedding ceremony, and a larger building where we were going to have a sit-down dinner and a wedding reception later that night.
The bifold doors opened out onto a patio lit up with string lights and bulbs, which would look magical later in the evening.
This wedding was everything their first one wasn’t, and I was so happy that Maeve got a day she could look back on and be proud of.
“Thanks, Donny, but I’m good,” I assured him. “How about you? Met anyone special?”
He laughed. “You know me, Sis. Easy come, easy go.”
“I heard a rumor you were lusting after Rosie Woods, who’s recently strutted back into town,” I teased.
“Have you seen her ass?” he asked. “Every straight man under the age of eighty would lust after that, and a few of the gay ones I know too.”
“Just be careful,” I warned. “Atlas would rip your head off your shoulders if you broke his sister’s heart.”
“I don’t think Rosie’s easily broken.” He waggled his eyebrows at me. “Though I’d have fun trying.”
I slapped his arm. “Have some respect.”
He rubbed his arm. “I’ll call Child Protective Services on you if you keep beating me up.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You two,” Mam called over. “We’re taking photographs now. Move your arses.”
Donovan nodded in the direction of the photographer. “Come on before she takes her frying pan to us. I’m too pretty to get my face beaten, and anyway, I’ve gotta humdinger of a best man’s speech to deliver.”
I looked up at him and muttered, “Oh my God.”
Donovan chuckled under his breath. “He won’t help ya, and he won’t help our big brother either. Take it from me, Sis. Callum’s in for a treat.”
—————
Donovan was right; the best man’s speech was raucous, dirty, and utterly brilliant. Tears streamed down my face from laughing, which was amazing. I hadn’t had much to laugh about recently, so it was nice to just let go of the sadness, even if it was just for a while.