Chapter Eleven
Cheyenne and Quinn were in Montana for the long Labor Day weekend.
They also checked the foundation work for what would hopefully be their forever home once they were married.
Da had offered land for them to build on the Emerald Isle, but Quinn needed time away from the sheriff’s department.
It might have been a better choice to stay off the ranch until they were certain they were staying, but Quinn wanted a landing spot to call their own.
The fresh start would be good, and if a job didn’t come up, he knew he could always work with his brothers if needed.
That would be a nice change for a while.
It could cleanse the palate from this most recent new boss experience.
Quinn and the new sheriff simply didn’t have a simpatico personality.
He prided on being able to work with most, but this man made it a daily challenge. And he needed a break.
Quinn described several specialized adaptations that he was going to have installed after the house was completed.
While he was careful not to let his family know his and Cheyenne’s intimate details, he had to come up with some reason for the additions to the original drafted design.
It was going to be their designated adult playground, but Quinn said it was for keeping valuables separate from other things.
Quinn’s brother Shane, they knew, had a different idea of valuables than he did.
Quinn spent plenty of extra time conferring with Parker about “custom furniture” that encompassed that “valuables” definition.
Cheyenne had been worried that Quinn had gone to his sister’s almost boyfriend with their private information, but Parker promised to keep his own counsel, especially from Kelli. Kelli was opinionated.
Cheyenne had an entirely different set of concerns on this trip.
She was worried she wouldn’t fit in when this clan all came together for the next week.
This was the first gathering of this big family that she had experienced with every member in attendance.
To say it was overwhelming was an understatement.
She had never hunted and never put up the meat.
She had only fished a little and never preserved the fish.
She had also never canned anything. Cheyenne could crochet and do needlework quite well, and enjoyed an old skill, tatting, that involved making delicate lace, but was not as eager to learn all the rest. In fact, she was quite sure she wasn’t made to do some of it.
She had learned to love this family and all of its quirks over the last few years, but she was still a pampered only child in her experiences and understandings.
There was a sense of dread about the week ahead.
Oh, she had gone camping on occasion and was even known to go horseback riding; after all, she was a Wyoming woman.
The hunting, fishing, canning, sewing clothing, and all of that was just not anything she had set her hand to, and that’s what this week encompassed.
Quinn listened to her laments the night before they left. “You crochet incredible things, Cheyenne. You’re an accomplished businesswoman and do great things to my ropes. Maybe I could learn some crocheting and crochet around you like a variation to the Shibari.”
She slapped his arm. “I’m serious. What am I supposed to do there?” she lamented.
He raised his eyebrow before sighing. “Anything you want, baby. You pick berries, know how to gather vegetables from the garden, and just help. Besides, having fun with the family is the primary goal.”
“But I want you to be proud of me. Like your sisters’ husbands are proud of them.”
“Lómhara, if I had wanted a reproduction of my sisters, I would have looked for one. You notice I never dated anyone who was remotely like them. You’re the one I love. Don’t be so insecure.”
Cheyenne bristled at the brushing off but persisted. “Easy for you to say. You belong.”
Raw meat from the grocery was one thing, but to know that this meat was from a living thing not long ago, maybe hours ago, kind of grossed her out.
“Quinn, honey, I love most of the things your family does, but handling meat you guys just killed might not be something I can do. It’s definitely yellow zone stuff and possibly popsicle zone. ”
Quinn looked over quickly from the driver’s side of the pickup and said, “Baby, that’s okay.
There are plenty of things to do besides handling the game.
However,” he grinned widely, “calling a safe or slow down word in public might not be the best choice.” He gave her a toothy grin.
“Too many people know about those now, and it would be outing us, big time. I’d rather not explain things to my mother. ” They both laughed. “How about fish?”
“What exactly do you do with fish? I mean, its fine, but I hate to gut the things.” She scrunched up her face, making Quinn think she was so damned adorable.
“No, honey, we dress the game and clean the fish before we bring it into the kitchen. How about canning? Putting up pickles, jelly, preserves?”
“Oh, I can do that with them but I’m a better helper than a leader in the kitchen. You know I’m not big on cooking,” she added sheepishly.
“Yes, I know.” She landed another slap on his bicep, bringing out his deep laugh.
“No problem, there are plenty of O’Connor women who like to boss people around and take the lead.
They will love a helper.” Cheyenne felt a little better.
He continued. “There are some things you do to perfection.” He wiggled his eyebrows to show his licentious thoughts.
“Yeah, well how would you know? You haven’t experienced it yet.”
“Piscín, there are some things a man knows instinctively.”
She pinched his arm playfully. His tone was a mockingly angry response.
“You are becoming awfully abusive. Are you looking for a spanking, young lady?”
“Yes please.”
Quinn laughed. “I’ll see what I can do for you later.”
Cheyenne and Quinn’s wedding was getting close and Caoimhe, Quinlan’s younger sister by a year, married to Andrew, was hoping she delivered her second child before the wedding, but no one wanted to predict.
Cheyenne gathered with the women who would be her new sisters to discuss and compare her ever-growing apprehension of life as an O’Connor wife as well as her own issues with her O’Connor man.
“Quinn is just so bossy sometimes. I love it and hate it. He’s not only bossy but sometimes I feel like I belong to him in a—”
“Like you are property?” jumped in Kelli, her tone irritated.
“Well, not exactly—” Cheyenne hurriedly corrected.
“No, like you are his. Claimed. And you are his. He is yours.” Katie finished. “Stop it, Kelli, belonging to someone is incredible. Don’t you feel that way about Parker?” Kelli just got up and walked out of the room.
Cheyenne nodded as she tried not to worry about Kelli. “Yes. I mean, it confuses me. Not in a bad way but a swirl of emotions way.”
Jocelyn grabbed a pillow to cover her midsection and leaned forward. “You’re worried that it’ll become more intense and become too much. That it won’t level out. Like your business won’t be yours because you won’t be your own person.”
“Exactly,” Cheyenne verified. “Do your husbands leave the macho bit in the bedroom?”
There was a burst of laughter. “We wouldn’t need to sit and compare notes if that were true,” said Caoimhe as she shook her head. “I didn’t marry one of my brothers, and I can tell you that Andrew is every bit as take-charge as all of my brothers.”
“Well,” slipped in Alesha, “I’m good with Shane now but in the beginning, I felt like you did. I mean, he was loving, considerate, kind and protective, but he was also immoveable on some things.”
“What about later?” Cheyenne asked.
“You set a rhythm, you know? Now, I know how he’ll react to just about everything. He knows what is important to me.” Caoimhe shrugged and leaned to hug Cheyenne. “I’m disappointed if he doesn’t demonstrate that I’m his every so often now.” Kelli, who had just returned, snorted at her sister.
Cheyenne wondered why Kelli was sounding so jaded or dissatisfied. She must have been used to the way the men in her family were. “I guess. I hope you’re right, all of you.”
The men began sauntering into the family room, stopping by unspoken agreement, the women’s conversation.
Kelli resisted Parker’s arm around her, and he spoke into her ear.
Maybe they were a couple for real now, thought Cheyenne.
She watched Kelli tense and then relaxed into his lap when he brought her down on it.
She didn’t know what to make of Kelli’s reactions, but her interest was piqued.
If Cheyenne were honest, she wanted what these women had, and if they were to be believed, she and Quinn would have it in time.
She loved playing with Quinn, and she loved when she was exhausted he just took over everything.
He did leave her business to her, except when he sided with Ace and insisted she have an attorney.
Really, overall, it was actually a perfect arrangement for her. If things didn’t change.
Was Jocelyn right when she said Quinlan was so different from his brothers? Cheyenne wondered about the other O’Connor women. Were all the brothers and husbands so arrogant about everything, and how did they handle it?
Her opportunity to ask more questions soon presented itself.
Caoimhe and Katie were learning from Cheyenne how to crochet booties for babies and slippers for kids, so they decided to get something to drink.
It was evident the other two were thinking soft drink and grew silent when Cheyenne suggested wine.
Looking at the ginger ale in Katie’s hand, she said, “You’ll have to spritz without the wine, Caoimhe, but Katie can have one with me. ”
“I’ll have one with you, but equal parts please.” Katie watched the division of wine and ginger ale carefully. Alesha walked in and joined the conversation, but not the creating.