An Irish Hope (Fairall Romance Legacy #2)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“And do you, Colin Eamon Fairall, take Kara Elizabeth Browne to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

Aisling sighed, catching her sister’s eye.

Aurora looked as touched as she did, and was probably already wondering how soon it might be before Aidan Quinn, the Aussie lawyer she’d started dating last year, might pop the question.

And, just like with Kara, they’d all be thrilled to welcome him to the family.

Aidan’s work with domestic violence victims only confirmed his good guy status, and Rory had already visited him in Australia this year.

She’d gone to see him during the hotel’s winter season, their slow season, catching something of the Australian summer that was unlike the heat she’d ever experienced here before, or so she’d said.

Her visit for Valentine’s Day had been wonderful, only deepening the connection they shared, something that, like Colin’s relationship with Kara, had started with the lightning bolt of awareness that seemed part of the Fairall legacy.

Aisling’s skin prickled, and she glanced out across the congregation.

Would she meet someone today? Was one of the guests here her perfect match?

She’d not yet met the man who had sparkled her heart to life, but if the experience of her father, brother and now sister was to be believed, the person who drew that sense of soul-tingling connection was the person she was destined to love, like God Himself had woven a special bond within the Fairall DNA.

She shifted the bouquet of cream and apricot roses, meeting the gaze of her father’s sister, who sat next to Mam and represented the last of the older generation of the Fairalls. She smiled, but in Aunty Aine’s eyes she recognised sorrow that Aisling’s father wasn’t here to share this special day.

Colin was the head of the family household now, and had been for five years or so. And while nearly all of them were happy about that, Fiona, their eldest sibling was not.

Aisling peeked over her shoulder, offering Fiona a smile, but received a jousted stare back, Fiona’s smile frozen and fake.

Gee willikins. The woman might be her sister, but Fiona needed to be careful that the wind didn’t change, and her face be forever fixed like that.

But while Fiona liked Kara well enough, or said she did anyway, her offense at Da’s selection of Colin as the head of the Killorglin Group seemed like a bruise that would never heal.

Fiona clearly needed to practice some of the forgiveness that she once said she believed in.

Not that any of them were terribly sure what Fiona believed these days…

The minister cleared his throat, scooting Aisling’s attention back to the happy couple. That’s right. She needed to concentrate. She was as much on show as the bride and groom, and she needed to behave appropriately.

The emerald green strapless gown was the perfect colour for her sisters and herself, the tone the exact match that made their skin and hair glow.

And yes, it might be a wee bit tighter than at the last dress fitting, but it wasn’t like a girl had any choice but to stress eat her way through university final exams. She smoothed the skirt, hoping the clouds she could see in the distance would know well enough to stay away, and the ceremony could continue on the lawns of the Castle Griffin Hotel.

The hotel might’ve been established on their family home, but they’d booked it out for this weekend.

Well, for all except one guest and his friend who had promised to stay away, or so Rory had said.

Aisling hadn’t seen him yet, and had zero desire to anyway, seeing as he was basically an intrusion to the family and friends of Colin and Kara who were here.

Like, who insisted on coming to a hotel which had been privately booked?

Luckily for him, Aisling had been engrossed in her final semester of studies at Cork, so she hadn’t known, otherwise she definitely would have advised against it.

Unluckily for her, Rory and Mam’s hearts were softer than hers, so they’d said that he could stay, murmuring something about a deposit that had been paid and this was the last weekend to use it.

She thought that bad management on his behalf, seeing as he’d had a whole year to redeem it, but no.

He was here on the hotel grounds somewhere, and she hoped she didn’t run into him.

There was no accounting for what she might do or say.

Especially as “passionate” was how her siblings always described her.

“Colin and Kara have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of a ring. Therefore in the name of God I now pronounce that they are husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Colin smiled at Kara, his look so full of tenderness and joy that Aisling’s insides clenched.

Oh, Kara was blessed to have Colin love her.

And seeing Kara’s family was so incredibly small now, save for a second cousin—a Sir William Fitzbrowne, no less—and some equally distant cousins overseas who couldn’t afford to attend the wedding, Aisling and her sisters had determined to be the siblings Kara had never had.

Colin kissed Kara, bending her backwards in a kiss that sparked laughter and applause—and Aisling’s wolf-whistle.

“Stop making it all about you,” Fiona hissed from behind her.

“I’m not,” she murmured, joining the applause as Colin held Kara’s hand up high and they walked down the aisle.

Rory followed, clutching Aidan’s arm, then it was Aisling’s turn to grasp the arm of her groomsman.

Declan O’Curran had originally been slated to partner Fiona, but Fiona had thrown such a hissy fit that he’d been swapped for Aisling’s original partner, one of Colin’s married university friends, whose every conversation was about the triumphs and trials of his new baby daughter.

And as Declan was married, well, divorced now, and Aisling had known him forever so he was as much of a big brother as anything else, he produced exactly zero tingles also.

They posed for photos, then the rounds of kisses and hugs began.

Canapes and glasses of champagne were passed around as the wedding guests mingled, while the wedding party took yet more photos.

Soon they would move inside to the hotel restaurant, where the hotel chef had promised to outdo himself today, but right now she was hungry.

While the photographer took some more of Colin and Kara, Aisling snatched a mini toast topped with cream cheese and caviar, and stuffed it in her mouth.

Maybe it was the speed of eating, but crumbs fell onto her décolletage, and sifted inside her dress.

Not the look she was going for. She tried fishing them out, but there was no easy way to remove crumbs from inside her bodice.

Especially not with her mother and aunt’s horrified expressions as they looked on.

“It’s just some crumbs,” she assured.

“Oh my goodness, Ash,” Fiona muttered. “Why can’t you just behave for once?”

“I didn’t mean to spill anything.”

“Need my hankie?” Declan said.

“No, but thanks for offering.” It was kind but no way would she take his handkerchief. Who knew where it had been?

“I know you have all been standing here for a while, but let’s just have one last one picture,” their photographer called.

Aisling smiled, her cheeks getting sore, then finally relaxed, her smile coming off as she rubbed her aching face. “I didn’t know we were supposed to exercise our cheek muscles before doing this today,” she complained to Rory.

“You didn’t get that memo?” Rory teased.

“Same as Fiona didn’t get the memo to be nice,” she grumbled.

“Hey, how is my beautiful girlfriend doing? Do you need a drink?” Aidan wrapped an arm around Rory, which saw her instantly turn to give him a big smooch.

And while Aisling’s heart kicked at the affection there, part of her also wished she had someone who saw her and anticipated her needs in a similar way.

She shifted over to the patio, snatched another canape, this time concentrating a little more as she swallowed. But still some crumbs managed to escape. “Oh my gosh.”

She dusted herself off, but again some persistent crumbs had burrowed into her sweetheart neckline, and she forced herself not to wriggle as it itched inside.

Oh, who cared? She turned her back to the crowd and faced the building, then wriggled and dug out the offending specks. Then glanced behind to make sure nobody had noticed. Good. They hadn’t.

Then she looked up at the hotel where the guest room windows overlooked the lawn. And noticed behind the one where she’d been wriggling in front of stood a man, whose shocked expression as he realised he was busted must surely rival hers.

And while normally she’d make a face and storm inside to demand how dare he act like a peeping Tom, right now she couldn’t, for the strangest of sensations rolled over her, like a jolt of recognition, even though she’d never met that man before.

And as awareness continued to tingle and shimmer, she wondered: was this the Fairall legacy at work again?

* * *

Andrew Scott chuckled and drew back from the curtains.

Grady Wayne, his best friend, looked up quickly. “Whoa. Did I just hear laughter for the first time in a year? What did I miss?”

“Just this woman outside. She’s trying to clear some crumbs and didn’t realise I was standing there.”

“Crumb clearing, huh?”

Andy shrugged. No way would he admit exactly where she’d been clearing the crumbs from. “It was funny.”

Grady moved to the window, looked out. “Which one?”

“The curvy redhead in the green dress.”

“Uh, I’m counting at least three redheads in green dresses. There are three that look the same, like they might be bridesmaids.”

Andy moved closer. He hoped she wasn’t still staring up at him, in that unsettling moment like before.

He peered out, saw she’d gone. Which was probably just as well.

He’d probably looked a little creepy, staring out as a woman adjusted herself.

Not that he’d been looking at her specifically.

He’d been looking at the view, wondering if it was safe to exit and go on one of the walks the Castle Griffin Hotel advertised.

He had no desire to insert himself into the wedding.

He’d assured the hotel managers of that when he’d pleaded to not lose the deposit he’d put down for the wedding that should’ve taken place at this very site a year ago.

Which was why he was here, just over a year after Greta’s betrayal, only to be facing an event that reminded him in every way just what he had missed.

“She’s gone.”

“Hmm. Well, I have to say it’s good to see that you are noticing women again.”

Andy shook his head. “You don’t need to get carried away.”

“I’m not. I’m just pleased for you. I know life has been challenging this past year or so.”

He pressed his lips together.

“And I’m happy to be your wingman if you are wanting to get back into the land of the living again.”

Have Grady, playboy of the year, be his wingman? The man might’ve been supposed to be his best man, but he wasn’t that desperate to live again. “Thanks, but I’ll be right.”

“You sure? I’m happy to find her and see if I can set something up.”

“Thanks, but I’m not interested.”

“Okay, just so we’re really clear, do you mean you’re not interested in me helping you out now, or are you not interested in this woman? Because if it’s the latter, then I take no responsibility for my actions should I come across a hot redhead who needs a date. Just saying.”

“Go for it.”

Grady’s eyes gleamed. “I may just do that.”

Hmm. Now he felt bad. It was one thing to dismiss his friend’s interest in “helping” him, it was quite another to unleash his friend on an unsuspecting woman.

Not that Grady would ever do anything bad.

But he had a certain charm that made women feel like Grady actually meant all the things that he said, which had led to a trail of broken hearts over the years.

But just as some men seemed to have a propensity for getting their hearts broken, so others seemed to do the opposite.

The fact that he and Grady had remained friends all these years was proof enough that God was real.

He turned away, but not before sneaking another look outside, catching a glimpse of the happy couple, kissing again.

Regrets chased him as he turned away. What was Greta doing now?

Probably kissing her new husband, the new improved version she’d chosen after deciding the one she’d promised herself to for years wasn’t worth it after all.

His heart wrestled with the ever-present temptation to wade back into the brokenness and the anger, or even the questions about what was wrong with him that she’d reject him so brutally.

But no. He sucked in a deep breath, exhaled slowly.

He’d spent too many hours with his therapist to wallow, and been reminded the only way to move forward was to let go of the past so he could embrace the future.

Wherever that was. Whoever that involved. No good would come of living in the past anymore.

He peeked outside one more time. It looked safe enough to venture downstairs now. And they’d been holed up here long enough. He glanced at Grady. “You ready to hit the walking trails now?”

“Are we walking the trails or running them?”

Andy tugged on his sneakers. “Running. Well, I am. You’re probably only going to jog them if history tells me anything.”

“Well, look who’s getting feisty at long last.”

Feisty? Please. He’d never been accused of that in his life. Maybe if he’d had more spirit then Greta—no. That was exactly where he wasn’t going to go again, remember?

He snagged his baseball cap and hurried down the stairs, determined to beat Grady—and the wedding guests.

He wasn’t exactly dressed for mingling with the suits and gowns of the happy couple’s family and friends, and didn’t want to cause a scene.

Especially not when he’d promised that he’d stay out of people’s way.

He reached the foyer, the thump, thump, thump of Grady hot on his heels behind him propelling him across the parquetry floor and out the main entrance.

He rushed around the corner, then caught a glimpse of a woman wearing emerald green with startled eyes and red hair, before he slammed into her and knocked her to the ground.