“Mmhmm, now that I will agree to. Speaking of which, I thought I heard your voice in the hallway last night.”
Suspiciously, the tops of Bran’s ears and cheeks pinkened. “You did. I stepped out to use the restroom and met Bébhinn in the hall. That’s all.”
“Really? You seem flustered. Could it be you were caught trying to sneak into my room?” Raven couldn’t help laughing at his blank expression.
“No. Just the restroom.”
Changing the subject, he suggested they make some of their stops in Boyle for the pub but wait to eat lunch until they were back in Dublin.
“We’ll need to be at the airport no later than three this afternoon. The jet is scheduled to taxi out at four. I have us leaving a few hours earlier than I’d originally planned, Miss Byrne.” Bran wrapped his fingers around her hand, bringing her palm to his mouth for a soft kiss. “Perhaps you’ll recall agreeing to spend the night with me while we hid in your closet this morning. I wanted all the hours I could get alone with you at the compound before your sisters steal you away for a tell-all reunion.”
Raven blushed, remembering the desperate kiss. Patrick had slipped into her room while she was changing and pulled her into the darkened closet. She would have agreed to anything once his lips touched hers. Playing it cool, she smiled, saying, “Oh, I won’t deny they’ll want details, but umm... did you, by chance, tell your brother we’d be staying at the compound?”
Bran looked over, trying to gauge why she’d asked. “I did. Why?”
“He invited my sisters to meet us there. They said that Patrick told them we were getting in earlier than expected. So, we’d have time for drinks and a few stories before bed.”
Bran cursed his sibling.
“That dickhead. I can’t wait until he’s got someone in his life that he’s dying to be alone with. He will rue the day.” We both laughed at his attempt at sounding medieval.
“We should be in Tulsa by 7 o’clock. How long is the drive from the airport to your dad’s?”
“Just under an hour, but I hadn’t planned on us staying at the main house. I wanted to show you my home there. I can’t wait for you to see the space. It’s all but a blank canvas, a designer’s dream.”
“God, I’m happy my sisters and I didn’t scare you and your family off the first day we met,” she laughed as they crossed Nan’s bridge. “I can’t wait to see your place.”
“I want you and I to decorate it together. There are plenty of places for the flowers you’ll want, like how your grandma has them.”
“Wild, you mean?” Where moments before Raven thought she could stay in Ireland with Bran forever, now she was giddy with excitement to be home. “I could ask Nan to give me the names of some of her favorites.” Grabbing Bran’s hand, she said “I’d love that.”
“I guess we can stay at Dad’s and then head over to my house in the morning if we can talk your sisters into waiting until after lunch to drag you off to Eufaula.”
Raven contemplated the time difference. “Since we are gaining six hours on the trip home, we can sleep a few hours on the plane, still have enough energy to visit the family for a bit, and politely take our leave to sleep at your house. Sleep in, tour the house in the morning, and then let my sisters take me away. It’ll be Sunday, so I can fill them in on everything we purchased for the pub, and they can catch me up on what’s been done at Wolves while we were gone.”
“I knew there was a reason I loved you. You, Raven, are an excellent planner. Let’s get this day moving.” Grinning atRaven, Bran added, “Remind me to ask Brenda where the ‘Do Not Disturb’ button is located. I think we’ll really need it for the return flight.”
“You do that O’Faolain, and you might not make it to Oklahoma.”
Bran already hadhis phone out to call Raven as he left the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. The Board of Directors usually met in April, but a few members had COVID, so they agreed to put it off. Rescheduling had been a bitch, and it was now well into June.
He was pleased that the other members liked his proposal of a black-tie event for the Fall. Invitations would immediately go out to professors from Oklahoma universities who had devoted their careers to Oklahoma history, historical sites, and preservation. They would be asked to speak at a dinner. The influential guests would be asked to donate to the OHS and the projects and causes dear to the professors so that they could have the funds to continue working. Many of the professors to be asked had either just published books or journal articles. These would be provided to the guests in gift bags with donations from local businesses and artisans.
This was the first event he had taken a more active role in for the OHS Directors. Raven’s parents’ story had inspired him. The last professional engagement they spoke at was in Atoka, about the rich history surrounding the town and its people. Daniel and Lily would have easily made the list of professors chosen for this event.
It saddened him for Raven’s sake that they couldn’t be included, but he hoped she was pleased that her parents had inspired this year’s fundraising.
He would be informed of the exact date for the event, but it should be sometime in mid to late December. The Dominion House in Guthrie, Oklahoma, was the chosen venue. Guthrie was full of history and historical ambiance. The Byrnes would definitely approve.
Raven answered on the second ring.
“Bran.”
She sounded breathless, his favorite octave.
“What are you doing? I miss you desperately.”
“I miss you too, Bran. I’m glad this feeling isn’t reserved solely for me. I love you if I haven’t told you yet today. How was the Oklahoma Historical Society meeting?”
