“You’re right, and I’ll do what you ask though it will kill me. Two months seems like a lifetime.”
It was a good thing Bran was in another country because Raven knew if he were in front of her, she would go to him, wrap her arms around his waist, and never let go. Her family was right. Had been right from the beginning. Time apart was necessary. Separation allows healing and personal growth.
She needed to be standing strong and in charge of her life once more before she let him in. She needed to know that if he didn’t prove himself to be the man she needed, she could make it on her own. This child would always have two parents. They just might not ever be together again.
Oh, but she hoped— desperately— that one day, they could be a family.
“I’ve taken enough of your time Béb— Mrs. Byrne, but I need to ask, otherwise Dad and Patrick will throw me down a flight of stairs, if Rowan and River might consent to giving their numbers to them. They won’t ask questions pertaining to Raven.”
Everybody looked at each other with raised brows. What was this about?
“Why do they want their numbers?”
“Patrick has been sulking for weeks about River leaving and not saying goodbye. He’d like an explanation. His words, not mine.”
She felt River shiver next to her. She had believed there were feelings between those two, but when Raven had tried to talk to her about it, her sister always blew it off and changed the subject.
“And who needs Rowan’s?”
“I won’t pretend to understand my father. He’s been bent out of shape about something Rowan designed for my grandfather’s memorial in the pub.”
“What the hell? No way,” Rowan whisper-shrieked. “The space was perfectly designed!”
Nan gave her a sharp look to be quiet. “What problem?”
Bran was hesitating now. They all leaned toward Nan’s phone. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
“The font she chose for a plaque.”
“Ahh. A font problem, is it? Okay. I’ll pass the news on. If the girls decide to give out their numbers, they’ll let Miss O’Connor know.”
“I know you have the information from Jo, but she isn’t taking the possible threat this stalker is seriously enough. They have knowledge of our routines, where we live, and who we see. This has been going on for a while. I can’t stress enough that Raven needs to think about security. I will provide professional guards for all three sisters wherever they are now and wherever they may be moving to. It isn’t just me asking. My family wants them all protected, as well.”
“I promise to pass on all of these things to the girls. You have my word, but they will do as they want.”
“Okay. Right.” Bran took a deep breath. “It was really, really good to talk to you. I wanted,needed, some connection to Raven. Two months. Two more months,” he whispered. Louder, he finished. Telling Nan, “I’d wait the rest of my life for her, so I can manage two months. As long as I have hope she’ll contact me at the end of them.”
“She will.”
“Tell her I love her with everything I am. Tell her I don’t deserve even a moment of her time, but I’m begging she’ll give it to me.”
Raven needed the time, she did, but two months would seem an eternity to her as well. She and Bran were of one mind in that she would wait a lifetime for him too.
25
Two weeks earlier.
Sam had changed things up this morning. Instead of his plain, toasted bagel with butter, he’d added blueberry bagels to his last food order. He sat his breakfast next to his steaming cup of hazelnut coffee and adjusted the napkin in his lap.
Chuckling at his routine, Sam knew exactly what he was doing as he powered up his laptop. Allowing anticipation to build. He could feel his skin start to tingle. Checking his surveillance photos made him slightly giddy. It had been weeks of nothing. Something... his intuition hinted... knew change was coming.
Before he pulled up the first of his camera images, he clicked his 50s and 60s oldies playlist. His dad had loved listening to this playlist. Bobby Day’s Rockin’ Robin started playing. What a happy song for snooping, he chuckled.
He’d save the women’s locker room gym pics for last in case he decided to exercise something besides his brain this morning.
He took his first bite of toasted blueberry. As the berry flavor burst on his tongue— paired with warm butter— damn, he’d have to switch his routine more often. He began to flip through the hotel stills, nothing, but he knew this would be the case. The O’Faolains didn’t spend a lot of time in town these days. Bran was still crying over the breakup. Perfect.
James did nothing but work, whether alone, with his sister, or flying all over to meet his parents. He remained alone, though, so Sam wasn’t concerned he was missing a new relationship. It would happen. Just not yet.
