She screamed and laughed as he grabbed her hips, careful of the baby, and held her up in the air, grinning.
“Even if our romantic proposal happens to leak to the family— you said yes, babe. No reneging. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world.”
“Ditto, Mr. O’Faolain. You did damn good on this ring. It definitely weighed in your favor.” She grinned at him as she held her hand at a million different angles.
“Would you like that shower now?”
“Yes, I would, but first, show me how to care for my sourdough starter.” They slid off the bed, and Raven hugged her fiancé tight, pressing a kiss to his sternum, then over his heart. “I’m excited to be a family with you, Bran Knightley O’Faolain.”
Dad was waitingfor Bran at the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast. He took his seat, telling the waitress that the water already on the table was all he would need to drink.
Bran picked up the menu to look at the omelets.
“I already ordered your food.”
“Why? I’m not sure what I want this morning, and I’m hungry.”
“You were late, and I was hungry too.”
Bran made a show of looking at his phone. “I sat down— at this table— three minutes past when I said I would be here.”
“I ordered two minutes ago.”
Clenching his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut helped Bran not react to his father’s taciturn behavior. Over the years, he’d wondered how he hadn’t gotten TMJ.
“I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. How was dinner out with everyone last night?” Upon sitting, his dad’s expression had been ‘a chance of thunderstorms,’ but now, it was in the red, all ‘tornado warning, take cover.’ When would he learn not to ask unnecessary questions?
“I left early.”
“Why?” Idiot, Bran.
“I hadn’t worked out since we got here.”
“So, you missed... one... workout?” Bran dragged the question out, just like his irritating brother— slightly uncomfortable to realize he could act like Pat.
The waitress was back with... the entire menu. Okay, so he wouldn’t be whining about not ‘feeling’ his dad’s choice. He took a few minutes to blissfully eat the table buffet before asking, “Did River or Rowan mention what we talked about last night?”
“River didn’t.”
Do not clench. “Did Rowan?”
“She didn’t go.”
Ahh. “Oh, I see now.” Dad’s head whipped up, and he stared at Bran. When he didn’t say anything else and continued to eat, some of the tension in his father’s shoulders eased. Hmm. Interesting, that.
“Did Raven say yes?”
Thank God Bran had just swallowed his bite, or he would have choked on a sausage. “How did you know I asked?”
“Because I know you better than you know yourself and because you are way too calm and satisfied for sex to be the only reason.”
“She said yes, but you’re wrong about the sex. I’d be just as satisfied without a ring on her finger— probably more nervous, though,” he admitted. He would be satisfied just to be back in Raven’s arms, but he freely admitted to himself that having aring on her finger, especially now that she was pregnant, put him in a much more peaceful state.
Bran’s whole body tingled at the best secret his father hadn’t taken a guess at yet.
“We’re having a boy.” Bran felt an immediate rush of heat in his eyes. Damn, it must take a while for the feelings that overwhelmed him to ease when he spoke of his child... thought of his child— his son.
His dad sat his fork down, giving Bran his complete attention. “A little boy. I’m pleased for you both, son. I hope your boy is as sweet as Raven.”
