“I’ve seen you rubbing your feet and ankles, lower back and neck for hours, Rave.” Rowan added with raised brows and a ‘Deny it’ attitude.
“Oh my God, Raven. Jesus, I’m selfish! Damn it, I didn’t think... shit!” River heard the click of the door unlocking, assumed it was a guard checking on the racket, and never turned from her sisters, who were now all three in a face-off.
“Don’t you dare apologize to me, River Aster Byrne! How dare you act like you put me out for supporting you while you cried,” she sniffled. “Now look what you’ve done,” she wailed. “I’m crying, and you won’t even let me go to the bar with you. You two leave me out of EVERYTHING!”
Oh, Jesus, shit was getting deep. “I didn’t tell you to go home, you asshole! That was Rowan! Rowan is the bitch, not me!”
“I didn’t tattle on Raven to make you feel bad, River, but now I wish I had! I can’t believe you guys, and Rave, you literally almost toppled over just standing up for the love of God!”
Raven’s eyes bulged at Rowen’s truth bomb. “I wish I would have let you go on that date our freshman year with that absolute douche canoe football meathead— WHO HAD VENERIAL WARTS!”
Silence of the Byrnes. And then she and her sisters burst out laughing, literally bent in half, tears of absolute delight and release. Jesus, they all needed to yell at each other. River grabbed her wet rag to dab at their faces, still laughing when she noticed their guests.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus,” River whispered. Rowan and Raven whipped around, finally seeing them too. Bran and Hugh.
Raven laughed awkwardly before addressing her husband. “Oh, Bran, what a nice surprise,” she smiled and batted her still wet lashes. “Are you and Hugh taking us to Murphy’s?We’remeeting Josh Ryan, the blacksmith?” Raven glared at Rowan over her shoulder, daring her to contradict.
Hugh and Bran looked like they’d just witnessed an apocalypse.
Bran recovered first. “I thought we might just go home, babe.”
Wrong, wrong, wrong answer, Bran.
“You thought wrong. I’m going out with my sisters. I’ll meet you at home if you’re too tired.” Raven tried to put her hands on her hips, but well, there really wasn’t room.
“My mistake, Rave. Dad and I would love to take you ladies out,” Bran sent a desperate, ‘bail me out’ look to Hugh.
“That’s why we’re here.” He could have left it at that, but when he looked at Rowan’s red face, he added, “An evening out with absolute assholes and bitches sounds like a perfect night.” His eyes twinkled, and an almost nonexistent smile graced his lips. Rowan smiled back.
Damn, River wished Patrick was there. Five weeks.
* * *
Cormac and Ciaran Murphy,brothers and the owners of Murphy’s Pub, hailed Raven, River, and Rowan when they walked in. Josh waved to them from a table by the windows; appetizers already lined up. The Murphys were friends with Josh, so they knew they were meeting up. As the five of them joined Josh, Raven sat close to the loaded chips, moaning as she shoved one in her mouth.
“Bran, oh my God, your son has wanted loaded chips all day,” she laughed as she licked a bit of sour cream from her lips.
Bran laughed, giving her a smacking kiss. “You know I would have brought my baby mamma fries. You only had to call,” he laughed, dodging her teasing smack.
“Baby mama, my ass. This baby mama has a ring,” she grinned, holding up her middle finger. “Whoops, that wasn’t my ring finger.”
“You’ll pay for that later,” Bran teased.
“I like how you make me pay,” Raven purred.
“Jesus, you two. Please turn off the soft porn channel,” Rowan admonished while River laughed.
Before River and Rowan could take their seats, Cormac and Ciaran Murphy swaggered up to the table. Two handsome, red-headed Irishmen. Cormac grabbed River by the waist, swinging her around before giving her a hug. “You are such a shit, Cormac,” River admonished, blushing at the attention.
“Hey, I’ve missed ye, girl,” he teased. Just as his brother brought a tray of drinks over and set them on their table.
“Ciaran,” Rowan laughed. “It’s good to see you, boyo!”
Ciaran wrapped an arm around Rowan’s waist, squeezing her against his side. His smile was broad and perhaps a bit hopeful. “I brought you a Slane and River a Bushmills.” Laughing, he winked at Raven, “And a Shirley Temple for Mama. Extra cherries, lass.” Looking at Bran, he stuck his hand out, the one not holding tight to Rowan, toward Bran. “You must be Raven’s other. Nice to meet you, and thank you for stopping in. I’m Ciaran, and this is me brother, Cormac.”
“Bran,” he answered as he shook both brother’s hands. “You have a great place here.”
“We know what the lassies drink, and Josh, of course,” he grinned at his friend. “What’ll you two have?” he asked, glancing at Bran and then Hugh.
