“Email what you have. I’ll look over them tomorrow. I’m not sure when I’ll be back in Dublin.
“How’ve you been, Hugh?” Raven asked.
“Fine.” Talk to one, talk to them all, he thought, shaking his head.
“Is Row with you?” River asked.
“No.” River’s voice sounded smug. Hugh did not kid himself into thinking Rowan didn’t share what had been happening between them. She probably shared more than Hugh was comfortable with, but he also knew it was a package deal when involved with a Byrne. He’d heard the boys complain more than once that the girls discussed their sex lives with each other. Surely, they didn’t discusseverything.
Hugh felt his cheeks flush. Damn, that would be awkward since Raven and River were his daughters-in-law.
Christ. This family…“How’s Daniel?”
“Oh my, Hugh. You won’t believe how big he’s getting. He’s already down for the night, or I’d let him talk to Grandpa O. I swear he’s almost ready for his first haircut too,” Raven gushed.
She was an amazing wife, but an even more amazing mother. “Grandpa O?” Since the whole family used O equally for O’Faolain and orgasm, he wasn’t sure he could hear Grandpa O come out of his grandson’s mouth without cringing.
“Bran and I are trying it on for size. What do you think?”
If he’d been having this conversation with River, he would understand she was being ornery. However, this was Raven. “I’d prefer Papa or Pop if you wouldn’t mind. It’s what I called my grandfathers.”
“Oh, Hugh, I love it. River, which do you prefer, because our kids will both need to use the same name.”
“Papa. Definitely.”
“That’s settled.” Raven laughed in delight.
“Fine.” He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he was thrilled. He loved seeing his children having children, and he loved that he would get to see them grow up. He would really love hearing them call him Papa.
Bran and Patrick were discussing what the kids would call their uncles when someone knocked on his front door. He swore his muscles swelled. He opened the door to see the most craveable woman alive standing in the hall. Still wearing the yellow dress.
He forgot he was on the phone, letting it drop by his side. As Rowan walked beside him, River decided to ask, “So, what does Rowan call you?” Hugh could have done without the sexual innuendo. He looked toward Rowan who was pouring Glenmorangie 18 into a lowball glass. Her shoulders were shaking, amused at her sister’s antics.
Hugh stood opposite her at the bar. She smiled, her dimples so damn sexy he forgot again about the phone in his hand until she reached over and took it.
“I call him Daddy but only when I’ve been naughty.”
As Rowan ended the call, he heard his sons cussing about their wives being disgusting. “Daddy, huh?” Her laughter made him grin.
“Bran and Patrick are so easy to rile up. Seriously, they’re both prudes at heart,” she admitted, grinning.
They stood another moment just watching the other. “My grandpa name is Papa. The motion was put forward and seconded.”
Rowan smiled sweetly at the news. “It suits you. You’ll be the best Papa ever born.”
Her smile turned pensive before smoothing itself out. This was it then. They were going to talk, and she was going to accept him or not.
“You made it clear to me, on more than one occasion, that we weren’t ever going to date. So, when I started seeing William, I was free to do so. Why did you react the way you did when he called? I had made up my mind to end things. You didn’t trust me.”
This wasa conversation that Hugh had clearly been dreading, but trust was everything in a relationship, and he hadn’t trusted her to be honorable.
Hugh placed his hands flat on the bar and took a deep breath. She knew he hated getting this open with his feelings and she wanted desperately to lay her hands on top of his and tell him he didn’t need to talk about it. However, that wouldn’t serve either of them well.
“I’ve never been jealous. Ever. I have mutually satisfying hookups. Jesus,” he groaned, “I sound like Patrick. Anyway, my point is that I never think of a woman beyond that moment. I haven’t touched another woman since the day we met because I considered you mine. When a man would talk or touch you…a woman that I had claimed in my mind…Jesus, this is embarrassing.”
“It isn’t embarrassing at all. Listen, Hugh. If another woman touched you…if you allowed a woman to touch you when I couldn’t, I would have wanted to destroy her. I get where you’re coming from. I’ve loved you for so long and wanted you longer, but you refused to commit. I wasalwayscommitted. You knew I’d be yours if you had wanted it.
“You know why I agreed to date Will. I’ve explained my reasons already, but when you got to Oklahoma this time and admitted that you loved me—I knew there would never be room in my life for another. Why didn’t you trust me with William?”
