Bébhinn felt her face heat, but she was too pleased with her life right now to be embarrassed. “Jesus,” she heard Mags mutter and followed her friend’s line of sight to see that Daniel, Jonathan, and Ciar were approaching the bar where she and her friends were seated. Bébhinn was about to wave to them when her phone rang.
“Dagr’s calling me. I’m going to step away for a sec. Be nice to the boys, will you?” Eye-rolls were all she got. “Oh, hey, guys. Be back in a sec,” Bébhinn told the guys as she walked by them.
Rounding the corner near the restrooms where the music was muted, she answered. “Hey, how are things in Carmarthenshire?”
“Productive. Dad will get his land. I only called because,” Dagr hesitated, “I miss you.”
She leaned against the wall between the male and female restrooms, her legs suddenly feeling less than stable. His admission made her feel faint with happiness.
“I’m out with the girls, but God, Dagr, I miss you too.”
“Good, because I’m closer to a solution to our problem of long-distance dating.”
She could hear the grin in his voice. “Tell me!” she demanded.
“No can do. I’ll be back in Dublin in two days. We have a lot to discuss, which reminds me, I asked Dad about his birth mother. He said Grandma had a small box of items somewhere with a bit of information. Dad never looked. He never wanted to, but to prove he isn’t a long-lost brother, he’ll try to find it. The birth mother made it clear that she never wanted to be contacted, but it wasn’t a closed adoption for all that.”
“I can’t wait. Should I plan another family get-together for the big reveal?”
“Actually, yes. I have some business to discuss with your brothers. It’s not confidential, so everyone can hear. If Dad digsup Gram’s information on the mother, I’ll bring that too. Dad said he had amazing parents and isn’t interested in looking into his past.”
“I understand that. I hope he isn’t offended that we asked. We don’t need to see anything. Honestly, Dagr, we don’t.”
“Oh no, he found it all amusing, especially that your friends think I look like your brothers. He simply isn’t interested. Listen, you’d better get back to your friends. Text me when you get home.”
“I will. Love you.” Before he hung up, he said an “I love you” that was heartfelt and final and had her confidence in their relationship soaring.
Bébhinn made her way back to the bar and found her friends and family discussing the Colorado trip. She aimed her words at her eldest nephew, Daniel. “Thank you for rearranging your schedule to go.” She looked toward Jonathan and Ciar next. “I appreciate you two also making the effort.”
Daniel only nodded, but Patrick said, “He seems fine, B, but Christ, he’s old as balls.”
To which she replied, “Mom seemed to like your grandpa’s balls just fine, dickhead.” Ciar sprayed whiskey over Mags and Blair, earning him glares.
“Christ, Bébhinn, you’re more like Aunt River every day. Stop,” Daniel complained.
“Honestly,” Ciar started, “none of us has ever been to Colorado. I’m stoked. Plus, it will give me and Gray a chance to discuss the new Murphy’s nightclub.”
Bébhinn was as excited for his new club as Gray was. She would be working on the hospitality side, while Bébhinn would be working on the interior design side. It would be her biggest solo job yet for Triskelion Design.
“I appreciate that Dagr’s trying to make an effort to know us, Bébhinn, but Jesus, don’t you think you two could have gottento know each other a little better before fuc—” Jonathan cut himself off, going with “—sleeping with each other?”
“It does seem like you jumped right into it,” Daniel chimed in.
“Trust me, guys, from the noises coming out of Bébhinn’s bedroom, there was no sleeping going on.”
Mags elbowed Ciar at the same moment Bébhinn told him to “Shut up, dickhead. I didn’t know you were inmyhouse.”
Blair had been quiet up until now. She usually was when the guys were around, even though the group was close. So it was a surprise when she signed, “At least one of us is getting some action.” That coming from Blair was shocking enough, but then she doubled down with, “But everyone knows, I’m very good with my hands.”
She, Mags, and Gray all burst out laughing, high-fiving the little redheaded imp. They laughed harder when they saw that Daniel, Jonathan, and even tough-as-nails Ciar were all staring in horror at Blair with their jaws on the floor and a bit of pink in their cheeks.
“I approve of three-drink Blair over two-drink Blair,” Mags chortled.
They had all had a few more drinks than their regular casual evenings out, but it kind of became a celebration for her and Dagr, making it official. She couldn’t wait to see him again. She really couldn’t wait to hear what his plan was to keep them from living apart.
Speaking to Daniel and Jonathan, Bébhinn said, “Dagr’s coming back to town in a couple of days. He said he needs to go over some business stuff with your dads, and if his dad, Ulf, can find the information on his birth mother, he’ll bring that too.”
“Jesus, don’t get Mom started again,” Jonathan complained. River did enjoy teasing the guys.
