For a moment, the two of them could only stare at the other. I couldn’t imagine what was going through their minds. After a moment passed, Drea stepped forward to wrap her arms around Maeve.
Rafe and I exchanged wary looks. With all the drama and baggage, was it really going to be this easy for the two of them to get along? Although I adored Maeve, what if she and Drea didn’t hit it off?
With a hesitant smile, Drea said, “I just want to say thank you for loving Rafe. I never would’ve had true happiness if you hadn’t.”
Maeve gasped. “I never imagined you, of all people, would say that to me. There are so many less-than-kind words you could say–words I truly deserved. He was your fiancé–”
“By my father’s contract. He was never my fiancé. I never wanted him, least of all loved him.” At her declaration, she widened her eyes. “I’m sorry, Rafe.”
He chuckled. “I seem to recall the day we met you told me flat out you would never love me. I didn’t mind it then, nor do I today.”
After drawing in a deep breath, I said, “I don’t know if Rafe told you what I admitted on the trip here.”
Maeve nodded. “Yes, he did. It made me relieved and very happy.”
As the waiter brought our appetizers, Drea turned to Maeve with a sorrowful expression. “I just wanted to say how sorry I am for my father’s actions to you. Especially about Murphy.”
When Maeve's eyes watered with tears, Rafe grabbed her hand while Drea said, “I hated to bring it up, but I just wanted you to know I had nothing to do with it.”
Maeve nodded. “Even without meeting you, I knew it was all your father’s work.” Her red lips curled in disgust. “Trust me that I know all too well about being the victim of a heartless and cruel father.”
With a rueful smile, Drea said, “It seems to be a running theme between all of us.”
“You can say that again,” Rafe grunted around the mouth of his wineglass.
“Thankfully, Rafe and Leo have already broken that generational curse,” Maeve said.
“Yes, they have. I have to say I admired the kindness and progressiveness in Rafe the first time I ever met him. Here was a man who was going to let me finish school and have a career–two things that are mostly unheard of in our circles.”
With a girlish giggle, Maeve said, “And here I admired the fact he was willing to fear the wrath of my brothers by granting my request for a kiss.”
As we laughed, Rafe shook his head. “I made you dance for me first, remember?”
Maeve held up her hands. “An Irish jig, nothing salacious.”
At the mention of dancing, Drea smiled knowingly at me. “Even though I was impressed with Rafe, it was Leo who shifted my entire world on my axis when he stood up to my father for the way he was treating me.”
“I didn’t do anything but run my mouth,” I countered with a laugh.
Drea shook her head. “No man in my world had ever stood up for me like that. You were ready and willing to take Father down, and you’d just met me.”
I gave her a soft smile. “I’m still ready and willing to take him down.”
Rafe cleared his throat. “Let’s not forget the complexities of doing that.”
“After he almost killed you–”
‘It was just a graze.”
“Seriously? He would’ve killed you if I hadn’t stepped in,” I countered.
“Regardless of what happened at the wedding and how I feel about it, the repercussions of taking Edoardo out haven’t changed.”
When he gave Drea an apologetic look, she held up her hands. “Please don’t feel bad talking about ending him.” With a look of steely determination, she added, “I’d do it myself if it’s ever a possibility. But I want the opportunity to torture him first.”
While some men might’ve been horrified by their bride’s cold-heartedness, I admired Drea’s courage. She didn’t want to rely on anyone else to do her dirty work.
“Not that I don’t appreciate Callum, but my greatest regret is not being able to pull the trigger for my father,” Maeve said in a quiet voice.
