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"I should speak to Lachlan and Aidan," I say. "Maybe their wives can help us keep this bloody wedding under control."
Emery kisses my cheek. "You do that."
As I leave to go seek my brothers' advice, I glance back at Emery. She's standing under the arbor, alone, looking a touch melancholy. Does she want an outrageous wedding? Or is she uncomfortable being alone amid a gathering of MacTaggarts? She can't want me to stay with her, to keep her company.
When I find my brothers, they commiserate with me about the wedding rubbish. But they also find ways to lighten my mood, as only Lachlan and Aidan know how to do. Soon, I'm laughing at a stupid joke Aidan told me.
Something makes me look around for my wife. She's still hiding under the arbor. Alone. Her shoulders hunched. My smile fades into a slight frown as Emery's gaze meets mine. I shouldn't have left her, should I? She doesn't know my family.
But Lachlan says something, drawing my attention away from my wife.
She'll find someone to talk to. Emery is outgoing and sweet, and unlike me, she attracts people to her instead of chasing them away.
After a few more minutes, Aidan leaves to…do whatever he does. Lachlan keeps talking, so I don't see where Aidan goes, but I know he loves to blether almost as much as the women do. Lachlan eventually excuses himself to go find his wife, since he can't seem to stay away from Erica for more than ten minutes at a time.
I search the garden for Emery—and see her talking to Aidan. He glances around with his infamous impish look on his face, the one that always means he's about to say something sarcastic and inappropriate.
Emery smiles and smacks his chest with the back of her hand. Then she says something to him.
And I march over there to find out what the bloody hell my brother is doing with my wife. I know he's being friendly, not trying it on with Emery, but I still experience an overpowering need to pry my brother away from my wife.
"We all agree," Aidan says as I draw nearer to the pair of them. "Rory's gone doolally for ye."
He's the one who's off his head, if he believes that.
I arrive just as Emery hugs Aidan and says, "You guys have all been so sweet. I feel like part of the family."
"Ye are family," Aidan assures her right before he wraps his arms around my wife. "You're our sister."
"Aidan, unhand my wife, if you please." My hard tone, the one I use often in the courtroom, has no effect on my brother.
But Emery pulls away from him.
Aidan bunches his shoulders, hands spread wide. "What? She hugged me, Rory. Would've been rude to shove her away."
I cross the distance to Emery, slinging an arm around her waist to haul her into me. "Maybe I should wrap myself around your wife, Aidan."
He grins at Emery. "Doolally, see?"
That's complete rubbish, but I see no point in telling him that.
Aidan claps me on the shoulder and ambles off in the direction of Lachlan.
I rub my forehead. "Must you fling yourself at everyone you meet?"
"I was expressing gratitude. Aidan said I'm part of the family, which was very sweet of him."
"The pair of you were having an intimate discussion, by the look of it."
She tries to wriggle in my embrace, apparently wanting to turn toward me. "Aidan wanted to know why women like you."
"I see. What did you—"
My gaze swerves past her shoulder as someone enters the garden. All the blood in my veins hardens into ice. I stop blinking. Stop breathing. My entire body goes stone-still.
That fucking ersehole.
I push past Emery and stalk toward the intruder, halting a few feet from the opening in the garden wall.
