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But where Saoirse was honey, Elena was ice.
Saoirse wore leather and denim. Elena’s clothing looked designer.
Saoirse was down to earth, but Elena was…not.
Saoirse’s brother Lachlan “Lock” Kelly, on the other hand, bore no obvious resemblance to his sister. Until we were shaking hands and he looked me square in the eye. The same chocolate brown stared back at me. The three-year-old girl he held in his tree-trunk arm had them too.
“Good drive?” Lock asked.
“Great drive. We came on the bike. Saoirse was a fan.”
He grunted. “She’s always been an adrenaline junkie. There was a time she would have run away with a circus if she could have found one.”
“Still would.” Saoirse plucked the little girl from her brother’s arms, poking her belly. “Hannah Kelly, have you grown all the way up since the last time I saw you?”
“Yeah. I’m bigger than you.” Hannah threw her arms in the air to demonstrate this fact.
“Wow.” Saoirse’s eyes rounded. “Soon, you’re going to be bigger than Daddy.”
“I’mgonna be bigger than Daddy.”
A miniature Lock sidled over, wearing Wranglers and a flannel. I knew from Saoirse this kid was five years old, but he had a valid point. He wasn’t as big as Lock, but he was well on his way to being massive. He probably dwarfed the average ten-year-old.
Elena ruffled her son’s dirty-blond hair. “Oh, joy. You already eat me out of house and home. How will I manage if you get as big as Daddy?”
The kid shrugged then eyed me up and down. “Are you big?”
I chuckled. “Uh, not as big as your dad.”
He crossed his arms and jutted out his chin. “I know.”
Elena sighed. “Caleb is somewhat distraught that his favorite aunt got married without running it by him first.”
Lock grunted again. “Runs in the family.”
Never taking his eyes off me, Caleb walked right over to Saoirse and threw his arms around her middle. “My Aunt Sershie.”
Saoirse hugged him back, laughing. “Don’t worry, Cay. No one’s taking me away from you.”
“He can’t. He’s not big,” Caleb declared.
I held up my hands. “I know when I’m defeated.”
Elena pointed to the back of the house. “Since you’re giving up your wife, come help me with lunch. We’ll chat.”
It was then I understood that although Lock was the one who could pummel me into tomorrow, Elena was who I needed to impress. I got the sense she didn’t stand for bullshit.
I was put to work taking down plates and getting out silverware while Elena made sandwiches and talked.
“Let me give you the down-low on the Kelly fam. Connell is the salt of the earth. If you treat Saoirse right, he’s your guy. The day I met him back in college, he basically tucked me in his pocket and told Lachlan he’d be stupid if he lost me.” She waved a peanut butter-covered knife in my direction. “Lachlan isn’t as easy to please. Saoirse went through some heavy shit when her parents divorced. She got stuck in the middle of their bomb throwing, so naturally, my husband is more protective of her than he might have otherwise been.”
“I’m not going to hurt her.” That was a promise I felt comfortable making. I’d be good to Saoirse while we were in this arrangement, and when it was over, I’d ensure she was well taken care of.
“Good.” Elena turned her back on the sandwiches to face me, crossing her arms over her chest. “Lily’s a tough nut. She has certain ideas of what her children’s lives should look like. Lachlan was always going to work the ranch, so she goes easy on him—on us. But Saoirse’s lifestyle is a sticking point for her. Lily will either view your marriage as another impetuous, poorly thought-out decision,orshe’ll see it as a sign of stability. That’s down to you.”
I chuckled. I was bewildered by this blunt woman. “Down to me?”
“Yes. Are you going to be a lighthouse for my sister-in-law or an anchor?”
