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“What? No. We’re just friends,” I insist as I follow her and Nessa out to another expensive-looking vehicle. It’s a sleek silver sports car that shines. I’m almost afraid to touch it.
“Friends who happen to be getting married,” Caitlín points out.
I somehow keep forgetting that. “Fine, I’ll admit there’s a certain amount of attraction on both sides. At least I’m pretty sure it’s on both sides.”
“Oh, it’s definitely on both sides. When Aidan stepped out of the library, Nessa and I no longer existed,” Caitlín says while Nessa nods in agreement.
My cheeks heat. His cousin gets behind the wheel and Nessa takes the backseat.
“Your first ride in this thing should definitely be up front,” she says.
Once I’m in, Caitlín takes off. She glances over at me. “I won’t even tell you what I had to negotiate to get the car today. Sometimes I think Roarke loves her more than he loves me.”
“You know that’s not true.” Nessa laughs.
“Fine, maybe it isn’t. I still had some hard negotiations to make to be able to drive her.”
Nessa leans forward and touches my arm. “Don’t ask her what she negotiated. It’ll be something sexual. Caitlín likes to see how much she can shock people.”
Aidan’s cousin jerks her head sideways and glares before returning her attention to the road. “Thanks for calling me out.”
“You’re welcome.”
Caitlín glances over at me. “Since Nessa ruined all my fun, tell us about yourself.”
It’s clear the two of them have a close friendship, which is nice, but also intimidating. “There isn’t a lot to tell, I’m afraid. My life is pretty boring.”
“How did you meet Aidan? He said you’ve been friends since you were at university,” Nessa says.
Old memories surface, and I shudder. I hate talking about the past, but I’m not sure how to avoid answering without being rude. “My ex-boyfriend was pissed and having trouble understanding what the word no meant. Aidan happened to be nearby and reminded him.”
A heavy silence falls until Caitlín curses. “Men are such pieces of shit sometimes. I’m sorry that happened to you, but I’m glad my cousin was there to protect you.”
It’s as though he’s been protecting me ever since. “I am too. He made sure I got home safely and checked on me for a couple days after. That was right around the time my mum died as well. Aidan was there when I got the news. We’ve been friends ever since. He’s always been there for me.”
“I know our family has a dangerous reputation—one that’s well-deserved—but what people don’t know about us is how much we love one another.” Caitlín glances in the rearview mirror at Nessa. “There are times we fight, of course, but we are all close with each other. There isn’t much we wouldn’t do for one of us, even if we were pissed at the person. Except Liam. He can fuck off.”
Nessa leans forward again. “In case you haven’t figured it out, someone holds a grudge forever.”
“Yep,” Caitlín ends the word on a pop.
I make a mental note not to get on her bad side. We reach the city and make our way down unfamiliar roads. “I’ve only been to Dublin a few times in my life. It feels bigger with each visit.”
“It’s not so bad once you learn your way around. Us girls try to get together once a week for drinks, although Lucia can’t always come. Not sure if Aidan’s mentioned her or not, but that’s my sister-in-law,” Caitlín says. “Enzo is in a lot of activities so her calendar is full some times.”
“He’s the oldest, right? Aidan said he was around Aisling’s age.”
“Seven going on thirty?” Caitlín jokes.
I laugh. “Something like that.”
“The kid’s an artistic genius. You should see some of his drawings. He has more talent in a single finger than I do in my entire body.”
Caitlín has my attention. “Really? I’d love to see some of his work. I’m an artist and Aisling is a budding one herself.”
“You should definitely reach out to her and introduce Enzo and your sister,” Nessa suggests. “Especially if they’re the same age. They might even be in the same class together. It might make things easier for her if she already had a friend.”
“That’s actually a great idea. I’ll do that, thank you.”
