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“Come on,” Liam says with a roll of his eyes. “You think when you pop up with an almost one-year-old grandson anyone is going to buy that you’ve known about him and didn’t say anything? Come on.”
“Well…” She glances over at Luke.
Luke shakes his head. “No way, Ma.”
She sighs. “All right. I still say small and quiet is better, but if you want to get married at Trinity Church with everyone there, I won’t argue.” She looks at me. “I’m so sorry your own mother is gone and can’t help you. God rest her. But don’t worry. I know exactly where young girls are getting their dresses these days. God knows I’ve had to listen to my friends crow about it.”
I’m completely at a loss. I want to tell her not to get ahead of herself, but I don’t want to seem rude when she’s so invested and offering to help. I glance at Liam with a pleading look, hoping he’ll jump in, but he doesn’t.
Licking my lips, I tilt my head. I try to cover my grimace. “Well, we’re not sure.”
“Not sure about what?” Mari asks as Brady crawls across the couch to me.
“A lot of things are happening quickly. I haven’t had time to decide what I’m going to do.”
She stares at me as if I’m speaking Greek. After a moment, she turns her head and looks at Liam. “What is she talking about? I thought it was settled?”
My God. Did he tell his mother that I’d already said yes to getting married?
Liam looks completely unruffled. “Luke, need another Guinness?”
“Sure.”
“Ma, another?” Liam asks.
“No, I don’t want a drink. Though you’re making me feel like I need one. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”
Liam’s brows rise in mock concern. “Don’t swear in front of the baby, Ma. He hears everything you say.”
CHAPTER17
LIAM
Olivia goes upstairs at quarter to eight to put Brady to bed, and I sit on the couch, waiting to hear what’s on their minds.
“People tell me the two best bridal shops in the city book up at least a week in advance,” Ma says. “If you think you can get Olivia on board by next week, I’ll call tomorrow.”
“No.”
My mom’s cool-eyed gaze assesses me. “No, you can’t get her on board in a week? Or no, I should back off and let you handle it alone?”
“Let’s head out, Ma,” Luke says, standing.
Luke’s good to go against insurgents anytime, anywhere. But he doesn’t do family drama. Last time things hit the fan, he did another tour and we didn’t see him for a year.
I stand, too, and shake his hand. “Thanks for coming.”
“Course. Good-looking kid. Congratulations.” As he heads out of the room, he announces, “I’ll warm up the car while you say goodbye, Ma.”
Once we’re alone in the room, I say, “I appreciate the offer to help with the wedding plans. If it was just me, I’d turn the whole thing over to you and let you run with it.”
“Well, I’m not trying to do that,” Ma says. “Olivia’s the bride. She has to pick out what she wants. I would just get her to the places people recommend, so it’ll go well.”
“Yeah, that’s the way to do it.” I put an arm around my mom’s shoulders and squeeze. “Let me dig into the push-back, so I can get us past it.”
“She looks so young. Twenty-one, you said? I’d have thought eighteen at most.”
I exhale an amused sound as I guide her to the front door. “Christ, don’t say that too loudly. Next thing you know people will be saying I knocked up a high school girl.”
