“They’ll be fine,” he agreed. “We’ve gotta good team.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “We have.”
“So, unless disaster strikes, we’re good.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “You’re a lucky bastard. Wish I was jetting off to Ireland for a month.”
His eyes drifted in Rosie’s direction. “Oh, I dunno. I think you’re gonna be fine here. In fact, I’m thinking there’s nowhere else you should be right now.” His hand squeezed my shoulder. “Give it a chance and get to know her. I like Rosie, and I think you two would be well suited. God knows she ain’t the type to put up with your bullshit.”
My gaze rested on Rosie, who still stood with Layla but was talking animatedly to Lexi Meadows with her arm around Gabby. They were laughing at something, and her carefree expression made me smile, as if her happiness was infectious.
“Jesus,” Cal breathed. “You really like her.”
I nodded slowly because I was starting to realize he wasn’t wrong.
Lexi looked over at us, noticed Callum, and tapped her watch pointedly.
His hand dropped from my shoulder. “Looks like it’s time to go grab my little Pussycat Doll off the dance floor and get her the fuck outta here. Belfast awaits.”
I clapped his back. “Happy honeymoon, brother. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”
“Well, that opens up the playing field,” he muttered under his breath.
I grinned, my eyes locking with Cal’s. “Have a great time and look after yourselves.”
“I will. And thanks for being my best man. Gotta admit, you did okay. Even the speech went down well. Maeve loved it.”
I laughed. “In her words, I was fuckin’awesome.”
He sighed. “Yeah. You did good, Donovan. It’s been the best day of my life; glad you were such a big part of it.” He glanced at the dance floor where the girls and Atlas were doing the Cha Cha Slide alongside John Stone, Kady, and Sunny. “Can you keep a secret?”
My neck twisted toward him. “If it’s important.”
His eyes welled up. “Maeve’s pregnant. I’m gonna be a dad.”
All the air left my lungs, and I felt my eyes mist over too. “Jesus, bro. That’s amazing.”
He nodded. “Yeah, it is.”
“Is she okay to fly?” I asked.
He jerked another nod. “The OB-GYN says it’s fine.”
“Congratulations, Cal,” I croaked. “I’m fucking overjoyed for you.”
“Don’t tell Ma yet. She’s already gatecrashing our honeymoon. If she finds out about the baby, she won’t wait the two weeks before she flies out to meet us. We’ll get on the flight, and she’ll be there already, sitting on the seat between us with a glass of fucking celebratory champagne.”
I made a zip gesture across my mouth. “Won’t say a word.”
“Thanks.” Callum jerked his thumb toward the dance floor. “Gonna go sweep my wife off her feet. See you in a month.” He leaned in for a man hug then pulled back and headed toward his wife.
My throat heated because I couldn’t help thinking that it seemed like the end of an era.
Callum had been married for six months already, but it had been a long and drama-filled road for him and Maeve to get to a place where they were solid. Now they were married (again) and he’d already managed to knock her up. It seemed like a lot of change to deal with in a short space of time. Just seven monthsago, Da was still with us, and my brothers and I were all enjoying life as single men.
Times had certainly changed.
I felt a presence beside me, and a hand slipped into mine just as the scent of expensive, musky perfume wafted under my nose.
