“Mo stöirin, I’ve missed your voice,” I tell her, meaning every bit of what I’ve said.
“I’ve missed you too. How’re things going at the range? Eamon mentioned he was going with you,” Delilah says, and I didn’t want to tell her I was doing this yet. I know she’d be worried, and based on the inflection in her voice, she is.
“So far, so good. I’m finished, but Eamon is still going at it.”
“Oh? Did something happen?” She knows me too well.
“Nothing I didn’t expect. My shoulder was giving me hell, but I got nine rounds out.”
Delilah giggles on the other end of the line. “Keenan, I love you, but I have no idea what that even means.”
I pause for a second because I half feel like I’m going crazy. Did she just say what I think she just said? She’s oddly quiet on the other end, so I smile to myself, knowing she’s probably freaking out. Delilah isn’t the type of woman who lays all of her feelings out on the line. She’s the type who slowly reveals how she feels. She weighs risk, because she never wants to be hurt more than she already has been before.
“It means I got nine shots out before the pain became too much.”
“You were in pain?” She sounds disappointed, but she has to understand that I won’t ever give up. I was in the Defence Forces, and using a gun was part of my everyday life. That won’t change. As a matter of fact, I bet it’ll be more frequent now.
“Yes, but it was to be expected. The doctor said I wouldn’t even be able to hold up a gun, remember?”
“Yeah, I know. I just wish you weren’t hurting, is all.” Delilah won’t ever understand my life, but she knows when things are important to me that I’ll continue on however I see fit. She’s a phenomenal woman, and I’m damn lucky to have her by my side.
“Is everything okay with you? The meteorologists have estimated the snowfall will be heavy this evening, so you’ve made it back to your flat already, correct?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. I met a friend at a pub within walking distance since my vehicle isn’t the best with snow. I was wondering if you’d mind coming to pick me up? I’m back at the office now.”
“Of course not. I’ll take you back to my place for the night, and maybe if you’re open to it, we can do something special tomorrow. Something I’ve been thinking about for a while.”
“Sure, as long as you tell me you’re not going to propose. That might be a little too much for me.”
I break out into laughter, but with the most seriousness I can muster up, I tell her the truth. “I won’t be proposing to you tomorrow, Delilah Quigley, but one day I will. I know a good thing when I see it, and I’m not letting you go. I should be there to pick you up in about an hour, give or take.”
“Okay, see you then,” Delilah stammers, and I smirk before hanging up.
She has no idea how serious I am, but I sure do.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
DELILAH
Sitting in my office chair, I scroll around on Facebook while I wait for Keenan to arrive. News articles about the weather here in Dublin keep popping up on my feed, saying how this is one of the worst storms we’ve had in a very long time. They’re definitely not mistaken. It came down so heavy while I was at dinner with Haisley. So much so that the pub opted to close early. As I was walking back to the office, I noticed they weren’t the only ones who were closing early. That’s what opted me to call Keenan. I’m not a huge fan of driving anyway, but driving in the snow isn’t something I really want to do regardless.
From: Keenan
I’m here.
To: Keenan
Okay, I’ll be right there.
I tap send and rise from my chair, throw on my jacket, collect my purse and walk out of my office. Heading down the hallway, I shoot down the stairwell and spot Keenan on the other side of the door. His medium brown hair is dusted with snow, and his ocean blue eyes light up in the street light. At the sight of me, he shoots me a flirtatious smile while bringing his eyes up and down my body. I’m in a jacket that stops just above my knee and my legs are exposed, and then I’m in boots. If you ask me, I look like a hot mess, but in his eyes, I’m sure it’s not true.
God, I’m still a mess over what I let slip out earlier. I told him I loved him. In all actuality, it came out so naturally. It was easy for me to tell him. What I said is true. I do love him, but part of me thinks I’ve been afraid to tell him for a long time. Hell, I think I’ve been in love with the man for a long time, even before we started exploring things.
I open the door to the building and step through, fish my keys out from my pocket and lock the door, then drop them back in my purse. “Thank you so much for picking me up. I really appreciate it.”
“There’s no need to be thanking me, Delilah. I’m glad you called. I’d rather you be safe.” Keenan wraps an arm around my waist and leads me down the sidewalk. He takes us up to one of his family’s blacked-out SUVs. He opens the back door for me and holds a hand out to help me as I get inside. I slide across the seat, and he takes a seat beside me.
“Evening, Delilah,” Eamon comments from the passenger seat, and Jeremy’s behind the wheel.
