“Ach.” He waved it off. “Stop apologizin’, girl. It’s just bruised is all.”
As Cian chuckled, Fiona came out of the kitchen and ran a hand over Keenan’s shoulder like she was dusting it. I wasn’t sure what was up with those two, and when I asked Cian, he said he didn’t want to know, but I could tell the shape of their relationship had changed after the morning in the kitchen. I was just glad I didn’t change the shape of Keenan’s nose. Or I hoped not.
Cian had warned me that someone in the house was going to come after me unexpectedly to test all the work we’d done on self-defense. If I knew it was coming, I could prepare. If I didn’t…I’d either succumb to the fear of the scare or I’d react like he’d taught me.
I’d reacted.
Unfortunately, it was at the expense of Keenan’s nose.
He didn’t seem to mind, though. As tears had run from his eyes and blood gushed from his cracked nose, he was giving me compliments. Cian had too. Fiona had beamed at me and gave me a thumbs up before she stuck a washcloth underneath his nostrils.
When the library came into view, I sighed and checked the clock on the dash. Delaney and Robert would be here soon. He’d asked me to double-check that everything was as it should be, even though he’d hired a wedding planner.
Only a handful of people were invited to the ceremony, and then a larger crowd to the Guastavino Room for the reception.
The Boston Public Library always stopped me in my tracks as I entered it. Cian’s hand was like a small flame against my back, but he took it in with me.
The first time I’d ever visited was with Delaney. They had a special tour that day, it was all about the history of the place. The guide told us the library was the first Beaux Arts building in the United States. It was also the first large-scale urban library in the nation.
After that, Delaney and I would visit one Monday a month, when she’d schedule us both off for some girl time, to just walk around and get lost. It was all rich gold and marble and intricate patterns. Almost reminiscent of some grand old building in France, but—bonus—it was close to homeandfilled with some amazing stories on the shelves. Delaney would always tell me this was where old souls (like me) and younger ones (like her) came to meet.
“I love it here,” I whispered.
“You belong in a place like this.” Cian matched my volume, but his was deeper, gruffer. “Browsin’ the shelves and findin’ doe holes to fall down.”
Our eyes met and we both grinned.
The place was already shimmering with soft winter light slowly spilling through the windows, but I didn’t think it was because the sun was going to set soon.
It was because my husband was with me in one of my favorite places.
The wedding planner found us and breathed a sigh of relief. “This way!” She nodded toward the steps. “Mr. Kennedy doesn’t want Delaney to see anyone before the ceremony!”
Cian gave her a blank-faced stare as she tried to hurry us along. No one was going to move me—I could read his thoughts as though they were moving through my head with an Irish accent. I nodded toward him, he nodded back, and then he took my coat. She took it from him and said she was going to check it in for me as she led us to the ceremony room.
As my heels lightly clicked, Cian cleared his throat. “The sound of the tappin’ of your heels is like a soothin’ melody. It puts me in a trance. I’d follow it anywhere.”
I smiled big at that. The heat from his hand seemed to increase on my back.
Only two other people waited in the ceremony room.
Robert’s sister and nephew, Kyle.
Mom and son congregated close together. I pulled closer to Cian. He didn’t seem to care that the tension was thick. It broke some when both sets of parents arrived. Robert must have requested no significant others at the intimate ceremony. Three parents were remarried. Delaney’s mother was not. She still pined for Delaney’s father.
About thirty minutes later, Robert came in and welcomed everyone. He was so excited, it was hard for me to stop smiling. An hour later, the wedding planner stepped into the room and told me Delaney wanted to see me. Since she knew the wedding was about to take place, she knew I was there waiting.
Cian walked me to the room she was using to get ready and waited outside of it. There was a full-length mirror, and she was looking at herself when I stepped in. Our eyes met, and she smiled at me.
“Hey, Mae.”
I lifted my hands to my mouth, willing myself not to cry. “That isnotsimple,” I choked out.
Her gown was ivory, had a square neckline, open back, and a fitted skirt that fell from the waist. It hugged all her gorgeous curves. The most spectacular detail about the dress? All the sparkling beading running across it in a linear pattern. It had a mini train that displayed more of the delicate crystals. Her auburn hair was pulled up, and she reminded me of fall incarnate.
“I decided if I was going to do this…I was going to do it right this time.”
I ran my hands through her long veil. “You’re going to kill him, Del,” I whispered. “He’s going to have heart palpitations when he sees you.”
