The four of them filed out of the room ahead of me, finding Siobhan waiting for us in the hall. "We'll get the music going and the lot of you will march down the aisle. Don't you dare go stomping along like rushing bulls, either, or you'll have the back of my hand to answer to later."
"Yes, ma'am," we replied in unison.
I had to hold back a laugh as the woman gave us the evil eye before shooing us into the living room. When I rounded the corner, my heart sped to my throat and my soul sighed in contentment. There he was, waiting for me in front of the roaring flames.
There was nothing to fear anymore; not having all eyes on me as I walked toward him, not the idea of speaking in front of all those people, most of which I'd only just met. After staring death in the face, I knew anything was possible for me, the fallen angel, bloody halo and all.
Reaching Burke's side, I grasped his offered hand and leaned against him.
"Tá tú taibhseach, a ghrá," he murmured into my hair. I did look gorgeous.
The priest began his recitation of the ceremony, altering a few lines to show we were recommitting ourselves to one another. When he paused, Burke cleared his throat and turned to face me.
"When I first met Kinsley, I thought she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I've come to realize there's so much more to her under the surface; she loves deeply, she's loyal to the core, and she's devoted. These are qualities I admire, and I'm lucky she chose me to share her life. I admit, I severely underestimated Kinsley's ability to handle my business life in the beginning. Turns out she has far exceeded my expectations in that field. Her intelligence and perseverance have made my life easier in all aspects, and I stand here before all my family and friends, vowing to do my utmost to protect her at any cost. May this fire in my soul for you burn forever. You see me as I am, and by some miracle, you still love me." He squeezed my hands. "I will love you forever, I will cherish you forever, and I am eternally grateful you feel the same."
Struggling to contain my tears long enough to respond, I took a few deep breaths before speaking. "I, too, underestimated you. I didn't see the compassion, the generosity, or the depth of your love at first. You've shown me that side of you now, and I have to agree; I'm grateful. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't seen things in me I didn't even see myself. You taught me so much, but you've also grown. For the rest of our lives, I want to learn and grow with you, becoming the best versions of ourselves together and as individuals. I love you with all my heart."
Burke slipped a triple-banded platinum claddagh on my right hand. It was a little bolder than my typical style, but still dainty, much to my pleasure. I placed a matching claddagh band on his right hand as well, sealing our recommitment. He kissed me chastely with a glint in his eyes, holding promises for later.
Everyone gathered around to congratulate us after the vows, and Siobhan insisted everyone eat. My mother stayed near me, which I couldn't blame her for. It was overwhelming for me to find such a large family after thinking I had none left. Especially since Mom had left my dad and appeared to be dating Jayden Carmichael, of all people.
Brenda approached me and Burke. "I want to thank you personally for everything you've done for us. We've decided to start our family, mostly because of the money you gave us after the incident with the safe house. I know Danny wanted to be mad about it, but he's too happy with the safety net it provided us to stay angry."
"You're welcome, Brenda," Burke answered. "We consider you family, and we always take care of family."
"I appreciate it. I'll let you know once we're successful," she said to me with a laugh, glancing down at my stomach and quickly away.
"You better. I would love to watch our kids grow up together."
"Me too."
“Is there something you want to tell me?” Burke murmured in my ear when Brenda sauntered off to talk to Daisy.
Before I could deflect, Maddie walked up. "Kinsley! I can't believe how many Gallaghers are running around in this part of the world."
I grinned at my friend. Her bump was already noticeable, though she was only about three months along. They were pretty sure she carried twins. "It's remarkable, isn't it? Finding so much when you expected nothing."
Burke kissed me for that remark. "I agree wholeheartedly."
It was hard to keep track of all their names, but there was a Saoirse and a Killian, a Seamus and a Ronan. Each cousin had at least four children, but one couple had seven.
Out of nowhere, Caden wrapped his arms around me and lifted me in the air. "Are you my cousin or my sister now?"
Laughing, I grabbed his forearms. "I can be both."
"Cool." He set me down, hugging Maddie against him instead. "I can't wait to have a bunch of kids like they do here."
"Let's just finish cooking this batch before we make plans for more," she replied in a tone as dry as dust.
Burke chuckled. "The Irish have loosened you up, Caden."
"Their whiskey has, certainly."
It was hours later before Burke and I managed to escape from the revelers. They knew how to party well into the night, that was for certain. Finn had woken sometime before the drunken singing came about and was passed from hand to hand. I couldn't quite remember how long it had been since I'd had the chance to hold my own son, but it was a while. He was still wearing his little white suit, but the hat had long since disappeared. With his head smashed into Burke's neck, he sucked on two fingers and blinked sleepily at me. We walked him to the room he shared with Mom—God bless her—and tucked him into the crib. As soon as his feet hit the mattress, he popped up with a cry.
"Finn, it's bedtime." Burke tried but failed to sound stern.
"Do you want me to take him?" I asked.
