I’m still choosing my next words carefully when I’m startled by Mick Walsh’s big hand clamping onto my shoulder. “My Taryn,” he says in my ear, “she’s a bit high-spirited, but she’s a good girl. She has a kind heart. I’m trusting you not to break it.”
I wonder if he’d think his daughter has such a good heart if he knew about her California plans. However, I don’t get to offer him any assurances, because Rowan announces that we should all join the reception. “Except you,” he tells me. “Wait here.”
Christ. The back of my neck is sweating. I take a deep breath. Roll my tense shoulders. Straighten my cuffs.This will all be fine.I repeat that mantra in my head. Shit. I have girls throwing themselves at me every single day. Sounds arrogant, but it’s true. Every single day. Yet, I’m standing here, shifting anxiously on my feet like a little kid, watching the one girl I actually want practically be pushed into the room by her father.
God, look at her. Taryn is a fucking vision. She’s the perfect height. Is that a thing? I’m not sure, but she’s not too tall or too tiny. It may be a dumb observation, but I know we’ll fit when I finally have the opportunity to hold her.
She’s hovering in the oversized doorway, wearing this emerald green dress that has one long sleeve but leaves her other shoulder completely bare. Her skin is flawless, and I want to run my fingers over it. My tongue.
Despite the burst of red hair that trails down her back, she has no freckles. Just smooth, soft skin. Her eyes are somehow blazing both fire and ice. Every St. Patrick’s Day, the Chicago River gets dyed a brilliant kelly green. Swear to God, her eyes areexactlythat same vivid shade. Yeah. I probably shouldn’t tell her that. Not a very romantic comparison. Regardless, my heart is going to beat out of my fucking chest.She wore green.
“Well?” she asks, arms crossing. Fuck. I’m still just standing here, staring at her. I catch her father’s eye, and his expression has changed as he watches me. He looks pleased. Maybe he’s happy he finally got her into the room.
“Taryn.” My voice is strong despite the fact that my mind has turned to mush. Jesus. She is a sight. “I love your dress.”
“I’ll leave you two to talk for a few minutes,” Taryn’s father says with a smirk before giving her a little shove farther into the room. He closes the door behind him.
“You haven’t found a way to stop this?” she hisses at me, ignoring my compliment. Those emerald eyes are flashing. I’m a bit taken aback. I knew she wasn’t happy, but I wasn’t expecting this much raw anger. What the hell was she expecting? She had to have been joking in her texts earlier. She seriously thought I could have stopped tonight?
I don’t want to revisit that whole conversation, so I get to the point, “I have a ring.” Jesus. What a stupid thing to blurt. She seems to agree.
“I’m swooning.”
I am totally fucking this up. I give myself a little shake. I’m acting like a tongue-tied moron when I’m usually good with women, for fuck’s sake. They all love me. I need to do better. So, I flash my dimples. Hell, if she wants to swoon, I’ll help her out. Only—
“Jesus, Liam. What the hell are you smiling about?”
I close my eyes. Collect myself. “I know you aren’t thrilled—”
“Ya think?” she sneers at me.
And, that’s when it hits me. I don’t know why I thought she’d be like every other girl and jump at the chance to be mine if I just created the right opportunity. If she just had a little time to come to terms with it. I had anticipated some anxiety, maybe some sadness at leaving New York after graduation, but I didn’t anticipate this. She fucking hates me. Her disgust couldn’t be more evident. Her hitman brother’s got nothing on his little sister when it comes to issuing death glares. This morning was nothing but a rare moment of vulnerability.
“I know you’re upset,” I tell her calmly, “but you’re not in this alone. I can’t stop this, but I can promise you my support. I’m not your enemy. I don’t want you to hate me.”
She scoffs at that and then moves across the room to take a seat at the table where her father sat only moments ago. She puts her head in her hands. I take a seat opposite her and wait. Mainly because I’m not sure what else to do. Me. The guy who could charm the panties off a nun.
“I don’t hate you,” she mumbles. Well, thank God for that. I can live without her love, but managing her hatred on a daily basis would be a son of a bitch.
She finally looks up and her pretty eyes take in my face. I’m not sure what she sees, but she softens a bit. “I don’t blame you, Liam. Like I already explained, I wasn’t planning on this. I know you weren’t either.”
I don’t correct her. Instead, I reach in my pocket for the ring my father picked out. I slide the small box across the table to her. It’s been burning a hole in my sport coat all afternoon. I seem to be singularly focused on getting it on her finger. “I’d get down on one knee, but I have a feeling that would only make things worse.”
She nods at this and looks at the box as if it might bite her. Finally, she reaches for it. Her eyes widen as she cracks it open. “I’m supposed to wear this?” she squeaks.
Okay, so it’s a bit flashy. My mother has a similar size ring. It’s meant to be a billboard that proclaimsProperty of McGuiness. A statement. A warning. I give a single nod in response to her question.
“Ugh. I guess it’s fine.” She shakes her head. “Well, I mean, it’s not fine. But, I’ll wear it.”
I think I shock her when I reach across the table to take the ring out of its box. I hold it out to her and she gawks at me. After a few seconds, she sighs and then holds out her left hand. I slide the ring on to her slender finger. I’m pleasantly surprised that my own hand is steady. Without a question, without an answer, we’re engaged. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“It fits,” she whispers, staring at her hand. Of course it does.
Jesus. She’s beautiful, and I can’t help but tell her so. “You take my breath away, Taryn.” And, just like that, I’ve ruined things once again.
She scoffs, “Please, Liam. Don’t. Okay? Just don’t. You don’t have to chat me up like I’m one of your fuck buddies, alright?”
My fuck buddies? What the hell? “You think I’m lying?”
