Maeve bent double, laughing.
Mam ran her index finger across her throat, indicating what she was about to do to Donovan if he didn’t shut up, her face pinched with embarrassment.
I rolled my lips together to stop myself from laughing.
The grin died on Donovan’s face, and he put the telegrams down on the table before picking up his glass and calling out, “Callum and Maeve, may your troubles be less and your blessings be more. May you never lie, steal, or cheat—but if you must lie, be sure to lie with each other every night. If you must steal, steal each other’s hearts every day. And if you must cheat, cheat death to live a long and beautiful life together.” Raising his glass high, Donny called out, “Friends, family, and loved ones, please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple... Callum and Maeve.”
We all stood from our seats in the massive reception room and echoed, “Callum and Maeve,” before taking a drink.
The music began to thump through the speakers, while Ma, Maeve, and my brothers stood talking in a huddle.
My skin prickled, and sensing a presence behind me, I glanced over my shoulder to see Castle there. “Oh hey!” I greeted.
“You okay?” he asked, dipping his chin.
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “You having a good time?”
“It’s a great weddin’. Donovan’s speech was fuckin’ great.” He pulled back slightly and looked me up and down. “You look amazin’. Pagan hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you all day.”
“I’m surprised he came,” I murmured.
“It’s an excuse for him to see you,” Castle pointed out.
“I don’t think he needs an excuse,” I said dryly. “He’s been popping up everywhere I go all week.”
Castle’s lips twitched.
I looked around. “Where is he, anyway?”
He nodded toward the bar. “Talkin’ to your cousin.”
I followed his gesture, and my throat tightened when I saw him deep in conversation with my bitch cousin, Erin. My eyebrows pulled together as I watched him tuck a lock of hair behind her ear as he laughed at something she said.
Fuck, it hurt.
Bad.
Castle must have seen the pain flicker across my face because he said, “He’s doin’ it to make you jealous.”
I gave him a tight-lipped smile.
“Don’t sweat it.” His stare drifted back toward Pagan. “He’s been a mess. The only people he doesn’t rage at are his boys.”
“I’m not sweating it, Castle,” I told him quietly. “Seeing that just proves I did the right thing by ending it with Pagan.”
He grinned and muttered, “Yeah, right,”
“Jesus,” I exclaimed. “You’re as bad as him.”
He barked a laugh.
My eyebrows pulled together. “Wait. Where’s Bootneck? Couldn’t he make it? He was definitely invited.”
Castle’s face took on a strange look. “Nah. He’s busy.”
“They’re usually inseparable,” I went on.
“They had a bit of a fight a while back, and things aren’t back to normal yet,” Castle relayed, his expression guarded.
