I knew where tonight would end, but before we lost ourselves in bed, I needed Bree to hear me. “You packed Maeve’s pub without a holiday to justify it.” I held her gaze. “You did that. Three months ago, there were dead flowers in the windows and the coffee tasted like shit.”
She sipped her whiskey and tucked her head against my shoulder. The smile on her face put a matching one on mine. “So it’s a good thing we ran out of beer?” A giggle erupted when I dug my finger into her side. “I get what you’re saying, Finn. The pub was doing okay when I arrived. Declan had everything under control.”
“But it’s better now.” Declan turned his glass in his hands, elbows propped on his knees and eyes on Bree. “I kept the lights on, but you brought the heart back.”
Bree blinked rapidly and kicked off her shoes before pulling her feet onto the couch.
“I’m so proud of you, Bree. We all are.” I spoke for the three of us, because I knew Ronan wouldn’t unless pressed, and Declan was emotionally constipated when it came to talking about feelings. “We didn’t know what to expect when you showed up, and you have been so much more than we ever imagined.”
“Keep that up and I’m going to cry again.” She sniffed dramatically and cleared her throat. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Ronan, especially.” Reaching behind her head, she gripped his wrist. “He did all the hard work, I just gave directions.”
“You did more than that.” He bent over the couch to kiss her forehead. “Finn’s right. We’re proud of you. You could have walked away after hearing Maeve’s stipulation on the will. You had every reason to leave when the gossip started, but you stuck it out. We’ve all said it before, but I’ll remind you. You. Are. Incredible.” He punctuated each word with a kiss on her lips.
I shared a look with Declan, the two of us gaping at one another while Ronan bared his heart in a way he’d avoided for years.
Damn it. We’d all done it, then. We’d all fallen for the woman who never planned on staying. I’d known better, we all had, but Bree made loving her so easy.
My stomach knotted, the feeling of cold dread spreading with every breath. I had something else I needed to talk to her about. I’d hoped to wait, but this feeling in my chest refused to relent. “Have you thought about staying?”
I’d thrown our agreement out the window months ago, and I couldn’t help hoping Bree felt the same way.
Bree set her glass in her palm and turned it three times in Maeve’s old superstition to ward off bad luck. “That was always the plan.”
Fuck the plan. I locked my teeth together and took a breath before I blurted it out. Maybe I should. “Plans can change.”
“Finn.” It was the quiet way she said my name, the resignation in it, that did me in.
“I’m not trying to pressure you.” Hell, if I thought it would work, I’d tie her up and take her home with me. “I need to know what you want. We all do. I’m not asking about the plan. I’m asking you to tell me what you want. You.” I poked her in the chest, letting the touch linger.
She finished her whiskey with a gulping sound. “I’ve thought about staying. It’s on my mind more often than not, especially given the circumstances.” She waved her hand around. “Considering how everyone except you three feel about me.”
“Fuck them.” The words shot out with enough venom Declan arched a brow. I ran a hand through my hair, hoping the motionwould calm me down. It didn’t. “I mean it. Fuck them. Fuck the whole town.”
“You can’t mean that. You live here. All three of you have jobs and reputations, and no one, not one single person outside of this room will be okay with what we’re doing.” She sounded so sad, so utterly defeated, that my anger rushed out, leaving me drained. “You haven’t had to deal with it. I’m sorry, but I’m the one everybody hates. They all still look up to you. They respect you.” She leaned away and put the glass on the small coffee table with the orchid Ronan had brought over a few weeks ago. “Despite all that, I want to stay. I want that more than I ever thought possible.”
Thank fuck. Progress. I could work with that.
I set my glass down beside hers and took her hands. “I love you. I want you to stay. I will do anything, whatever it takes, to make you feel comfortable enough to stay.”
Her breathing hitched.
Ronan cupped the back of her head. “I never thought I would love again. I was done with all of that. Done with pain and heartbreak. Until you. I’m in love with you too.”
Declan moved in, scooting closer to Bree. “I love you too, more than I ever thought possible. You have become the reason I walk into the pub every morning. You’re in my mind every second of every day.”
“Easy, Declan, you’re going to make us look bad.” I mock-whispered from the side of my mouth.
Bree’s lips twitched. “I love all of you so much it hurts.” She took a steadying breath. “I didn’t plan for that. I came back to fulfillmy obligation to Nana. That’s it. But then I met all of you, and I don’t know what home is without you.”
“What do we need to do?” I ran my hand through her hair, around to the back of her neck, and massaged the tight knots in her shoulders.
“If the town needs an explanation, we’ll give them one.” Declan’s jaw hardened. He didn’t like what they did to Bree any more than the rest of us. We’d even discussed going public, but never without her consent. She was right. They never blamed us, and they should.
“We’ll all three stand in front of the courthouse and tell the whole town we’re in love with you and they can kiss our asses if they don’t like it.” I rubbed another knot. “Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know. I hate the way they look at me.” She leaned into my touch.
“Or we take it to the grave.” Ronan offered her a way out without phrasing it that way.
