I bet you did, you saucy minx. Her eyes continue to flitbetween Ronan’s face and his swimming shorts. She’s probably wondering where the budgie smugglers are.
‘You have me.’ He raises the hand that’s holding his champagne flute and offers a silent cheers.
‘And who’s this you’re with?’ Beady black eyes glint with glee as they land on me again. Thank God she’s not one of my subscribers.
He hesitates for a second, glancing towards me. ‘This is my girlfriend.’
‘You’ll make beautiful babies one day,’ she coos.
‘Here’s hoping,’ Ronan mutters. She backs away reluctantly as her friends impatiently beckon her back to where they’re laying out their mats in a semi-circle facing the lake.
‘Beautiful babies, hey?’ Ronan murmurs in my ear.
‘Do you want children?’ I can’t even attempt to sound nonchalant.
If he’s serious about a future with me, he’s going to inherit two, anyway. What difference would one more make?
He inhales and blows out a slow, thoughtful breath. ‘Yes, I do. I want to put a baby in you.’ His fingers roam inside the Dry robe, tracing the flat of my stomach. Fireworks burst beneath my skin. ‘Do you want more kids?
I swallow thickly. ‘I’d love another baby.’
‘Home?’ we say in the same breath.
We spend the rest of the afternoon in my bed, ignoring both of our buzzing phones.
Monday will be here all too soon.
At five o’clock my dads swing into the driveway wearing matching expressions of excitement. ‘We’re so happy for you, darling,’ Stuart whispers in my ear as he pecks my cheek.
‘You saw my Instagram then?’ I pinch the bridge of my nose.
‘Honey, the world and his wife saw your Instagram. It’s the biggest scandal since Holly’s boobs went viral,’ Stuartsays. Poor Holly. But it turned out well for her in the end. Hopefully, it’ll turn out well for me too.
Ronan scoops up Isla with one arm and Eden with the other as they pull at the strings of the apron he’s put on to cook dinner.
‘Oh, what are you cooking, Ronan?’ Steve’s hint is as subtle as a brick.
‘Just fajitas. There’s plenty, if you want to stay?’
‘Oh, we’d hate to impose.’ Steve’s voice implies the total opposite. Then he runs up the steps and into the house without a backwards glance.
Ronan whips up a huge platter of chicken fajitas complete with salsa, guacamole and sour cream, whizzing around the kitchen like a younger, more attractive Gordon Ramsay.
‘Show off.’ I nod at the silent smoke alarm.
‘You’re just too hot to handle.’ He brushes his lips over mine and Stuart wolf-whistles.
‘Told you we’d get a wedding out of her yet, didn’t I, Steve?’ Stuart downs his second glass of wine and reaches for the bottle. Even Steve’s expression softens.
I set the table while the girls chatter incessantly, regaling us with a blow-by-blow account of every animal they saw at the zoo.
My kitchen is full, but not nearly as full as my heart.
I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but with Ronan by my side, we’ll deal with it together.
Chapter Thirty-Six
RONAN
