“Fine.”
“Grand,” the other two chimed in.
Ryan said, “I was just about to take Jayce around and show him the place. Will you excuse us, love?”
Chloe smiled. “Of course.”
Ryan leaned over and gave his wife a kiss before he clapped his hand on Jayce’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go this way.” He steered him to a spiral staircase leading down.
Jayce followed his brother down the stairs, which opened onto a large foyer. Another Palladian window looked out over the ocean. Hardwood floors matched the ones upstairs, and three arched doorways offered choices of moving left, right, or directly behind.
Ryan walked through the arch on the right and into a study with tall bookshelves and comfortable chairs. A desk faced the window. “Welcome to my office, library, or den, whatever you want to call it.”
“Man cave?”
“Anything but that.” He walked over to a piece of furniture that looked as old and ornate as the front door. “What can I get you?” He opened a polished rolltop to reveal a well-stocked bar.
Jayce smiled. “I don’t suppose you have any of that Arish whiskey, do you?”
“Of course he does,” Conlan said as he strolled into the room from the one beyond. “If he doesn’t, we’re not doin’ right by our cousin.”
Ryan lifted a bottle and used it to point toward Jayce. “Conlan, have you met my brother Jayce?”
Conlan laughed. “Jayce was there the day I met me bride.”
“Really?” Ryan chuckled. “It seems as if few introductions are needed. Drake knew everyone too.”
“Drake is here?” Jayce asked.
“Of course. He’s Amy’s younger brother…or something.” Ryan offered Jayce a glass with two fingers of whiskey already poured.
Jayce took the whiskey and raised it as if giving a toast. “What is it you say here? Slant?”
Ryan and Conlan laughed. “Slainteis the word,” Ryan said.
When all three of them had their glasses filled, Ryan raised his and said, “To family.”
“Slainte,” Jayce said.
“Cheers!” Conlan added.
The three of them laughed, clinked glasses, and sipped their whiskey.
“I was showing my brother around, but we didn’t get very far,” Ryan said.
Conlan groaned. “It’s just as well. The women have taken over the bedrooms on both levels. Below us, the kitchens are filled with caterers. And your banquet room has been locked against all intruders. I guess Amy and Amber had it decorated just the way they wanted it.”
“Speaking of the other bride, where’s Rory, the other groom?” Jayce asked.
“Rory is visiting with his sister Shannon and her husband, Finn. They also have a few humans to distract while the paranormals are lectured.”
“Lectured?”
“To keep their identities a secret.”
“Ah,” Jayce said. “I wondered how that was going to work.”
“If history repeats itself, it won’t work at all,” Rory said as he entered the room.
