Page 5 of Faithless Vows

“Really.”

The waiter returns with our food, and everything is delicious. I’m surprised by how hungry I am once I start eating, and we keep going with Ronin’s game between bites, each of us trying to come up with little things about ourselves the other doesn’t already know. Before I know it, dinner is over, our plates are cleared away, and a slice of cheesecake is set down in front of us, one fork beside the plate.

The restaurant starts to empty around us as we take our time with dessert, passing the fork back and forth until there’s nothing left but a few crumbs. When the waiter comes back with the check, Ronin pays, and we leave.

On the drive home, Ronin tells me more about the work he’s doing on his Cadillac while I watch the city pass outsidemy window. When we reach my house, he comes around to help me out of the car, keeping my hand in his as he walks me to my door. At the front step, I turn to face him. “Thank you for tonight, Ronin. I had a really nice time.”

He lets go of my hand and strokes his knuckles along my cheek. “Me too, doll,” he says. “I’d like to do it again.”

With him standing so close, I have to fight the urge to look away. “I’d like that.”

He leans down and brushes his lips against my cheek. “Go on inside,” he murmurs. “And make sure you lock up.” I do as he says, slipping inside and locking the door behind me. Before heading upstairs, I stop at the window and watch Ronin get into his car.

When my father first told me he’d agreed to a match between Ronin and me, I hadn’t known what to think. I’d always had this picture in my mind of what my marriage would be like. Not grand or perfect, but warm. The sort of marriage my grandparents had, even though theirs had been arranged too. Growing up, I’d seen them dancing in the kitchen, holding hands at the table, laughing over things no one else seemed to understand. I’d wanted that one day. I’d hoped, somehow, I might have it.

And Ronin had always been difficult to imagine that way. He was handsome, and he’d never been unkind to me, but he was also my brother’s friend, and he’d always seemed so serious and hard to read. I hadn’t known what to expect from him as a husband, or whether the kind of closeness I’d always dreamed of could ever grow between us.

But tonight, he’d made me laugh. He’d listened when I spoke, remembered I didn’t like sweet pickles, and offered to take me to the shore when I told him I missed the sea.

I watch his car pull away from the curb, still feeling the warmth of his kiss on my cheek.

Maybe marrying Ronin Byrne won’t feel like giving something up after all.

Chapter Three

Ronin Byrne

I pull up outside the O’Connells’ place just after two and ease the Cadillac to the curb before cutting the engine. She ticks as she cools, and I sit there a second, listening. She’d run good all the way over, but after spending most of yesterday under the hood making sure everything was right, I still find myself waiting for something to sound off. Last thing I want is trouble on the road with Alannah beside me.

I get out and shut the door, giving the fresh blue paint a quick look as I walk around the car. By the time I look toward the house, Alannah is already stepping onto the porch, her face lighting up as she comes straight down the walk to me. The closer she gets, the better I can see what she’s wearing. A light coat. Her hair pulled back with a simple band. Flats on her feet. She looks cute, but she didn’t dress as warmly as I told her to. Not even close. That coat isn’t heavy enough, and with her legs bare below the hem, she’s going to freeze.

When she reaches me, I pull her in for a kiss. “Hi, doll,” I murmur against her lips.

“Hi,” she says, smiling up at me when I let her go. Then her eyes catch on the car behind me and widen. “Is that…?”

I glance back at the Cadillac, unable to keep the grin off my face. “Told you she’d be a beauty once she was done. Thought we could take her for a drive, get out of the city for a bit.”

Her smile widens. “Really? Where are we going?” she asks, already starting toward the passenger side.

Before she gets far, I catch her around the waist and tug her back to me. “Hey. Hang on a second,” I say, looking her over again. “You’re going to freeze dressed like that, doll. I told you to wear something warmer.” I nod toward the house. “Go on back in and change. Then we’ll get out of here.”

She looks down at herself, her brows drawing together, then lifts her eyes back to mine, her cheeks a little pink. “Oh. Right. You said it might be colder where we’re going. Sorry. I’ll be right back.” Before I can say anything, she turns and hurries back inside to change.

It isn’t long before she comes back out, dressed warmer this time. “That’s better,” I say, pushing off the car as she walks back to me. I open the passenger door for her, but before she gets in, she rises onto her toes and presses a kiss to my lips.

“Thank you for waiting,” she says softly.

I close the door behind her, then walk around and get in on my side. Once I’m behind the wheel, I turn the radio on low, catching Bob Clayton on WHDH counting down the top ten as I pull away from the curb and drive us out of the city.

We’re heading for Nantasket. When Alannah told me on our first date that she missed the sea, it was the first place I thought to bring her. My da used to drive us there when I was younger, and I remembered the beach being open, with no big buildings blocking the view. Just sand, waves, and a few small shops close enough to walk to. We’ve got the whole afternoon to spend there, and I’m hoping she’ll like it.

During the drive, she asks me questions about the Cadillac, surprising me with how much she remembers from the repairs I’d told her I was doing on her. I’d figured she was just being polite when she let me go on about it, and that most of what I’d said had gone in one ear and out the other. But from the questions she’s asking, I realize she must’ve been listening closer than I’d thought, and damn if that doesn’t bring a stupid grin to my face as I bring the hand I’ve been holding between shifts to my lips and kiss her knuckles.

I always knew I liked Alannah, but these past few months of actually dating her have made it harder to think of this as only a match our fathers arranged. She fits beside me betterthan I ever expected, and that makes me want to do things for her. Take her places. Make her smile.

So when we reach Nantasket, I follow the road closest to the beach and find a place to park as close to the water as I can get. By the time I put the Cadillac in park, Alannah is turned toward the window, damn near vibrating with excitement. Then she looks back at me, eyes bright. “You took me to the beach!”

“Told you I’d take you.” She leans across the seat like she means to kiss my cheek, but I turn my head at the last second and catch her mouth instead. “I’m glad you like it, baby,” I murmur, pressing one more kiss to her lips before I make myself pull back. “Give me a second.”