Page 3 of Vengeful Union

My stomach rumbles when Marisol brings Da back a plate of appetizers, and I steal a cheese cube from his plate, popping it into my mouth before standing.

“Guess I should eat, too.”

I’ve been on a mostly liquid diet since this reception started, so I need to soak it all up. I load a plate up with crab cakes, chicken wings, and cheese and crackers before heading over to Paige and Kael who are sitting in the middle of the room.

Paige is watching the dancefloor longingly.

“How come you’re not dancing?” I sit down next to her.

She looks down at her plate, pushing things around on it without eating them. “Just feeling too heavy and too big right now.”

“Everything okay with the baby?”

Kael nods. “Baby’s fine. And so is Paige. She is just impatient for this pregnancy to be over with.”

Paige harrumphs. “I can’t wait to meet our baby, but I hate being pregnant.”

I chuckle. “Bree took to it like a duck to water, but not you, aye?”

“No. I feel like a stranded whale most of the times.” She pouts and pops a cocktail shrimp into her mouth.

I laugh. “Well, I’m sorry, little sister. But there’s only a couple months left. You’ll be back drowning in sushi and wine before you know it.”

She looks up at me with a smile. “Thanks, Lara.”

Kael rubs her back in comforting circles, and I start to feel a little down again.

Deflating, I stand up. “I think I’ll go find some single people to annoy.”

Paige frowns a bit, but I don’t stay long enough for her to ask me why I’m like this.

Anybody would be, right? Being stuck in the house for so long? All their siblings coupling out and popping babies, and you being the odd one out.

I’m nearing thirty, and I’ve never had a real boyfriend. Sure, there have been hookups in high school and college, but I’ve never dated anyone long term.

I’m almost desperate enough to go over to Rowan again when the reception starts to slow down. Rowan’s probably left already with the redhead.

It’s not like I’m still twelve with a crush on him, but it still sucks that my only possible option here met someone else.

The historical villa has bedrooms that we’re all staying in, except Da, Marisol, Declan, and Bree. The four of them, plus Sutton’s mom and Ciara, are leaving to go home as soon as the reception is over. Bree is about to pop and needs to be closer to her ob-gyn, and Da needs his rest where he will be most comfortable, and that is at home.

I walk over to Sutton and Gray to congratulate them, yet again.

From outside, a muffled yell and heated conversation reaches me. I turn to go check it out.

“Lara!” Sutton throws her arms around me.

She must have been hitting the champagne almost as hard as me, because she’s not really a touchy person.

I chuckle and hug her back, forgetting all about the noise. It’s probably nothing, anyway. Just a couple fighting, maybe some of Sutton’s family. Or hell, it could be our family, too. We’re all a bunch of hotheaded Irish people.

“The wedding was beautiful.” I kiss her cheek as she pulls away.

Gray puffs up with pride, watching Ciara sit on Da’s lap.

“You’re staying at the villa tonight, right?” Sutton pouts. “I want to see you before we leave. We might not get a honeymoon, but I plan on thoroughly enjoying our staycation in isolation with this guy.”

“Of course. There is no way I’d miss the chance to have one last hoorah before this little one pops out.” I pause, looking over at Gray. “Is everything arranged to take Da and Marisol home in a bit?”

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