Page 64 of Taming Irish

Delaney closes her mouth, and the rest of the table goes silent, all eyes turning to Shane. Brows raise in question at his suddenoutburst.

I sigh and admit, “Chad Hollister is my ex-husband.”

There’s no sense lying about it. I wouldn’t feel right. Not when they’ve so graciously accepted me into their home. And Shane’s right, I do need to stop worrying about what people think ofme.

If I can learn that one lesson, then maybe I’ll finally be free of the anxiety I’m constantly walking aroundwith.

I’m met with a tableful of deer-in-the-headlights looks. It would almost be humorous if I hadn’t just outed myself to a table full ofstrangers.

Silence stretches awkwardly, until Delaney says with a smile, “I was going to say RachelBilson.”

“Even I don’t know who thatis.”

Everyonechuckles.

“The O.C.,” Delaney says, then shakes her head when she’s met with blank stares. “Hart of Dixie. Do you people not watchTV?”

She gives me a small wink as the table breaks out into conversation about what constitutes good television versus crappy American sitcoms and reality shows. I give her a grateful smile, feeling the unrelenting pressure that never seems to go away, liftslightly.

After dinner, cleaning the dishes becomes a family affair that even the men are a part of, but as soon as we’re in the kitchen, Shane’s mom quickly shoos everyone out, muttering about doing itherself.

“I can help,” Ioffer.

“Don’t bother,” Shane says coming up behind me and placing a hand on my lower back. “She’s as stubborn as a mule, thatone.”

His mom grunts. “A trait I unfortunately passed down to mychildren.”

Shane chuckles, then leans over and kisses her on the cheek, which wins him a smile, and my heartmelts.

Over and over, he keeps surprisingme.

“Shane,” Owen says, from the doorway, motioning him into the otherroom.

“Stay and help,” Agnus says, surprising me, when I start to follow him. And I know what’s coming.The MomTalk.

Damn.

Damn.

Damn.

“Of course.” I move beside her and start scraping the plates into thewastebasket.

“That boy is stubborn,” she mutters, her tone a mix of affection andfrustration.

“He’s definitely persistent,” I say while passing her a dirty plate, then clamping my mouth shut the moment the words are out. Heat creeps up my neck and into mycheeks.

She chuckles, and something glimmers in her eyes. “He is when he wants something badenough.”

More heat blasts myface.

“You must be very proud of him,” I say, changing thesubject.

“I’m proud of all of them. Practically raised each one, yeknow.”

“I didn’t.” I glance over my shoulder at the four men that surround each other in the other room. Each one is good looking in their own way, but it’s Shane who stands out. Tall and rugged with a natural ease to his stance. Owen seems to be the leader, Cillian the broody one, and Aiden the most laid back of the four. But Shane lights up the whole room. And when he laughs, I can’t help but smile, feeling his happiness in mycore.

“They’re good boys,” Agnus says on a sigh, and I see her glance over at the group. “All of them. Each one’s suffered theirshare.”

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