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“What if what? What if he doesn’t know you like the back of his hand? What if he sees the good the bad and the ugly and still loves you forever?” Keefe tilted his head. “Soph, Liam’s different. You know he is.”
She paused, as if she needed a moment to think—even though she’d done nothing but think all week. She had come to an answer, of course. She just hadn’t realized it until now. And Keefe, damn him, had gotten there in a matter of seconds. “And you don’t think it’s too fast?” Her mouth curled into a hesitant smile.
“Fast?” He let out a short laugh. “You’ve been waiting to marry Liam for thirty-five years.”
She blinked.
“You remember when I officiated your wedding, right? You were seven, he was eight, and you both said ‘I do’.”
Her lips twitched despite herself.
Keefe leaned against the counter. “Have you told Emma about this?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t want anyone else’s opinion. Only mine—and yours a little bit.” She pinched her thumb and four fingers together.
He chuckled and crossed the floor to give his sister a hug. “Well, you’re stuck with me forever. You and me sis, we run this place together, or not at all. So, we’d better like whoever the other is with. You don’t need it, but you have my blessing.” He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her close.
“Thank you. You big jerk. When did you get so smart?”
“Everyone knows, I’m the smart one.”
Sophie snorted. Sure he was.
With that weight now lifted off her shoulder, Sophie let out a long breath and headed back to the dining room to finish setting the tables.
“Wait,” Keefe called after her. “Aren’t you going to invite him to the party?”
Although she felt better, she still wasn’t ready to act. “I’ll think about it.”
Chapter23
O’Brian’s pubwas alive with laughter, music, and the clatter of glasses as friends and family filled every available space. Sophie stood near the bar, offering smiles and gracious thank-you’s to well-wishers, but inside, she felt a hollowness she couldn’t shake. This night should have been perfect. The pub was ready to open, and the people who mattered most were here, celebrating with them. And yet, one person was missing.
She should have invited him.
Liam belonged here. He had helped make this dream a reality in more ways than she could count. She looked around at all the joyous faces.
Darcie and Connor were dancing, Henry and Shamus were cuddling the twins, Simon and Sondra were kissing in the corner, Emma was laughing with some of the guys from the construction crew… but the one person she wanted to see most wasn’t there.
And that was her fault.
A sudden roar of delight from the crowd broke through her thoughts, and Sophie turned in time to see her parents, Caitriona and Ronan, stepping through the doorway. The sight of them stole her breath.
“Mom! Dad!” Keefe was already moving toward them and called to Sophie over the crowd. “Sophie! Look who’s here!” Keefe embraced their mother, lifting her off her feet then moved to their dad. Sophie followed, throwing herself into their arms, overwhelmed by their presence.
“You didn’t think we’d miss our twins opening their dream place, did you?” Caitriona said. She cupped Sophie’s face in her hands before pulling her in for another hug.
Sophie swallowed against the lump in her throat. “You should have told us you were coming. We’d have picked you up from the airport.”
“We wanted it to be a surprise,” Ronan said with a knowing smile. “Besides, we weren’t about to miss a party this grand.”
And grand it was. The pub was packed with the construction crew—Tom, Mack, Dermot, Young Trev, Duff, and Tully—who had all brought their families along. The air buzzed with energy as people danced to the lively music played on the stage, and with hands clapping and feet stomping, joy radiated through the space.
But still, Sophie couldn’t shake the emptiness inside.
