Page 58 of Surrender
“Keefe…” she sniffled and dabbed her eyes with the corner of her napkin. Although the apologies had all been spoken, she still needed to say it again. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean?—”
“I know,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I know, love. We’re together now. It’s all going to be fine.”
“But what about your family? Sophie? What’s she going to say?” The thought of what Sophie would do when she found out that they were back together was terrifying.
He smiled gently, and pulled her chair up close to his then pressed his forehead to hers.
“You let me handle them. Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.” He kissed her then tucked her under his arm for a cuddle.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure about you. They’ll come around.”
“Maybe the others might. But Sophie...” Gwen hesitated. “She’s the one who set us up. She’ll feel like her family’s been blindsided. Like she invited the enemy into her brother’s life.”
Keefe smiled softly. This—this was one of the many reasons he loved her. Gwen thought about others even when it would be easier not to. She didn’t demand Sophie’s approval, she wanted to earn it.
“You knew Sophie set us up?”
Gwen gave him a look. “It was kind of obvious. You two are practically connected at the hip.”
“What?” He blinked. “What are you talking about?”
She cocked her head. “You seriously don’t know?”
He stared at her, innocent confusion all over his face. Nope. He really didn’t.
“Keefe, you told me you spent every summer here with your family.”
“Yeah, so?”
“You’re out in the middle of feckin’ nowhere,” she said, gesturing around them. “Who did you hang out with every day, all summer long: Sophie. Sure, your cousins were around, but it was always her, wasn’t it?”
He said nothing, so she continued.
“You went to the same schools. Even the same college—don’t give me the but I dropped out excuse. You enrolled. You worked together in your parents’ bar. Do you see what I’m saying?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, still not getting it. Sure, they were close but…
“She’s your sister, your best friend. Nobody is closer to you than she is. And if she doesn’t forgive me, we’re doomed. This won’t ever work.”
“She will,” he said gently. “It’ll take some finesse, but she will.”
Gwen arched an eyebrow. She wasn’t convinced.
“She will,” Keefe said again, more firmly this time. “Leave her to me.”
After a moment, he exhaled and said, “There is one thing I don’t understand: what made you come to my pub?”
“I couldn’t go another day sitting around, scratching me arse, waiting for you to come find me.”
Keefe chuckled and squeezed her inside his arms.
Gwen got up and fetched her purse. She returned to the table, pulled out a letter, and handed it to him. Keefe unfolded the page and began to read.
“It was because of this,” she said quietly. “I don’t know how much you know about Cian, but he was dangerous. He tried to keep me separate from his ‘business,’ but I knew. When I read that letter... I was so happy. I have a sister out there somewhere. I always wanted a sister.”
Her voice cracked slightly, but she pressed on.
