Page 67 of The Bossy One

This was ridiculous, I realized. Yes, the festival was fun. Yes, I’d wanted to come. But I wanted to spend the rest of my night with Declan more.

Hopefully, I hadn’t ruined things too badly between us.

I caught Molly’s attention and signaled that I was heading out, then started weaving my way toward the garden’s exit.

I set my empty glass on a table, then bumped into a man, who automatically reached out to steady me. It took a moment for me to recognize Seamus O’Rourke.

“Olivia!” he said cheerfully. “You came! Fantastic!” The drink in his hand had turned his cheeks pink and his natural charm into outright exuberance.

I smiled and tried to step around him.

He didn’t get the cue. “Is Catie with you?” he asked, looking around hopefully.

“No,” I said.

“Ah. Because of Declan,” he said, sounding a bit disappointed. Then he perked up. “Do you know if Sinead’s coming back to visit this summer?”

I shrugged noncommittally, fairly sure Sinead wouldn’t want me spreading her business around. “Do you know Sinead well?” I asked.

He looked away. “I used to,” he said quietly. He smiled ruefully. “Ran into her, the last time she was in town. She said…well.” He laughed wryly. “Some women have a way of making you rethink your life choices, don’t they?”

“Sure,” I said, not quite following.

“Oh!” Seamus said, spotting a woman about twenty feet away who looked vaguely like him. “Excuse me. I need to go talk to my sister. She lives in London these days to avoid our dad, so I hardly ever get to see her.” He squeezed my shoulder affectionately and rejoined the stream of the crowd.

I watched Seamus greet his sister with a massive hug, lifting her off the ground. I smiled. I knew Declan had his problems with Seamus—well, specifically with Seamus’s dad, but it seemed to have soured him on the whole family—but a man who loved his family that much couldn’t be all bad.

I was about to resume my path to the garden exit when I heard a gasp, and then murmurs. Everyone was craning their necks and standing on their toes to see something.

“What is it?” I asked the old woman next to me.

“A damn miracle,” she said. “It’s James and Marie’s boy.”

And then the man in question stepped into view, and my heart justshimmered. It was Declan, tall, proud, and handsome as ever. His dark hair and blue eyes made him look especially striking, like a fairy king invading the human court.

When his eyes locked on mine, I felt more than seen. I felt claimed.

People parted for Declan as he strode to me.

“Declan, I…what are you doing here?” Then a moment of fear stole through me. “Is Catie all right?”

“She’s fine. She’s with my mum.” He came to a halt in front of me. For a moment, I thought he would reach for me, but he stopped at the last second and put his hands in his pockets instead. He looked over his shoulder to see everyone staring at him. Hastily, they looked away.

He rolled his eyes and turned back to me. “Look, I don’t particularly want to be here. But you said it would make you happy. So…”

My heart was beating too fast, my body understanding things my mind wasn’t ready to.

I wet my lips. “I…I don’t think I realized the extent of what I was asking for, Declan. When I asked you to come, I really just wanted to spend time with you.”

He smiled, a certain light in his eyes that was just for me. “That’s convenient. Because I want to spend time with you.”

“Oh.” I was blushing. I couldn’t quite believe he was here. The proudest man I knew was temporarily laying down that pride to show up for me. Even though we’d fought. Even though he didn’t agree with me.

No one had ever done that for me before.

He glanced around. “Weren’t you supposed to be here with Molly?”

“She’s dancing,” I said. “So is Thomas.”

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