“Fall into place? What do you mean?”

His brows come together as he holds me close. “That my ma will leave us be and that you won’t worry about cooking your own dinner or mine. You’ll embrace this because this is what we are.”

“You don’t want more?”

“More? No,” he says, laughing. “I don’t want to do laundry or yard work. I have you and the distillery and one day, our children. Let our staff be responsible for all that mundane stuff.”

“Wow,” I say, shaking my head and backing out of his embrace.

Reaching for my jacket, I put it on as he asks, “Wow, what?”

Looking back at his confused face, I hate that I think what I do, but how can I not?

“This is the first time I’ve ever thought of you to be a snob.”

He looks at me like I’ve hit him. “A snob?”

“Yeah. Mundane stuff? That’s all I did when I was growing up, caring for my sick mother. It isn’t mundane. It’s what adults do!”

His confusion leaves his beautiful face, and compassion replaces it as he nods. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”

I shake my head, anger still coursing through my body. “It’s fine. Let’s go, your mom and dad are waiting.”

I go to leave, but he stops me, wrapping his arm around my waist and cupping my face so that look at him. “Declan—” I say, but before I can finish my sentence, he is shaking his head.

“Amberlyn, it isn’t fine. I can tell you are still upset, and please allow me to apologize.”

“I accept your apology,” I say, and I do, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not still upset over it.

“Sure ya do, but let me explain,” he says, still not letting me go. Reluctantly, I look up at him, and I know he sees the fire in my eyes. It isn’t okay what he said. Setting me with a look, he goes on, “This is how I was brought up. A silver spoon in my mouth, and thankfully, I don’t have to live any other way. If ya want to do dinner, fine, I’ll make arrangements for you to cook when ya want to. Want to do the laundry? I’ll have a washer and dryer put up here. Anything you want, you tell me and I’ll make happen.”

He is too good to me, but he isn’t listening to me. That’s not what I want. I mean, yeah it is, but I want more. “I want our own place. Somewhere where we can be alone and not worry about someone waiting on us hand and foot. Or your mother walking in on us.”

I know he doesn’t want that. I can see it in his eyes, but he nods his head anyway. “I’ve been here my own life. I had plans to carry ya over that threshold, to bring our babies home here and to grow old here. Me and you.”

“I can understand that, and I want those things too, minus this house.”

I can see the gears moving in his head as his eyes stay trained on mine. Letting out a long breath, he asks, “Can you give me till the wedding? If by then you still want that, then I’ll make the arrangements.”

That is only two months away.

Can I last that long? Maybe I’ll start to like it. This way he lives. Or, I’ll drive myself completely insane. I know I will put up with it because I love him.

“Yeah, I can wait.”

“Grand, love, thank you. C’mere,” he says, bringing me to him for a long, lusty kiss. The issue is still there, like a big fat elephant in the room, but at least we’ve come to a compromise.

One I can live with.

Once in the car—which is basically a limo—I lean on Declan’s arm as we drive through the country to the school that is outside of Mayo. It’s almost an hour away, and I am dreading the trip. I’m excited to get there, but being stuck in the car with Mrs. O’Callaghan means that I will not get a word in edgewise. I guess I could nap, but as soon as I close my eyes, she starts to talk to me.

“Amberlyn, honey, did you approve the seating chart?”

Opening my eyes, I look at Declan, confused. “Did we do that?”

He smiles as he nods. “Yeah, Ma, we did.”

“Grand,” she says with a nod, but then she lets out a sigh. “I hate that we have to do this today. I have my whole day planned doing wedding things.”

“I’m sure the wedding won’t suffer,” I say with a smile. “We will all be there, bells and whistles, no matter what. These kids won’t have school supplies without our help.”

An awkward silence falls as Lena nods. “She’s right, Ma, the wedding isn’t tomorrow. Let’s enjoy helpin’ the community, yeah?”

Folding her hands, Mrs. O’Callaghan makes a face like something stinks and nods. “Yeah, sure.”

Declan looks over at me and kisses my nose. “Not mad still, are ya?” he asks in a whisper.

I shake my head. “No, not at all.”

“Grand.”

“What’s wrong? Did I do something?”

I want to roll my eyes, scream at her to stay out of our business, but I know that would be frowned upon. Plus Declan’s dad still scares me, and he is staring at me as Declan shakes his head.

“No, Ma. Amberlyn isn’t used to having everything done for her. It’s all an adjustment.”

“It is,” Mr. O’Callaghan says with a smile. “Which is why we usually only marry people like us.”

That was rude, right? I feel like that was rude. Looking at Declan in disbelief, I see he is rolling his eyes. “And most of the time, they aren’t really happy, yeah?”

I notice Lena look away from Micah, biting her lips as his parents glare.

“I’m marrying for love. True, perfect love. She’ll adjust,” Declan says, wrapping an arm around me.

“I didn’t mean to offend you, son,” his father backtracks, but Declan shakes his head.

“But ya did and you probably offended her. Let’s drop it, yes? This is supposed to be a good day of helping people who don’t have the advantages we do.”

That shuts everyone up, and I am impressed with how Declan holds himself. He was so shy before, but now, he is so noble. I’ve enjoyed watching him grow over the last couple months, and I like to think I’ve helped get him to the man he is.

My future husband.

As everyone talks about whatever they do, Declan and I cuddle into each other, playing with each other’s fingers and just enjoying being near each other. It never gets old, the feeling of him near me. I crave it, the nearness of him, making me feel complete. It’s a beautiful feeling, and I know it’s one that my mother would want me to have.