Annie cast Mam a smile and responded, “Maybe give me a couple years to enjoy being a newlywed first, Jackie.”

I grinned, so proud of my soon-to-be sister-in-law. She’d been so meek and shy when she first began seeing Ronan, but now she’d really come into her own, and she had absolutely no reservations about trying to put my mother in her place.

“Oh, just you wait. You’ll be pregnant before the honeymoon is through,” Mam went on, refusing to give up the subject.

“Mam!” I hissed. “For God’s sake, leave it out. She still needs to get through the wedding day first.”

I might have overreacted. I’d been tense for nearly a month. Seeing Sean two nights ago and being unable to even speak to him had made everything exponentially worse. I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Annie shrugged and gestured to Orla and Marie, who had also joined us for our spa day. “It’s fine. These two have already been on my case about babies for months now, so I’m used to it.”

Marie, the long-term girlfriend of one of Ronan’s teammates, smiled kindly. “We’re trying to give you some friendly encouragement, that’s all.”

“Exactly,” said Orla. “And think how beautiful your kids will be. I can just imagine those big gorgeous Bambi eyes on a little girl.”

“Too true,” Mam chirped happily.

Staring at my toes through the steam, I huffed a breath, rubbing a tight spot between my shoulders. “Man, I kind of feel sorry for this kid. She hasn’t even been conceived yet and the expectation of beauty is already being saddled on her.”

Okay, so I was being a bit of a sour chops. I wasn’t normally such a grump, but the lack of resolution with Sean was wearing me down. I was straddling the line of being loyal to my brother (which I wasn’t) and being more than friends with Sean (which I wasn’t, not really). I wanted both, but couldn’t have either. My brain felt like it was being torn in two.

I hadn’t heard from Sean since the night of the hen party. I’d texted him three times and he hadn’t answered. I told myself it was for the best. Because it was for the best.

Too bad my heart didn’t agree.

Also, and just keeping it real here, I needed bedroom action, some kind of a release, but it had to be from Sean. The thought of allowing anyone else to touch me sent my stomach rolling with revulsion.

It had to be Sean.

I needed him to touch me.

“There’s no questioning that any child of my son’s will be beautiful as can be,” Mam put in, her narrowed eyes leveled on me. “You’ve always been jealous of Ronan, Lucy.”

“I’m not jealous of anyone. I love my brother. All I’m saying is, a baby shouldn’t be measured in terms of physical attractiveness. It’s a bloody baby, for Christ’s sake.”

“Please, don’t start with another of your politically correct rants. Just because you chose to hide your only good features doesn’t mean you have to make those who are attractive feel like less.”

There was something in her tone that made me lose my rag. “Christ, you’re condescending.”

“I’m speaking the truth. Now hush, you’re embarrassing us and making a scene,” she said, casting her eyes down to a group of women at the other end of the steamy room.

“Well, God forbid I do that.”

“Lucy,” she said in warning, her eyes demanding I shut the hell up.

“Do you know what, Mam? Sometimes it feels like my very existence is an embarrassment to you, so I think I’ll just do you a favor and get out of your hair for the rest of the day. And don’t worry, I’ll be returning to New York after the wedding, so you won’t have to put up with me at all for much longer.”

Having said my piece, I stood and shot Annie a look of apology before walking out of the sauna. Yes, I was being a tad hysterical and overly contrary, but my mother was a trigger and it was just one of those days.

“Lucy, come back here,” Mam called, her aggravation barely concealed. I ignored her.

I was completely anxious and tense as I walked to the showers. The warm water and lemon-cucumber-scented soap did little to ease my discomfort.

Once I was clean and dressed, I checked my phone for messages. I’d been checking it constantly, like an addict looking for her next fix.

I didn’t expect anything, but I hoped. And when I saw there were several spanning over the past hour and they were all from Sean, my heart pounded. A rush of hot nerves flooded my system as I hit the button to read them, remembering our loaded, needful glances from two nights ago, when the stags and hens had collided.

We hadn’t exchanged a single word, yet the look he’d given me had expressed his want more than a thousand sonnets could have. I was certain my own looks had reflected that want right back at him.

Sean: Just checked in to the hotel a day early. I’m in room 206 if you find yourself at a loose end…and I’ve got a jersey in my suitcase with your name on it ;-)

Sean: Actually, it has my name on it, but you know what I mean. I’d really like to see you, Lucy.

Sean: You looked beautiful the other night, even in that God-awful costume. I hated that we couldn’t speak or touch. It was the worst kind of torture…

I swiped my thumb over the screen, biting my lower lip as I considered how to reply, my heart still thundering and my chest tight and achy. I wanted to see him, God how I wanted to, but I was here for my brother’s wedding. Having any kind of intimate encounter with Sean right now would be completely disrespectful.