“Amberlyn, how lovely to meet you,” Mrs. O’Callaghan says as she reaches for my hand, shaking it softly. “You sure are a beautiful girl.”

“Thank you, it’s wonderful to meet you, too,” I say, my voice cracking a bit. My face heats with embarrassment but Declan is there, kissing my temple.

I send him a thankful grin, and he gives me a wink before turning to his father. “Love, my da, Ivor O’Callaghan.”

“Nice to meet you, sir,” I say, holding my hand out, but his eyes haven’t left Declan’s. I slowly drop my hand, biting into the inside of my cheek as they hold each other’s gazes.

“Ivor, please,” his mother strains and finally, he looks at me.

“It’s a pleasure, Ms. Reilly. So this is who you’ve chosen?”

The tension could be cut with a knife. I look up at Declan as he nods sternly. “Yes.”

Mr. O’Callaghan slowly looks me over. “Fine, I can support you if that is what you want.”

What in God’s name is going on here?

“Thank you. I’d like that. She’s very special to me,” Declan answers, kissing my cheek before flashing me a wide grin. I return it, leaning into him as his father says, “That’s to be seen, I guess.”

Mrs. O’Callaghan waves him off. “Ivor, please, she is lovely. You should come for tea, darling. Lena would love to meet you.”

“I met her earlier. She was sweet and has made plans to call me next week.”

“Wonderful, I will join to get to know you better. Declan seems pretty smitten with you.”

My cheeks hurt from grinning so hard as I look up in his eyes. “I feel the same way.”

“Lovely!”

Looking back at Mr. O’Callaghan, he asks, “Are you having a nice time, then?”

“Yes sir, it’s a lovely ball. You have a beautiful home.”

Mrs. O’Callaghan sends me a pleased smile as Mr. O’Callaghan says, “It is nice, huh? My great-great-great-great-grandda built it. It has been in the family my whole life. I was born here; Declan and Lena were born here. It’s special.”

“I bet, that’s amazing,” I gush, biting the inside of my cheek.

“Have you ever seen something like this back in the states? Where are you from, Tennessee? Do they have houses like this there?”

I slowly shake my head as Declan lets out a breath as he says, “Let’s go, Amberlyn. I’d like to dance.”

“Now don’t run off. We are talking, Declan,” Mr. O’Callaghan says before setting me with a look. “Do they?”

“No sir, but I wouldn’t consider this a home. It’s more a castle. We have mansions, but not castles like this. It’s breathtaking here and sometimes, I’m scared to touch things when I come to visit.”

“Scared, huh? Maybe that’s why she doesn’t want to marry our son, Noreen, even though the paper says otherwise.”

“Da,” Declan warns. “The papers are rubbish, and you know it.”

“Sure because she hasn’t said yes, right? Have you even asked her? Better get to work, son. Time is ticking.”

Whoa, what? I have no clue what they are talking about, and I need answers. Looking over at Declan, I can see that he is fighting to control his anger. His eyes are narrowed, a vein is sticking out of his forehead, and his breath is labored.

“Ivor, that is enough. Don’t do this in front of his lovely girlfriend.”

“Why not? It includes her, if she’ll marry him.”

What. The. Fuck?

Sputtering, I ask, “Declan?”

“Ignore him, come on,” he says, pulling me with him.

But not in time before I hear his father call out, “Ignore it all you want, Declan. You only have three months before Micah takes over. I’d make a move if I were you. Even though, I’m pretty sure she is not made for this life.”

“Declan, what the hell is going on?”

“Nothing,” he says, pulling me through the ballroom and out a side door to the side of the house. The warm air hits my skin as we head towards where it looks like the cars are parked. Declan’s body is shaking with anger, and he won’t look me in the eyes as he says, “I’m gonna take you home, okay love? I’m not feeling well.”

Stopping in my track, I take hold of his wrist, stopping him. “Whoa, no, stop. What the hell was your dad talking about? Who’s Micah?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closes his eyes as he takes in a deep breath. “Please Amberlyn, let me take you home. I’m sorry to ruin the night. I just need to go to sleep, I think.”

“No,” I answer, taking a step towards him. Removing his hand from his nose, I take his face in my hands and whisper, “Don’t shut me out. Please, tell me what’s going on.”

Closing his eyes, he leans into my hand before opening them to look at me. “Micah is my sister’s fiancé, and will take over the distillery in three months if I’m not married.”

Huh? Raising my brow, I ask, “But I thought everything goes to you when your dad retires?”

“It would if I’m married. You know how you call the way I am treated by the town dumb and stupid? Well, it gets worse. I am obligated to be married before I turn twenty-one, or I don’t get the distillery. Only a man in love can love the distillery the way it should be loved.”

I am so confused it isn’t even funny. “But you’re twenty-two?”

“Things were ignored because of what happened to Lena. They blamed the fact I wasn’t married because of that, but it wasn’t that. I just never cared for anyone, and I refuse to get married unless I love the person.”

I’m speechless; I don’t know what to say. Blinking, I can only look at him as I process everything he has just said. Watching me, he tucks his hands inside his suit pants and I say, “Why are you just now telling me this? This is huge. This is something you share with someone, you know? Why were you are hiding this from me? Don’t you know you can tell me anything?”

He kicks at the ground as he slowly meets my gaze. “I know, Amberlyn. It’s just that I am nervous. When I met you, everything changed. You awoke me and made my life worth living in this very short time of being with you. I was so scared to lose you, and I didn’t want to scare you away with my stupid family drama. I don’t even remember what was important to me before I met you. All that matters is you now, and I’ve decided that being with you is way more important than this distillery or anything else for that matter.”