Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“I love you too, you silly man,” I whisper, tears welling in my eyes.
I hope that we’ll be together soon, my angel, my treasure. Until then, stay safe for me.
I fold the letter up and then clasp it to my chest, knowing I’m going to treasure it forever.
Just after midday, I’m busying myself in the kitchen, making Irish scones like I was going to with Killian before the attack interrupted us. When my phone buzzes, I grab it quickly, then roll my eyes when I realize it’s just my timer.
“No news?” Anna says across the island.
“No,” I reply. “Except me being incredibly thankful that you’re doing this…”
She smiles, cradling Clover to her chest. “Do you seriously think I need an excuse to spend time with this munchkin? Try not to worry, Lucy. Soon, he’ll come back. You’ll be able to start your life together. I’m so happy for you.”
I want to agree, want to be happy, but I don’t want to tempt fate.
Once I’ve put the scones in the oven, the landline rings. Anna laughs when I turn to her. “Don’t look at me. If anyone’s answering that thing, it’s you. You’re his girlfriend… and I’ve got a feeling, pretty soon, you’re going to be a lot more than that.”
I roll my eyes, trying to act like her words are no big deal, but I can’t fake it. They mean a lot. Hope aches in me as I walk across the apartment and take the landline from the wall.
A lot more…
Fate will complete its circle. The storm will finally stop—the storm of the mob war, the fire, the threats, the danger—and we’ll be able to be together, properly and fully.
“Hello… Callahan residence,” I say, feeling silly.
“Hello, who is this?” a woman asks.
“Uh, Lucy,” I murmur. “I’m sorry, but Killian is out right now.”
“Wait, the Lucy?” the woman says, her tone growing immediately bubbly and happy. A smile spreads across my face.
“Um, yes?”
“My name is Nora,” she says. “I’m Killian’s mother, and I’ve wanted to meet you ever since he first mentioned you.”
“I’ve wanted to meet you too, Mrs—”
“Nora, please,” she cuts in. “Would you mind if I put you on speaker so that his sister, Ellie, can hear you too?”
Before I can reply, Nora calls for Ellie. I laugh, leaning against the wall, a big grin on my face.
“Are you the Lucy?”
“Guilty as charged,” I say. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
“What are you doing at his apartment?” Ellie asks. “Have you moved in?”
“Uh, no,” I murmur.
But is the idea as silly as it should be? Once upon a time, not even that long ago, it would’ve seemed like madness. But after the fire, and with all our love-filled declarations, it doesn’t seem impossible anymore.
“My bakery burned down. My apartment was above it. Killian is letting me stay here for a while.”
“Of course he is,” Nora says. “He’s always been a kind, caring boy.”
“Has he finally asked you on a date?” Ellie asks.
“Ellie!” Nora snaps.
“It’s fine,” I say, chuckling again. “Yes, we’ve been on a date. We…” I stop. What can I say? Yes, possible future mother-in-law, we had amazing sex last night and then ate pizza. “We’re close,” I go on. “Closer than I’ve been with anybody else.”
“Killian has spoken a lot about you since he first started going to The Celtic Crust,” Nora says.
“We’re so sorry it burned down,” Ellie adds.
“Yes,” Nora continues. “That’s absolutely awful.”
“He spoke about me?” I ask, then add, “And, yeah, thanks. Me too. But I’ll rebuild. I promised my mom I’d never quit on that place, and I intend to keep that promise.”
“That’s what he said about you,” Nora says.
“I don’t follow?”
“He said you were the most determined woman he’s ever met. When he heard about your mom passing and you taking on the bakery by yourself, you should’ve seen the look on his face… These past six months, Killian has been different.”
“Not just different, Mom,” Ellie says. “He transformed. He’s like an entirely new person. Don’t get me wrong; Killian was never mean.”
“Oh, no,” Nora agrees. “But he lacked a certain enthusiasm for life. He was slow to smile, and even when he did smile, sometimes it was like he was doing it for our benefit and not his own. But after visiting your bakery, he always had a skip in his step. You make him happy.”
“He makes me happy too,” I say, wiping my eyes when tears form. After the hotel, the showdown, then the reconnection and the lovemaking, my emotions are close to the surface.
“It’s just so nice to finally hear your voice,” Nora says.
“You could’ve come by the bakery,” I tell her.
“Killian forbade us,” she says, laughing ruefully.
“Really, why?”
“He didn’t want us to love you as much as he did,” Ellie says excitedly. “He didn’t want us to get attached, because…”