Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Looks good in here, sugar,” he said, looking around.
“Thanks, baby,” I replied flatly.
“You got roped into helpin’?” he asked, smiling.
“Came home early.”
“I told him I could do it myself,” Noel announced, walking over to give Titus a kiss.
“She wanted to help me carry the cooler to the porch.”
Titus frowned. “Yeah, right.”
“That’s what I said.”
“I could do it,” Noel said in exasperation.
“That cooler weighs about half as much as you do,” Titus argued. “There’s no way in hell.”
“Let’s go to the garage,” Noel persisted. “I’ll show you.”
“Nope.” He grabbed her waist and yanked her toward him, wrapping his arms around her as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
I took that as my cue to leave.
Upstairs, I quietly gathered some clothes and hopped in the shower. We’d decided to have Saoirse’s birthday party at my place since this house had a lot more room than Aunt Ashley’s. Aoife wasn’t happy about it, but Saoirse had been spending some time with Noel, and she’d mentioned inviting their little family to her birthday dinner. Since Saoirse had never been great at making friends, Aoife acted like it was the best idea ever.
I checked my phone as soon as I’d gotten dressed, but I didn’t have any missed calls. The sky-is-falling feeling had gone away while I was helping Noel, but it was back in full force as I made my way back downstairs.
“Uncle Cian,” Diana bellowed, climbing over the back of the couch to get to me.
“Princess,” I scolded as I jogged over to catch her. “You know you’re not supposed to be climbin’ on the couch.”
“I missed you,” Diana said, ignoring my scolding. She rubbed her chin against my beard.
“I just saw you yesterday,” I replied, carrying her into the kitchen.
“We’re having a party,” Diana told me excitedly. “Mama put up balloons.”
“I know.”
“Uncle Cian helped blow them up,” Noel informed her.
“Hey, you wanna help me grab that cooler before everyone gets here?” Titus asked me.
“Yeah.” I set Diana on her feet and kissed the top of Ariel’s head as I passed her.
“Hi,” she said, smiling up at me.
“Hey, Mermaid,” I greeted as I followed Titus.
I scanned the tree line as we walked over to the garage.
“You good?” Titus asked curiously.
“Got a feelin’,” I replied, looking around as he threw open the door.
“Yeah?” He followed my gaze. There was nothing there.
It didn’t feel stupid when I was talking to Titus.
“Somethin’ isn’t right.”
“No idea what it is?”
“Could be anythin’,” I replied as I reached for one side of the cooler. “Just be prepared, yeah?”
“Fuck,” Titus muttered with a nod.
My siblings pulled up just as we were setting the cooler on the porch.
“Cian, come help me,” Aoife ordered, climbing out of the car.
I jogged down the steps and met her at the trunk. “Jesus, Mam, what did you bring?”
There were six big covered dishes carefully packed with towels around them to keep them from shifting.
“I made a taco bar,” she replied. “There’s more in the back seat with Sean.”
“Go get my nephew,” I said, bumping her gently out of the way. “I’ll carry these.”
“Don’t stack them,” she warned as she walked to Sean’s door. “They’ll spill everywhere.”
“Great,” I muttered as Ronan and Aisling joined me.
It took a few trips to get everything inside, and we’d barely finished as Aunt Ashley arrived, Frankie’s SUV pulling in behind her.
“You can park anywhere,” I called as Aunt Ashley parked beside Aoife, and Frankie pulled over by the garage.
“I wasn’t sure how many people were coming,” she said as Saoirse climbed out of the passenger seat. “Head on in, honey. We’ll be right there.”
“Hey, brother,” Saoirse greeted as she passed me.
“Happy Birthday.”
“Thanks!”
As soon as Saoirse was inside the house, Aunt Ashley scowled. “I forgot the damn cake.”
“How the hell did you do that?” I asked as Frankie and Lou reached us.
“I put it on the table in the motorhome so Saoirse wouldn’t see it before the party, and then when she asked to ride with me, I forgot to put it in Aoife’s car.”
“What’s wrong?” Frankie asked.
“No, nothing,” Lou said into the phone held to her ear.
“I forgot the cake,” Aunt Ashley answered. “Left it in the frigging motorhome.
“Ashley forgot the cake in the motorhome,” Lou said in exasperation. She looked at me. “It’s Myla.”
“She on her way yet?”
Lou shook her head.
“I can run back and get it,” Aunt Ashley said. “I’ll be back before it’s time.”
“Let’s eat dinner first,” I ordered. “I’ll run and get it when we’re done.”
“I can’t believe I forgot it,” Aunt Ashley said as I led her toward the house. “I had one job.”
“It’s no big deal,” Frankie said easily. “These dinners usually last a while anyway. There’s plenty of time to go get it.”
Inside the house was chaos, and it only got louder when Tommy and Heather showed up. People were spread out all over the kitchen and living room eating their food, and we could barely keep Diana and Sean at the table long enough to eat anything.