Page 36 of Fix You

Exhaling a ragged breath, I replied, “Then lets try.”

Without taking her eyes off of mine, she stepped forward to close the gap between us. But before she could reach me, Callumappeared. “All right, after that performance, you owe me a dance now,Roisin.”

“Roisin?” I questioned.

“It’s my nickname. It means little rose.”

“It suits you,” I remarked.

Wrinkling her nose, she replied, “Maybe when I was a kid.”

Callum’s gaze flickered between us before he held out his hand for her. “Come on now. You can’t say no to the groom at his reception.”

Disappointment and frustration swirled in Maeve’s eyes, but she quickly masked her emotions. “How could I possibly say no to my big brother.” With a plastered smile, she said, “Excuse me.”

I knew there was so much more that she wanted to say, but I merely replied, “Have fun.”

As the party wore on, it appeared the universe was out to spite us. Or I probably should say spite Maeve because we weren’t allowed another moment to potentially slip away to be alone. Between her brothers dancing with her and me dancing with Caterina and even Orla, we didn’t cross paths for the longest time. Then when we did meet again, others joined us to talk and drink.

Her anxious body language told me just how much it was getting to her. She shifted in her chair and smiled or laughed out of sync with the others like she was only half-listening.

When Orla suggested the two of them go inside, she appeared crestfallen. Her gaze swung to mine, challenging me to somehow innocently protest her absence. But I couldn’t. Not sitting with her family. It was simply too risky.

Reluctantly, she followed her mother off the roof and back into the house. With regret filling me, I rose out of my seat to go after her. But Dare stopped me by thrusting a glass of whiskey in my hand. “You gotta try this one.”

Gritting my teeth, I took the whiskey. “Thanks,” I grumbled.

It was then the band started packing up and the guests started inside the house. I knew time was officially up, and there was no way I could ensure Maeve would get to collect on her bet. I jerked my head at Leo and Gianni. “We should say our goodbyes to Caterina now.”

With a roll of his eyes, Leo grumbled, “It’s about fucking time.”

I cocked my head at him. “There wasn’t one Irish girl you could charm the panties off of tonight?”

When Leo opened his mouth, Gianni snorted. “He got shot down.”

Chuckling, I replied, “Seriously?”

With a wince, Leo replied, “We might as well have been at an Italian wedding reception with all the locked down pussy.”

“I suppose you didn’t fare any better?” I asked Gianni.

He winked. “I knew better than to try anything besides a dance.”

I ruffled his dark hair. “Look at my little brother, the gentleman.”

Snorting, he replied, “It was more like I didn’t want to lose my dick.”

With a gleam in his eyes, Leandro jerked his chin at me. “Considering how many dances you had with Maeve, you’re apparently not concerned about your own dick.”

Before I could respond, Gianni said, “She would be worth it.” He licked his lips before adding, “E uno schianto.”

At him calling Maeve a stunner, I reached over to smack the back of his head. His eyes snapped open to glare at me. “What’s your problem?”

“Don’t talk about Maeve like that.”

“I just said she was stunning.”

“Let one of her brothers hear you say that, and you’ll get much worse.”

---