Page 59 of On The Rocks

“Amen to that,” the blonde woman declared, taking the seat next to Layla. “I personally like a bit of monster in my man.”

Layla rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “We know, Ned.”

“Ned?” I questioned.

“Kennedy,” she corrected. “Ned for short. Though if Atlas had his way, You’d all be calling me Blondie or The Bulldog.”

“She’s also the town’s lawyer,” Sophie explained, parking her ass next to her friend. “All our husbands are Speed Demon officers and brothers, blood and otherwise. It can get confusing.”

“Only because of all the testosterone vibes they give off,” Tristan agreed, placing a tray full of coffee cups on the table and taking the seat next to me. “It’s enough to get anyone’s head muddled. This town makes ‘em big, strong, and beautiful, something these girls can attest to.

“He’s right,” Maureen agreed, slipping into the other empty spot beside me. “Though I blame John Stone for that. Those boys are just like their father, in looks and personality.”

I grinned at my mother-in-law. “Maureen O’Shea. You’re a cheeky one.”

She gave me a playful nudge. “Don’t get me wrong. It was always my Lorcan for me, and it always will be, but any woman would look at John Stone and appreciate the male form.”

Tristan leaned forward and took her hands in his. “How are you coping now, Mother Maureen. Are things settling down?”

Tears filled her eyes, but she smiled through them. “I miss my husband. By the end, he was so sick that I prayed to God to give him some peace, but not having him here leaves a hole I’ll never fill. I’m so happy he’s free from pain, but I’d give anythingfor another minute with him. It’s like I’m not the same woman without him; something inside me’s missing.”

My heart clenched painfully.

Maureen had been so strong after losing Lorcan, but it was healthy that she also had her moments of sadness. I tried to be there for her as much as I could, but she insisted that Callum and I should spend time together and not worry about her, which was crazy because all I did was worry, and I knew Callum did, too.

Lorcan had left a huge void in everybody’s lives, and the entire family was still deep in the throes of grieving him—I found talking about him helped Callum and Maureen, whereas Donovan seemed to space out whenever his dad was mentioned. Losing somebody was such a personal thing. There wasn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Everybody had to work through it at their own pace and in their own way. The best thing I could do was to make sure I was on hand to listen and support.

Resting my head on Maureen’s shoulder, I rubbed her arm comfortingly. “I know you want to give me and Callum some space, but I wish you’d spend more time at the bar with us. He’s so busy, and I’m in the distillery most of the time. We really could do with the help.”

“You’re a good girl, Maeve,” she murmured.

I lifted my head and turned to her. “And you’re the best mother-in-law.” My eyes lifted to see Tristan, Layla, Sophie, and Kennedy staring at me intently. I felt my cheeks heat. “E-everything okay?”

Tristan’s gaze caught mine, and he beamed. “I love this. The big-city girl moves to a small town just before the holidays and captures the hearts of all the townsfolk, including the grumpy Irish bar owner who’s closed off from love. It’s like living in a fucking Hallmark movie. Just by chance, is your best frienda handsome, gay, single-father firefighter who rescues puppies and chops wood bare-chested in the forest?”

I giggled. “Sorry. My best friend’s called Emily, and she’s a historian.”

“Eff my life.” Tristan heaved an audible sigh before leaning forward until his elbows hit the table, and he rested his chin in his hands. “Now, let’s talk about that keratin treatment.”

Layla perked up. “Keratin treatment?”

He jerked his chin toward me. “Merida here thinks her hair is frizzy.”

“But I love your hair,” Layla exclaimed, her huge eyes widening even more. “It’s all wild, untamed curls.”

Tristan threw his head back and laughed, closely followed by Maureen.

Looking around me, I took in the women, all beautiful, all accomplished, and all so kind and so uplifting that I suddenly felt light as a feather. I’d been dreading meeting them purely because of my own past experiences, so it was weird how, over the space of five minutes, they’d put me at ease and even provided comfort, especially to Maureen.

I was beginning to believe that relocating to Hambleton had been the best decision I’d ever made. It had been so easy, and I felt right at home already. I enjoyed Callum’s friends, and if I was honest, I loved the laid-back lifestyle, especially after the pressures of the New York social scene and my career.

I just wished my marriage could prove as easy.

CHAPTER 13

CALLUM

Atlas pointed the neck of his beer bottle toward the newly built stage. “That shit’s gonna look like a million dollars when it’s covered and painted.”

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