“What just happened?” I asked her.
“I think,” she began, “Alannah just acknowledged that Damien has been tryin’ to make up for what he did to ‘er... but she’s hammered, so maybe it doesn’t count.”
I folded my arms across my chest.
“You could be right, or it could be that a drunken mind is speakin’ a sober heart.”
“We’ve all have our problems with the lads.” Keela sighed. “I’ve had me fair share with Alec. God knows I’ve dealt with things I thought I’d never have to... but Lana’s situation is different. Damien has been in her head and heart since she was a kid. What went down between them… that’s a lot of pain to be carryin’ around with you for five years. Watchin’ your friends bein’ loved up with his brothers has to be hard, and to see ‘er best friend in a steady relationship with his twin? Man, that’s got to be hell. We don’t even know their real feelins’; we only know what’s been shared. It runs deeper than just a one-night stand that happened years ago. It has to.”
I linked arms with my friend.
“Whatever the outcome with the pair of them, we’ll help them through it,” I said firmly. “It’s what family is for.”
Always.
“Stop being a ca-caveman,” my sister’s voice warned from behind us, causing both Keela and me to turn around. “Just because you’re the one with the di-dick here doesn’t make you th-the boss.” She pointed her chest. “I’m the boss. Me.”
Dominic looked at us then back at his lady. “We all know you’re the boss, but that doesn’t mean I won’t redden your ass if you don’t get it in gear and move.”
Bronagh narrowed her eyes, so Dominic stepped forward.
“Test me on this,” he said, his voice gruff. “I dare you.”
She lost her nerve and backed down.
“Okay, bossy arse,” she mumbled.
Dominic’s lips twitched. “I’m still going to redden your ass.”
Bronagh widened her eyes. “I th-thought you were playin’!”
“I never play when it comes to your ass,” Dominic said, smirking.
“Unfair!” My sister groaned.
I hid my grin as the pair of batshit crazies walked out of the pub hand in hand. Granted, the handholding this time around was mainly because Bronagh could barely walk unassisted. Either way, it was still cute. Keela and I followed them, and once we saw the lads had the girls’ safely into Dominic and Bronagh’s car, we both got into my car and drove home.
“How’d you get ‘ere if you don’t have your car?” I asked Keela as I pulled onto the main road.
“I did this crazy thing... I walked.”
I bit down on my lip. “Smartarse.”
Keela snorted. “Alec has our car, so I didn’t have a choice. Me Uncle Brandon rang and said one of his lads saw ‘Rampage’s misses’ and ‘er ‘hot friend’ drinkin’ heavily in Crough’s. I told ‘im thanks for the heads up then headed down there to try and get them home without causin’ problems, but we know how well that turned out.”
I nodded. “They’re funny as hell, but my God, they’re a handful, especially when together.”
“They’ll be dyin’ sick tomorrow.”
I evilly grinned. “I’m countin’ on it.”
Keela laughed then we chatted back and forth until I arrived home. We passed Dominic’s car as I neared my house, and a glance and a wave told me he’d collected Georgie from Ryder. When I pulled into my driveway, I leaned over and hugged Keela in farewell. She left and walked across the street to her and Alec’s home.
The front door to my house was open, and Ryder filled the space. My heart skipped a beat as I took him in. Both of his arms raised above his head where he held onto the top of the door’s panel. He was shirtless—obviously—and every muscle the man possessed was flexed, practically begging me to lick them in greeting.
“Branna?”
I looked up when I heard my name.
“Hmmm?”
Ryder’s lips twitched. “I was talking to you, but you weren’t listening.”
“I was listenin’.” I grinned. “Just not to you.”
To my body.
His eyes flicked down, and he leisurely rolled his eyes over said body as I strode towards him.
“You’re edible.”
I hummed. “I bet I am.”
His eyes flashed with amusement.
“You seem very upbeat, so I guess it went okay?”
“Epically brilliant doesn’t cover it,” I gleamed. “But Keela’s video will. She’s goin’ to send it to me so I can show you.”
Ryder laughed as he lowered his arms and encircled them around me as I came to a stop and leaned my body against his. I looked over my shoulder when I heard a whistle. I waved when I saw it was Alec from across the road. He had just pulled into his driveway and was getting out of his car. He locked his car and jogged over to us.
“Hey guys.”
I hugged him in greeting while Ryder did the bro-hug thing they always did when they saw each other.