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Eamon comes up to me, his face flush with Guinness, talking over the loud music. “Brother! Long time no see. How are you enjoying the party?”
“It’s great. Happy birthday.” I pull him in for a quick hug. Apparently, it’s okay to hug the people you care about. Even if you are a man. Something I’ve been learning from Kitt.
“Whoa! You getting’ all emotional on me now that your baby brother is a full-grown man?” He pats my shoulder. Before I can answer, a mate of his comes up to pull him away to the dance floor.
“Hey, Eamon!” I call out.
“Yeah?” He turns his head over his shoulder with a grin.
“I’m proud of you,” I say.
His smile holds for a moment, his eyes going soft. “Thanks.” I watch him go off with the lads, each one asking a pretty girl for a dance.
He asks Carol Ann, a year older than him, and she accepts. They’re friends from back in school. I don’t think much of it.
Now, just Fiona and Kitt are at the table, smiling as they watch Eamon and Carol Ann join in the fast-paced traditional dance, the man playing the cello calling out the next steps for the couples.
Callum decides to have another try at a dance.
Poor Fiona. Should I save her? She does love these dances. I’ve seen her do them for hours at weddings, never turning down a partner. I take a sip of beer as I watch him walk over to the girls’ table.
But it’s not Fiona he’s after this time. He slides into Carol Ann’s empty seat, wrapping an arm around Kitt’s shoulder. An arm he’s obviously not too attached to.
‘Cause he’s about to lose it.
Remembering Eamon’s words about Cal wanting a dance with my girl, I waste no time moving in to claim my turf.
“Touch her and die,” I say, eyeing his heavy arm. Straightening up with a slow grin, he slides his arm away from Kitt. She scoots closer to Fiona.
“Just trying to make Fiona jealous. She’s the one I’m after.” He leans over the table, green eyes twinkling at Fiona. “Isn’t that right, wee Fi?”
“The girl already turned you down once, Burnes. Move along so you don’t make a fool out of yourself.”
Palms flat against the tabletop, he pushes himself up from his seat. “I’ll give you my seat, Bayne. I know how badly you want it.”
“Off you go.” I widen my shoulders, anticipating the hard brush he gives me as he goes by.
The peppy tune slows, falling into something soft and sultry, the boys singing in Gaelic. I look down at Kitt. “I don’t want to sit. I want to dance.” I’ve seen her eyeing the floor all night, I know she wants to. We’ve come to read one another like an old married couple in the short time we’ve been together.
“Really?” Her eyes flutter wide in deep surprise.
“Yeah.” I offer her my hand. She takes it, joining my side. “Come on.”
She turns to her friend. “Fiona, will you be alright here?”
“Sure, I think Bayne scared Callum off. I’ll be okay.” She gives a giddy schoolgirl grin. “Have fun!”
I pull Kitt into my arms, take her right to the center of the dance floor where every Bayne and Burnes male eye can see me holding her against my chest.
Mine.
I rest my chin on her head, inhaling the sweet, clean scent that belongs only to her, so familiar to me now, our orbits closing in on one another. She gives a happy sigh as she rests her face against my chest, wanting to be as close to me as I do to her.
I can feel it.
Smoothing my hand over her hair down her back, we sway to the music. And in this moment, all is right in my world.
I’m happy.
