Page 110 of Irish Betrayal

“My secrets hurt other people, and I am an adult, Ciar. You were only ever a child. I should have told my parents years ago.”

“You were taught to trust him, Blair. Possibly trust him more than your mom and dad. You know that. You only found out about his true depravity before you went to Tulsa. Give yourself some grace. You and I are survivors. Be proud of that. I am.”

Blair wanted to refute his words, but that would mean Ciar didn’t deserve the compassion he’d received, and to her, no one deserved it more.

“You’re just being bullheaded. Typical redhead,” he signed with a smirk.

Some of the tension left her shoulders with a snort of amusement. “I’m not typical, you prick.”

“Exactly. You’re fucking amazing and one of my best friends. Start acting like it. I deserve better than you hiding away. We all do.”

He had her there. She’d been so busy creating a narrative about how everyone saw her now instead of seeing their support as anything but what it was. Love.

“Fine,” she said aloud, raising her brows and crossing her arms.

“Fine,” he mimicked, crossing his own arms until they both lost the game and grinned. Ciar scooped her up in his big, tattooed arms, making her squeal. She finally had to poke under his arms to make him put her down.

“Let’s go find our better halves,” he prompted, taking her arm and twining it with his own.

When Daniel and Gray came into sight, they both had worried expressions on their faces, but when they saw Blair and Ciar smile at each other, their grins were immediate.

Daniel held her close to his side while they watched Gray and Ciar leave. He tapped her chin to get her attention before saying, “You’re smiling again.”

She huffed. “I smile all the time.”

“Not a real one.”

She swallowed down the happy tears that wanted to fall. He was right, and it felt like a new beginning.

“Thank you for loving me,” Blair said, touching his lips softly with her fingertips. “I’ve decided to accept Ulf’s offer. When I have to travel to Wales, our daughter will go with me.”

“Will she now? And what if wee Ember wants to stay with Daddy?” he asked, lifting her easily into his arms, her legs and arms wrapping around him, a perfect cradle for their daughter.

They told their friends over lunch that they were expecting a baby girl. “You didn’t tell everyone her name.” She kissed each side of his mouth.

“We agreed to tell your parents first at Bébhinn’s baby shower. Ember Catriona,” Daniel said, a wide smile splitting his face.

“She might not be a redhead, you know.” Daniel was sure their daughter would be a “mini me,” but Blair had an inkling that she might choose her own hair legacy—and she was half O’Faolain.

“It won’t matter, white, red, brown, black, if she’s part of you, she’ll be fiery. Just like an Ember.”

Lord, but that man melted her heart.

“I don’t know what Ciar said to you, and I don’t need to,” Daniel leaned back to say. “This is the first time in months where you are truly standing next to me,” he said before giving her a smacking kiss. “To celebrate, I propose we have sex in the new greenhouses.”

“Count me in.”

fifty-five

Baby Shower for

Bébhinn O’Faolain Griffiths & Blair Barr

ROWAN

It was her daughter’s baby shower.

Rowan’s baby was having a baby. Wren Wolf Griffiths.