Page 111 of Irish Betrayal

And Hugh wasn’t there.

Rowan looked over the lively crowd of friends and family gathered at the O’Faolain Building’s spacious first floor. She, River, and Raven had rented extra tables and chairs to accommodate their growing families.

The décor was lovely, all blues, greens, and yellows, a nod to Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. Bébhinn’s favorite book as a child.

The presents were opened, so everyone was enjoying a full buffet of small bites, especially the cookies and cupcakes. She smiled as her eyes landed on Ciar Murphy and Gray’s two small children. Imogen was sporting a mighty fine buttercream frosting mustache.

Gray smiled brightly at Ciar, who bent to give his wife a kiss before boosting Imogen up in his arms and deftly snatching the little one’s treat away while Gray laughed and gave their baby, Colm, kisses.

Mirren stood by her sister, Gray, with her handsome husband and famous artist, Finn Campbell, and their twins, now twelve, Rowan believed, beside them.

Mags and Jonathan were talking animatedly to her parents, Aileen and Charles. After beating cancer a second time, Aileen retired as a schoolteacher. Charles was still a university history professor but had shocked the hell out of everyone by writing a bestseller that had been picked up for a mini-series. That might not be the only exciting news. If Rowan wasn’t mistaken, her nephew, Jonathan, and Mags might be hiding a wee secret of their own.

Rowan continued to take a turn around the room, saying hello and catching up here and there. She came to Thomas and Josephine MacGregor, her nephew, Daniel, Blair, and Coll and Catriona Barr.

As she joined the group, she heard Blair say, “Ember Catriona O’Faolain.”

Blair’s mother burst into tears, hugging her daughter tight. “Oh, Blair, I love her name, and you used mine too,” Catriona sniffled.

“Of course we did, Mom,” Blair said aloud. It was still a shock to hear Blair speaking so freely. Rowan hugged her nephew. “Oh, Daniel. A little girl. You must be ecstatic.”

“If she’s anything like her mother…” Daniel started before getting choked up, which had the women near enough to hear tearing up as well.

Coll stepped forward along with his best friend, Thomas. They stood before Daniel like fabled twins in storybooks, one dark, one light. Except they didn’t growl. They grasped Daniel in a trifold hug. Well, hug might be too soft a word—there was a lot of painful-looking back slaps involved, though her nephew was grinning ear to ear. Men were a whole different breed to women, and thank the Lord for that.

“Never hurt my daughter, O’Faolain,” Coll growled into Daniel’s ear.

“Keep my niece and Ember safe. Always,” Thomas’ deep voice rumbled into Daniel’s other ear. Rowan could only roll her eyes at the intentional threat.

“Ember will stay with her Grandma and Grandpa in Scotland. Often,” Coll thought to add.

“She will,” Daniel assured. Smart boy.

Rowan gave hugs and congratulations all around, thrilled that she, Cat, and her sisters managed to pull off surprising Blair with a joint baby shower.

After sharing a conversation with Josephine, Rowan completed a full circle of the room until she was back with Raven, Bran, River, Patrick, Bébhinn, Dagr, and…Ulf.

That man annoyed the hell out of her. He was polite enough…in his own annoying way, but… It took effort not to roll her eyes when they landed on the man standing shoulder to shoulder with her brothers-in-law.

She hugged her daughter for probably the tenth time that evening, so excited to become a grandmother she could hardly stand herself.

Only weeks away, and little Wren would arrive. She was the first of her sisters to have a grandchild, and Raven and River were so jealous.

Rowan heard Dagr ask Bébhinn, “Are you tired, baby?” and she was instantly on alert.

“Bébhinn?” Rowan touched her daughter’s arm in question.

“I’m fine, you guys,” her daughter huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes at their worry. She patted her belly. “Just ready for my son to get here and stop making my ankles swell up.

“Like mother, like daughter, Bébhinn,” her sister River said with an obnoxious smirk in place. “Your mom got huge. Genetics.” River shrugged, like Bébhinn’s condition was a foregone conclusion.

“You are perfect, Niece,” her oldest sister added. “But the moment you need to rest, please find one of the fainting couches we placed around the room for the expectant⁠—”

“Or swollen,” River said butting in.

“Mothers,” Raven finished, elbowing River in the side.

All Rowan could say was, “I love you guys even though you can be unpleasant asses a lot of the time.”