“I know it will be tough for you because you’re involved in every aspect of Bronagh’s life, but this will be good for you. She’ll enter this relationship and learn how things are just like everyone else, and you can be a proud mama bear watching her grow.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’ll eat your brother alive if he hurts her in any way.”
“And I’ll be the one to pin Dominic down while you beat on him, deal?”
I laughed. “Deal, honey.”
Ryder smiled and leaned his head down and brushed his lips against mine. We pulled apart when a throat cleared. I blinked when the male Garda who questioned me stood next to the female Garda who I knew questioned Dominic and my sister.
“Hello.” I said, curtly.
Both Gardai nodded in response.
“You were right,” the male Garda said to Ryder. “Your brother won’t be pressin’ charges.” His eyes switched to me then and he said, “I’m lettin’ you off with a warnin’ Ms. Murphy. If anythin’ like this happens again, you will be booked and an investigation will ensue, am I clear?”
“Crystal, sir,” I replied.
The man nodded and so did his partner.
“Have a good evenin’,” the female Garda said, and while she looked pissed, she sounded sincere.
When Ryder and myself were free from questioning and the Gardai left the hospital, I sat down in the waiting area that was directly in front of the double doors that led back to the treatment area. We waited for Dominic and Bronagh there and when the doors opened, and the pair of them walked out into the reception area I relaxed because they both looked okay as could be considering the circumstances.
“Why’re they looking at one another like that?” Ryder murmured to me.
“I reckon Dominic wants to be open about them, but Bee is reluctant and wants to keep it under wraps until she is okay with us knowin’. You see the way she is tryin’ to keep ‘er distance from ‘im and not make it obvious?”
“You got all that from how they are looking at each other?” Ryder questioned.
I glanced at him. “You didn’t get that from how they’re lookin’ at each other?”
He rubbed his temples. “This is a woman thing.”
“A woman thing?”
“Yeah,” Ryder said. “You all have a sixth sense about shit like this so I’m just rolling with it.”
I snorted. “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all day.”
When my sister’s eyes landed on us, I jumped to my feet and rushed over to her. Her hand had a bandage on it, and the sight of it made me feel ill.
“Is it broken?” I asked, worried to hear her reply.
“No, just sprained it. I’ve to rest it for a couple of weeks. If the muscles don’t strengthen in two weeks, then I’ve to come back but until then, I’m grand,” Bronagh explained.
Ryder looked at Dominic after she spoke, shook his head at his bare chest and then focused on the cut above his eye. “How many stitches?” he asked.
“Eight,” Dominic replied and cut his eyes to me.
I held up my hands. “I’m not apologisin’ to you; me sister was hurt because of you tonight in more ways than one!”
Bronagh’s cheeks flushed. “Branna, it’s over and done with so just forget it.”
My earlier conversation with Ryder repeated in my head, and I decided to start letting Bronagh make her own decisions in life by keeping my mouth shut—for once.
“Come on,” I said. “I’m bringin’ you home in my car. Ryder is goin’ with Dominic in theirs.”
I saw Dominic’s hand to go to Bronagh’s back, and I knew he wanted to bring her home instead, and Bronagh noticed it too. “Talk to you tomorrow, okay?” she murmured to him.
He wasn’t happy about it, but he nodded and let her go without a fight—for once. He walked her to our car and I hung back for a few moments to let them say goodnight, and sneak a kiss if they wanted to. I leaned into Ryder when he blocked my view of the new couple by standing in front of me.
“I told you they were datin’,” I said, my voice low. “You can sense the change in them too, can’t you?
He nodded then shuddered, “It’s scary how you’re always right.”
He had no idea.
“I kept me mouth shut.” I smiled. “Did you see? I wanted to go on about what Dominic did, but Bronagh shut me down and I didn’t ignore that.”
“You done good, mama bear.”
I beamed. “Thanks, babe.”
“Can I ask you a question that has been on the tip of my tongue all day?”
I leaned back and nodded. “Shoot.”
“Will you marry me?”
I squinted my eyes after a few moments of silence. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that. I’ve misheard you.”
Ryder’s lips twitched. “I said—will you marry me?”
I rapidly blinked my eyes before I lifted my fingers to my ears and wiggled them about inside my ear canals before lowering my hands and saying, “Sorry, say it one more time.”
Ryder laughed. “Will. You. Marry. Me?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Ryder cut me off and said, “You aren’t mishearing me. I’m really asking you to marry me. I’d get down on my knee and do it the traditional way, but those two our there will probably have a heart attack if I do that.”
“Ryder,” I whispered. “What the fuck?”
He laughed, again. “Is that a no?”