Becoming the Whiskey Princess (14 page)

“R
ubbish, is what it all is.”

I look across my desk at Kane, who nods in agreement. Looking back down at the newspapers, I want to scream. Each one is nothing but trash, but still, the people of this town read it. This is one of the parts I hate about being who I am. The part that comes with having the name O’Callaghan. A part of me wants it all to stop, but this is who I am. It worries me, though, because I’m bringing Amberlyn into this. I can’t shield her from these people, hell, I can’t even shield myself, so I have to ignore it. But it’s so fucking hard.

Reading each one, I shake my head. It’s complete bollocks!

Will Casey Burke go away for life or will his plea of insanity break him free?

What will the O’Callaghans do if that happens?

Will the Whiskey Prince be there to support his bride?

When is the wedding?

Will she marry the man she took a bullet for?

The Whiskey Baby due early next spring!

Glancing back to Kane, I say, “I’m so tired of it all. I wish they’d all go away.”

“Ah, it’s been like this since you were born,” he answers and then he laughs. “Remember when we took your car and went joyriding? We were drunk, drugged up, and had the devil in us according to the papers.”

I smile. “The devil part might have been true.”

Kane laughs. “Yeah, for sure, but still, it’s all shite. We know the truth. Casey is going to go away for life. Amberlyn will make sure of that while you are there, and no one, outside of who was invited, will find out when the wedding is. No baby is coming though, right?”

“Be real. No. We haven’t even done it yet.”

He smirks. “Oh yeah, can’t close, huh?”

I glare. “Not when my ma is walking in every five seconds.”

He laughs as he shakes his head. “Eh, it will happen. But in the meantime, ignore all this shite, yeah?”

I nod. “Yeah, it makes me nervous though.”

“What does?” he asks, his brows coming together.

Meeting my best mate’s gaze, I ask, “What if he does get off?”

I can see in Kane’s eyes he has thought the same as I have. Casey is claiming that my family caused his distress and that we drove him to do what he did. My da says it’s all crazy and he doesn’t have a leg to stand on, but it does worry me a bit. My da had offered to pay him to leave, every time we were in a room together I was ready to kick his arse, and Kane did hit him. I don’t know much about legal stuff, but nonetheless, I’m a little nervous.

I just want it all to go the fuck away.

I don’t want Amberlyn to have to sit in the courtroom and testify against him. I don’t want to be there either. I want to be far away from that gobshite for the simple fact I’m not sure I can keep my cool. I know I’m supposed to forgive him, but it’s bloody hard. He almost killed the one I am devoted to. That’s not something I can forgive. Who could forgive that? Yeah, Amberlyn has, but she’s a fucking angel!

Kane shakes his head and waves me off. “No, he’s gonna go to jail. He won’t get away with this.”

“Yeah, hopefully, you’re right.”

He scoffs. “I’m always right.”

I chuckle as a knock comes to the door, and it opens to reveal my ma. I want to make a face of distress, but that’ll upset her, so I smile instead. “Howya, Ma.”

“Hey, honey. Kane.”

“Hey, Mrs. O’Callaghan,” he says as she kisses the top of his head.

“What are yous two up to?”

“Reading rubbish,” I say, throwing the paper in the trash. “Don’t want to speak about ’em though. What brings ya by?”

“That it is,” she agrees, shaking her head. “Everyone wants to know the date, but we are being very tight-lipped.”

“Fantastic.”

“Yeah, so anyway, I wanted to talk about the engagement party.”

Fuck me.

Kane hides his grin, probably due to my expression as my mother goes on.

“Everyone is coming, and I mean everyone. Everything is pretty much taken care of, but we need to get with you and Amberlyn about the cake.”

I make a face. Amberlyn is working as much as I am. I doubt she cares about a damn cake. So I tell my ma that, despite her dismay. At this point, we don’t even want the party. We just want to get married and be done. All this hoopla is getting to be a bit much. We want to start our lives together, not prance around for people to make up more rubbish about us.

“Well, I need to know what you want.”

Letting out a long breath, I say, “Kane, what kind of cake?”

“Chocolate, of course.”

Looking at my ma, I say, “Chocolate it is.”

I can tell she doesn’t approve of my decision-making but I don’t care. I am over everything. I am stressed out about work, about this fucking party, and then most of all, having sex with my fiancée. I know it’s dumb to be stressed out about something that everyone does, but it gives me the willies. What if all the interruptions are a sign that I’m not supposed to be with her, or even be inside her? Ugh! It’s completely mental, but still, it’s got me a tad nervous. Okay. A lot nervous.

“Fine, chocolate,” she says and I smile. I fully expect her to leave, but no such luck. Looking over at me, she says, “Also, I need to tell ya something.”

My brow cocks up. “Yeah?”

“You know that I’m good mates with the O’Malleys, yeah?”

My stomach drops. Please Lord. No. “Yeah, why?”

She laces her fingers and looks away, which tells me that my suspicions were correct. “Well, I invited them to the engagement party, but they RSVP’d back with Keeva as a guest too.”

Kane shakes his head as I lean on my forearms. “Well, tell them she isn’t invited.”

She makes a face. “I can’t do that!”

“Why not? It’s my party! I don’t want her there.”

“Declan, son, please, it’s been years since you dated her.”

“She used me for my money, Ma! She’s the scum of the earth!”

She waves me off. “Please, I doubt you’ll see her. Just wanted to let you know. Warn Amberlyn about her, maybe.”

Pinching my brow, I say, “No, you disinvite her. I don’t care how that makes ya look with the O’Malleys. I don’t want Keeva at my engagement party.”

She lets out a breath, and when I look up, she nods. “Fine.”

“Thank you. I got work to do, Ma, anything else?”

She sets me with a look. “Yes, when is Amberlyn moving in?”

“After the engagement party.”

She nods. “And when is she quitting the bar?”

I make a face because I haven’t thought about that at all. “I don’t know? Probably after we marry.”

She again doesn’t like my answer. “Hm. Well, people are saying we have no money and that she has to work to help you get by.”

Kane and I let out loud hoots of laughter. “Ma, if we were poor, would we be throwing these lavish parties? Be real. I am done with these fucking papers and people talking shite,” I say, and then I throw my arms up. Looking up at her, I point at her before saying, “New rule. No one from the media is allowed at any more of my parties.”

“Attaboy! Fair play,” Kane exclaims in agreement.

“Declan, be real. And don’t encourage him, Kane.”

Kane smiles up at my ma and says, “But it’s true. They are all causing so much drama. It isn’t about anyone but Declan and Amberlyn, yeah?”

“Yes, that is true, but still, they are needed so that we make the papers.”

Slamming my hands down, I say, “I don’t want to be in the papers, Ma! I’m done. No more. I am about to be the head of this estate, and that’s my decision.”

She eyes me and then shakes her head. “I’ll be speaking with your father about this.”

I nod. “Be my guest. Would you like me to come too?”

She glares, and I may have crossed the line there. “I don’t care that you are about to marry or even that you’re in your twenties, but I’ll take ya over my knee and wear your arse out. You watch your tone with me, Declan.”

My face reddens as Kane chuckles, that is until she says, “Same goes for ya too, Kane.”

Meeting her gaze, I nod. “Yeah, Ma, sorry. But I’m so irritated with it all.”

Her eyes soften a bit as she smiles. “Yeah, I know. It will all be over soon, and you’ll start a new adventure with that sweet girl at your side.”

A smile comes over my face as I nod. “I can’t wait.”

We share a smile, and I hope that my eyes tell her I’m not joking around. I’m done with it all. I have the power to stop it, and I’m going to. Instead of parading for the damn media and hoping to make a show like my family does, I want to stay private. Like Kane said, nothing matters but Amberlyn and me. That’s it.

“I’ll see ya at dinner. Bye, Kane.”

“Yeah, have a good day, Ma,” I say as she heads out the door.

“Bye, Mrs. O’Callaghan,” Kane says as the door shuts.

Letting out a breath, Kane laughs. “Well, it’s always so much fun with your ma.”

I chuckle. “Sure is. She’s mental, I swear.”

“Indeed,” he agrees as he leans back, kicking his feet up on my desk. A comfortable silence falls upon us as he plays on his phone and I work. Being the boss of the malting room has its perks. Kane is able to sit in here and hang with me most of the day. But when he works, he works; that’s why I don’t mind it all. I like it. It’s good to bounce ideas off him, and he is always there for a good laugh.

As I click through emails, out of the corner of my eye, I can see him grin as he texts wildly on his phone. Must be talkin’ with Fiona. Taking a pull of my water, I clear my throat and ask, “How’s things with Fiona?”

He looks over at me and shrugs. “Good. She’s moving in.”

One brow goes up. “Oh yeah?”

He nods, letting his phone fall to his lap. “Yeah, she was leaving shite all the damn time, and then she brought up yous two getting married. And I was like, whoa, not ready for that, but how about you move in? And she agreed.”

I smile. “Don’t act like ya don’t want it. I know you do.”

He shrugs one shoulder, not looking at me as a grin pulls at his lips. “Maybe so, but I sure as hell ain’t ready to be married though.”

I roll my eyes. “Yer already married in a sense. Lord knows you aren’t going anywhere and neither is she.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment and then waves me off. “Eh, shut up with ya.”

I laugh as he goes on, “I’ll ask when I know that she meant what she said—that I was enough as just a malter. She’s gonna start school and make loads of money, while I’ll still make the same, ya know? So we’ll see.”

I don’t like this side of Kane. The part that was damaged by his real ma. No one really knows that his ma ran out on his dad when he was four. Only I know because I watched it happen. She didn’t like the life they had, but there was no changing it. Then his da met Kane’s stepmom and she took Kane as her own. She was the ma he needed, but still, sometimes, this part of him comes out. I’m usually the insecure one he helps pick up; never are the roles reversed. But I guess some things don’t ever go away, and his real ma is someone that still rears her ugly head to hurt Kane.

Clearing my throat, I say, “She’ll still love ya and you know it. She isn’t like your real ma, Kane. She isn’t going to run.”