Juice: The O'Malleys Book 1, contemporary Adult Romance (31 page)

His wife the best,

But his mother the longest.

Irish proverb

S
he found him outside the back cutting wood. She looked at his back, strong and taut and watched as he swung the axe over and over again. He stilted suddenly, as if sensing her presence and turned around to look at her. She smiled softly at him before walking toward him and stopping in front of him. He started to speak and she put her hand up to his mouth.

“No. Don’t speak.”

She led him by the hand into the nearest stable and shoved him against the wall.

“Fuck me.”

“Here?”

“Here and now.”

He pulled her into his arms and pushed her back against the wall. He lifted up her skirt, and it thrilled him to find out she had been serious about wearing no underwear.

She fumbled with the buckle of his jeans and his breath caught as the air hit him. He lifted her up and without any foreplay slammed into her. She cried out as he fucked her hard. She shouted for him to go harder, faster. The sweat ran down his back as he held her legs and rammed into her, the two of them lost in the ferocity of it. They arched and bucked as one and came together in a shattering climax. He held her tenderly for a few moments and let her down gently and leaned back against the wall beside her, panting.

“Does this mean you’ll stay?” She laughed up at him. “Yes, you big eejit. I’ll stay.”

“Well, good. Good.”

A year later

“
S
top fidgeting, Cassidy.”

Her mother was trying to tie the back of her dress. Cass inhaled noisily.

“Oh Jesus, I’m like bloody Scarlet O’Hara trying to get this on. It’s too small and my boobs are being shoved up under my neck.”

Annie popped her head around from Cass’ back and grinned at her.

“I’m sure Ror won’t be complaining about your boobs, considering how much time he spends looking in that general area anyway!”

“Annie O’Malley, you have a tongue that would clip a hedge. Will you stop?!”

Louisa threw her hands in the air.

“Sorry mammy.”

Annie tried her best to look remorseful and failed miserably as usual. She was incorrigible.

“Here let me try,” Annie said as she grabbed the bodice ties and pulled them so hard that Cass felt she might lose her guts by the end of it.

Louisa and Alice wrapped their arms around each other.

“I can’t believe our babies are getting married today.”

“I can,” piped up Aoife.

“Harry brought us all together and with a family as full of testosterone as ours, someone was bound to go crackers for Cass. I’m glad it was Rory, you are so well suited.”

Alice hugged Aoife to her chest.

“We’re all family now Aoife and I for one couldn’t be happier.”

Aoife, rested her head on Alice’s shoulder. Cass smiled to herself. They had become so close over the last year. Aoife and Alice especially, had grown to love and respect each other and were like two peas in a pod. Her mum was good for Aoife and she had watched her soon to be sister-in-law emerge tentatively from her fragile cocoon and blossom into a confident and happy young woman.

Marie came into the room with Mark trailing after her holding baby Hannah, who was pulling his glasses off. He was bobbing his head to the side trying to dodge her little starfish fingers.

“Hey!” granny O’Malley came up to them both and started to protest.

“Mark, what are you doing here lad? No one is supposed to see the bride.”

“That’s okay Mrs O,” Cass laughed.

“Mark is different.”

Mark folded Cass into his arms.

“You look so beautiful Cassidy. I’m so proud of you. And so happy for you too.”

“Thanks Mark. How is he?” Cass asked trying not to sound nervous.

“Excited, nervous, in love,” Mark replied kissing the top of her head.

“He can’t wait to make you, Mrs Cassidy O’Malley.”

Cassidy took a breath and straightened her veil.

“Right ladies. Let’s do this thing!”

The bridesmaids wore black dresses with a sweetheart neckline and a silver sash across the middle. The hem kissed the ground as they walked, and each of them had their hair held high in beautiful twists with red and pink baby rosebuds. Cass linked her fathers arm and they slowly followed Marie, Annie, and Aoife up the aisle.

Cass looked up the aisle to where Rory, Mark, Darragh, and Rian were standing. She wanted to look into his eyes and see what he felt in his heart.

They had decided to get married at Cherry tree farm. Cass had fallen in love with the place the Christmas before and they would be building a house there in the next few months. Like Darragh, they would spend six months of the year in London and six months in Ireland. Cass had insisted they get married in the grounds and Rory had graciously agreed as was his nature when it came to Cass. Gearóid and her own father Brian had worked hard to get the place just right for the ceremony. White chairs were laid out in rows of ten and a white carpet had been cut to make an aisle for her to walk on. The pulpit at the top backed onto the old beech trees to the left of the lane and twinkle lights were dotted around the trees making them look like fairies dancing in the evening winter sun. Caterers had been hired to provide seafood and roast beef platters for after the ceremony. Champagne cocktails were handed to each guest as they entered the estate and waiting staff milled through the guests offering canapés. Granny was engaged in a mammoth conversation with Marcel and Philippe. Marcel was throwing his head back laughing at something she had said. Cass didn’t even want to think about what the old lady was telling him. Rory’s Uncle Pat rang a bell and called all guests to be seated.

Rory tried to stop his legs from shaking as he stood looking down the aisle.

“Be cool, jaysus what’s wrong with you, Rory.”

Rory rolled his eyes at Rian.

“Will you shut the hell up? I’m bad enough without you throwing your oar in.” He looked up to see the priest staring at them.

“Sorry Father,” he whispered.

“Sorry Father,” Rian made a pathetic sign of the cross and turned to Rory pulling a cross eyed face at him.

Rory pursed his lips at him. “You’re going straight to hell, Rian O’Malley.”

“See you there, big brother,” Rian replied grinning.

Darragh clapped Rory on the back.

“Calm brother, don’t mind him. It’s time to get this show on the road.”

Rory adjusted his tie and turned as the wedding march started. He breathed out a long shaky breath and looked down the aisle. He saw the twins first and smiled at them as they walked up the aisle throwing red petals from their baskets. He looked at Annie walking up the aisle behind them and felt proud of them all. They were beautiful and poised, all smiling at him and wishing him well with their eyes. Annie threw him a wink. He winked back and his heart filled with love for his wayward sister. He hoped someday she would find someone to fill the hole left by the death of her husband, James. It would take a strong man to try to tame Annie O’Malley. Next came Aoife, who was wiping tears from her eyes. She looked so healthy and vibrant. She had blossomed since meeting the Evans family and once again he thanked God for Harry and his precious gift.

His breath hitched as his eyes rested on Cass.

She was stunning, her dress a beautiful creation of white lace and silk. She had a silver sash around her waist, matching her bridesmaids. She floated up to him. Her hair was long and loose with white roses threaded through it. Never taking his eyes from hers, he shook Brian’s hand and held his hands out to Cass. She smiled at him and clasped them tightly. She kissed her father on the cheek and Rory’s eyes felt tight and gritty. He watched Brian Evans, a man of few words, nod at them both and pat their joined hands. “A lifetime of happiness to you both.” Rory gave him a swift nod and turned back to Cassidy.

“You look beautiful, my love.”

Cass looked up at him and Rory was struck once again by her beauty and the look of pure love in her eyes.

“I love you Rory.”

“I love you too,” he said simply.

“Are we ready to start folks?”

Rory nodded towards the priest and the ceremony began.

“Okay everyone in for the bouquet throw,” Marie yelled. Cass laughed and twirled around.

“Come on ladies, on your feet. Let’s see who’s going to be caught by the love bug next!”

The crowd counted slowly to ten and jostled each other as Cass flung the bouquet over her left shoulder. She turned around quickly and watched open mouthed as it sailed passed the group of women and into the arms of a mortified looking Rian. He threw it to the floor and walked away as the whole place erupted into fits of laughter.

“Ah for heaven’s sake girls, feck off,” he scowled making the crowd laugh even more. Darragh and Rory clapped him on the back.

“What poor misfortune is going to try her hand at Rian O’Malley,” Annie howled bent over laughing.

“Come on, foods up,” Gearóid said ringing the dinner bell.

“Dig in folks.”

Cass sat at the wedding table and looked around at the crowd of friends and family that surrounded her. She let her eyes rest on the empty seat to her left.

Harry’s place. Never really gone, never forgotten. She touched her hand to the Claddagh ring on her finger. Grá agus Gáire. She said the words to herself. Rory had told her what they meant
. Love and laughter
.

She whispered a quiet thank you to Harry as she did every time she thought of the love he had shown her and the direction he had led her. She caught Rory’s eye as he walked towards her with two heaped plates of food and marvelled at how her life had changed in the last year. Life was good, she rubbed her hand across her belly. She had a secret too, another life growing inside her. She would tell him later. When they were alone and she could savour the joy of seeing his face fill with happiness. He would make a great dad and their child would be showered with love and affection from all sides.

“What are you dreaming about, wife?” Rory grinned as he sat down beside her, draping his arm loosely around her.

“Ah, just how lucky I am to have you in my life,” she said, turning his face to hers and kissing him softly on the lips.

“Well, continue. You look so blissful and happy it would be a shame to interrupt, especially when I’m the cause of it.”

She laughed and threw her arms around him and nuzzled his shoulder. This day was one she would remember forever.

Hours later, Cass and Rory kissed and waved goodbye to their friends and family as they sat into the wedding car. Annie and Aoife, had tied tin cans to the back of the car and Rian and Darragh were busy writing ‘Just Married’ in shaving foam on the back windows and sides of the black Bentley. Paul was standing to one side frowning at them and moved to take Cass’ hand as she sat into the car.

“Congratulations Cassidy, I’m overjoyed for you both,” he said smiling at her.

“Thanks Paul,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. Paul blushed under her gaze and nodded curtly at her. She saw his eyes follow Aoife, as she laughed with Annie beside the car. Cass smiled and watched as Aoife noticed Paul’s gaze and then smile shyly at him. Things were happening right under their noses. She called Rory as he hugged Marie and Mark for the hundredth time.