The Hurricane (31 page)

“Well then,” he replied, “doesn’t look like you need my blessin’ does it?”

“I don’t need it, Danny, but I’d like it. We both would. You might not know it, but you’re important to both of us.”

“Well, sunshine, you’re important to me, too. You both are. O’Connell told me that he was gonna marry you the first time he saw you at Daisy’s. Stubborn fecker was right.”

“He did?” I squeaked in amazement.

“I warned him off, but I knew he wouldn’t listen. When he wants something, he barrels in like a bull in a china shop until he finds a way to get it. When that didn’t work with you, he was lost. You threw him for six, and he had to change his ways to become the sort of person you needed. As soon as I saw that, I decided that I wouldn’t come between you. You both make each other want to be better people, and that’s a feckin’ rare thing. Far too many couples drown each other in their own selfishness these days. Now I ain’t sayin’ things between you are gonna be easy. Con’s got a promising career ahead of him, which means that you’re gonna learn the ins and outs of this business, no matter what. Lord knows, girl, that there’s gonna be enough obstacles trying to trip you up in the next few years so I sure as shite won’t be one of ‘em. You just remember that this is for life. When he pisses you off, you slap him upside the head and pull him back in line. You yell, you scream, you do what you need to do, but you stay and fight for each other and your marriage.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Danny. Thank you,” I told him and gave him a big squeezy hug.

“Now, why the feck are you getting all touchy-feely again?” he grumbled, although I noticed that he’d hugged me back.

“Oh, stop your moaning,” I admonished and let him go with a kiss on his cheek. He muttered a curse, as though kissing and hugging me was some great hardship, and went back to drinking his coffee.

“So, why did you want me to come in this morning?” I asked, as I sat back down in the subs chair.

“If you promise not to get free with the hugs again, I’ll tell you.” He eyed me suspiciously.

“Promise.” I smiled, drinking my coffee. He shifted around in his seat as though he was uncomfortable and didn’t want to tell me something.

“It ain’t right for you to walk down the aisle without a proper wedding dress. So Tommy and Kieran are taking you shopping today, and I’m paying.”

“Danny,” I choked. “Thank you. It’s very generous of you, but I can’t accept. I’ve never been wedding dress shopping before, but I can’t imagine that it’s cheap.”

“Huh,” Danny huffed. “What do I need all the money I’ve got saved for? Now, no more arguments. Drink your coffee ‘cause them lazy feckers are gonna be here in a minute.”

Speaking of which, I could hear them arguing outside of the door.

“Danny. It’s only going to be a little wedding. I don’t need a big expensive wedding dress.”

He laughed at that.

“You didn’t really think that boy was gonna marry you in a Registry Office did you? Christmas Eve in St Paul’s, you’re walking down a proper aisle, in a proper church, so you need a proper wedding dress.”

“What the fuck, Danny?” moaned Kieran, barrelling in through the door. “That was supposed to be a surprise.”

“Well, now it feckin’ ain’t,” boomed Danny, and both the guys shrank back. It still made me smile to see how intimidated they were of him, given how tiny he was. I respected him and still thought him formidable, but to me he was like an armadillo now, hard on the outside, soft and squidgy on the inside. St Paul’s was a beautiful church, and a Christmas wedding sounded so magical. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. How in the hell O’Connell pulled this off was a mystery and where had he found the time? His fight was three weeks away, and he was training relentlessly every day.

Despite Danny’s worst fears, I hugged him again on the way out. “Thanks, Danny,” I murmured. I accepted my gift graciously, knowing that there was little point in arguing. Between my new coat and my wedding dress, I was feeling majorly overwhelmed, but so very grateful.

“You’re welcome, sunshine,” he replied, giving my arms that were wrapped around him a quick pat. I left the office, with Kieran and Tommy arguing about who was in charge of Danny’s credit card, and went to find O’Connell. He was still doing hanging sit-ups, and it made me feel tired just to look at him.

“What?” he asked, when I stared but said nothing.

I couldn’t watch him train without wanting him in the worst way. As though he could see where my thoughts were going, he hauled himself up to the top bar, unhooked his legs, and jumped down. With a quick look to make sure that we weren’t being watched, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the locker room. Without giving me time to protest, his firm, but gentle lips locked onto mine, and I was in heaven. He kissed me like he hadn’t seen me in a month, and I was practically climbing up his body to get closer to him. If I thought he had the body of a Greek God when I met him, it was nothing to the way he looked now. Day after day, week after week and month after month of relentless training and clean living had sculpted his body to perfection. Since I’d begun cooking for the both of us, he taught me about what different foods would do to my body, about carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins. Now I looked at the nutritional information on foods before I bought them and stopped at the farmer’s market for home-grown fruit and veg. It wasn’t like I hadn’t cared about what I was eating, but before Danny had given me a job, I was more concerned about the food that I could afford and how I would store it, rather than what it did to my body.

O’Connell’s need was as urgent as mine. He picked me up so that my legs wrapped around his waist and backed me up against the lockers with a bang.

“I wanna fuck you right now against my locker, baby,” he growled. “I feel like I haven’t been inside you for a month.”

I moaned as he slid his tongue deeper into my mouth. When he talked like this, it used to shock me. Now, I knew that he just liked to tell me how he was feeling, as he was feeling it. It took all I had not to take him up on his suggestion.

“You’ve probably got less than two minutes before Danny tells the boys to fuck off and comes to see why you’re not training,” I replied.

“I’m that hard I don’t think I’ll last two minutes,” he moaned, and I giggled.

“Cormac O’Connell,” Danny shouted from the gym, and I giggled again.

“I fucking love that sound.” He smiled at my joy and carried on kissing me, his rock hard cock pressed up against me.

“Cormac fuckin’ O’Connell. I want twenty-five press ups for every feckin’ minute I have to spend looking for you.”

“Go, love. He’ll have you training all night, and I’d like to see my fiancé before I sleep tonight if it’s all the same to you.”

He let me down gently until my feet touched the floor, but carried on holding me in his arms.

“I like being called your fiancé,” he said between kisses.

“Well, don’t get too used to it. You’ll be my husband in a week.”

“You bet your arse I will be. Now go and blow some of that tight arse’s money and get a dress that takes my breath away.”

He kissed me long and hard enough to make me moan and for both of us to hear Danny mumble, “I’m too old for this shite,” as he walked into the changing room. I guessed my fiancé wouldn’t be making it home for dinner, after all.

IT WAS AN EDUCATION TO LEARN that you needed an appointment to get a wedding dress. Apparently, you were supposed to get one months before the wedding, not days, to allow time for it to be made and fitted. Within an hour of being turned away or laughed out of no less than four dress shops, my earlier euphoria had dwindled and the boys were getting more and more pissed. It wasn’t so much that we couldn’t get a dress, but more the attitude of some of the women in these places that was upsetting me and making them mad. I was all ready to jack in the shopping trip and get married in my jeans, when Kieran sensibly suggested a timeout. When the boys had each put away a full English fry up, and I’d enjoyed a nice cup of tea, Tommy, who was feeling much better, phoned his mum. He explained what had happened, as she apparently knew all about the engagement, and ten minutes later, she had gotten us an appointment in an hour at the Fairytale Boutique in Crouch End. As soon as we walked in, I knew that I would get my dress here. There was no word to describe the shop but magical. Whereas most bridal boutiques that we’d been to were pristine, modern, and sterile, this place was enchanting. The solid oak floors had been lovingly treated and the cream walls, backlit with gentle lighting, were barely visible behind the elegant arrangements of pussy willow branches interspersed with fairy lights and baby breath.

“Hello. You must be Emily,” a beautiful young woman walked toward me and shook my hand. She was dressed smartly but simply, in a fitted grey shift dress with black heels, complemented by a diamond pendant necklace and studs. All in all, she couldn’t have been much older than I was, but she had warm eyes and a really welcoming smile.

“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.”

“It’s not a problem at all. I had a cancellation, so your timing is perfect.”

I turned to introduce the guys, only to find Tommy hopping about from foot to foot like some kid hyped up on sugar who desperately needed the toilet, and Kieran, staring at the lady with his mouth open.

“This is Kieran and Tommy,” I introduced. Tommy nodded his head toward her and gave a, “what’s up?” which made me roll my eyes. Kieran, as pole axed as he appeared to be, stuck out his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you both. I’m Marie.”

“Urr...I’m Kieran,” Kieran replied, and kept shaking her hand. I’d never seen Kieran so affected by a girl, and one who worked in a wedding dress shop no less. Usually that alone would be enough to give him hives. By Marie’s blush, it seemed that Kieran’s attraction wasn’t one sided.

“Do you think that it’s too late for us to get a dress?” I asked after a while. They jumped back guiltily, and Marie clasped both of her hands together.

“Oh, usually I would be worried, but to be honest, all of my dresses for the Christmas and New Year weddings have been delivered and I make and do the alterations on a lot of the dresses myself, so I’m sure we can find something for you. You might not get it until the afternoon before the wedding, but I’m sure I can help you out.”

“Thank you so much,” I sighed deeply, relieved beyond words that I wouldn’t have to marry the man of my dreams without a dress.

“I’m so sorry, gentlemen. You’ll have to sort yourselves out for suits. I only stock ladies dresses in here.”

“Don’t need suits, we’re the bridesmaids,” Tommy deadpanned. To give her professional credit, she didn’t laugh at him, but eyed him as though she were mentally sizing him up for a bridesmaid dress. Kieran elbowed Tommy in the stomach, hard.

“He’s kidding. We’re fine, thanks.”

Marie smiled as though she wasn’t quite sure of them both, but guided them to a plump, inviting-looking sofa at the back of the shop.

“If you gentlemen would like to take a seat, I’ll get Emily ready. Can I offer you anything to drink?” she asked. Tommy opened his trap, ready to give her his order when Kieran elbowed him again and mumbled, “We’re fine, thanks.”

With a small smile and a nod of acknowledgement to Kieran, Marie guided me to the dressing room at the back of the shop.

“I’m not sure if you have anything in mind that you’d like, but I took the liberty of racking up some dresses that I know I can make or adjust on short notice.”

All of the dresses were absolutely amazing.

“These are gorgeous,” I told her, stunned.

“Thanks.” She smiled. “These are all of my designs. We’d have to send away for a dress by any other designer, and there just isn’t the time.”

“Wow. You’re very talented,” I mused, completely truthfully.

Each dress was delicate and ethereal and fit in with the theme of the shop beautifully. I tried a couple on and Marie pinned them at the back to give me an indication of how I’d look when they were fitted to my size. I loved them all, and I knew it was going to be a tough decision.

“Emmmm...” Tommy whined, as he walked bold as brass into the fitting room.

“You’ve been ages.” Marie looked shocked at his behaviour, but to be honest, I was

shocked that Kieran had kept Tom out for as long as he had.

“Fuck me, Em, you’re gorgeous. If I knew how you looked in a wedding dress, I’d have got in there first.”

“For fuck’s sake, Tom, what if you’d walked in and seen her in her underwear? Con would have blackened your eyes up so bad that you’d still be blind at the wedding,” Kieran said, walking in behind him.

“Sorry, Marie,” Kieran apologised, red faced at seeing her expression.

“It would have been worth it,” said Tommy dreamily, obviously imagining what I looked like in my underwear.

Recovering her composure, Marie pulled back the heavy brocade curtain that separated the fitting room from the main shop and pointed.

“Out!” she ordered them, and Kieran went immediately back to his seat without argument.

“But she’s taking ages,” Tommy moaned again.