“Marriage?” Oliver said. At the same time Lochlan said, “Babies?”
“I’m thirty-four years old, guys. I know what I want, and I’m not getting any younger.”
“You say thirty-four like it’s ancient,” Finn said. “I can assure you, it’s not.”
“Maybe not, but why would I drag my feet? The end result is going to be the same. It’s the Collins curse,” he said with a grin. “It struck me twice.”
Lochlan rubbed his chin, sighing heavily.
“You have something to say?” Padraig asked, aware that Lochlan obviously had something on his mind, something he was apparently hesitant to bring up.
“I understand how you feel, Paddy,” Lochlan said. “I really do. If you’ll recall, I fell fast and hard for May. And I remember a wise man telling me to slow down.”
Padraig grimaced, recalling the late-night phone call from Lochlan when his cousin realized he’d fallen in love with his new personal assistant. Padraig had issued the advice, teasing Lochlan that if he confessed his undying love after just a few short weeks, May would run for the hills. The thing was…Lochlan hadn’t taken the advice.
“I did say that. And May was pregnant within a month, and you were married a few months after that, so…” Padraig waved his hand as if to say he rested his case.
“You’re right. Absolutely right. But…do you think maybe you’re rushing things with Emmy because of your relationship with Mia?”
Padraig frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Paddy, you and Mia lived your lives in fast-forward because you didn’t have a choice. And I’m not saying that was wrong. Not at all. What the two of you shared, the way your relationship evolved, it was right for both of you. It had to happen that way because…” Lochlan didn’t add the last part, didn’t mention they’d rushed through every facet of their relationship because they’d known their time together would be short. He didn’t say it because he didn’t have to.
“I hear you, but—”
“No.” Lochlan raised his hand. “No buts. You don’t have to rush things with Emmy. You can take your time and enjoy every single aspect of your relationship with her. You don’t have to do everything yesterday.”
“Lochlan, you of all people should know how hard it is to tap on the brakes when every fiber of your being is telling you this is it, she’s the one.”
Lochlan looked at Oliver and Finn. “I’m tapping out. He’s right. I’m probably not the best one to make this argument. You two try to talk some sense into him.”
Finn gave him a rueful grin. “I agree with Lochlan. You’re not living on borrowed time this time around, Paddy. Stop and smell the roses. And we’re not saying you have to drag your feet for years. But maybe enjoy the novelty of a new relationship, take your time and date for a few months.”
Oliver chimed in as well. “It’s obvious you and Emmy are made for each other, and neither of you is going anywhere, so why not savor it? Spend some time getting to discover all the bits and pieces of each other. That’s what I’ve been doing with Gavin and Erin the past few months, and it’s been awesome. Every single day, we peel off another layer and fall more in love. We know where we’re headed and what we want, but we’re not racing to the next part. We’re strolling there, hand in hand.”
“Plus,” Finn started, “this is your first relationship since Mia’s death. I get that it’s great, but I think you should take some time—for Emmy’s sake and for yours—to be really sure. It’s good now, but…well…there could be some bumps down the road, things you’re not expecting, things you’ll have to work through together.”
“Emmy’s not going anywhere, Paddy,” Lochlan added, reassuringly. “Just remember. You have time. Lots of time.”
Padraig appreciated their advice, but he still struggled to accept it. “Okay. I’ll think about what you’ve said.”
“Good.” Lochlan reached for a wipe, so Finn made a grab for the last wing on the plate.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Lochlan said. “What are you doing?” he asked Finn.
“You reached for a wipe,” Finn said, taking a big bite of the wing.
“So?” Lochlan pressed.
“So…” Finn drawled. “You reach for a wipe, it means you’re done.”
Lochlan scowled. “That’s beside the point.”
Finn chuckled. “Um, no. That is the point.”
“Count the bones on your plate,” Lochlan insisted.
Finn looked down. “Seven.”
“That’s right. You’ve got seven bones there. I’ve got five, which proves you’ve already had more than your share. I was entitled to the rhetorical offer.”
Oliver snorted. “Rhetorical offer?”
“Yes,” Lochlan said. “Rhetorical offer. Finn should have asked me if I wanted the last wing. Hell, he should have asked all of us.”
“You reached for a wipe!” Finn said loudly. “Ollie and Paddy had already wiped. The issue of the last wing was solved. No offer necessary.”
“If we’d been even or you’d had fewer wings, I might be able to support that, Finn, but the fact is we were all owed a rhetorical offer.”
Finn rolled his eyes and fake-sneezed the word “bullshit.”
“It’s simple wing etiquette,” Lochlan insisted while Padraig and Oliver cracked up. Battles like these were a dime a dozen in their family, and there were times Padraig was sorry his cousin Fiona wasn’t around more often. A sitcom writer in Hollywood, she would have loved the wing argument, and he didn’t doubt she would have written it into a scene on her show, Wild Winters. He’d have to remember to call her later to repeat it.
They were still laughing when the bell over the front door rang and Emmy walked in.
She smiled at him and his cousins as she approached them. “Looks like this is a happy happy hour,” she said.
Finn jerked his thumb toward Lochlan. “It was until this one started making up rules for the wings.”
Emmy took in the empty platter, then looked at Padraig. “Do I want to know?”
He laughed. “I’ll tell you later. Probably best you get the rundown so you don’t screw up in the future.”
She rolled her eyes, amused. “So what’s the occasion?”
“Drinking a Guinness in honor of the new father, Fergus.”
“That’s so nice of you guys.” Emmy lifted a small bag in her hand. “I actually just popped into that little boutique across the street, the one with all the adorable baby clothes.” She pulled out a cute little pink dress and held it up. “How sweet is this?” she asked. “I thought we could get a congratulations card, Paddy, and run it by the hospital to them in the morning.”
“That sounds great. Thanks so much for thinking of it,” Padraig said, touched by Emmy’s thoughtfulness and grateful that she loved his family as much as he did. He also liked the idea of them buying gifts that were from both of them.
“Well,” Lochlan said, rising after downing the last of his beer. “That’s it for me. Promised May I’d hit the mall with the family before dinner. Jenny and Chloe need new winter coats. Those girls are growing like weeds.”