Ireland is for Lovers

Chapter 9

The dinner party at Thomas and Aileen's was a great time. I'm not really a fan of being the center of attention, so it felt a little odd that this party was for me. Everyone who was at the pub my first night was there; the one exception being that this time, Caleb had brought a date (probably because it had shaped up to be all couples again, and he's not really a couple). Her name is Angela, and from what I gathered, they've been friends for a long time, and they hang out once in a while-- socially-- but they're not necessarily a couple (which sounds eerily similar to the kind of arrangement I had with Matt; I might have a chat with her about it later.... but on the other hand, it's none of my business).

Caleb and Angela was hardly a headline that evening, though; my ring, and the meaning behind it, was a rather hot topic of discussion with the ladies. After dinner, while the guys were in the other room talking sports, or cars, or whatever guys talk about when they get together, Aileen, Maggie, Angela, and I were circled around the kitchen island, still sipping wine, and I was fielding questions about my ring.

Of course they all wanted to see it, and they were all in agreement that it was gorgeous. The biggest question they had was what it means-- are Max and I back together, or....... what?

I said, "Well, we are back together, but we haven't really talked about how it's gonna work, considering there's an ocean and five time zones between us this time around.

I mean, we already video-chat every Sunday afternoon.... well, afternoon for me, late-evening for him.... But beyond that, we still need to talk about it."

Maggie goes, "Well, we've known Killian for years, and the few other girls we've seen him with," she gives me an apologetic look as she says that, "evidently couldn't even begin to compare with you.

And judging from the way he looked at you at the pub the other night, as well as this evening, that boy's still in love with you. Probably always has been. I'm sure the two of you can figure it out."

Aileen voiced her agreement, and added, "I could see it too. You'll figure it out."

With a small laugh, I said, "I guess I ruined him, huh?" as I refilled my glass.

The other three laughed in agreement.

About then, Caleb pokes his head in the kitchen to ask Angela if she was about ready to leave. She said she was if he was. As they were leaving, Caleb turns to me and says, "Well Miss Bethany, it was good seeing you again. Have a safe trip home, and don't be a stranger."

I smiled and said "It was good seeing you too," and I turned back to Angela and said it was nice meeting her, and they left.

Maggie and Aiden were the next ones to leave, and after Aileen had walked them out, she came back and started straightening up the kitchen. I offered to help, but she laughed and said, "Thank you darlin', but it's still your party."

Thomas and Max came in the kitchen about then, and Max came up behind me, put his arms around me, and lightly kissed me right below my earlobe. Then he says to me, "You about ready to go, Love?"

"Sure, if you are....."

Thomas and Aileen both walked out with us, and they both expressed how good it was to see me again, and they also requested that I keep in touch. I told them I definitely would; hugs were exchanged, and Max and I got in his car and headed home.

As we were driving, Max says to me, "I take it you had to play '20 Questions' with the ladies about your ring, eh?"

"Well, not 20, but they did have a couple of big ones: what it means, and how you and I were going to make it work this time around, which we do still need to talk about......"

He thought about it for a couple of minutes, then said, "How about this: we keep our Sunday Skype dates, and we each take a week, once a year, and come visit the other one. Plus, I do have occasion to go to New York for work; perhaps we could have a weekend here and there in the City.....?"

"That might work. It'll be a fabulous way to rack up frequent-flyer miles...." I said with a laugh.

After a few beats of silence, he then says something to me that I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about for a split-second: "Or, I could just move to Florida.....?"

As soon as I had mostly recovered from the utter surprise of that suggestion, I said in a low voice, "You'd do that for me?"

"Aye," he says as he takes my hand in his, and kisses my knuckles.

"You're saying you'd be willing to completely uproot your life here, and move to Florida, just to be with me?"

"Aye. I love you, and yes, I would be more than willing to leave my life here, and my friends, and my family, to be with you....."

For the second time today, I'm on the verge of tears again, but this time, I don't even care if my voice cracks. "I love you too," is all I say to him.

We had been parked at the apartment for the latter half of this conversation, and as soon as he heard the crack in my voice when I said I loved him, he leans over, and gently took my face in both of his hands, and kissed me, deeply.

We broke the kiss, and looked at each other with smoldering eyes. We barely made it in the apartment before we started pulling clothing off of each other, leaving a trail from the door to the bedroom.