In Too Deep

Chloe wentto the Rose first thing in the morning to make sure everything was ready for the wake. She was tired but felt great. Her giddiness over Ronan’s declaration last night hadn’t faded. She’d known he had feelings for her, had cared about her, but she hadn’t expected him to say that he loved her. But as she had said to him, it was right. For the first time in years, she was happy. She felt safe and loved.

No, they weren’t perfect, but they were working through things. They both needed to learn to trust a little more and open to each other even when it was difficult. She had yet to talk to him about her relationship with Tim, but she knew she needed to. She had to find the words to explain it—once she figured out the words for herself. She had too much going on right now.

At the Rose, after she had things moving in the kitchen, she had servers rearranging the tables to allow for people to sit in larger groups. She also made room at Alan’s table for a small memorial. The family had a poster made and there were flowers ready to go.

Johnny came up beside her as she was studying the placement of the flowers and the picture.

“Gotta love an Irish wake, huh?”

“These guys like to drink. They’ll act like Alan Cahill was such a great guy.”

“Was he?”

She shrugged. “In my experience, people are rarely as good as their fans make them out to be. He was a politician at heart.”

“I hear you. I don’t trust politicians either.”

She smiled. “I’ve got the full staff coming in for the evening rush. The family is keeping the funeral low-key so I’m guessing most of the neighborhood will turn up here.”

“Plus, we have the alcohol.”

“You know it. You need any help behind the bar before the others get here?”

“Nah. I’m good. Fully stocked. Why don’t you go take a break? You probably won’t get one later.”

“I will. I just want to make sure everything is set up.” She shifted the flowers over a bit and stepped back again.

“So...I, uh, I’ve been meaning to ask. Everything okay with your boyfriend?”

She started at the question because she was so used to her relationship with Ronan being a secret. Sometimes she forgot that there were people who knew. “Actually, yes. We’re really good.”

“I’m glad. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks.”

Johnny went back to the bar and Chloe puttered around, rolling more silverware into napkins and running through her checklist. Ronan had been right about one thing: she had to talk to her family. Not about Tim. He no longer mattered in her life. She wanted to tell them she and Ronan were a couple. Nessa’s party was happening on Saturday and she planned to be there. Her parents would have to get used to the idea.

Her stomach turned over. What if they didn’t?

She sat down at the table where she’d been setting up. Her family loved her. She knew that. But she’d spent her whole life afraid of disappointing them, worried about what they thought of her. Somehow, they saw the disappointments as phases she was going through like she would just come around one day. She’d made it clear there was no chance she was getting back together with Tim once she left, and her mother seemed to be coming around to the idea that she enjoyed managing the Rose. Could she expect them to accept her love for Ronan? What if they assumed it would pass?

What if it didn’t?

They wouldn’t cut her off or disown her. No matter how mad her mom may get, she always cooled off. And her siblings never cared about who she dated. What was the worst that could happen? Her mother would continue with snarky comments? Chloe was beyond used to that.

But she wouldn’t stand for her mom to make Ronan feel bad. If Mom couldn’t be nice to Ronan, she wouldn’t bring Ronan around the family. The stress lifted from her chest. The anxiety she carried about telling her parents about her feelings for Ronan slipped away.

She jumped up and texted Ronan. I’m going to talk to my parents on Saturday before Nessa’s party. I want the world to know we love each other.

She knew he was working, so he might not see the text, but she wanted him to know she was committed.

They would make this work.