I nodded.
“I do too. Though I’m pretty sure I’ll be sleeping like drunken frat boy soon. I’m whipped.”
“We can go.”
“No, we are going to meet the baby, then we’ll go.”
I sighed. “All right.” I stole a piece of pineapple. “If we must.”
There was a line of people waiting to see the new family. We finished our food and drinks while we waited. Ian was preening as he held the baby in his arms. He was holding his phone up and speaking. Probably talking to his brother.
I pulled Ivy aside. “Before we go in.”
“Again?”
“No. Even I’m not that bad.”
“Oh.”
She looked disappointed enough to make my nerves even out. “I know it’s not the time, but I have something for you.”
Her eyebrows shot up as I pulled the box from my pocket. “Rory.”
I flipped it open. “Not quite that ill-timed, love.”
“Oh.” Again, the bit of disappointment made my heart race. Had she been hoping for a ring?
Did I dare hope to be able to ask her? It was just a matter of connecting the dots in my mind. Owning up to loving her was far scarier a prospect than forever as odd as that may be.
“I got it in Ireland. I was going to give it to you later, but it seemed fitting to give it to you here.”
She traced her fingers over the little white gold beads and bars of the bracelet. “It’s lovely.”
“Lots of little shops in Ireland, but this one spelled out words using Morse code.”
Her eyes went misty as she looked up from the box to me. “What does it say?”
“A ghrá.”
“Oh, Rory. Before you even told me.”
“The words have been sitting in my chest since I met you. Seemed a special—oof.”
She flung her arms around me. “I love it. It’s so perfect. So different.” She stepped back and held out her wrist. “Put it on, please.”
I smiled down at her. The clasp was small as hell and I fumbled it twice before finally setting it to rights on her wrist. “There.”
“Thank you,” she whispered and went onto her toes to kiss me.
“Have you hidden yourselves away long enough? We have a baby to introduce you to.”
Ian’s voice made me turn. My fingers grazed down Ivy’s arm to link our hands. “Thought you and Zoe might need a minute.”
“More likely that the two of you needed one.” He tipped his head. “You look…at ease.” He rocked the baby in his arms lightly. “Did you go off and get laid while my wife-to-be toiled through afterbirth and learning to breastfeed?”
I coughed. “Jesus, Ian.”
“What? Get used to it, bub. This is going to be your life too.”