Tiernan Chapter 3

Part of the family insisted they wanted to see how the stables were doing. I wouldn’t have a problem with it if I didn’t suspect they wanted to see Cassius. They were curious about him. If it were only him they’d meet, I wouldn’t care, but it wasn’t. His mama would be with him, and as silly as it might sound, I wanted to keep her to myself.

While I greatly enjoyed my time with Cassius, I was drawn to Kynedi. There was a quiet reservedness about her that made me want to bring her out of it so I could get to know her better. After two meetings, I had more questions than answers. A part of me wanted to shield her from my family because I knew she was a beautiful woman. My single brothers and cousins could very well be drawn to her, too. What if she found one of them tempting? Talk about something that would be hard as hell to endure.

Yes, I admitted it to myself. Something about Kynedi intrigued me, and I wanted to know more. It wasn’t all physical attraction and the desire to sleep with her that drove me, either. It was part of it, of course, but not everything. Whenever she’d smile or chuckle, it was like a shot of adrenaline for me. I wanted to make her do it again. Brushing against her sent bolts of fire through me, and they centered in my groin. I had to be careful so that she didn’t notice I was sporting half an erection whenever she was near me. She had this faint floral-like scent to her. It must be her perfume and I loved inhaling it into my lungs. I’d never smelled it on a woman before.

However, my family was like a great storm when they wanted something, and they wanted to see the stables and meet my first student, I guess you’d call him. I’d shared Cassius’s name, and they knew he wasn’t neurotypical as it was called. I found him super intelligent, and his ability to grasp things told me he was beyond inquisitive. My ongoing studies into autism and other disorders had shown me that if one appropriately understood and addressed the child’s challenges, plus accepted the autistic person for who they were, not expecting them to be who they weren’t, it allowed their potential to be no less than a neurotypical person’s.

I was trying to learn what Cassius needed and how he manifested his challenges. So far, he’d impressed me with his eye contact and willingness to be touched. There were times he might pull away, but not all the time. Overall, he listened to what his mama told him. Their closeness and love was easy to see. She adored her son, and he loved his mama.

I scanned the crowd for my family. Not everyone was here, thank Dia , but a majority were. I knew Kynedi and Cassius would be here any minute. I issued my warning.

“Alright, settle. They’ll be here any minute. Do not bombard them, especially Cass. He’s not comfortable with strangers and physical contact. Let him decide whether to initiate it or not. They’re still learning about the program. His mama has questions and concerns. She doesn’t want to set unrealistic expectations for him. As for Cassius, he’s a natural with horses and loves them. Just go easy with them.”

“ Mac , we won’t scare the leanbh, child, or his mama,” Daid assured me with a smile. He and Mam had been the two most insistent to come. I knew they wanted to see the final product of my brainchild, as they called it. And they were curious about Cassius.

“Sorry, I just want this to continue to go well. He’s done so well the first two times. Today, I hope to have him ride around some. Last time, it was only sitting in the saddle and walking a few feet. I want to take him outside in the corral. He’s a natural horseman. Wait until you see his seat.” All of the family rode, but Daid and I were the ones who had the deepest passion for it. I came by my love of horses through him.

“We’ll be on our best behavior,” Aidan stated. Besides him and our parents, there were Shane, Cillian, Rory, Rian, Siobhan, Fallon, and Declan. The others were at work or home.

“Better be,” I told him.

He gave me a smirk. “Wanna go at it, baby brother?”

“If you scare him or his mama off, we’ll go for it.”

The asshole just threw back his head and laughed. I gave him the middle finger, which made Mam roll her eyes. I checked my watch and saw it was time. Leaving them where they were, which was in the middle of the stables, I hurried to the main doors to see if they were in the parking lot. As I got there, I saw Kynedi parking her old Civic. My fists clenched. I hated that car. It worried me because I imagined it breaking down on them in the dark. It was apparent they didn’t have money to spare based on it alone. No wonder she questioned me the second time about the cost.

Leaving the stables, I rushed over to it. I got her door open before she did. She had been distracted by whatever she was saying to Cassius. When she got out, her brows were pinched together in worry. I instantly went on alert.

“What’s wrong?”

She sighed. “Maybe it’s a bad idea to do this today. He’s had a bad day at school and isn’t in the best mood. I don’t want him to misbehave here. I should take him home. Sorry, I’ll call next time.” She tried to get back in her car, but I snagged her arm and stopped her.

“Kynedi, if he’s had a bad day, he needs the horses even more. Don’t stress if he acts out. Everyone else here, and I have to learn to deal with that. Who better to begin to teach us that than Cass? If you want to run, let it be for another reason.”

“Like what?”

“Them,” I said as I pointed over my shoulder. I’d heard them come up behind us. They were like a small herd. Her eyes rounded when she saw them. I kept her from stepping back by moving closer to her.

“Don’t worry. They don’t bite. It’s my family. They’re just nosy and will talk your ears off,” I whispered.

She gave a nervous chuckle. “Why are they here?”

“Because they wanted to see how Maggie’s Moppets was going and to meet Cassius. I’ve told them what a natural he is. My entire family are horse lovers, but my daid and I are the worst. He’ll be thrilled to see someone else become one.” I hoped what I said eased her tension. Now that they were here, I’d have to make it as smooth as possible.

I closed her door and opened the back one so Cassius would get out. He did it slowly. Like his mama, he was eyeing my family. I held my hand out in case he wanted to hold on to it. He took it. Walking them the few feet to my waiting family, I stopped and began the introductions.

“Everyone, this is Cassius Carmichael and his mama, Kynedi. He’s the horseman I’ve told you about. Kynedi, Cass, this is part of my family. The others are at work, home, or, in my sister’s case, on her honeymoon. Let me give you names, but don’t worry, there’s no test later.” I winked at Cass. He gave me a confused look.

“I’m only joking, Cassius. There’s no test. If you can’t remember everyone’s name, it’s okay.” I forgot that nuances were often not understood. He nodded, so I continued.

“This is my daid , Cormac, and my mam , Cyndi. These are my brothers, Shane and Aidan. I have three of them. Cathal isn’t here. These others are some of my cousins—Rory, Cillian, Fallon, Declan, Rian, and Siobhan.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Daid said first. As Kynedi shook hands with the family, I watched their reactions. I saw the five single ones checking her out. I wanted to punch them even if they weren’t leering or saying anything. Mam and Siv were smiling and putting her at ease. Switching over to Cass, I waited to see what he’d do. He was studying them. After greeting his mama, they turned to him.

“Hello, Cassius. Tiernan has told us a lot about you. It’s good to meet you. I like meeting horsemen,” Daid stated.

“What is that funny name he called you mean?” Cassius asked.

I was so used to using the Irish forms of mom and dad that I hadn’t thought. Before I could explain, Daid did.

“Well, you see, we’re from Ireland. It’s another country. Sometimes, we use words from there. We speak a different language there called Irish. Daid means dad, and Mam means mom. Just ask if we say a word that you or your mama don’t know. It’s how we learn.”

Cassius considered it for a couple of seconds, then nodded. “Okay.”

They kept their hands to themselves. I’d been teaching them about how to work with children like Cassius. He might never be comfortable touching them, but he did make eye contact, which made me proud.

“Alright, now that everyone knows each other, let’s go see the horses. You tell me who you want to ride today.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. In a flash, he was rushing that way. I kept up with him, even though I wanted to stay close to Kynedi. As time passed and the lesson got underway, I periodically checked to see if Kynedi was doing well. She seemed to be getting to know Mam and Siv the most. Daid and the guys took turns talking to Cassius. Daid mounted up on Ironclad, another stud I had.

Today, Cassius chose one of the mares, Aphrodite. He thought her name was funny. We went outside to the corral, and Cass rode further than last time. There was no trotting, simply being led around at a sedate walk, but he smiled the whole time. To ensure his safety, he wore a helmet and pads just in case he fell off, though it was doubtful. I was right beside him and kept a hand hovering next to him.

When his session was up, I hated to let them go. I was trying to think of something to make them stay longer when Siv came to the rescue. “Kynedi, we’re going out to dinner. We’d love it if you and Cassius would join us. He has to be starved. All growing boys are. These guys are still that way,” she said as she pointed to us and nudged her three brothers—Rory, Declan, and Rian. They mockingly growled at her, and she laughed.

“Oh, I couldn’t, but thank you.”

“No, I insist. I want to hear more about what you do. It’s nice to have new faces around and talk to someone I don’t know everything about. Please. Say you’ll come,” Mam asked sweetly.

It took a couple of nudges, but finally, Kynedi agreed. “Thank you. Where do you want us to meet you?”

“It’s not far. Why don’t you ride with Tiernan? He can bring you both back after dinner,” Mam suggested. I’d have to remember to kiss her for this later.

“Oh, there’s no need. Besides, Cassius needs his booster seat.”

“I have one, so it’s no problem. It’s better if we do a rideshare. I have no idea how busy the restaurant will be.” I held out my hand to her.

She took it slowly, then held her hand out for her son. After he latched on, it was moments before my family scattered to get to the couple of cars they came in. When they did, the bodyguards came out of the shadows. Kynedi jumped and then glanced at me apprehensively. I rushed to reassure her.

“Sorry if they startled you. Those are some of our bodyguards. While here, they kept a low profile. Now that we’re leaving, they’ll come with us. Don’t worry. Milo will ride in one of the guard’s cars. He won’t like it but should be used to it by now.”

“He’s your bodyguard?”

“He is. Although, he’ll tell you that I make his job ten times more difficult, and he’d like to take me out himself.” I said it loud enough for Milo to hear.

He grinned as he responded, “That’s true, ma’am. Tiernan is one of the worst to keep a leash on. One day, I may just have to do him in.”

She blinked and looked uncertain if she should laugh or not. I nudged her. “Go ahead, laugh. He’s half-joking. Come on, before the rest beat us there and they eat all the food,” I said, pretending to be worried.

Getting to the car, I saw Milo pulling Khloe’s booster seat out of the trunk. He swiftly installed it. With Khloe and two babies added to the family, having car seats and boosters in more than a few of our vehicles was a must. It wasn’t just parents who took the kids places or picked them up.

When he was done, Milo got in the car with three other guards while I secured my two passengers. After I got in and started the car, Kynedi asked, “Why do you have a booster seat in your trunk? You don’t have kids, do you?”

“I do not. My brother Aidan has a daughter, Khloe. She’s six, and it’s for her. I haven’t gotten an infant car seat yet, but I plan to. My cousins Darragh and Cian have babies, and Aidan will have a baby in about six weeks. You never know who might take them somewhere or pick one up. We like to be prepared.”

She sat silently, but I could tell she was mulling something over. I reached over and squeezed her hand. She glanced over at me. “What are you thinking? Are you regretting going out with us?”

“No, though you might regret it. Cassius doesn’t always do well with changes in his routine. I was thinking about your family and how you seem to all pitch in. I’ve never heard of families doing what you say yours does with the children. I would think only the moms would do it.”

Now, I was the one wondering. It slipped out before I censored myself. “Only the moms? They have fathers. Wouldn’t they be included in those pickups? I hope I’m not overstepping, but where is Cassius’s father? Surely, he’d do it.”

Immediately, I felt her withdraw at the mention of his dad. I wanted to kick myself for bringing him up, but honestly, I was dying to know where he was and why he wasn’t with his family. My mind went to a divorce, but why would he give up a woman like her? Or had he died? I could have her investigated to find out, but I preferred to discover it on my own. When she agreed to be mine, she’d have to be investigated, but Cody would only reveal things he felt posed risks or concerns. Wait, Shit, did I just think that? Yep. I had.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I needed to get rid of her discomfort. “Kynedi, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried. You don’t need to tell me. I just can’t imagine a man not being involved with his children. It wasn’t how I, my siblings, or my cousins were raised. Heck, we all lived in the same house. Imagine six adults and fifteen kids all living together. It got loud, and everyone was always in each other’s business. It’s still that way to a degree.”

Her mouth opened in astonishment. “You all lived in one house! How is that even possible?”

“Well, it was a huge house. We have our own houses now, but Daid , Mam , uncaili, uncles Patrick and Sean, and aintíni , aunts Maeve and Brenda all live in the family home along with our mamó , granny. We have a large property where we all live close to each other. It’s strange that others aren’t close like us, but I should’ve remembered Ashlynn and Alexis’s family. They aren’t by a longshot.”

“Who are Ashlynn and Alexis?”

“Ashlynn is my cousin’s, Darragh’s, wife, and Alexis is her younger sister. She lives on the property in the family house with our parents. She’s in college and has plenty of privacy with them.”

“Why wouldn’t she live with her sister? Sorry, now I’m prying.”

“You’re not. Alexis said she didn’t want to keep stumbling across her sister and Darragh having S-E-X everywhere. She said she might be scarred for life if it kept happening. The parents all welcomed her. She could’ve stayed with Siv, Cara, or even Aisling before she married a few weeks ago, but Alexis said no. She has a wing to herself and she loves it.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing. Since you shared so much about your family, I will say that Cassius’s father isn’t in the picture and never will be, God willing.”

There was something about the way she said it that caused the hairs on my neck to stand up. There was a story there, and my gut said it wasn’t a nice one. The itch to get Cody to investigate grew, but I stamped it down.

“Understood. So, do you want to know where we’re going, or do you like to live dangerously? What if it’s a place that only serves snails?” I teased to lighten things. It worked as Cassius piped up from the back.

“Snails? Nobody eats those.”

“Oh yes, they do. A lot of people do, but it’s considered a delicacy in a country called France. A delicacy means a treat. Like you getting ice cream is a treat,” I explained. I recalled his mama saying they’d get ice cream after his lesson last time.

His face screwed up in disgust. “Yuck. Have you ate them?”

“I have. My brothers and cousins dared me to do it. I’ve never done it again.”

“What did they taste like?” he asked. Based on his expression, he seemed equally disgusted and fascinated.

“Chewy, slimy with a funny taste. I can’t tell you exactly what it was. Although, I can take you to a restaurant where they have them if you want to try them one day.”

“No way,” he said.

Kynedi giggled at the look of revulsion on his little face. I chuckled. This led to me making a game with him about where we were going and what we might eat. I was following the lead car, and based on where we were, I had an excellent idea of where we were eating. My guess was confirmed when we pulled into the parking lot. At least here, we didn’t have to worry about being served. I hoped they both liked Italian food.

“Do you and Cassius like Italian? I should’ve asked first.”

“We love it. A couple of his favorite foods are Italian. Are you sure we’re dressed okay? This place looks fancy,” she said, biting her lower lip as she took in the restaurant before us.

It was true. It was a higher-class one, but they wouldn’t make a fuss about any of our casual clothing. The owner, Aurelio, and my family went way back. In our family’s opinion, Bella Capri was the best Italian restaurant in town. That was why, when Aurelio wanted to open his own place years ago, we helped him make it a reality. It would’ve been a shame if he had to continue as a chef in someone else’s place rather than his own. There were a few businesses like that around town. My family believed in helping those who deserved it. We just didn’t advertise it because we didn’t do it for recognition.

After we found parking spots, I got them out of the car. Milo had come over to stand by us. He scanned our surroundings, the same as I did. He may have the job of a bodyguard, but I and the others were well trained, even the women. I’d pity anyone taking on Siv, Ais, or Cara. They might appear sweet and helpless because they were female, but they were far from it.

Walking across the lot, we joined up with the rest. Entering the front waiting area, we were greeted by a young hostess. Someone must’ve called ahead because she said our tables were ready. I knew that meant we’d be in one of the two private dining spaces. She bypassed the smaller one, which seemed odd, but I assumed someone else was using it. I found out I was wrong when we rounded the corner and saw a couple of our bodyguards standing outside the bigger one. I glanced at my daid .

“Who else is here?” I hissed softly. Kynedi was saying something to Siv.

“I let the others know we were coming here in case anyone wanted to join us. I thought those who didn’t meet Cassius and Kynedi would appreciate the opportunity. After all, it’s not every day one of you finds your anamchara .” He smiled. It was like being hit by a bomb.

I stepped closer so we wouldn’t be overheard. “No one said anything about an anamchara .” My heart pounded at the thought. I’d barely admitted to myself I wanted her, and now this was coming at me. However, even as I denied it to my daid , a huge part of me was feeling satisfaction at the idea.

He gave me an indulgent look. “ Mac , you think I don’t know when one of my children is ensnared by someone. And I’m not talking about having sexual attraction only. It’s time to open yourself up. This woman is too precious not to be special. However, if you don’t think she’s your anamchara , we can see if one of your brothers or cousins does.” He smirked and started to turn away. I couldn’t stop myself. I grabbed his arm.

He faced me and raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“If one of them makes a play for her, I’ll beat their asses,” I growled.

Daid threw back his head, laughed heartily, then softly stated, “That’s what I thought. Just go with the flow. Let her meet the family. She’ll be hesitant. Something tells me she’s been hurt badly and doesn’t trust easily. It’s our job to help you prove she can trust you and all of us. Now, let’s enjoy dinner.” He patted my shoulder, then gave it a squeeze.

“Okay, thanks,” I told him. I didn’t know what else to say. His talk about her being my soulmate had thrown me, but not in a bad way. It was making me think.

I noted it was Finnegan and Seamus outside the room. When they saw us, they opened the door. Their presence meant Darragh was here. Along with Angus, they were the primary bodyguard slash enforcers who protected Darragh, Ashlynn, and their son, Ronan, although anyone trying to harm Darragh was in for a rude awakening. He would be like grabbing the tail of a tiger. We were all lethal in our own ways, but Dar was even more so.

I saw when Kynedi spotted them. She stopped talking and came to a halt. I moved to stand beside her again and lightly pressed my hand to her lower back. “There’s nothing to worry about. I guess some of the rest of the clan decided to join us. Come. I’m starved, and I know the two of you have to be. Remember what I said at the stables? They don’t bite, just talk you to death.”

She searched my face. I wasn’t sure for what, but she must’ve found it because she relaxed a bit and nodded. Cassius was checking them out with wariness. He was holding her hand. I stopped when we reached the guards and let the others go inside.

“Cassius, Kynedi, I’d like to introduce two more of our guards. This is Seamus and Finnegan. They protect my cousin Darragh, his wife, Ashlynn, and their son, Ronan. They look mean, but they’re really softies.”

Finnegan cracked a smile. He was a hard man but had a soft spot for kids and our women. Seamus grinned.

“Hey, Cassius, it’s nice to meet you. We’ve heard you’re a great horseman,” Seamus stated.

“Hello, Cassius, welcome,” Finnegan said.

Cass didn’t say anything, although he nodded. Their attention then swung to Kynedi. They couldn’t totally hide from me their male appreciation for her. They both greeted her warmly. When they met my gaze, I made sure they saw the warning. Chin lifts told me they received it. I escorted my charges into the room, buzzing with dozens of voices. Kynedi halted and pressed back against me. I wanted to groan at the contact. It made me harden, but this wasn’t the time or place for that. Cassius was huddled against her side. Not wanting to make them run, I shouted over the din.

“Can you all quiet down so I can introduce our guests and you? If I don’t, they’ll be running for the door. Everyone take a seat, and then I’ll make introductions.”

My family quieted, and those not already seated took a seat. Scanning the large room, I noted that the whole family was there except for Aisling and Alistair. Even Mamó , and the newest addition, Caitlin, had joined us. Having Mamó come was a rarity. She was physically spry enough to venture out. She just preferred her home. Mamó stayed in her quarters in the family home with the parents. I took my two charges to where there were three open seats. I pulled out one for Kynedi. It would place her on one side of me, and Cassius could be on her other side. Once she was settled, I pulled out his. Taking mine, I addressed the room again.

Scattered along the wall were more bodyguards. They didn’t have one for every member tonight since undoubtedly they carpooled, but there were still six in the room. They’d be served along with us. Small tables were set up for them. Aurelio knew the deal. Those who came with us from the stables would take up spots in the main dining room. It was packed tonight, and our entrance attracted attention like it did whenever we went anywhere. Honestly, it barely registered most of the time. It did tonight because I had Kynedi and Cassius with us, and I was cognizant of what they might be feeling. It took effort to get used to being in a fishbowl.

It took me a while to go through the introductions. I started with our matriarch, then the parents, and so on. When I was done, Cassius wasn’t making eye contact, but Kynedi had relaxed a tad and was giving out small smiles.

“It’s great that you could join us. Don’t let our boisterousness scare you. We love to talk, and we do it over each other. If you want someone’s attention, throw something at them,” Darragh said, smiling. He continued, “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m hungry. Shall we order?”

This got the rest talking as they opened their menus. We were well versed in what Aurelio had, but sometimes, he slipped in a new dish. Leaning closer to her, I stated, “If you have any questions about something, ask. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. Cassius, what is your favorite Italian food?” I wasn’t sure if he knew what Italian was.

He met my gaze. “I like spaghetti and lasagna.”

“Great choices. You might like some of these others too. We’ll get it family-style so everyone can try different things.” It was how we typically did it here. Aurelio accommodated us. Large platters of various dishes would be ordered, and if refills were needed, we’d order them. I’d make sure spaghetti and lasagna were two of them.

I explained our ordering method and asked Kynedi if she wanted something specific. She said no. Our drink requests were taken, and the food was ordered. I saw her mouth fall open when she heard what we were getting. Several baskets of bread were placed along the table. I snagged one for us, along with the butter.

“Don’t worry, if any is left over, we’ll have leftovers, but don’t bet on there being a ton,” I assured her. She still appeared stunned.

She quickly became engaged in various conversations around the table. I talked some, but mainly, I watched how she was getting along with my family. They were loud, and some might call them crazy. If you weren’t used to a large, close family, I could see why. As far as I knew, it was only her and Cassius, although I could be wrong. Maybe she had siblings or parents. We didn’t know enough about each other for me to know. Again, the urge to have Cody snoop hit me, but I refused to go that route.

Mam was on Cassius’s other side. She spoke to him more than a few times, but I couldn’t hear what she said. She also engaged Kynedi. While waiting for our food to arrive, Aidan asked a question across the table. To be heard, he had to raise his voice.

“Kynedi, tell us about your work. What do you do for a living?”

I saw her hesitate before she straightened herself up. I hoped she wasn’t ashamed. We knew we were privileged and tried to share our wealth with those in need. Work was work.

“Actually, I do a few things. I work as a masseuse at a spa in town. Also, I transcribe doctors’ dictation into notes for them to sign. It’s mainly the older ones who don’t like computers and all that fancy tech stuff, as they call it. And I clean a couple of offices on the weekends.”

If she thought any of those would make us look down on her, which her rigid body and blank expression told me that she thought we might, she was wrong. We didn’t think less of anyone who worked a blue-collar job. They helped the world continue to function as much, if not more, than the rest of us. What upset me was the fact she worked three goddamn jobs. Why? She said Cassius’s father wasn’t in their lives, and she liked it that way, but he should help care for his son if he was alive.

“Wow, you’re super busy, and you have Cassius on top of it all. I salute you. My job as a bank teller was nothing compared to your work,” Miranda said.

“Neither was my office manager job at Camelot Jewelers,” Ashlynn added.

“I thought being a bartender and a mom was a lot, but you are amazing,” Karizma told her.

I noted their admission of working what most would call ordinary jobs stunned her. I hoped it illustrated to her that we weren’t snobs. When our daideo , Grandpa Conall, came to this country, he was a laborer. It was true he became a mobster, but it was more out of necessity at the time than a genuine desire to be on the wrong side of the law.

During all this, Khloe sat with her parents down the table from us. Suddenly, she got up and came walking toward us. She bypassed me to stand next to Cassius’s chair.

“Hi, Cassius, I’m Khloe. Your name is cool. I’ve never heard it before. It’s kinda like my new family. They all have different names. I think it’s great. I’m six. How old are you?”

He wasn’t making eye contact and didn’t answer her at first, but she stood there patiently waiting. Finally, he replied. I didn’t have to strain to hear because the table got quiet.

“Thanks. Your name is pretty. And they do have different names, but I like them. I’m seven.”

“Oh, then you’re in second grade? I’m in first. I was in a new school, but Daddy didn’t like them when they let a guy in to talk to me. So now, I’m at home with my mom. She teaches me, and I go to groups with other kids and parents. It’s fun. You should come to our house and play. Ms. Kynedi, can he do that?”

“Ah, well, sweetie, I don’t know. It’s not my call.”

“Mom, I want Cassius to come to our house. Can he?”

Karizma chuckled. “Honey, you’re supposed to ask me first so I can discuss it with Kynedi. However, I don’t have a problem with it if Ms. Kynedi and Cassius want to come. They can swim and ride the horses. You can show them the ones we have there.”

Cassius’s head snapped up when he heard swimming, but a smile broke out when he heard there were more horses. I wanted to kiss Khloe for asking. It was a way to get them there—anything to let me spend more time with them, even if it was around my family. I knew what would be in store for me. I recalled what we did to Aidan when he brought Karizma and Khloe to spend time at the compound. I knew I was in for some payback. I glanced at Aidan and saw his smirk. Yep, it would be payback time.

Cassius looked at his mama. “Can we?” I heard the hope in his tone.

“Let me talk to Ms. Karizma about it.”

He didn’t look happy, but he didn’t argue. I’d make sure Riza would convince her.

“Khloe, the food will be here soon. Come sit down,” Aidan told her.

“Daddy, can I sit by Cassius? I want to talk to him,” she pleaded.

“Sure, honey. Let me get you a chair, and we need to shift,” he told her indulgently. In no time, room was made for her. She was chattering away. Cassius seemed to be paying attention to her but didn’t say much.

“It’s nice of your sister-in-law to invite us, but I don’t want her to feel obligated,” Kynedi said out of the blue.

“She isn’t and wouldn’t. Believe me, she would’ve shut the conversation down if she didn’t want you to come. Both of you will have a blast. It’s hot so swimming is always fun. If you don’t like the pool, we have the ocean. There’s not a lack of things to do. And I know Cassius will love the horses.”

She smiled. “Yeah, as if that was ever a doubt. It’s all he talks about. He’s devouring books and getting on the computer to learn more about them.”

“So, reading to him is adding to your work. I’m sorry we created more work for you.”

“No, don’t be, and it’s not that much more. Unless it’s big words, he can read most of it. I have an e-reader. He can listen to the books on that, too. I’m lucky. He began to read young. It was one of the things he enjoyed, so he focused on it. It’s funny. The things he struggles with compared to the ones he’s a whiz at. Most people assume he’s not very intelligent due to his autism.”

“I don’t see that at all. I only mentioned it because I don’t recall being able to read a lot at seven years old. His questions and the information he retains tell me he’s very smart. My studies into autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders have taught me so much, but there’s even more to know. I hope I have a handle on it by the time Maggie’s is ready to be rolled out to more kids. If I don’t, I’ll be asking you to be my tutor.”

“Tiernan, I’m more than willing to answer any questions you have. What you’re doing is terrific. I wish all kids like Cass had an opportunity to do it.”

“I do, too, which is why I plan to expand it to more locations, God willing. It may start here in St. Aug, but I don’t picture it staying here.”

The arrival of our food interrupted us from talking more. More than one waiter and waitress came in. They set the food in the center of the long line of tables. They’d been placed end-to-end, making it one continuous table with people seated on both sides, and Darragh and Patrick were at the ends.

I made sure she and Cassius got plenty to try. Mam oversaw Khloe’s plate. Once they were taken care of, I filled mine. The clank of silverware, murmurs of voices, and the groans of appreciation were the main sounds in the room for a good twenty minutes or so. When we’d consumed as much of that as we wanted, the leftovers were removed to be boxed up.

“Oh my, that was incredible. It’s the best Italian food I’ve ever had,” Kynedi said.

“It is excellent, isn’t it? Aurelio is the mastermind behind it. We’re so damn glad he opened this place up.”

“Aurelio, that’s the owner? I’d love to tell him he’s made me an addict for his food,” she claimed as she laughed.

The door opened, and a man came strolling in with a big smile. Behind him was the waitstaff, who were carrying more dishes. She spotted them. “What in the world are they bringing now?”

“That would be dessert, and you can tell Aurelio. There’s the man himself,” I said as I pointed him out. He’d gone to speak to Mamó, Patrick, Daid , and Sean first. After that, he’d talk to Darragh. Even though Dar was officially the head of the family now, the older generation was revered by many. That was the way it should be.

As Aurelio made his way around the table, those of us not actively talking to him dug into the desserts, which included panna cotta, cannoncini, chocolate mousse, tiramisú, and limoncello gelato. Cassius cautiously tasted the limoncello and the mousse. He must’ve liked it because he dug in to eat the rest.

I took a small portion of all of them. When Kynedi saw it, she shook her head. “How can you eat that on top of the rest?”

“I work out every day so I can eat pretty much anything I want. However, I don’t eat like this every day, either. Coming here is a treat. You have to take a bite of all of them. They’re amazing,” I coaxed her. I held up the dish with the tiramisú. She resisted for about a minute, then gave in. As I put a small portion on her plate, Aurelio made it to us.

“Ah, I see you’re eating it all. I hope you enjoyed dinner. Who is this lovely lady? I’ve never seen you before,” he said to Kynedi. He held out his hand. When she went to shake it, he lifted it to his lips.

He had that old-world courtliness. Even though he was in his sixties, he charmed the ladies, even those many years his junior. She gave him a big smile, which I admit I wanted for myself.

“Aurelio, this is Kynedi and her son, Cassius. Don’t think you can charm her. I’ve warned her you’re full of it. Cassius is helping me to perfect my latest venture with the horses. And yes, the food was wonderful, as usual. Whoever you have cooking for you is a master. He or she is beating your best effort,” I poked, knowing he had prepared our food. He would have it no other way.

He gave me an outraged look as he launched into his protest. “Tiernan, you wound me. My heart has been ripped from my chest. How can you think anyone cooked this other than me or that anyone is better? Just for that, I’m going to charm her away from you. Bellissima, Beautiful Kynedi, I’m single and can give you the world. I’ll be your willing worshipper until my dying day,” he flattered her. I noted he still had a hold of her hand. I reached around her and tugged hers away from him. I held it clasped in mine. It felt like it was where it should be.

“And they say the Irish kissed the blarney stone. What do they call that nonsense you’re spewing?”

“You blackguard, how dare you? I’m an Italian. It’s not blarney. You have no clue about natural charm and charisma because you’re not an Italian. For that insult, I have only one recourse. We’ll meet at dawn and duel for the lady’s heart and my honor. I warn you. I’m an expert with a sword,” he said convincingly.

“Dawn, it is.”

We were staring at each other through narrowed eyes. We held it for a good minute or more before we burst out laughing. Kynedi had been giving us worried looks, but when he laughed, she relaxed. She placed her free hand on my chest and gently pushed me.

“Stop it. I thought you two were serious for a moment. Joking like that may get you in trouble one day. Although, it was nice to think someone would be willing to fight for me.”

“Believe it. Only fools wouldn’t fight for you. Aurelio likes to think he’s the only debonair one. I like to remind him I have game, too.”

“You do, but not like mine. Now, tell me, did you enjoy the food, Bellissima ? Is there anything I can get you? Oh, and it’s very nice to meet you, Cassius. I’m sorry. I should’ve spoken to you first, as the man. I know you must look after your gorgeous mama,” Aurelio added.

Cass said a soft, “Hello.”

I sat there and listened to Kynedi praise his food. I swear he stood a foot taller by the time he moved on. It took a bit to get everyone finished and Aurelio to say goodnight. Once he did, it was time to leave. I hated the idea of taking them back to their car and the night ending, but if Khloe got her way, they might soon come to the family compound. I’d have to push Kynedi to accept subtly. There was no doubt that I wanted more time with both of them, especially the intriguing Kynedi.