Page 64 of Irish Fury
She dialed Catriona Barr next. “Hey, Aunt Cat, I just wanted to let you know I’m bringing my boyfriend home for the weekend. It’s Jonathan O’Faolain. I can’t wait to see you at the cookout tomorrow.” After Catriona’s exclamations of amazement, Mags heard cursing from her uncle Coll in the background. “Love you, bye.”
She never took her eyes off Jonathan, who looked slightly ill. Some of his family were doing a poor job of controlling their laughter at her back.
Finally, she called Josephine, her sister Mirren’s stepmom and Gray’s mom. “Hey, Jo, I just wanted to…” She gave the same spiel before signing off with love yous.
She placed both hands on her hips and frowned at her boyfriend. “I suggest, Jon, that you never call my feelings for you into question again.”
“I won’t.”
thirty-seven
JONATHAN
Jonathan’s familywould never let him live down getting his ass handed to him by Mags, but Christ, had she been glorious while she’d done it.
He should not have doubted her. And he sure as hell shouldn’t have doubted her in front of an audience. Lesson learned. A huge lesson learned.
They were in a hired car on their way to Bunchrew, Mags’ hometown. It lay three miles west of Inverness on the Beauly Firth. The area possessed a distinct appeal; during the infrequent family gatherings he attended there, he developed a genuine appreciation for the countryside.
Funnily enough, it reminded him of some of the small towns surrounding his father’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States. Everyone knew everyone and their business. He smiled, thinking about some of the stories he’d heard about Mags as a child. She’d been a hellion for the poor teachers of Bunchrew, including her mother.
When they landed, a text from Aileen had come through. The family decided to have an evening at MacGregor’s house. According to Mags’ mother, the family had insisted.
It looked like Mags’ earlier revelation calls had impacted their plans upon landing. Mags was quiet on the drive to her parents’. They were going there first to drop their bags and for her to reconnect with her parents after so many months apart.
Aileen was nervous about meeting the family. They all believed that the big news of the evening was Mags bringing a boyfriend home, but really, it was about Aileen not telling them about her cancer.
She was nervous, but Aileen swore she was glad not to wait another night to tell them. Jonathan clasped one of Mags’ hands and pulled it into his lap.
“Had I not gotten butthurt about you waiting to tell your family about us, your mom wouldn’t be rushed into a confession. I’m sorry, Mags. Truly.”
She pulled her gaze from the window, less than a minute from her parents’ home. She leaned into his side and kissed his jaw in a sweet kiss. He let his fingers feather over her cheek, humbled to have her by his side.
“I might be cross with you, Jon, for doubting me,” she said, a teasing smile tugging at her lips, “but you’ve already proven you know better now.”
He huffed a quiet breath but didn’t interrupt.
“As for tonight,” she continued, her tone softening, “I actually think Mom’s relieved. Nervous, yeah—but relieved. Honestly, all the secrecy probably made it worse for her.”
She shifted slightly toward him, more thoughtful now. “They only got in a couple of hours ago, and she admitted that putting it off had been weighing on her. The family didn’t understand what was going on, and that bothered her. So…this? Tonight? It’s probably exactly what she needed.”
Jonathan nodded, his expression easing. “Your family’s too close-knit to hold onto anger for long. If anyone grumbles, it’ll just be because they love her.”
“That’s what I think too.” She paused, just for a second, then pushed forward, her voice quieter but more deliberate. “Jon…I need you to believe something.”
His attention sharpened immediately.
“I didn’t keep us a secret because I was ashamed. Or unsure. Or anything like that—even for a moment.” Her gaze held his steadily. “You matter to me. And I don’t take this—us—for granted. Not even a little.”
The words hit him harder than he expected. After everything—after the doubt, the second-guessing—this was what undid him. He blinked, jaw tightening slightly as emotion crept up on him.
“Christ,” he muttered under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair. “My questioning you…that wasn’t really about you.” He looked back at her, honesty laid bare. “That was me questioning myself.”
She didn’t look away.
“I haven’t always been someone worth trusting,” he went on, voice lower now. “But I’m not screwing this up. Not with you.” His gaze held hers, steady and certain. “If I ever do something that makes you doubt me—even a little—I want you to tell me. Right away. I mean that. I’m in this. Fully.”
Her expression softened, something warm and sure settling in her eyes.
