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"Jesus, Faith," Shane and I say at the sa hand on her arm "You know, my ma can hear you, love"

Faith flushes a little, but doesn’t lose her head of steaet in your silly car and drive back to the inn At theanywhere with you I’ll be in forthe bus"

I raise an eyebrow at Shane He s Brian, who for all intents and purposes is cowering behind Faith in the doorway "Fine But I’ll have a ith hiives everyone pause Shane is planning on leaving Faith there? I try and get a read on hie a perplexed look

"Whatever you have to say to my boyfriend, you can say in front of ht, I’ree the pants in this relationship "You’ll be gone soon, Shane You won’t be around to chaseyou don’t like Say what you have to say I’h to make my own choices"

His face shows no reaction to that, but his grip on my hand increases fractionally He nods at Brian "You’ve had two opportunities now to introduce yourself to ht at the Clay to date my sister, that’s the least you could do Maybe even…coht Meet Kitty" He clears his throat, rolls his shoulders "It’s just how it should be done"

Brian gulps audibly "Right I’d love to" He shifts on his feet "Sorry, man I didn’t think you’d want me around her"

"I’m not thrilled about it" When Faith narrows her eyes at Shane, he holds up a hand "But I’d feel that way about anyone She’s my sister She deserves to have this done properly Corips hter and leads me back toward the car I cast a quick look over ing open Inside, I feel the sa? Orla’s words fro clarity Irish men are a complicated sort They’ll knock you on your arse when you’re not looking

"Shane!" Faith is running after us on the path "Wait"

I let go of his hand and step back just in time for Faith to throw herself into his arms Over her shoulder, Shane’s startled eyes meet mine Slowly, his arms band around her, and he holds her close, as if he can’t quite believe what’s happening What he made happen Unable to watch it for another second, or I’ll burst into tears and ruin the er side door

"Beyoncé, are you not staying for tea?" I turn at the sound of Patrick’s voice to find hi a kettle "I cleaned the lance at Shane, who is already shaking his head at irl Get in the car"

Setically at Patrick and climb inside

…

When we reach the Clayhtful moods Shane appears a little thunderstruck over the scene with Faith, but every so often, I feel his gaze slide overdifferent about the way he’s looking at ure out what It’s still ripe with attraction, but there’s speculation now If I wanted to drive myself crazy, I could analyze that look to death I’ht up But it’s getting late in the , and I know Shane has to set up the bar for lunch We walk inside to find Orla cutting up le the space, courtesy of the new cook, Sa down the tables "Did you find your sister, then? Was it the gypsies that took her?"

"No, Kitty" Shane’snow"

"Grand" She props her hands on her hips "Do you smell that chowder? Samuel is an absolute phenom in the kitchen, he is I say we’re well rid of Martin"

Orla, Shane, and I try to keep our amusement hidden, but it explodes fro so hard that Kitty has no choice but to join in It feels like the tension of theout ofindescribable in his that cuts off hter abruptly With a smile at Kitty and Orla, I head toward the staircase at the back of the pub

I hear Shane behindto expect hi about that certainty is co he’ll never letto think about until the next tieinstead to meet him halfway at the center of the hall As if it’s the ainst hiroan I and I can’t re away in the first place It’s startling how quickly he can blur every thought in my head, narrow it down to just hi hiain, the way he had only hours ago When he drops his hands to my botto sound into histhe seam of my lips, as if to savor the noise, but then he pulls back I’ in his eyes, the neay he’s looking at me Then I see my phone in his hand

He presses a few buttons on the screen and pulls up my contacts I watch as he deletes Patrick’s number from my phone, then hands it back toabout Evan’s phone nuin the exact spot where I told him I still loved Evan Where he first tried to kiss o? Had I ever loved Evan? What I’ht, coht of asrain One is so you can bear without an umbrella, a nonevent The other can pick you up, shake you until you scream, and set you down sonize

Shane is a ive it now Weather patterns I’o any further than that Barely one day into this "letting go" phase with Shane and I’ for certain, though I haven’t thought of Evan in days There hasn’t been a speck of rooo back to the relationship I had with Evan than I could forget about Shane, which I instinctively know I never will Evan has been wiped away so quickly, I wonder if he was ever there at all If it was justso