Happily Inc. [03] Why Not Tonight by Susan Mallery

Author:Susan Mallery [Mallery, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance.Contemporary
ISBN: 9781335474605
Goodreads: 37686711
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2018-09-17T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

NATALIE WAS DEFINITELY feeling her wine. She’d had a great time at Ronan’s birthday party, but even more important, he’d enjoyed himself, as well. She’d kicked his manly butt at darts, had watched him talk and laugh with his brothers, and then when the night had gotten late, Ronan had pulled her close and they’d danced. She was tipsy, tired and totally happy.

Ronan held her hand as they walked back to the gallery where they’d parked their cars. She was going to ask him to drive her home—there was no way she wanted to drive and it was a little too far for her to walk. She knew she needed the exercise, but the thought of getting home and just sliding into bed was way more appealing.

“What?” he asked as they crossed the street. “You’re smiling.”

“You had a good time.”

“I did. You were right about the party.”

“Ha!”

He chuckled. “I didn’t want to go and you said I had to and you were right.”

“Double ha! See? You like hanging out with people. You’re practically normal.”

“Practically.”

She laughed. “There’s still some work to do, but progress has been made.”

“You think you’re so smart.”

“I am so smart, and you have a great family. Nick and Mathias are the best. I don’t know Del and Aidan, but I’m sure they’re just as wonderful. You’re lucky.”

Some emotion she couldn’t name moved across his face and the humor faded from his eyes.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

He shrugged. “When I was a kid, I always thought I took after Elaine.”

“You mean your mother?”

He ignored her. “I thought I had her sense of humor and that we thought the same way. I was wrong.”

“You weren’t.”

They reached the gallery. She turned to face him. Despite the late hour, the streetlights illuminated the parking lot.

“You weren’t wrong,” she repeated. “You have to see that. What you saw in yourself was a reflection of the woman who raised you. You saw her love and responded to it.”

“She lied to me.”

“She did what she thought was best under difficult circumstances. Honestly, you have got to get over this. You’re being ridiculous. Worse, you’re hurting her. Elaine’s big crime is taking you in and loving you like one of her own. Boo hoo.”

His expression tightened. “She lied about who I was and our relationship every day of my life. I have no idea who I really am. All I have is my father, and trust me, you don’t want a man like Ceallach Mitchell to be all you are.”

“You’re nothing like your father.” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. Annoyance was turning into genuine anger—an unusual occurrence for her.

“I see you every day, Ronan. You’re a good guy. You love your brothers. You do great work. You’re not mean or cruel or any of those things. Get over yourself. So you have a bit of a mystery in your past. It doesn’t have to be the end of the world.”

She narrowed her gaze. “The reason you’re

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