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“Cian has finally found a true purpose, and it’ssucha good one. And Declan…” She trails off. “He’s the one who’s united thefamilies and who will be the father of the O’Grady-Olsen heir. I mean…that’s pretty amazing.”
Her voice has softened. There’s a note of, for lack of a better word, affection there.
“You sound happy about all of that.”
She laughs again, and yeah, I don’t think I’ve heard her like this, ever.
“I am happy. Everyone is not only doing meaningful things that will fulfill them and make the world better, but they’re in love and happy! Includingyou!”
“None of this is according to plan,” I say again.
“I know. And that definitely stressed me out when it was happening,” she admits. “But now that it’s all over and done, it’s so great.”
“So Declan and Astrid are good?” That wedding came out of the blue, and I got the impression it was mostly for show for Diarmuid.
“Well…” Iris hesitates. “They will be.”
“You’re sure?”
“Let’s put it this way: they’re both incredibly intelligent, and divorcing the other person would be very stupid. So that won’t happen.”
That doesnotsound like they’re madly in love.
“And we’ve got the added bonus of Colin, Jonah, and you falling in love, too,” she says.
Yes, she does sound genuinely happy.
That’s… weird.
“I guess we just need you and Miles to fall in love,” I say of Astrid’s best friend and trainer, who is also her bodyguard, though no one knows that.
“What are you talking about?” Iris asks, her tone suddenly sharp.
“Just… you’re the only two people in our group left, the only bodyguards not in love,” I say with a frown.
“Oh.” She pauses. “Yeah. I guess. Well, that doesn’t matter.”
Now she sounds strange. “Are you okay?”
“What? Yes, of course. I need to go,” she says quickly. “Do you need me to get Ruby in at Ohio State? Have her admission to Loyola rescinded?”
“God, no!” I say emphatically.
“Okay, fine. As for her father, I haven’t found anything specifically illegal. Unfortunately being an immoral asshole isn’t illegal,” Iris says. “But we do have a contact in the Governor’s office who is willing to make a big deal out of Emerald being the only town to turn down the grant. We also have some news outlets—TV, newspapers, pods—that will run the story if we ask them to. We also have some big religious leaders in the state who will denounce this and draw attention to the state grant and to Ruby’s Way.”
I’m nodding. “That’s all great. Not as great as a criminal indictment maybe…”
She laughs. “Maybe not, but embarrassing him, calling his bigotry out publicly, shaming him in front of the town and his congregation? That’s not nothing.”
“True. Maybe we can even peel off a few members of his church.”
“Or maybe more than a few,” Iris says. “He seems most interested in power. The more people he can influence, the happier he is. So, we can maybe reduce that number, take some of his power away.”
Make himunhappy. That would be great.
“You should devise a way for the other churches in town to be involved with Ruby’s Way. You don’t need their financial support, of course, but they should make a big deal out ofapproving the group’s mission and work. They could show the town the alternatives to that church.”
“Other people should show their support for the work we’re doing, too,” I agree. “Anyone in town who believes it’s a good idea should say so. We could have some kind of event to kick things off. Simply to show that the bigots are outnumbered. And maybe people going to that church will start to look at who they are associating with. And who else in town they could be associating with instead.”