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“Family always gets in free.” He waves me off.

The inn is livelywhen I show up for dinner. An upbeat folk song plays softly in the background while the nearly full table of guests share drinks and stories. I wave hello as I make my way around the table to my usual chair next to Liv.

“No!” She throws her arm out, barricading the chair, and I pause at her strange behavior. “I’m saving that seat.”

“Your imaginary friend joining us for dinner?” I nudge her chin, taking the seat next to the empty one.

“No.” Her eyes fall into little slits, and I know she’s fighting the urge to stick her tongue out at me.

I lift the pitcher of water, offering some to the guests around me. Mid-pouring my own cup, Liv pipes up next to me.

“Hey!” She waves her arm excitedly above her head. “I saved you a seat.”

I look up to find Taylor combing her fingers through her tousled blonde locks.

“Oh, that’s okay. I was just?—.”

“Oh yes, Taylor. Please join us.” My mum perks up, and it would appear that just like me, Taylor can’t say no to my mum either. A gentle grin spreads across her face. She nods and eyes the chair Liv saved her. Right next to me.Thank you, Liv.

“How’d that walk turn out for you the other day, Taylor?” my dad asks as she scoots between an armoire and the back of my chair. She pauses to look at him, her breasts nearly grazing the back of my head. The nape of my neck heats at the near contact.

“It was great. I saw a little sneak peek of the town and got an Irish meat pie. In my book, it doesn’t get much better than that.” She says, sitting down next to me.

“No, it sure doesn’t,” he responds with a chuckle.

I lean back in my chair, my legs spread wide under thetable, and Taylor’s knee grazes my thigh before she quickly pulls it back. I could easily bring my legs together to give her more space, but I’m starting to realize that I rather enjoy teasing her a little bit.

“Morning, love,” I whisper, low enough for only her to hear.

She pauses, adjusting the napkin in her lap. “I’ve been up.”

“Over or under five hours?”

She grabs my wrist where it’s propped on the table and leans in, taking a look at my watch. The sight of her delicate fingers wrapped tightly around my warm wrist has me fighting back some very strange primal urges. Her ring finger taps along my throbbing pulse point once, twice, and then a third time before she lets go.

“Over,” she says, sitting back with a proud smile. A smile made with far too much ease, considering the way the feeling of her fingers makes me have to fight for my life to not get a boner at a full dinner table.

“Have you gotten a chance to see any sights yet?” the Italian woman across from me asks Taylor.

“Unfortunately, I’ve had a little bit of a jet lag issue.” She sucks her teeth. “But tomorrow is my day. I’m going to see The Cliffs of Moher.” She adamantly dips her chin.

“Oh, we went there on our first day here. It was stunning. We met some people who said it was their third attempt. The first two times they went, it was too windy, so hopefully, you don’t have that issue.”

“The wind up there can be brutal,” Ryder agrees.

“Honestly, that would be my luck. I would be the person to get taken down by a gust of wind.”

“Just make sure you make it back to tell us about it.” My dad says, and everyone around the table shares a laugh.

“Oh, Olivia, I meant to tell you that Maeve hasn’t been feeling well, and she won’t be able to help us this week, so it looks like it’s just you and me, my girl.” My mum reaches over, rubbing Liv’s hand with an apologetic smile.

“What kind of help did you need?” Taylor asks.

“One of our local girls is having her wedding here next weekend.” My mum gestures to the family across from us, and they smile. “We prep, cook all the food, and bake the cake ourselves, but if we have a bigger event like this one, my friend Maeve usually helps out.”

Taylor and I both look to my sister, who absently pushes her potatoes around on her plate. Liv has been the designated‘pick-up person’for as long as I can remember. She helps wherever she’s needed, which is nice for the person who needs the help, but I can’t imagine that running around and picking up after everyone else is her life goal.

“I could help,” Taylor speaks up and every head at the table snaps to hers. My mum holds her wine glass with both hands, and I notice her swollen fingers when her drink halts halfway to her mouth.