Wild Embrace (Wilder Irish #11) - Mari Carr Page 0,32
instead, a multitude of possibilities for genuine happiness and love. My heart didn’t truly stop beating when Sunday died, but I believed it did. I wonder sometimes if there had been an Emmy sitting at the end of the bar over the years, and I failed to see her because I’d blinded myself to not only love but to hope.”
Darcy leaned back, moved by her grandfather’s words. “So you believe it’s possible for someone to love more than once?”
“I was much older when I lost Sunday. We’d shared thirty years together. That was not enough years for me, but it was a lifetime compared to what Ryder shared with his bride. What Paddy had with Mia. They are both young men, and there are far too many things they are going to miss out on if they…well, if they can’t give their hearts to another. Ryder has your heart, doesn’t he?”
Darcy nodded. “You said you knew you loved Grandma the night you met her.”
“I did. I did indeed.”
“I’m younger than Ryder. Ten years younger. And everyone keeps calling this a crush, which makes it sound like something silly that I’ll get over eventually.”
“I don’t believe it’s a crush.”
This was why Darcy had sought out her grandfather. He never belittled her feelings. He always took what she said seriously.
“I was only twenty when I met Sunday, and she was but nineteen. Age means nothing when it comes to matters of the heart.”
“Was there anything someone could have done to open your eyes after Grandma Sunday passed away?” she asked.
“Ryder is still grieving for his wife?”
Darcy didn’t know how to answer that because she wasn’t sure how Ryder felt about Denise. His story had ended much differently than Pop Pop’s, but Darcy wouldn’t share that with her grandfather. It wasn’t her secret to share, and she would never betray Ryder’s trust.
Prior to their conversation in the elevator, she had assumed Ryder was in the same boat as Padraig, still grieving. But then he revealed Denise’s betrayal, and now Darcy couldn’t decide if he was avoiding relationships because of a broken heart or because of wounded pride. Or, most likely, both.
He insisted he didn’t believe in love and romance. What she couldn’t figure out was if he’d always felt that way or if his feelings had changed after Denise’s death.
Because of the way things ended, it was clear Ryder’s feelings about his late wife had run the gamut from red-hot rage to gut-wrenching sorrow to zombie-like numbness over the past four years. Darcy suspected there was a broken heart buried beneath that hodge-podge of emotion, but Ryder’s pride wouldn’t accept that, wouldn’t face it.
Of course, she also couldn’t dismiss the fact he’d proclaimed he was thirty-four and that he’d never seen fireworks or found true love.
The only thing that was clear to her was Ryder seemed to believe his life was fine just the way it was, and she desperately wanted to prove him wrong.
“She’s been gone four years.” That wasn’t an answer, but it was all Darcy had.
“You care deeply for the man.”
Darcy nodded, even though Pop Pop hadn’t asked a question.
“And Clint.”
She smiled. “He’s an amazing boy. I love him. And Vince, even though he’s become a grumpy bastard.”
Pop Pop grinned. “Puberty does a number on otherwise pleasant young boys.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes until finally Pop Pop reached over and placed his hand on hers. She glanced down at his gnarled fingers and wrinkled skin, always amazed by the strength and the warmth in his old hands.
“Open his eyes, Darcy. If anyone can warm a lonely heart, it’s you, my dear.”
Pop Pop always knew exactly what to say, always found a way to bolster her wavering confidence. It was another reason she’d sought him out today. Not seeing Ryder this past week had given her too much time to fret and question everything.
She smiled. “I hope that’s true.”
“Never doubt it, lovely girl. Never doubt it.”
Ryder lowered the footrest on the recliner as soon as the football game ended. He had a shit-ton of chores to take care of around the house, but the idea of actually doing them seemed beyond him at the moment.
He sighed heavily.
“You okay?”
He glanced over at Leo, who was sprawled out on the couch, looking just as unenergetic as he felt. Yvonne was working at the pub today, and the boys were somewhere outside, playing with a bunch of the neighborhood kids. Reba was napping in her crib.
It was on the tip of