Always and Forever by Kathryn Shay Page A

them just then.
    Aidan shifted in his seat. “Sorry about bringing my daughter.I know we said no kids, but Katie’s breast-feeding, and we couldn’t leave her with anybody.”
    “Age zero doesn’t count,” Liam quipped.
    Pat caught Dylan watching Rachel. “Are you worried about Rachel, still?”
    “No, we heard the baby’s heartbeat, so the doctor says things are going as they should.” Dylan did look better, more relaxed.
    “She told Sophie and C.J. about the miscarriagesin her family,” Liam put in. “I looked it up. It’s not genetic.”
    “Not technically. But the conditions that lead to miscarriages run in families.” Even though he’d told Pat the situation before, Dylan’s words were grim.
    Pat clapped Dylan on the back. “What is it Liam always says?
Don’t live the trouble before it comes
.”
    Liam sighed, and a familiar sadness came over his face. “I’m soglad Kitty and I took our lives day-by-day. We had no idea we had so little time together.”
    “I been thinking about that a lot lately.” Pat gripped the sweaty glass, his voice rough. “We gotta make good times happen more.”
    His brothers nodded in assent. They watched Rachel take Katie from C.J. “Oh, God, look at her with that baby.” Dylan sniffed. “Hell.”
    “We’ve all been there,” Aidanannounced. “I still cry when I see C.J. breastfeeding.”
    Liam was silent.
    “What about Sophie, Liam?” Pat asked. “You talkin’ about having more kids?”
    Instead of answering, Liam climbed off the table, walked to the girls and snagged Sophie away. They spoke quietly off to the side. Then Liam called out, “Come over here by Rachel, everybody.”
    When they gathered, Liam took Sophie’shand. “We have an announcement.”
    “Another one bites the dust.” This from C.J., who stared lovingly down at her daughter.
    “Sophie’s pregnant. We didn’t want to tell anybody and take away from Katie’s birth and Rachel’s new pregnancy. But Sophie can’t go back on the line as planned, and hell, I just wanted to share this with you.”
    Sophie’s face glowed, and the two wore matching grins.She added, “You’re the first to know. We’ll tell Cleary and Mikey and your parents when we pick the boys up tomorrow morning.”
    “This is so great.” Patrick shook Liam’s hand. Hugged Sophie. The others followed suit.
    His gaze met Brie’s. She smiled intimately at him, the smile that said they were in sync and felt the same joy. At times like these, he loved her so much he thought he mightbust open with it.
    They toasted, then talk turned to motherhood, fatherhood, baby names and how the boys would take the news.
    Pat, closest to the house, heard a sound inside. “Is that the doorbell?”
    “Did you invite anybody else, Liam?” Aidan asked.
    “No, we said we wanted a night with just us. We rarely get to do that anymore. Sophie and I discussed it at the pub today.” He startedtoward the house. Pat waited and soon Gale Sullivan returned with Liam. Gale stopped short. “I interrupted a family thing! I’m sorry.”
    “That’s okay, Liam said. “Did you need something from us, Gale?”
    He held up a bag. “You asked me to get together books I had about preparing for the SAT exam Cleary’s taking in the fall. I went out to do errands and thought I’d drop them off.” He ran hishand through his hair. “I should have called.”
    “Don’t be foolish.” Liam took the package. “Thanks for getting these. Cleary’s only fifteen, but he’s in honors classes so he’s gonna take the test early.”
    “That’s a good idea.”
    Brie approached them. “Gale, how nice to see you.”
    The guy’s face lit up. He took her hand in both of his. “Hello, Brie. You look beautiful.”
    She did.But why would he notice? Hell, Pat thought, why not? He was a guy, and Brie was gorgeous.
    “Can we get you something?” she asked, ever the good hostess. “I think there’s coffee inside.”
    “That sounds good.” As she stepped