Page 156 of My Husband Problem

That’s what matters most.

But I want my grandfather’s blessing.

I’m not too proud to admit that.

Loving Astrid and wanting her to be officially part of our family is one thing my grandfather and I have agreed on, even if we’ve never discussed it.

I want him to not just acknowledge our marriage, but I want him to be thrilled about it. I want this to make him happy and for him to feel that I finally did something he wanted me to do.

And if he won’t, it’s going to be a problem.

I want my family back. I want to come home regularly. I want to get to know my mother again. I want to be close to my brothers and watch them up close as husbands and fathers.

But today could start the tensions with my grandfather all over again.

Astrid presses against my side. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

With a deep breath, we step into the foyer.

And are nearly bowled over by Saoirse and Mariah, who are already on their way back out of the palace.

“Just because you are technically princesses doesn’t mean you can order anyone to drive you over to the animal park!” Fiona calls after them.

“No need to order anyone. I’ll drive!” Ruby, Henry’s wife, says. She’s right on the heels of the girls. “I hear there are baby elephants.”

“Yes!” Saoirse replies. “Two!”

“Hi, Declan! Hi, Astrid!” Ruby greets as she runs down the stairs after the teenagers. “Way to be dramatic!” she tells us with a grin.

We turn back to the group just as my youngest brother Cian comes striding forward. “There she is!” He lifts Astrid up in a bear hug and spins her around. “My ex fiancée! Who left me for my big brother!”

Astrid is laughing by the time he sets her down.

“I seem to remember us huddled in a corner with Miles and Henry trying to figure a way out of that,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Because you were madly in love with Scarlett.”

He looks over his shoulder at his wife, who’s the exact replica of the brunette who just left with Saoirse and Mariah.

“She would’ve waited for me,” Cian says confidently.

Scarlett shakes her head. “Honestly? There are days that I think about calling you and begging you to take him off my hands even now.” But she’s smiling at my youngest brother with such clear affection I feel my heart squeeze.

Cian laughs out loud, clearly unconcerned by his wife’s words.

He looks down at Astrid again. “Honestly? My grandfather had a good idea. You and I would’ve made gorgeous babies, and it looks like we only would’ve had to act miserable together for what? A year and a half? Then he would’ve let us off the hook anyway, just like he did with you two.”

I look at Henry, Cian’s bodyguard and best friend. “A little help here?”

Henry holds up his hands and laughs. “Oh, I’ve turned over his care and feeding fully to Scarlett.”

I grab the back of my brother’s shirt and pull him back away from my wife. “The new rule is five feet of space between you two at all times.”

I’m still not quite to the point of joking about how close Cian and Astrid came to walking down the aisle just to make Diarmuid happy.

I may never be.

I’m not the happy-go-lucky one of the O’Gradys. I’ll just let Cian keep that title.