Page 60 of Once Kissed

“Got it.”

“Okay. Come on, then. I need to get back.”

“Go ahead without me. I don’t want anyone to see us together, just in case.”

She tightens her jaw. “Just in case what? Damnit, Curran. I’m here with my boyfriend and his parents. Don’t start any shit that will embarrass me in front of them.”

“Come on, Lety. When have I ever embarrassed you in front of anyone?” She looks at me. “Okay, okay. But you have to admit, Father Flanagan’s face was classic when he caught us eating all that sacramental bread.”

She opens the passenger door but doesn’t step out right away. “Brody means everything to me, Curran. If you make him look bad because of something you do, you’ll be wearing your balls like earrings, understand?”

“Nice one, Lety. I guess you can take the girl out of Philly, but you can’t—”

“Shut up, Curran. And for Christ’s sake, don’t do anything stupid.”

She walks away then and crosses the street, joining the crowd of people making their way out of their limos and into the hotel. I hop out, wait another minute or so, and join the last few stuffed coats trailing in.

It takes a while to get to the front of the line. “This really you?” the security guard asks me.

“Who else would it be?”

“Brody?” Lety calls. She waves to me from inside the lobby. She didn’t go far, probably just far enough to check her coat. She wants to make sure I make it through. She’s a good kid, that Lety.

“Brody!” she calls again, this time louder. “You’re late—your father’s waiting, babe.”

“Okay, honey.” I grin. “I’m coming.” The guard isn’t completely convinced. “Come on, pal,” I say. “My girl’s waiting and so is my dad.”

Another security guard leans in to examine the invitation. I think there’s going to be trouble until he blows out a breath. “That there’s Brody Quaid Moore. You better let him in.”

And right on cue, Lety calls out again. “Brody!”

The guard motions me through. “Coming, sweet cheeks!” I yell.

I walk through the revolving doors. Lety wraps her arm around mine and leads me into a grand ballroom, speaking through her white sparkling teeth. “ ‘Sweet cheeks’? Nice, Curran. You could have said anything, but you had to go there.”

I grin. “You can’t tell me that boyfriend of yours never told you you have a nice ass.”

She tries to hide her smile, her real one, and fails. “That’s none of your business, butthead. Show some class for once and I won’t have to kill you.”

She weaves us around the crowd. She doesn’t seem to know anyone, but she also doesn’t seem to care. Instead she tries to look over and around people until she spots who she’s searching for. And holy shit, doesn’t she light up then.

Her date is down to a shirt and tie. Good thing security doesn’t know what he looks like, ’cause we sure look nothing alike. Although muscular, and about my height, he’s not as brawny as me. And instead of short hair, his falls past his chin.

He polishes off the shrimp on toast he’s munching on and straightens when he sees Lety’s arm around mine. She holds on to her smile but lets me go, hurrying to his side. “Sorry, babe,” she says, standing on her toes to kiss his lips. “This is my boyfriend, Brody,” she tells me.

“Who’s this?” Brody asks, securing his arm around her waist.

Lety smooths her hand over his chest. “Oh, sorry. This is Killian’s brother, Curran.”

Brody nods, appearing to relax. “Oh, the DA.”

“That’s Declan,” she explains.

“That’s right, you’re the carpenter.”

Lety laughs. “No, that’s Seamus. Curran’s a Philly cop.”

“Then who’s the contractor?”

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