Page 50 of Starting Over

“Did you have a crush on her when you were kids?” She was persistent, I’d give her that.

I stared at the mayor, my mouth hanging open.

“I am not discussing this with you.” I shook my head in disbelief.

“Come on, Declan.”

“I’ll remember this when your divorce is final and you start dating again.”

“Pfttt. I will not be dating. Once was enough for me.”

“Sure you will...”

“Sit anywhere you like, honey.”

I heard Julie, the waitress, call out to the person that had come in. Surprised I hadn’t heard the jingle over the door, I looked up and there she stood.

Maureen Murphy.

My eyes locked with hers and my irritation soared. I hadn’t seen her since Thanksgiving, seeing as how my brother banned me from the clubhouse. He hadn’t spoken to me since.

I wasn’t worried about King. He would get over his tantrum in time. Though, I still wasn’t prepared to tell him the truth, which meant Maureen needed to leave.

“Is that her?” Allie asked, following my line of sight. “She’s pretty,” she mumbled, looking over at Maureen, who had taken a seat at the counter.

She wasn’t just pretty, she was a knockout. I remembered what she looked like as a kid. I had just started to notice girls when we moved away. I had noticed how pretty she was then. Now though, the years had blessed her.

Her hair was pulled up on her head, like it was the morning in church, when I opened my big mouth and asked her if she’d fucked my brother. I wasn’t proud of my actions that day. My only explanation was that my head was all over the place after learning who she was.

Then her connection to Blade, and by extension my daughter, had thrown me into a tailspin.

My eyes went to her denim encased legs. That was all I could see. The heavy coat she wore covered her body. A body I had felt against mine.

Twice.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the way her body felt, bent over the front of her car, or the table in the clubhouse. Both times, I could have restrained her without curling my body over hers. The truth was, I wanted to feel her under me.

“Who leaves a city like Boston to move here, in the middle of nowhere?” Allie mused, pulling me back from my thoughts.

Someone running from something. I needed to remember that. I didn’t buy her explanation of just wanting out. There was more going on; I just didn’t know what it was yet.

Allie stood from the table. “I should go over and welcome our newest resident.”

“Allie,” I warned. She just smiled and walked over to where Maureen was sitting.

I studied them both as they sat together, talking. Allie was friendly to everyone. She had the kind of personality that instilled trust and respect. I had no doubt she would have Maureen eating out of the palm of her hand in no time.

Maybe she could find out why she was really here.

Turning away, I tried ignoring the two women so I could finish my meal. When I heard Maureen laugh, I looked up, and both women were staring in my direction.

I heard a ding from Allie’s phone that sat on the table. When I looked over, I saw her hand Maureen back her phone. Allie stood and walked back to the table I was sitting at. I watched her casually pick up her fork and start eating her food. I looked back at Maureen, but her back was to me as she sat on the stool, looking at her phone.

Turning back at Allie, I furrowed my eyebrows.

“You wanna tell me what happened over there?”

She looked up at me and smiled. “Nope.”

---