Page 7 of Shamrock Kisses

I lean in, tapping the skin on his neck. “Right here.”

“Rachel, do the honors,” Emily encourages.

Best friends ever.I peel back the plastic, and as I place the tattoo on his neck, I press the damp cloth against his skin. The air between us thickens, and I feel my heart pounding in my chest. His eyes hold mine, charged with a quiet intensity. The longer I hold the cloth, the more I feel the heat building between us.

Taking a peek, I smile. “All set.”

“So, Patrick,” Sarah starts. “What should we know about you? What does your Hinge bio say?”

He nervously laughs, shaking his head. “I’m off the apps.”

“Same,” I add quickly. “The apps are a dumpster fire.”

He smiles at me, then takes a sip of his drink. “I’m twenty-seven?—”

Emily doesn’t miss a beat. “What do you think about dating an older woman?”

He narrows his eyes, amused. “Aren’t we the same age?”

“We’re all thirty-one,” I say, holding his gaze a little longer than I mean to. “Well, Emily’s almost thirty-one.”

He bites his lip, and something flickers behind his eyes—something playful but also curious.

“What?” I prod.

“Age is just a number.” The way he looks at me when he says it … I know I’m blushing again. I try to stay composed, but I can feel my pulse quicken.He’s smooth, but it feels real.“I guess you should know that I work in cybersecurity, live in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, and grew up on a farm in Minnesota.”

“Farm to cybersecurity? That’s random.”

He nods, his expression softening. “Yeah, my parents still don’t really understand what I do.”

We all laugh, but there’s something in his tone that’s disarming. There’s a vulnerability there—a kind of “nice guy” energy that feels real, like he’s still nervous talking to the three of us. It’s kind of sweet. No, scratch that—it’s really sweet.

“Attention, High Fivers,” a voice crackles over the speaker. “It’s almost time for our beer pong tournament. Sign-up closes in five minutes.”

Patrick raises an eyebrow at me, wordlessly asking,Should we?

“Are you any good?”

“No.”

I laugh, appreciating his honesty. “Well, same.”

“Let’s be the worst team then,” he suggests before taking a sip of his Irish coffee.

I nod, smiling. “Last place champs. I’m in.”

7

“We have to finish a pint—just one between the two of us—before the game is over,” I say, reviewing the laminated rule sheet. “And the cups are only filled with water. No drinking out of the cups.”

“Easy enough.” Rachel glances up at me, smiling. She barely reaches my shoulder, the perfect height difference.My nerves have calmed a bit, and I’m starting to relax more.

“How long have your friends been dating those guys?” I ask, nodding toward the high-boy table where her friends are sitting with their boyfriends.

“Both are pretty new. Nicholas and Emily made it official about two months ago, and Sarah and Aaron have been together for about a month.”

“Is your ex named Patrick or something?” I’m still curious about the way her friends reacted earlier.

---