Page 71 of Bargain with the Irish Devil

“The leftover manicotti would be lovely, thank you.” I check the time. “I never come this far north. Which El stop is closest to get me into the loop?”

A dark eyebrow goes up. “It doesn’t matter because I’m taking you to work. You will not be using public transport in the future. I’ll drive you in the morning and pick you up in the evening. If I’m busy, one of my men will do it.”

“Are you serious? Traffic in the loop is a nightmare. It will take you an hour to get there and back. You?—”

He catches me from behind my neck, bringing me to within inches of his lips “Take care of you. That’s what I do. I’m here to take care of you. I don’t give a fuck if it’s an hour or two hours. Your safety is more important than my time.”

His kiss is firm, and I sigh when he lets me go. “Okay.”

How can I argue with him? I don’t loathe the El in the morning the way a lot of people do, but it’s a battle I never look forward to. And it’s only for the week.

“Remember, no more late nights. You’re to be off no later than five. Tomorrow, we’re meeting with Lydia.”

I open my mouth to argue, only to close it. I don’t want to argue with him. And I love the clothes Lydia shopped for already. “Thank you.”

His smile shows his dimples, and I melt. “You’re welcome.”

The drive to work isn’t as bad as I feared, but it’s still a solid half-hour. I’m glad he’s driving and not me because it stresses me the fuck out. I get a kiss on the cheek when he drops me off.

It feels weird to be back in the office after three weeks away. The glare of the lights inside is harsh and shines over the things I didn’t let myself see. I was so proud of getting my office. It’s not huge or anything, but I worked to get it. As my marriage fell apart, it was my safe haven where I spent more time than at home.

Looking around, it’s embarrassing how little I have here. A picture of my parents taken a few months before my mother died. My diploma from the University of Chicago I was so proud of. It made it sweeter to me that I won a full-ride scholarship and graduated magna cum laude. I delivered on the promise of the scholarship—it was worth all the hard work to get here in this private office.

I thought I would grieve leaving here. All I feel is claustrophobic. With Michael, I looked at my job—my career—as a requirement to my happiness. When Michael told me that I needed to quit to devote myself to being a housewife and supportive partner, I recoiled. To walk away from this meant I would need to depend onMichael for money and security. I had to trust in Michael. And I didn’t.

Would I be willing to walk away from my job if I didn’t have the money in the bank and my home paid for, waiting if I should need it? Probably not. I can admit. But at the same time, walking away from the years I’ve given and all the things that came with it isn’t easy…

Except it kind of is because I trust Declan.

The knock on my door is brief. Jonah, my boss, opens the door. “Miranda, thank you for coming in to help the transition. I appreciate it.” He pauses as he looks over me. “Huh…”

“What?” I’m self-conscious.

“You look different. Add in a tan, and I’d think you spent the last three weeks sunning yourself on the beach without a care in the world.”

I blush. “No beach.”

“You know, Miranda, I have to admit. I was kind of pissed about you leaving. I’ve done my best to be a good boss and give you opportunities to succeed. For you to leave so abruptly had me wondering if I wasted my time with you. Seeing you now, I understand. Something better happened for you, and I’m glad it did.”

Miranda

On the way home, I’m reading through some of the paperwork I was given by human resources. “Holy shit.”

“What?” Declan glances at me.

“I can’t believe how much COBRA insurance is. Ugh, I forgot about all the benefits that go along with having a job.”

“You won’t have to worry about it. I have insurance for my men who work at the pub. You’ll go on that.”

“Really?”

He chuckles. “Yes, and don’t worry, it’s not cheap with thousands of dollars in deductibles and limited doctors and specialists. Most of my men are sent from Ireland, where they don’t have to worry about paying for medical insurance. It’s basically a requirement to them that I provide them with what they’re leaving behind. I already put the call in to my agent. All the insurance cards and everything should arrive in the mail in the next week or two. I put you down as the accountant for both pubs. I’ll cover the cost like I will for anything you need.”

“You think of everything.”

“I try. When you talked about your mother and the resentment you felt for your father not giving her everything she needed, I agreed with you. A man should be able to provide for his woman in everything. Whether it’s a home to make her own or insurance to keep her healthy and around as long as possible.”

“Did you want me to be the accountant for the pubs?”

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