Page 74 of Since We're Here
My brain whirls. I loved the idea of adding brewery stops to the road trip plus quirky little side trips to make it more unique than the average driving tour of Ireland. What if we also add an official stop at Ian’s tattoo parlor?
“We’ll plan to stop here when we’re in Dingle. I have a feeling I can convince my sisters that we need to get matching tattoos.”
“Sounds grand.”
“And I’ll rename the road trip Quirks, Tats, Brews, and Views.”
He grins. “A mouthful, but I like it.”
“Thanks for your help.” I throw back the rest of the whisky. “While I’m here, can I get a tattoo? That’s what I actually came in for.”
The corners of Ian’s eyes crinkle and he nods. “What were you thinking?”
I head back to the pub a short while later, my ankle stinging where I had Ian ink three small hearts. It represents me and my sisters. My anchors. My squad.
It was impulsive, but I love it. Impulsive is who I am, and fuck anyone who doesn’t like it.
I’m going to force Patrick to accept my help tonight at the pub. I have a job. Something went wrong there, and I feel terrible about it, but him telling me to go home isn’t going to help the situation.
I’m not running from this job like I have from so many others.
19
PATRICK
“Ijust saw Maddie practically running down the street,” Noreen says while I pour her second pint. “She looked upset.”
I don’t look up or acknowledge her words, but my whole body tenses.
Shite.
I’m such a fecking arse. Of course she’s upset. I did what I always do. Sound like an arsehole.How did this happen,I texted her.It’s not your fault,I said but obviously, she didn’t believe me.
Leave.
I saw the look on her face before she bolted out of here. She wasn’t just mad. She was hurt. I hurt her. I knew I would do it eventually, but this soon?
“Everything okay?” Concern etches Noreen’s face as I slide the full pint of Guinness to her. She leans forward on the bar, her curls falling over her shoulders. “I guess the rumor that you two have a thing going on is true, then?”
Anger flares inside me and I rest my palms on the bar.
It is none of Noreen’s business that I have something going on with Maddie. Noreen’s kindness is annoying as hell, especially after—no. Feck that.
“Everything’s fine.”
Noreen takes the hint and retreats with the pair of pints, a worried look thrown back over her shoulder as she hands her boyfriend his drink.
It was Noreen who hammered the last nail in the coffin that held my heart.
She was the one I dated after getting back to Dingle. I tried with her. Tried letting her in. She was so sweet and pretty. She wanted to be my friend, and then she wanted more.Why not,I’d thought.
But I couldn’t open myself up to her.
Her words from when she broke it off echo in my head and my empty heart:It’s like there’s nothing there,she’d said. Maybe you’d be better off alone.
I didn’t try to fight back. It was almost a relief that she ended it before I could make more of a mess of things. I walked away.
She was right. There was nothing left beneath my surface. Cara destroyed me.
