Page 32 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
Beth nodded with excitement.
Aidan pressed his button to summon Viki.
“What can I do for you two?”
Aidan cleared his throat and sat back further in his seat in case she wasn’t as thrilled for the happy couple as she’d said. “We would like another slice of cheesecake and another tart.”
“Aren’t they delicious? I don’t blame you for getting another.” Viki smiled and turned to leave but Aidan stopped her. “And two whiskies, no ice.” He turned back to Beth who was practically clapping.
“That is so cool!”
Viki promptly returned with a smile and their order.
Aidan raised his whiskey up in a toast, prompting Beth to do the same. “To Gram, may she rest in peace knowing you’re granting her wish.”
Beth nodded, trying not to cry yet again. There had been enough tears on this flight, thank you.
They clinked their glasses and each took a drink and a respectable moment of silence.
“So, are you going to keep to your grandmother’s wishes and rip off of some unsuspecting man’s clothes?”
Still tipsy and happy to continue riding that train Beth replied, “Why? Are you volunteering?” then laughed. “It couldn’t be you anyway if I’m sticking to what Gram wants. She said an Irishman.” Her eyebrows shot up and she gasped. “Ope! I can’t believe I said that!”
Aidan laughed in his throat. That wasn’t the most shocking thing Beth had said but there was no need to point that out and embarrass her more than she was already.
Then again … “My mother is Irish.”
The adorable blush that flooded Beth’s face was worth it.
Since she now had two desserts to indulge herself with Beth thought it best to put her book away. Then she saw it. She looked from the author’s picture to Aidan and back again. “Aidan?”
“Yes?” he replied taking a bite of chocolate. Then he looked at her and realized she knew or she was close to it. With a sigh he wiped his mouth with a napkin then placed it down and confessed. “That’s my sister.”
“Kate Connolly is your sister?”
“No, that picture is my sister but she didn’t write the book. I did. I’m Kate Connolly. I use my sister’s picture and a woman’s name because women tend to prefer female authors.”
“I knew I recognized you!” This was amazing! “Would you sign my book?”
“No.”
His voice was bitter so she didn’t ask again, even though she wanted to.
The way Aidan saw it, soon he would need a plunger to salvage his career. Since she who shall remain nameless left, everything he wrote was pure, unadulterated crap. At least that’s how his publisher had put it. And so eloquently too. He didn’t want his fiancé back, didn’t miss her. He wasn’t pining. But he would be lying if he didn’t admit that her leaving had, shall we say, soured his outlook on relationships and in turn soured his writing. Some suggested he try writing thrillers. He didn’t want to read thrillers much less write them. Maybe it was time to accept that his career as an author was finished. If anything, that upset him the most.
“That’s really your favorite book?”
“I’ve read it so many times I know it inside out!”
“Why do you keep reading it? It’s just a romance novel. Those are a dime a dozen.”
“Do you like coffee?”
“Yeah why?”
“Do you have your coffee the same way every time?”
“What’s your point?”
