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Simon stopped stirring the gravy and turned around to Keefe, uncorking a bottle of wine at the counter. “She still hasn’t talked to him? Why not? He’s one of the good ones. I’ll take a glass of that since you’re pouring.”
“Who’s one of the good ones?” Sophie asked as she entered the kitchen. She took the seat beside Connor and told Keefe she would take a glass of wine since he was pouring.
Too bad Connor wasn’t feeling so clever. Without a thought, he said, “Liam.” As soon as the name slipped from his mouth, he regretted it, and cringed just thinking about what she would do to him.
Now, sure, Sophie was a hothead however, she was a hothead who was not without at least some degree of self-control. Seeing as Connor had a very pregnant, bedridden wife in the next room, Sophie didn’t harm him—but she made no bones about how she felt about them discussing Liam. She would let them off with a stern warning—this time. “I don’t understand. What’s so great about Liam, anyway? You guys talk like the sun shines out of his ass!”
Simon couldn’t stay out of this if his life depended on it. “Personally, I don’t see why you couldn’t just go on a date with the guy. It’s not like you have to marry him. When is the last time you even went on a date anyway, Soph?”
“Excuse me? I date!” Even she didn’t believe that lie. She hadn’t been on a date in over a decade.
“A man flashing you doesn’t constitute a date, sis.”
Sophie sneered at her brother in reply.
“Wait, a man flashed you?” asked Simon.
“Yep!” Keefe grinned and snorted a laugh. “We were out for a walk on Derrynane beach.”
Simon threw his head back laughing, Keefe too. Connor, on the other hand, was within her reach and, frankly, had no desire to have his block knocked off.
“Mention Liam again—any of you—and I’ll rip out your tongue. I’m sick of hearing about Liam. Do I make myself clear?” Sophie’s murderous gaze met each pair of eyes in the kitchen. Yes, they understood.
Connor thought to himself that she was much scarier when she didn’t yell. At least he was smart enough not to say that out loud.
Seeing as that was over, and before Sophie could change her mind about not ripping them each a new one, Keefe poured Riesling into four glasses and changed the subject. “Soph, I was thinking, why not have a family dinner at the pub sometime once she’s ready?”
“That’s a good idea. It could be a thank you dinner. They are doing a lot helping us out.”
“Don’t sound so surprised. I come up with good ideas all the time.”
“Well, it wasn’t such a grand idea you had earlier today, now was it?”
Keefe leaned over the counter, and with an angelic smile slid Sophie her glass of wine. “You forgave me already, sis, remember?”
Her brother had mastered the art of charm when they were still in diapers and damn it all, it still worked on her. “Whatever,” Sophie said and lifted the glass to her lips.
Keefe shook his head, then turned his attention back to Connor after handing a glass of wine to Simon. He poured another for Sondra and one for Connor, who asked for his to be filled only halfway. “I’ve hardly seen you at all since Christmas. How’s things?”
Connor took a small sip of wine. “Darcie’s been having a time of it. Mood swings, she’s hungry all the time, and now she’s on this bed rest…” Which reminded him he was supposed to be getting her a snack. “Simon, Darcie’s hungry. Is there something you could plate up for her?”
“No problem. She loves my colcannon cakes.”
“Perfect, thanks. There’s chocolate sauce in the refrigerator on the door.”
“Why would I need that?” Simon looked at Connor, who tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “Come on. Don’t tell me…”
Connor nodded. “She wants it on everything these days. The other day she poured it all over her fish and chips and that was after she’d put vinegar on.”
Simon stuck out his tongue and grimaced, then reached into the oven, where the main dishes were being kept warm, and retrieved three potato cakes—two for Darcie and one for Sondra, because if he knew his Sondra, she’d want one too.
Then he found the chocolate.
He just couldn’t bring himself to pour it over the cakes, so instead, he grabbed a small dish, poured the chocolate into it, and placed it on the side. Satisfied with his compromise, he took Darcie her potato cakes, handed Sondra her wine, and hurried back to the kitchen—before he had to witness Darcie dipping her potato cakes into chocolate.
Keefe knew that Darcie had been put on bed rest only days before. He didn’t know much about babies and pregnancy, but he knew his cousin was more than anxious. “When is she due?”
“Not for another three weeks, but the doctor isn’t so sure the twins will wait that long. She wants Darcie off her feet. She’s worried the twins might come early, and wants to keep them cooking as long as possible to make sure they’re strong and healthy when they’re born.”
