Page 55 of Return
Sondra leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms. “I told him deep fat fried donkey’s arsehole served with a jacket potato topped with unpasteurized cheese and dirt, served with the grass sifted from the cow’s shite out back and garnished with the tail feathers of a rooster.”
Keefe chuckled. Sondra was a wonderful addition to the family. “I’ll make him a plate of nachos and add a little something special.”
“Just throw some chips on top,” Sophie suggested.
Keefe cackled. “What did you think I was going to do?” He dropped a handful of thick sliced potatoes into the deep fryer.
Sophie laughed the hardest. “Sondra, did you see Liam out there?”
Sondra nudged her head toward the dining room. “Come with me,” she said.
Curious, Sophie followed, only to stop dead in her tracks the moment she spotted Liam across the room. Her stomach clenched.
A woman—a sexy woman—was practically draped over him.
Sophie gaped. She was polished, confident. Not trashy, but definitely the kind of woman who knew exactly what she was doing. Red high heels, tight black jeans, and a black lace button-up blouse that clung in all the right places.
Sondra stepped beside her and nudged her lightly with an elbow. “That’s Barb. Barb Strathearn. I asked Ginny.”
Sophie let out a humorless laugh. “You know her? What, do tall, skinny, gorgeous bitches have a club or something?”
Sondra smirked. “If she were coming onto any other man in here, I’d say be worried. But Liam won’t give her the time of day.”
As if on cue, Liam casually removed Barb’s hand from his chest and took a step back.
“I mean, really, how am I supposed to compete with that?”
“You don’t need to,” Sondra said, folding her arms. “She’s not his type.”
Sophie snorted. “Her breasts could poke my eye out.”
“Want me to take her down for you?”
Sophie then gestured toward Barb, who was now fully invading Liam’s personal space, draping an arm over his shoulder and leaning in just enough to flash a teasing peek of cleavage. While Sophie wanted to claw the woman’s eye out she also couldn’t help but admire her confidence. “Hey, Sondra. Do you think you could do that for me? Make me look like that?”
Sondra’s lips curled into a smile and she practically rubbed her palms together. She’d wanted to get her hands on Sophie from day one. “I thought you’d never ask. Come to my shop tomorrow.” Barb just let her hand drop slowly down Liam’s arm in the smooth, casual way men adored. Sondra pushed up her sleeves. “Right, I’ll take the eyes, you go for the throat.”
Sophie barely had time to laugh before Liam peeled Barb’s hand off him once more and walked away without so much as a backward glance.
He went straight to Sophie and before she could say a word, he swept her off her feet—literally. Then he kissed her deep and thoroughly. When he finally pulled back, his forehead resting against hers, he murmured, “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.” Liam placed Sophie back on her feet, then led her and Sondra back to the safety of the kitchen.
“So much for being out of the way of tourists. Their money is great but I wish they wouldn’t bring their stupid thoughts with them. Present company excluded,” she said gesturing to Ginny. “You were a great help today, Ginny. Have you eaten?”
Ginny shook her head.
Keefe was one step ahead of his sister and presented Ginny with a plate of fish and chips and another with Irish nachos. Her face lit up. “Thank you!” Sophie handed her a knife and fork, and Ginny began eating there at the counter. “You’re right about them, you know?” Ginny said. “I’ll tell you, if it were any longer than a day, I would ask where the closest hotel is, but the tour is over tomorrow, so I’ll stick it out.” She took a bite of the most delicious french fries she’d ever had and groaned. “Oh, my Lord. This is slap your momma good. Like something I would get back home. So good! Keefe, if I wasn’t so hungry right now, I’d kiss the lips right off your face, sugar.”
Keefe threw his head back laughing.
“It’s a shame though,” Ginny licked her finger, “hectic as this day was, it’s the best I’ve had on this vacation. I’m sorry it’s over. I feel like I missed out or something.”
“I’d offer you a job if you were local,” said Sophie as she leaned into Liam’s side, wrapping her arm around his waist.
Ginny swallowed another mouthful of food. “Really? Do you mean it?”
“Anyone who works as hard as you did today and always with a smile, you’re more than welcome here.”
“Is there any word on their new bus at all?”
