Page 28 of An Irish Kiss
Aidan smiled.“I hope your headache is better this morning.”
“It is, thanks.”She dragged her gaze away from where his blue eyes threatened to hold her prisoner—and quite possibly spill the truth about what she’d been doing.“So, what would you like me to begin with today, Mary?”
A pleat formed between Mary’s eyebrows.“You can begin by telling me what’s going on with my son.”
“I beg your pardon?”She glanced at Aidan.“What did you say?”
“Hey, I just mentioned that a man tried to grab you last night, that’s all.”
Heat strummed her chest.“I’ll thank you to mind your own business.I don’t need you to gossip about such things.”
He looked chagrined.“I was concerned, and when it didn’t seem like you were going to say anything—”
“How do you know whether I was going to say anything?That’s very presumptuous of you.”
“Rory—”
“No.I don’t want to hear your excuses.Why can’t you just leave things alone?”
He studied her, lips pressed together, as if recognising her words were about more than just Seamus Connolly.Then he inclined his head, glanced at Mary.“I’ll speak to you later.”
As soon as he exited, Mary frowned, hands on hips.“I don’t know why you’re taking up against him.He was just trying to help.”
“Help?”she scoffed.
“Rory,” Mary’s expression softened.“Why didn’t you tell me that Seamus was bothering you again?I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” she mumbled.
“You haven’t said anything because you’re worried about your job?That’s what Aidan said might be the case.”
Aidan, putting his foot in it again!Her hands clenched.“No, that’s not the reason.I just didn’t want to add to your pressure.Besides, I can handle myself.”She really hoped Aidan hadn’t thought to tell Mary exactly how Rory had handled herself last night.She could bet her left arm that Seamus wouldn’t have shared that.
“I know he’s been a nuisance in the past but I can speak to him.”
“I’d be grateful for that.”
Mary considered her.“You will tell me if it happens again?I appreciate you not reporting him to the gardai, but if that’s the only way he’ll learn, then perhaps it’s best he gets a warning from them.”
“I think Seamus will want to keep his distance.”And she hoped Aidan would learn to do the same.
Mary sighed, apologised again, then instructed Rory in today’s tasks, which soon busied her hands even if it didn’t fully distract her mind from the man whose scent still allured even despite his obnoxious ways.
Aidan Quinn.The man who had an uncanny knack for turning her life upside down.
* * *
“Ah,and that’s a very nice green,” the elderly lady of Quills Woollen Shop studied him, a smile on her face and in her eyes.He supposed that was what was meant by the phraseIrish eyes are smiling.“Makes your eyes pop.”
“I hope not out,” he joked.
Her forehead creased, as if puzzled by his comment, then she glanced at her equally friendly co-worker.“I don’t think we’ve ever had someone’s eyes pop out because they bought one of our knitted cardigans, have they?”
“Not that I can recall, no.”
They turned back to him, and he wasn’t sure if they had taken him seriously or not.Then he spotted the twinkle in the first woman’s eye and knew he’d been had.
He chuckled.“You had me going for a moment there.”
