Page 38 of Twist of Fate
“Aisling has been living in a hotel for almost three weeks—ever since she arrived from the States. Can you imagine?”
“Sounds kind of nice, no?”
“It’s been fine,” Aisling agrees.
“Where are you staying?”
She rattles off the name, her eyes locked on her cola.
The others voice their surprise at her choice of accommodations. It’s not the Four Seasons, but it’s a nice hotel—expensive. “Right, well, I can see why convincing you to stay at my meager flat has been such a challenge.”
“That place is pretty posh,” Rian agrees, but I know he’s seen his fair share of swanky places during his travels.
Deidre was a seasoned traveler when I met her, and though she never flaunted it like some of the tourists I met, she’d been a wealthy woman. She would have made sure her daughter was well taken care of. It wasn’t a surprise to me that Aisling could afford an extended stay at a place like that.
“That’s got to be costing you a—” Rian starts to say before Aisling flinches.
“A fortune.” She nods, completing his sentence. “It’s not ideal, and it wasn’t meant to be a long-term strategy.”
“Which is why you should move into?—”
“I have a place,” I blurt out unexpectedly. The table falls silent, and I realize it must sound like I’ve just given her a similar offer to Damien’s. “There’s a flat for rent. In my building,” I quickly clarify.
What I don’t mention is that when I say my building, I mean it’s my building. I own it. And it’s not just in the building; it’s on my floor, across the hall.
Fuck, I’m an eejit.
Rian, of course, knows all of this because I tried to rent it to him when he came home, but he had already found a place through work.
His grin widens like a Cheshire cat. “That’s a great flat. Doorman, safe,private.” He emphasizes the last word, darting an eye over at Damien before turning his attention back on Aisling.
“I doubt they’ll rent to me. I’ve looked at a few flats, but no one will do a short-term lease,” she sighs, reminding me that she is, once again, only here temporarily.
I try to remind myself that it shouldn’t matter either way. She’s off-limits regardless.
“I think you’ll find this landlord easier to work with than others. Maybe you and Finn can talk it out later, yeah?”
“Sure.” She nods, looking utterly unconvinced. “Yeah.”
I kick him under the table. He grins.
The conversation shifts to a range of topics, including a new restaurant Shea visited and some nightclubs Damien wants to check out to the more mundane subjects like work. About an hour later, after everyone has eaten and enjoyed a few pints, Aisling excuses herself.
“You’re headed home?” Shea pouts. She’s managed to put away at least three pints herself. Considering she can’t weigh more than eight stones soaking wet, I have no idea where she put it all. “But my girlfriend is coming soon. She’s so pretty. I want to marry her. Oh! I should propose!”
That girl is wrecked.
Niall pats her hand, looking amused. “Let’s save the life-altering decision for when we’re sober, yeah?”
“I will, yeah.” She nods, resting her head on his shoulder. Niall groans, causing me to chuckle. He better watch her like a hawk. Everyone knows “I will, yeah” is just the Irish way of saying, “Hell no, but it’s happening.”
“I have no doubt.”
“I think I’m going to head off as well,” Rian announces and then turns to me. “Share a cab with me?”
I didn’t realize I was leaving, but the pointed look he gives me suggests otherwise.
“Sure.” I nod, falling into step with him and Aisling. When we get outside and his lip twitches, I know I’ve been played.
