Page 12 of After Indigo Irish Nights
Everyone turned and looked at him, Kathleen included. He gazed at her, trying to discern her thoughts.
“And you, Ace?” she said with a gleam in her eyes. “You want me to stay there too?”
He was stuck and he knew it. To refuse would be the rudest of gestures.
He never should have gotten out of bed this morning. Hell, he shouldn’t have stayed late at the butcher shop so he could catch Kathleen the moment she arrived at the pub. He’d have done better to go home and watch a fight on the telly.
The smell of oranges tickled his nose again, pushing him to answer, which only made him compress his lips together.
The entire table was staring at him, and he knew it. He coughed to clear his throat.
“Oh, don’t stress yourself out, Ace,” Kathleen said with an edge.
Give a man a chance to form his own mind!
Wanting her was one thing. Having her sleeping under his very roof when he wanted tosleepwith her wasn’t a mere idle request. She damn well knew it.
Someone kicked him under the table. He jolted.
Her luscious mouth curved. “It’s a sweet offer, you guys, but I’ve been dreaming about living in my own quaint Irish cottage ever since I decided to come here.”
“You have?” Ellie asked.
A look passed between them, and then Ellie nodded enthusiastically. “Right. Of course. I mean, after apartment living in Boston, who wouldn’t want their own cottage?”
In that instant he felt certain she hadn’t wanted to stay at Summercrest any more than he’d wanted her there. Maybe he’d misread her. Maybe she didn’t want to follow through on this mad force between them.
Why did that make him want to growl?
Enough of this madness. He needed to go home.
But Brady caught him as he pushed out of his chair. Leading him over to the bar, he said, “Let me pour you another drink, brother.”
After ducking under the bar top, Brady did just that and then leaned on the wood. “How could you be rude to Kathleen? You should have told her you’d roll out the welcome mat to have her come stay at Summercrest Manor. That woman is the best friend and sister of the woman I’m marrying.”
Clearly Ellie hadn’t told Brady what had happened between him and Kathleen. That was a relief. Since Ellie had run off earlier, he assumed she knew about it. Still, his brother was right. He’d been rude. “I’m sorry,” he said softly.
“Good,” Brady said, pouring himself a drink and lifting it in his direction as an olive branch. “I mean, you might be sullen lately, but this was unlike you. I couldn’t reason a cause.”
The scent of oranges surrounded him again. Wouldn’t you know…
Brady’s brows shot to his hairline. “Oh, Jesus!” he exclaimed, glancing around. “Sorcha’s been seeing you? But that’s wonderful! You and—”
“She’s wrong,” Declan declared flatly.
“But she’s never wrong,” his brother shot back.
Just then, Seamus came up behind Declan and put an arm around his back. “The McGrath men seem to be making a lot of changes these days,” he said in a booming voice. “First, your dad, and now your brother. Have you thought about what might be next for you, Declan?”
His legs turned to jelly.Jesus.Sorcha had the way of it. For a moment, Declan could have sworn he heard the ghost’s laughter.
Brady only smiled and wandered off, humming a romantic ballad.
Declan wanted to bash his head against the pub wall.
“You know I love the shop and all,” Seamus continued, “but a man can’t work forever, can he? Well, he can, but me and Brigid might be wanting some of the fun the others are having, the ones who are retiring, your dad and mum included. You know how much we love going to Portugal for the sun.”
Every Irish person longed for the sun—complaining, rightfully so, that they never saw enough of it at home. “You should do what you want, Seamus. Of course.”
