Page 64 of After Indigo Irish Nights
Kathleen’s laughter took off again, so strong she was wiping tears. “Wild sex. Got a problem with that?”
Dear God. She’d overridden her nerves with boldness. That was his Yank. This time he snorted. But he couldn’t deny that hewaswondering how long they’d need to chat with the couple before heading up to his bedroom.
Brady’s brows shot to his hairline, but Ellie gave in to a fit of giggles before saying, “Not a one. This is going to be great. It’s like double dating.”
“It is not,” Kathleen said, putting an arm around her friend’s shoulders as they walked toward the kitchen. “Got any snacks? I’m still hungry. I couldn’t touch that cabbage relish.”
“Yuck!” Ellie said, resting her head against Kathleen’s arm. “I have just the thing. I found an easy brownie recipe with four ingredients, and I rocked it. You want ice cream?”
“Do I want ice cream? When have you ever known me to pass that up?”
They continued to banter as they headed for the kitchen, looking absolutely adorable to Declan’s mind. He turned to his brother, who had his brows back in place and no longer resembled an owl from their mother’s macrame days. “You can tell how strong their bond is, can’t you?”
Brady turned to gaze after them, a lopsided smile on his face. “Like sisters. So… You’re staying here for a while? Or all night?”
There was a question in there—one he ignored. “I hadn’t written down our itinerary. I only thought it was time to have her stay here. With me.”
“Good. About time, to my mind.”
The sound of Liam’s motorcycle interrupted anything else Brady might have added, thank God. Declan never let anyone rush him. Not Sorcha. Not even his brother.
“Our pirate is back from his hot date,” Brady remarked, waggling his brows.
“That’s nothing out of the ordinary.”
Liam never brought a woman home. When asked, he said that was for serious relationships. Declan thought he more than had the right of it. Right now, Yoda was only having fun. Plus, it kept expectations in check, which he was very upfront about, Declan knew.
When Liam blew in the front door with a grand slam, Brady grimaced. “Be careful with Ellie’s window, man.”
“That window will live to see someone’s great-great-grandchildren, it’s so well anchored,” Liam said, shaking out of his coat after dropping his motorcycle helmet by the coatrack. “Nice to see you in your own home, Declan McGrath. You’ve been missed. Kathleen with you?”
“She is,” Declan said, smiling as he answered Yoda. “Youmissed her scaring the life out of Brady. Now she and Ellie are having brownies.”
Liam smacked his lips together. “I had one earlier. They’re mighty good. You should try one. You’ve been training pretty hard. You worried about facing Jimmy Slavin again?”
Declan crossed his arms over his chest as Liam reached them, ruffling his blond tangle of hair after wearing the helmet. He had an assessing look in his green eyes. Yoda, it seemed, couldn’t help himself.
“I’ve been out of fighting for a time, yes, but I’m training hard and will be ready. For Jimmyandfor Paul.”
He should probably focus on his fight with Paul Keane. That match was the first, after all, but he was obsessed with facing Jimmy in the ring again. He’d even watched some of Jimmy’s recent fights on YouTube in between customers at the butcher shop. The changes in form as well as function were obvious. Jimmy dropped his left arm more as a fight went on, and his right hook didn’t snap a man’s back so hard spittle flew from his mouth. But his footwork was still good, if a little slower, and he knew how to time a punch.
He had the experience Declan lacked.
“Dad said the talk is Jimmy isn’t the same,” Brady said, shooting him an encouraging smile.
He made himself nod. “I can see it in the film I’ve watched of his recent fights. I’ll be ready for him.”
Of course, some nights when he lay awake, he wondered what lengths Jimmy would go to this time to beat him. Last time, right after they’d tapped gloves, Jimmy told him that he’d fucked Morag. Declan hadn’t questioned it. One look at her, sitting in the front row with a defiant look on her face, had convinced him it was true.
Those thoughts tortured him. He didn’t fear Kathleen would be a mark, but Jimmy would think of something if he wanted. Declan would have to keep his guard up.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Liam said, holding his gaze steady.
Brady was now looking between them like they were volleying at Wimbledon. His beloved brother had never guessed who Morag had cheated with, and because he was Brady, he’d only been there with a whiskey and a kind ear. He hadn’t made any demands or asked for details. None of his friends had.
From the way Liam was looking at him, though, he figured Yoda had guessed like the others and said nothing before this.
“Don’t do the Yoda thing on me, Liam,” Declan stated back. “I’m having a grand night. I’d rather not talk about that eejit.”
