Page 33 of Beyond Rosy Irish Twilight

He snorted. “Totally. You’re on your honeymoon. You’ve got the romantic atmosphere of the water lapping at the shore. I’m telling you, there is no better time to bring up past traumas than when you’re finally at peace.”

I scowled at him. “You’re an asshole.”

“You keep telling me that,” he shouted as I walked away.

“That’s because it’s true.”

14

JADE

I stalked into the hut and immediately walked over to the dresser, slipping the bangles on my wrists. I was stupid not to realize they weren’t on me. I never forgot to put them on. But then again, I hadn’t really considered that Asher would want to take me out on a walk. He surprised me when he held me. Unlike any other man I knew, he was the only one that had been able to calm me down when I had a panic attack.

Yet, it didn’t make sense. We didn’t know each other. I’d hardly spoken to him since the day we became engaged. But it was like he knew what I needed even when I didn’t. I wasn’t sure we had a connection of any kind, more like a mutual understanding. Which made me wonder if he’d been through something similar in his lifetime.

Staring down at the beautiful bangles, I tried to think of them as only jewelry, but since I had to wear them every day, it was more like a cage, keeping me in my past. I desperately wanted to throw them away, but I couldn’t stand the idea of people staring and asking questions.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

The voice startled me and I nearly knocked over the jewelry sitting on top of the dresser. Spinning, I glared at Patrick. “Don’t you know how to knock?”

“I did. Several times, in fact.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come in.”

“They’re serving a seafood special right now at the shack. Let’s go eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” I retorted.

“You haven’t eaten since you got here. Let’s go.”

“I don’t like seafood.”

He scoffed at that. “I don’t believe you. Besides, this is fresh. You can’t just walk away from that kind of food. Chop, chop!”

“I—”

He sighed heavily, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Are you really going to make me eat alone? You know, it’s a sad day when a man shows up to a seafood joint and eats and drinks all by his lonesome. Now, technically, you’re not my lady, but you could at least pretend to be my friend so I don’t feel so sad and pathetic.” He kicked at the floor with the toe of his flip flop. “I…I don’t have many friends.”

I couldn’t tell if he was lying or telling the truth, but I felt bad for him. Sighing, I grabbed my purse and followed him to the door as his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

“That’s the spirit!”

He grabbed my hand and led me down the beach, pulling me way too fast beside him. I could barely keep up from lack of food. I was starving, and the closer we got, the more I was dying for something good to eat.

The seaside shack was exactly that. Shaped in a square, the bar was in the middle, but I had no idea where the food was made. Patrick pulled out a chair for me and helped me up, while I plopped my purse on the counter.

“So, what’ll it be?”

“A virgin daiquiri,” I answered.

“Make that two,” Patrick grinned, “but hold the virgin on both.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he shook his head at me. “You’re on vacation. You don’t have anywhere to be. Live a little.”

I couldn’t really argue with that, so when the drink was placed in front of me, I started sucking it down.

“Whoa,” Patrick laughed, pulling it away from me and sliding some peanuts in front of me. “How about we get some food in that stomach so you don’t throw up.”

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