Page 2 of The Irish Rogue

"Hi Tom. As requested, here you go!" Her words carried a professional tone, but a discernible undercurrent hinted at a shared understanding beyond mere formalities.

Without uttering another word, she turned on her heel and retraced her steps toward the bar. The rhythmic sound of her feet against the wood floors echoed the unspoken tension lingering in the air—an unconscious thud betraying a mix of nerves and heightened awareness. The unspoken language between them spoke volumes, leaving a trail of curiosity and intrigue in the wake of her departure.

“Who is that?” Sean asked, forcing himself to look away.

In response to Sean's question, Tom's protective instincts seemed to kick in. His posture subtly shifted, adopting a defensive stance as if guarding some closely held secret. The tightening of Tom's jaw and the narrowing of his eyes conveyed a sense of vigilance, as though he was shielding the woman from prying eyes or potential scrutiny.

“That’s none of your business, lad,” Tom replied firmly, nodding towards the beers. “I asked one of my staff members to bring out samples of our top sellers.” He pushed back from the table and nodded once more. “Enjoy your evening. The brewery isn’t for sale.”

Before Sean could reply, Tom huffed a moment, pausing a foot away from the table while staring down at the floor. “I’m sorry, son,” he said to Sean, “but the people who work here are like family to me.” He looked out the window, then sank back down into the chair. “My wife and I…” he paused, swallowed hard, then folded his arms in front of him. “My wife and I, we couldn’t have children.” He sighed heavily. “We wanted children so badly, you see. But we…” he stopped again, lowering his head. When he looked up this time, Tom’s hazel eyes stared deeply into Sean’s blue ones. “You seem like a good man, Mr. Byrne.” Sean didn’t miss the return to formality. “But the people who work here, they get jobs with ‘The Old Goat’, and I treat them as if they were my own children. We have a college fund for anyone who wants to keep going to school. We used to have a daycare facility on the premises, but that was when the employees had younger children. Those babies have all grown up and the daycare is no longer needed, but we’re constantly evolving new ways to help the people who have made this business the success it is.”

Sean instantly understood. The man refused to sell simply because he’d shown interest in one of his employees. What an eejit, he thought, reverting back to his ancestral insults.

“It is never wise to let personal issues dictate one’s business decisions, Tom,” he replied, a bitterness tingeing his tone that he didn’t fully understand.

Tom chuckled flatly, not taking offense. “You don’t get it, lad.” He waved his arm, encompassing the whole establishment in the gesture. “All this was built with that loyalty. I’m not the only one who considers these employees to be my family. The staff created this place, built it up, invested their time and energy, their ideas and creativity, because they feel this place is their home away from home. The profit sharing part of this business and the way we treat each other, as well as our customers, is the reason why it is such a success.” He stood up and sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “That’s why I can’t sell my business to you.” He smiled again and extended his hand. “However, Iwilltreat you to the best damn barbeque in the south.”

Sean thought for a long moment, and then nodded. “Fair enough,” he replied. As long as Tom wasn’t selling, Sean didn’t really care. His main goal was to stop his “father” from gaining access to any brewery in the United States.

Tom walked away, but Sean remained in his seat. For a long moment, he just sat there, watching the rest of the pub. There were several customers at the bar already, even though it was only about five o’clock in the afternoon.

Absently, he lifted one of the small glasses of beer, tasting it and…it reallywasabsolutely delicious! A hint of citrus…maybe grapefruit? And then with a zing of something spicy as an aftertaste. He finished that one, then started on the next. This one had a touch of chocolate to it, but nothing overpowering. There were ten small glasses in all and Sean tasted each one carefully. When he finished the first “flight”, a staff member came out of the kitchens carrying an enormous platter of food, setting it down in front of him with a flourish.

“Compliments of Tom,” she said.

Sean nodded, but since it wasn’t the woman he was interested in, he didn’t start a conversation. Hell, he barely even glanced at the food. He took another sip of the beer, wondering where the lovely brunette had disappeared to.

Kennedi leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes and willing her heart to stop fluttering. Who was that man? And why was he still sitting alone at the table? Why wouldn’t he leave already?

“You okay?”

Kennedi’s eyes popped open and she smiled into the kind eyes of her boss. “I’m fine, Tom. Just…a crazy day, right?”

Her boss looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, but slowly nodded. “A little slow, actually.”

She pushed away from the wall and forced a laugh as she grabbed a clipboard off of the wall. “I guess I’m just…trying to catch up.”

Catch up from what? Kennedi knew she wasn’t making any sense.

“Catch up?” Tom asked, flipping the clipboard around and glancing at it. “Are we behind on something? You’re one of the best supply managers I’ve ever had. You’ve never let anything fall behind. So what’s getting off schedule?”

Kennedi silently groaned. “Nothing.” She shoved her hands into her hair. “I’m sorry, Tom. I’m not making any sense.” She shook herself, both mentally and physically. “I have a few more things to finish up at my desk, then I’ll help out Bobby at the bar, okay?”

Tom’s mouth compressed slightly. “You don’t have to help Bobby. We have enough people coming in tonight.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Actually, Amy called and said her son is throwing up, so she can’t make it in tonight. She promised to pull a double to make up for it, though.”

“That’s not good,” he grumbled. Then sighed and looked over his shoulder. When he turned back to Kennedi, he had an odd look in his hazel eyes. “Don’t worry about working the bar tonight. I’ll cover for Amy. You don’t need to help out.”

Kennedi made a face. “Tom, when was the last time you worked behind the bar?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s been a while, but I still remember how.”

She chuckled and patted his arm. “I’ve got it. Besides, you know that you’re always pulled in a thousand different directions on a Friday night. Don’t worry about the bar. I’ve got it covered.”

Kennedi walked away before he could argue. Tom had promoted her to supply manager two years ago, after she’d graduated from university with her business degree, but she’d worked all over the brewery ever since high school. She’d pulled enough shifts at the bar to know how to handle things. She still prided herself on being the best bartender around. Plus, she could use the extra tips. Her best friend was getting married in a few months. A bridesmaid dress, shoes, and makeup would be required. Not to mention a wedding gift and…and whatever other expenses might occur. Weddings were unpredictable events.

Kennedi leaned around the door, peering out into the restaurant. Sure enough, the guy…no, the MAN…was still there, looking around with those unsettling eyes. His eyes weren’t a strange color, just a normal blue. Since she had blue eyes herself, she didn’t think there was anything special about his eyes. No, it wasn’t the color. It was the intensity! The man’s eyes were like laser beams!

---