Fire Down Below

by Andrea Simonne

  “That sounds great.” I have to admit I feel nervous though. What if his friends don’t like me?

  The pub is already packed when we get there. It smells of beer and the press of bodies, but is blessedly free of smoke since, like Seattle, it’s illegal to smoke in Dublin’s public places.

  I wasn’t sure if I should dress up, so I took my cue from Declan and go fairly casual. I’m wearing the most flattering jeans I own, black boots, and a low cut black sweater. I’m showing a little cleavage, but not enough to make me look slutty. And, of course, I’m wearing my Jane Moon necklace, which dresses up any outfit. Being that it’s New Year’s Eve, I decide to play up my makeup by doing a smoky eye and wearing plenty of lip gloss.

  As we’re pushing our way through the crowd, Declan takes my hand and leans in close.

  “I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but you look damned sexy. Everyone’s going to be jealous that I’m showing up here with this hot American babe.”

  “Do you think my being American is sexy?”

  “Of course.”

  I start to say something more, but I can tell by Declan’s face that he’s distracted and sees someone he knows.

  “There they are!” Some guy with longish brown hair is waving to us. He’s sitting over at a corner table with a group of people. Declan puts his hand up and the rest of the table turns towards us, waving as we approach.

  Everyone is hugging Declan and saying hello to me as introductions are made. I say nice to meet you, trying not to feel awkward. The guy with the longish brown hair is Danny, one of Declan’s best friends from childhood. There’s a redhead next to him with large green eyes, named Aine, who’s introduced as his wife. I try to keep track of all the names, but as usual I’m terrible and I forget each one almost as soon as I hear it.

  I take notice of a gorgeous brunette named Bridget because she seems overly friendly with Declan. She hangs on to him far too long, whispering something in his ear.

  My suspicions are confirmed when everyone sits back down again, making room for us at the table, and I can feel Bridget staring at me, checking me out. I pretend not to notice at first, but then I finally turn to meet her stare. To my surprise she gives me a friendly smile.

  “Where have you been you bastard?” Danny is saying to Declan. “I’ve been calling you all week. Don’t you ever check your messages?”

  Declan grins. “I got them. I just haven’t had a chance to call you back.”

  “You’ve been busy, huh?” Danny’s eyes flicker over to me. “I take it you’ve been showing Kate here the sites of Dublin.”

  “I’ve been calling you too,” another guy, whom I think is named Gavin, says to Declan. “Your must have your cell turned off. I talked to your ma and she tells me she can’t get a hold of you either.”

  Hearing this I feel guilty. I didn’t know his mother was trying to call him. Obviously Declan has a life and I’ve been keeping him from it. We’ve been so wrapped up in each other that it hadn’t even occurred to me.

  A waitress comes over and Declan holds up two fingers. The pub is noisy and I watch as it’s about to get even louder as some musicians set themselves up only a short distance from where we’re sitting. There’s a microphone and instruments already there, but it seems pretty casual. One of the guys with a fiddle is holding a pint of Guinness that he puts on the speaker next to himself. A few more musicians come over and as the waitress comes back with our glasses I hear music. It’s folksy and Irish sounding. I watch as a dark-haired lanky guy goes up to the microphone and starts to sing in a warbled voice. I have to admit it sounds good.

  “What do you think of this place?” Declan asks over the music.

  “I like it.”

  “They always have great Irish bands. It’s some of the best Trad you’ll hear in Dublin.”

  “What’s Trad?

  “Traditional Irish music. It’s really popular.”

  My eyes wander the pub and I see that he’s right. People are still talking, but a lot of them are listening to the music, nodding with the beat.

  He picks up his beer and motions for me to pick up mine too. “Sláinte!” he says, tapping my glass with a grin.

  Declan turns away as Danny says something to him. I can’t hear what they’re talking about, so I sit back and sip my beer, watching the band.

  Aine comes over to join me, asking what I’ve visited in Dublin so far. I mention the Book of Kells and the National Gallery, but I have to stretch the truth a bit. I can’t very well tell her I’ve been holed up in a hotel room having wild monkey sex this whole time.

  I’m annoyed when I notice how Bridget keeps trying to catch Declan’s eye.

  At some point the musicians take a break and the waitress comes over with beers for everyone and there are more toasts of “Sláinte!”

  I follow the current conversation at the table. There are a lot of good natured insults flying around, particularly with the guys. They like to razz Declan, I notice, who doesn’t seem bothered in the least bit, and seems pleased they’re giving him such a hard time.

  “How did he ever get this lovely woman interested in him?” Danny asks everyone. “Now Darlin’,” he addresses me from across the table, “I could show you a good time here, if that’s what you’re after. Declan has been living in America so long that he’s barely an Irishman.”

  From the corner of my eye I notice Aine shaking her head with amusement. I figure if Danny can sling the insults, so can I.

  I raise an eyebrow at him. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure he prefers being barely an Irishman to being mostly an idiot.”

  Everyone stares at me with surprise and then the table erupts with laughter. I turn and see Declan practically choking on his beer. Danny nods and smiles at me with obvious approval. “Jayzus, this one’s got a sharp tongue.” He leans over towards me. “I’ll have to be more careful around you.”

  “She’s sure got you figured out Danny,” Bridget says. “If I’m not mistaken, Idjit’s your middle name.”

  “Declan always did like those sharp tongued girls,” someone else comments and there are murmurs of agreement.

  As the musicians start up again another round of the “black stuff” is served.

  Danny grabs his fresh pint of Guinness. “Sláinte!” he toasts as everyone clicks their glasses.

  At some point all this beer gets to me, so I weave my way through the crowd to find the bathroom. I was only planning to drink a little beer to be social tonight, but every time I turn my head there’s someone yelling “Sláinte!” and placing a new pint in front of me. Despite my good intentions I’m starting to feel drunk.

  When I make my way back to our table, I find that Declan isn’t there. At first I think he’s gone to the bathroom, but then I suddenly notice him standing off to the side talking to Bridget. I’m trying not to watch them, but I can’t help it. It’s hard not to notice that she’s exactly his type and I have to wonder what sort of history they have together. Everyone at the table includes me in the conversation now as I try to hold my own in the wit department. Though I find my attention wandering to Declan and Bridget. They’re both laughing at something together.

  Eventually they come back over. People are asking me what I think of Dublin and just as I start to answer, Bridget interrupts me.

  “What I’d like to know,” she says with a smirk, “is what do you think of Irish men? Are they better lovers than American men?” I see her gaze drift casually over to Declan.

  I’m not sure where she’s going with this, but I decide to make things clear to her. I turn to Declan. “In my experience, Irish men are incredible lovers.”

  There’s a purely male grin on his face as he holds my eyes.

  I hear all the other guys slapping the table and yelling. “Feck, I could have told you that! Of course Irish men are the best lovers!”

  “So why are they better than American men?” Bridget asks me.

  “Well,” I glance around as everyone watches my respons
e with interest, “there’s that accent, of course, which is totally hot.”

  “That’s it,” Gavin says. “I’m moving to America!”

  There’s more laughter and then someone asks Declan if he thinks his accent has helped him attract American women.

  “Absolutely,” Declan says, nodding towards me, “take a look at the beautiful woman I’m with right now.”

  I put my hand on his leg under the table.

  “Aye, it’s a good thing you left Ireland,” Danny says. “You needed all the help you could get.”

  “What do the Irish think of American accents?” I ask, genuinely curious, thinking back to Declan’s comment earlier. “Are they sexy or not?”

  As everyone considers this Declan turns to me, “It depends on the woman. Sometimes I like it, other times I think American women sound abrasive. When I first moved to Boston, I thought people sounded terrible.”

  “Really?”

  Danny picks up his beer. “A French accent on a woman, now that I like. They could speak total rubbish and it’s still sexy.”

  “I like an American cowboy accent,” Aine admits. “Though I agree with Declan. American accents are too harsh sometimes.”

  “So American accents don’t sound exotic?” I’m disappointed. I always hoped an American accent sounded cool to foreigners in the same way most accents sound cool to us.

  “No, I think we hear it too much in the movies. It’s too familiar.”

  The conversation turns to film and everyone starts talking about their favorites. I listen for a while, but it’s getting so hot and stuffy that I ask Declan if we can get some fresh air.

  Despite how cold it is outside there are plenty of people hanging out in front of the pub, most of them smoking. Declan pulls me off to the side and wraps his arms around me.

  “How are you doing? It can’t be easy sitting with a group of strangers who’ve all known each other since childhood.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you having fun?”

  I pull away from him. “What’s the story between you and Bridget?”

  He leans back against the wall. By the expression on his face it’s obvious he’s been expecting my question. “We used to date.”

  “Why is it you’ve never mentioned her before?”

  “We broke up right before I moved to Seattle, so there wasn’t any reason to mention her.”

  “How long did you guys go out?”

  “A couple of years.”

  This gives me pause. That’s the longest I’ve ever heard of Declan dating any woman. “But you were living in Boston then.”

  “I know. It was a long distance romance. I flew back home and she flew to the states.”

  “So you’ve slept with her.” I realize it’s a dumb statement and I don’t know why I say it, but I just want all the facts.

  He gives me a peculiar look. “Yes, I’ve slept with her. I just told you we dated for two years.”

  I nod, and even though I don’t want to, I feel jealous. Very jealous. Hair pulling, cat fight, kind of jealous.

  I’ve met some of the women he’s dated over the years, though in truth, I always felt a little annoyed by them and preferred hearing about his break ups more than his actual relationships. It’s the thought that he would have done the same things with her that we’ve done together, that he would have touched her and kissed her. That he would have shared his bed with her, talking and laughing like we do.

  I feel sick thinking about it.

  Declan’s watching me. “I don’t have feelings for her anymore. It’s been over between us for a long time. I didn’t even know she was going to be here tonight.”

  “Did you love her?”

  He lets out a deep breath. “We had a mutual infatuation, but no, I was never in love with her. We’ve stayed friends over the years though. There’s no reason for you to feel jealous, Kate.”

  “I’m not jealous.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Okay, maybe I am jealous. I feel like you’re mine now.”

  Declan pulls me close again and I wrap my arms around him too. “I’m glad you feel that way, though I guess now you know a little bit of what it was like for me watching you with Ben.”

  I pull back with surprise. “You were jealous of Ben?”

  He chuckles, “I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I basically hated him.”

  “He wasn’t too crazy about you either.”

  “I’m sure he wasn’t.”

  “I think Bridget still has feelings for you though. She keeps looking at you all the time. What were you two talking about earlier?”

  He rolls his eyes. “It’s complicated. Her younger brother has been getting in all sorts of trouble and she wants me to speak with him, not that I think it would do a damn bit of good. Plus she’s dating some guy who’s married. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but it sounds like a mess.”

  Hearing this makes me feel less jealous and kind of sorry for Bridget. I can understand why she wouldn’t want to lose Declan. He’s a good person to have as a friend.

  We head back inside and as we’re sitting down the band starts playing “Dirty Old Town.” Everyone in the pub is singing and getting crazy with it.

  Declan pulls me onto his lap and soon we’re both joining in. I don’t know the lyrics that well, but I fake my way through it the best I can, laughing the whole time. Declan shakes his head with amusement and keeps looking at me in a way that leaves me breathless.

  I spend the rest of the evening on his lap, the two of us kissing and carrying on with each other far more than we should, not that it matters. All around us people are in great spirits. He puts his lips to my ear and tells me in that honeyed voice all the ways he’s going to touch me later.

  Just before midnight we go outside into the cold winter’s night. The sky is clear and despite the lights of Dublin, I can see the stars. We grin at each other as everyone counts down to midnight.

  Declan and I count with them…3…2…1...and then we kiss, amidst all the hooting and hollering, all the car horns blaring. I feel my heart in my throat as I wrap my arms around him, letting myself fall into his kiss—into everything.

  It’s a new year. A new beginning. And I can’t remember ever being this happy.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Unfortunately the next morning I have a hangover—too much of the black stuff. At least we stayed at The Clarence so I don’t have to face his family in this condition. I get up to take a shower, hoping it’ll help. When I come out from the bathroom Declan has ordered breakfast and our room smells like coffee and eggs. I flop on the bed and groan.

  “Feeling any better?”

  “No.”

  Declan fiddles with the room service cart, asking if I want anything.

  “I’m not ready for food yet. Maybe in a couple of years.”

  He brings his plate over and sits next to me. His eyes are clear, no dark circles. He appears completely well rested.

  “Aren’t you hung-over at all?”

  “Of course not,” he says, digging into his greasy eggs and sausage. Heart attack on a plate I notice.

  “How is that possible? I know you drank more than I did.”

  “Years of practice. Plus, I’m Irish.”

  “Hmph.” I think back to my twenties. Admittedly I’m a lightweight, but I thought I had years of practice too. “So what are you saying? Your baby bottle had Guinness instead of milk?”

  He smirks. “Something like that.”

  After a nap I wake up to find that Declan left me a note saying he’s gone out. Sleeping really helped and I feel much better. I put on a bathrobe and wander over to the room service cart where I grab some fruit, before settling in with the television remote.

  I’ve just switched to a channel with a group of cow farmers standing around speaking Irish, when I hear the key in the door. I’m on alert, thinking it might be the maid, but happily it’s Declan.

  He sweeps in as
handsome as sin. The scent of winter air clings to him mixed with the diesel smell of the city. He’s carrying a couple of colorful shopping bags and comes over and stands next to the bed, glancing at the television.

  “Learning the mother tongue? It does me heart good to see this, darlin’.”

  “Hey, I aim to please.”

  “Do you have a special interest in dairy cows then?”

  “It’s a subject near and dear to me.”

  “Is that right?” He seems mildly curious.

  “Well, yes, you see...I like chocolate and chocolate often has milk in it.”

  “Then you’ll be pleased with the present I have for you.”

  “You have a present for me?” I sit up on the bed, eagerly looking at the bags he’s holding. He shrugs out of his coat and puts one bag down, but brings the other over to me. Inside there’s a box of Butler’s Chocolates and I squeal with delight.

  He watches with an amused grin. “I take it you’re feeling better?”

  “Yeth,” I say, already stuffing my mouth with chocolate. “Wow, theeth are good!”

  He reaches into the box and pops a chocolate in his mouth.

  “Is this the only present you got me?” I ask.

  Declan laughs, his blue eyes twinkle. “Isn’t that enough?”

  “Well, sure, but you have two shopping bags.”

  He gets the other bag and then comes back to sit on the bed beside me. “I saw this and I thought it would be fun for both of us.”

  I give him a knowing look. “What is it? Lingerie? Fur-lined handcuffs?”

  “Oh my,” Declan pretends to act shocked, “you have such a filthy mind. You’re making me blush.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  He grins, handing the bag over. I reach inside and pull out a box. Turning it around to the front I discover it’s a travel chess board.

  “Wow, this is so cool!” I say, totally delighted. “I’ve always wanted one of these.”

  “I know it isn’t the glow in the dark dildo you were expecting, but I thought you might like this.”

  “It’s fantastic—thank you.” I climb onto him, straddling his lap. “I love it.”