“Well, go on and tell it then. If ya don’t now, ya will later when I’m not around. At least with me here I can keep ya to a fair semblance of the truth.”
Quinn took a long drink from his pint, raising his audience’s anticipation. “Ya know that Samantha I spoke of before.”
Paddy nodded. “The wild ‘un?”
“That’s our gal. She was trying to teach his Josie—this was before they were dating, mind ya—how to pick up men.”
Killian chuckled. “Common sense was as scarce as hen’s teeth with Sam about.”
“Aye.” Quinn pushed back from the bar a trifle and stood. “But she was a gas, so she was. And not hard on the ol’ peepers, either. Anyway, I wandered…she was coaching Josie. The target of her seduction was a whale of a man, if ever I saw one. Seven-foot-tall, with biceps bulging like a frigging hot air balloon.”
“He was a big fella,” Killian confirmed, his smile and movements loose.
“Well, this fella gets a bit forward with Jo, and our boy here laaaunched himself over the bar—” Quinn spread his arms wide and dipped from side to side “—like he learnt how to fly, and came swooping in to the rescue.”
Killian nodded proudly. “I did.”
“He lands a belt or two.” The old man jabbed at the air. “But the man won’t go down. That’s when I decided to take things in hand.”
“Wait, now—” Killian tried to correct him, but Quinn talked right on top of him.
“I tapped the fella on the shoulder, he turned around, and BLAM. Knock him out cold.”
“That is so not what happened,” Killian muttered.
He came to her rescue. Jumped the bar he was in such a state. He had a whole other life before me. Loved a woman that much….
What of it? I had another life, too. I loved Tommy.
But that paled in comparison to what Jo and Killian had. Could I ever make him as blissful as she seemed to make him? Although I knew it was silly, I couldn’t prevent the stab to my heart or the increased sense of unease rolling around my stomach.
At some point later on, Killian caught me on my way back from fetching something from the kitchen and drew me aside. “Are ya all right?”
I blinked. “Aye. Don’t I look all right?” I glanced at my clothes.
He laid his hands on my shoulders. “Ya look great to me.” He brought his lips to mine. “You’re just…quiet.”
Shite. I need to be more chatty and engaging. “Oh, got it. I’ll talk more.”
I started to move past him, but he took my arm. “Wait.” He bent to be on my eyelevel. “Sweetheart. Ya don’t have to talk if ya don’t want to.”
For some reason tears threatened.
“Hey.” He drew me in. “Hey. Hey. I knew something was bothering ya. What’s wrong?”
I sighed. “I just want to make a good impression.”
He paused. “What? For Quinn?” He laughed.
I pulled away. “Don’t laugh at me.”
Before I could leave, he slid to block my path, wrapping his fingers around my biceps again. “Hey. I’m not laughing at ya, darlin’. It’s only…Quinn will love ya. Exactly the way ya are. What’s not to love?”
I glanced at Quinn and back, shrugging a shoulder. “I’m not—” I bit the word off. Her. I’m not her.
“You’re not…what?”
“Nothing. Never mind. I’m being stupid.” I tried to brush past him.
“Na-ah-ah.” The hands moved to my shoulders. “You’re not what?”
I dropped my eyes, messing with my bracelet. I wouldn’t say it.
He studied my face. Then understanding seemed to dawn on him. “You’re not…Jo?”
I looked up quickly then away. I didn’t like being insecure like this.
Maybe I’m hormonal.
“Honey, ya don’t have to be Jo. Ya could never be Jo.”
To hear him say it hurt, and I reacted as I normally did. Angrily. Tearing free from him I moved out of the hall.
“Wait—”
“No. I get it, Killian. Ya made it perfectly clear.” I took off at a sharp clip. Paddy called to him, and the noise faded behind me as I moved farther, and the blood rushed louder in my ears.
Get a grip, Bridey.
I literally did just that. Held on to the bar for a short period of time to try to calm myself. I managed to keep busy. I would’ve snuck off somewhere, but there was nowhere for me to go.
I’m a fool. He was right. I could never be for him what Jo was.
Which begged the question—what was I to him, then? A convenient screw?
Good ol’ Bridey. Always good for a roll in the hay.
Having worked myself up, I needed to sneak off to the bathroom to have a good cry.
Killian
I was at one end of the bar, talking to Quinn, while watching Bridey at the other end, restocking the bar.
“So, what’s the craic with you and your gal?”
“Hmm? Oh.” He gestured to Bridey, and I leaned in. “Oh. She’s got some notion in her head she has to live up to Josephine.”
He crunched his ice. “Hmm. Big shoes to fill.” He looked at me knowingly. “Listen, lad. I’ve been there. When Rosie and I first started seeing each other, I felt the same about her husband. Or late husband. Ya know what I’m talking about.” He waved a hand, and I nodded. “Give her a break. From what I’ve seen, she’s a lovely gal.”
“That’s the thing, though. She doesn’t think she is. She’s afraid of making a bad impression on you.”
He about choked on the ice. “Me?” He laughed. “She doesn’t need to make an impression on me.”
I laughed, too. “I know. That’s what I told her.”
He stood and slapped the bar. “I’ll take care of this.”
As he walked away, I yelled to him, “Why does that not reassure me?”
He ignored me. The old man was sprier than he let on. He was hardly using the cane at all. My love life was in the hands of Quinn Kilmartin.
I was a dead man.
Bridey
I was wiping up a spill at the far end of the bar.
“Psst.”
I glanced over, and Quinn was crooking a finger in my direction. I turned to see if he was signaling someone behind me.
“Bridget.”
I looked again. He jerked his head to indicate I should follow him out of earshot of the others, who were all wrapped up in conversation anyway.
“Can I get ya another drink, Quinn?”
He leaned forward, scanning the bottles in the bar well. “Well, I do have a throat on me…but, no. Not now anyway. C’mere ta me.”
I drew closer.
“Do ya want to help me rile up Killian?” he murmured, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
My heart flushed with warmth. “Aye. What do ya want me to do?”
“Can ya shut off the jukebox?”
“Aye.”
“Follow me.” Making sure we weren’t being watched, we sauntered over to his jacket and he drew a wireless speaker out of the pocket. “All right. Put this near the jukebox, and I’ll do the rest.”
“You’ve got it.” I wanted to hug him for including me and decided I would before the night was through.
I sashayed across the room to the jukebox, acted like I was searching for a song, then cast a glance at the bar. No one was paying any attention. I took a quick peek at Quinn, and he was reaching in his jacket pocket. I put the speaker in place. He nodded at me, and I yanked the plug mid-song. There was a second or two of quiet before people hunted for the reason for the music going missing. Then Manfred Mann’s “Quinn The Eskimo” filled the air. Quinn had casually sauntered back over to his stool, with no one the wiser.
He spun around. “Oh, hey there. Good song.”
Killian focused on me, narrowing his eyes. “I thought I made sure “Quinn The Eskimo” was not on the jukebox.”
I shrugged, grinning at him.
He strolled to the end of the bar, peering from me to
Quinn then returning his gaze to me.
“Bridget, darlin’. What do ya have behind your back?”
“Not a thing.”
“Mmm.” He came out from behind the bar, eying me steadily. “Is that so? Because it looks like you have something behind you.”
I shook my head as he approached, his smile broad. Everyone was watching us, and Quinn was grinning like he held the winning lottery ticket.
“Remember, my sweet, we discussed your not having a penchant for lying.” With the last, he dove for me and wrestled my hands out in front of me.
I held the cord to the jukebox. He seemed confused for an instant, then spotted the speaker. I slipped away from him. “Who’s controlling that?”
I shrugged.
He ran his gaze over me. “Is it you?”
I walked backward, and he advanced. “Where is it, Bridget? Where is that infernal music coming from?”
I made a break for the kitchen, but he was on me before I could get far. Lifting me off my feet. I squealed and fought him.
“I’ll shake it outa ya if I have ta.”
“I don’t have it,” I insisted.
He froze for a second then released me and spun to face his friend. “Quinn?” His tone held an accusation.
Quinn lifted his chin as if offended. “You can shake me if ya want, but you’re libel to break something.”
Killian hesitated.
“Come on. Pat me down then.”
“Don’t think I won’t.”
Quinn stood and held his arms out to the sides, shooting me a wink.
“Ahh. I caught that.” Killian turned sideways. “You two are in cahoots.”
I made on like I was checking my polish. “I haven’t a clue as to what you’re talking about.”
“Right.” He strolled in Quinn’s direction and, when he got there, patted the older man’s pockets.
“I don’t know why you’re carrying on so. It’s a perfectly good song.” He looked to the ceiling and whistled along to the music.
Killian reached into his pocket and plucked out a flask. “Glad to see you’re prepared in case of emergency.”
“Aye. Ya never know what’ll happen.”
Killian spied the jacket. “It wouldn’t be in here…” He crossed and lifted it from the back of the chair. “…would it?”
Quinn took a swig of his stout, ignoring Killian. I whispered in Tag’s ear, who whispered to Deirdre, who whispered to Paddy.
“Ah-ha.” He pulled out a phone. “Don’t know how to use a phone, my arse.” He scanned the screen. “What do ya know? ‘Quinn The Eskimo.’” He clicked it off triumphantly.
“Now. No more of that god-awful song.”
I began the chorus softly, and the crew sang along with me. Bre and her da and a few others picked up the tune. I ambled on down the line, standing behind Quinn at the end.
“Jesusmaryandjoseph!” Killian returned to his spot behind the bar, wagging his finger at Quinn. “You’re a bad influence.”
I wrapped my arms around the old man as he sang along—loud and proud and completely off-key—resting my chin on his shoulder. He patted me.
Killian frowned, though his eyes were smiling. “Enough already.”
Everyone laughed and the music fizzled out. I went to the opposite side of the bar to give Killian a hug. “Don’t you act so innocent. I know you had something ta do with this.”
I opened up my stance to face Quinn, who commented, “He has no taste in music.”
I let Killian go and stepped forward, taking Quinn’s glass to refill it. “Horrible.”
“You’ve a lovely voice.”
“Thank you.”
Killian came from behind me and spread his hands out wide on the bar, boxing me within them. “I should have never introduced the pair of ya. You’re both impossible.” He embraced me and kissed my cheek. Quinn not so subtly gave me a fist bump.
“See.”
Chapter 22
Bridey
Later in the evening, Quinn called me to his side. “Bridget, my dear. It’s gotten a mite drafty in here. Would ya mind terribly going upstairs to get my sweater for me? Killian put my suitcase there. I’d go myself, but—”
I patted his hand on the bar. “No bother. I’ll be back before ya get to the second verse of ‘Quinn the Eskimo,’” I said loudly.
“No!” Killian shouted. We laughed, and I hurried to get his sweater, wondering why the jacket he donned wasn’t enough. On the way up the stairs, I thought about Killian putting the suitcase there.
Surely he doesn’t mean to put up Quinn in his room. There’s only the one bed.
I decided not to worry about it and found the sweater easily enough then made my way downstairs. Opening the door at the bottom, I noted immediately a lack of noise. Not a soul was at the bar.
Oh, shite. Killian must be plotting his revenge.
“Hello?” I said timidly. Then I noticed a wooden sign hanging behind the bar. It said, “I fell in love here.” Where did that come from?
I crossed the room, checking all the corners and anyplace someone might be able to hide behind. “Killian?” The place was kind of eerie when it was emptied. I made it to the bar rail, stepped on it, took a deep breath, and looked over the top, fully expecting everyone to be crouching behind it, but the space was vacant. I felt a chill and rubbed my arms. Quinn was right. There was a draft. Someone must have left the kitchen door open. Or did they sneak out that way? And if so, where did they go?
I crept forward. “Killian? Deir’?” A floorboard squeaked under my feet, and I jumped. My heart was beating like a kettle drum. I put a hand on it and laughed at myself. I continued to the front and peered out the windows. The door was still locked, and not a soul was on the street. I eyed the jacks, wondering if they all crowded into them, but continued to the kitchen, intending to shut the back door. When I got to the hallway, two white lanterns stood on either side, with candles shining out from heart-shaped windows.
What the heck?
Two more hailed me from halfway up the hall and two on the opposite end. Big letters spelled out Bridget, spaced from one end to the other. Another wooden sign lay at my feet. This way.
This way Bridget. Clearly I’m supposed to head down the hall. But for what purpose? Was this some kind of game? I slowly and fearfully traveled the length of the hall. As I neared the end, I became aware someone was beyond the doorway, in the kitchen.
“Who’s there?”
After a brief hesitation, Tag’s voice rang out. “Uhh…I’m not supposed to say anything, but I don’t want ya to be scared.”
Knowing Tag was waiting for me made me feel a whole lot better, until I got a gander at him. He wore a jacket and tie over his T-shirt, which seemed funny. He held a lit lantern aloft, exactly like the ones in the hall.
“What’s going on?”
He smiled. “I told ya. I’m not supposed to say anything.” He bent his near elbow and raised it out to the side.
“What?”
He lowered it and frowned then stuck it out again with his elbow crooked, nodding and looking from me to his arm.
This is odd.
I hesitantly slipped my arm through his, and he patted my hand.
“Good, Bridey,” he said like I was a trained pup.
“Wha—”
“Shh.” He put a finger to his lips.
“All-ll ri-ight,” I said slowly. Tag walked me to the door, where a beam of light cut through the dark.
Quinn stood on the other side, with a lantern, wearing his jacket and a bow tie. I stared and held his sweater out for him. “That’s for you. In case you’re chilly,” he whispered. He stretched it around my shoulders then followed Tag’s suit and guided me forward. I didn’t bother to ask him what was going on, because if Tag wouldn’t say—who would have to be the weakest link in this chain—surely Quinn wouldn’t. I wasn’t at all sure what was about, and that made me extremely apprehensive. Quinn must have noticed because right before we
got to the end of the alley, he stopped and put his hand over my trembling one.
“Are ya ready for what lies ahead, m’dear?”
Well, I can’t really answer that now, seeing as I don’t know what it is, can I?
His words could have sounded ominous, if it weren’t for the hint of laughter in his eyes, and the loving way he looked at me and spoke to me. “No matter what, we have your backs. Both of ya.”
Both of who?
Despite having scarce hope of him answering me, I was going to ask, because I had to, but he gave me a brief hug and pulled away. He blinked, staring straight in front of him, and I’d swear tears glimmered in his eyes. He linked elbows with me again and turned the corner.
My feet stopped moving, and I couldn’t breathe properly. Before me was a trail of more than a dozen lanterns, and three more people holding lanterns, spaced evenly apart. Nearly all the way to the edge of the cliff.
“Come on, gal.”
Stunned, I obeyed and took a few steps forward with him.
“H-what…?” My voice trembled.
He nodded at our path, not looking at me. “Wait and see.” But he wore a smile, which was reassuring, a bit.
I peered ahead, trying to make out the images. A yard or two off I recognized Paddy as the first lantern bearer.
“Am I being initiated into some Celtic cult?”
Quinn laughed. “You’re a keeper, ya are.”
He handed me off to Paddy, who simply murmured, “Bridey.” Then appeared to be too choked up to speak. We walked farther, and I glanced at him. He wore a tie and sport coat, too.
“You’re very dapper.”
“Oh, now.” I swear the man blushed.
“Ya still won’t tell me anything, will ya?”
“Not a word.”
I frowned, but I was calmer. All the people I loved were here—people who had thrown themselves in harm’s way for my sake—everything must be all right. But where was Killian? The next figure was clearly a woman. Instead of offering me her arm, Deirdre kissed me and took my hands.
“Are ya ready?”
“Maybe…?”
She squeezed me as we traveled toward the sea. “I think you are.” She was gazing toward the cliff’s edge, so I turned, too. What I saw first stopped my heart, then sent it racing. Killian was the last lamp holder. He wore a full suit and tie and looked outrageously handsome. The wind blew his curly hair, hair I loved to run my fingers through. When I reached him, he set his lamp on the ground near our feet and took my hands. Deirdre stepped away.
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