“Tempting,” she said around a laugh, “but he’s not worth the bullet.”
“I can sick John Andre on him.” At his name, John Andre ran into the kitchen, small bone barely sticking out each corner of his mouth, making him look like he was smiling. Dad bent and picked the small pup up. “Look at him. He’s vicious.”
This time Olivia laughed so hard she snorted, something she hadn’t done in a long time. Daniel once commented on her snorting, and she’d become self-conscious. “He’s just a natural born killer.” John Andre’s head tilted, his big brown eyes the epitome of innocence. Olivia moved in and kissed his snout. “You’re just a big mean meanie, aren’t you?” The bone fell from John Andre’s mouth, and his tongue lapped out and swiped a wet line across Olivia’s cheek. She laughed harder, and John Andre did his doggie dance in Dad’s arms before Olivia took him in hers. He continued to attack her face with puppy kisses, and normally Olivia would freak out about her makeup, but today she took comfort in the affection.
Maybe moving back home, for now, wasn’t so bad after all.
Chapter 5
Shane spent his morning getting to know Mimi. But mainly he spoke about himself. Every time he had tried to steer the conversation to the family—or more importantly, his father—Mimi brought the subject back to him. With little to no information from Mimi, he’d hoped he’d get to meet his grandfather, but the man was MIA. According to Mimi, he was extremely busy with work, and Shane would get the chance to meet him very soon. She sounded optimistic, but Shane wasn’t.
He wanted to believe her, especially since the man had to have been a hard worker to acquire his wealth, but something in the back of Shane’s mind made him think work had nothing to do with his grandfather’s absence.
After all, there had to be a reason Mom hid this part of his family from him. What weren’t they telling him? He hoped he was overthinking, looking for the worst-case scenario, but his entire life was filled with curve balls and disappointment. He wasn’t ready to believe that now he’d found the people where his bloodline originated that everything was going to be okay.
Mimi had hugged him at least four times before he was finally able to leave the house and make his way to McConnell Pub. He’d been pleasantly surprised by how easily Mimi and Uncle Grady had accepted him. He only hoped that pattern continued when he met his cousin.
He walked down Main Street toward the pub. He regretted selling his car now, but it was either that or have Mimi pay his way, and that hadn’t been an option.
Fifteen minutes later, he reached the pub and headed inside. Embossed tin lined the ceiling, and a brick wall that looked original to the building sat behind the polished wood bar that was fully stocked with hundreds of bottles of liquor. High-back stools with black leather seats were mostly empty except for a man at the far end who turned as soon as he entered.
“Hey there,” the man said. His long black hair was pulled into a ponytail, and the fine lines around his eyes put him in his late-forties, early fifties.
Shane nodded.
“New to town?” the man asked before Shane could manage a word. He was starting to think he had a sticker on his forehead that said, I’m new here. Ask me about it.
“I am. I’m actually looking for Connor.”
“He had to run down to The Book Nook to drop Jean’s lunch off. He should be back in a few minutes.”
“Does he always leave the place unattended?” As far as Shane could tell, there were no other workers in the building, and the man was in the middle of eating a burger and drinking a beer, which made Shane think he was a customer not an employee.
“Oh yeah. I told him I’d hold the fort down until he returned.” The man wiped his palm on his pant leg then held his hand out to Shane. “I’m Hal.”
The name sounded familiar, and as Shane walked toward the man to shake his hand, he remembered Olivia and Milo’s conversation from the night before. “You’re the Alice Cooper impersonator?”
A big grin crossed his face. “Have you seen one of my shows?”
“I haven’t been so lucky,” he said. “Friends of mine told me about you. Said you’re a must-see talent.”
His lip tugged hard to the right but never fully formed, like he was trying to remain modest. “I’m playing here tonight. You should check out the show.”
“I’ll do that,” Shane said.
The door opened, and Hal pointed to the door. “And here he is.”
Shane turned, and Connor walked in; a close-trimmed beard like Shane’s surrounded a welcoming smile. His dark hair was cut short on the sides but longer in the front, and his eyes were green just like his father’s.
“You must be my long-lost cousin,” Connor said, taking his hand and instantly pulling him in for a hug. Connor patted his back and pulled away. “Nice to meet you, man.”
“Yeah, nice to meet you, too.” Shane tried to hide the shock in his tone. It’s not like he had expected Connor to have tossed his ass out on the pavement, but he didn’t expect the friendly embrace either. Though, after all of Mimi’s hugs, he was starting to wonder if the McConnell’s were just an affectionate family.
“Long lost cousin,” Hal said. “Am I the first to find out about this?” The excitement in his voice had Shane lifting an eyebrow.
“It hasn’t hit the town gossip mill yet,” Connor answered. “But I’m sure it’s only a matter of how long it takes you to finish that beer.”
Hal picked up the pint glass and downed the rest of its contents. He grabbed the half-eaten burger and got up from the stool. “Wait till I tell Jean about this.” Hal hurried out the door, burger in hand, while Shane stared after him.
“I hope he paid,” Shane finally said, and Connor laughed.
“He helped me restock the bar today, so lunch was on the house.”
“Does he work here?”
“Sometimes,” Connor said. “My dad said you were looking for a job.”
“I am. Mimi has been gracious enough to give me a place to stay, but I need to work. I don’t like to sit around, and I like to have my own income.”
Connor walked around the bar and grabbed a glass. “I respect that. It’s pretty much the McConnell way, so there’s no denying you’re one of us. You want a drink?”
“No drink; just a job.”
Connor filled the glass with water and took a sip. “You ever work in a pub before?”
“For about six months.” He had quit when Mom had gotten sick, so he could spend more time with her. Looking back, he was grateful for that time he had with her and even more grateful that he had started working and saving as soon as he was old enough to do so.
“So, you know the basics.”
“Pretty much, and I’m a fast learner, so I should quickly pick up what I don’t know.”
“Another McConnell trait.”
It was weird to hear someone tell Shane his traits were related to a bloodline he knew so little about. He’d always thought his drive to work and keep busy came from Mom who had been as stubborn as she was determined. But maybe the blood that ran through him was more significant than he ever imagined.
Mom had always said he was just like his father, but he assumed she was only trying to give Shane some sort of connection to the man who helped create him and who he’d never gotten the chance to know. Maybe Mom had been telling him the truth all along.
The thought gave him a sense of belonging, something he hadn’t felt since Mom passed. He swallowed down the unexpected emotion that thought filled him with and forced his attention back to his cousin. “When can I start?” He wasn’t going to beat around the bush. He needed a job, and if Connor wasn’t going to hire him, there was no use wasting any more time.
“How about now?”
“Now?” Shane glanced around the empty pub. “There’s no one here.”
“Not yet,” Connor said. “But at about twelve-thirty Antonio and Maria will close up Shear Heaven for an hour lunch break and stop in and order the lunch spe
cial, which is a cup of our famous white chili and a slice of our homemade Irish soda bread. Then at twelve-forty-five the Amato Construction crew will be in for burgers. Once the high school lets out, we’ll have a rush of rowdy teenagers who love their Coke and mozzarella sticks. Then it’s a constant flow of customers until Hal takes the stage at eight. Then it’s mainly drink orders and half-off appetizers until close.”
“What time you close?”
“Weekdays nine, weekends eleven… until tourist season hits Then one in the morning.”
With hours like that, it would help keep him busy. He’d take as many shifts as he could and save the money while he was currently rent free. He still wasn’t sure how long he was staying in Morgan’s Bay, though Mimi assured him the invitation was open for as long as he’d like. He had nowhere else to go, so it would make sense to stay, but he didn’t want to depend on their hospitality for too long.
The house he was staying in was a rental, which meant the longer he stayed, the longer they were losing income. Not that he imagined the income one rental would generate would even hurt them, especially when they practically owned the entire town. Olivia had been right about that. He smiled thinking about the hot mess he met on the train. Bumping into her was another reason why he wasn’t in a rush to leave just yet. He wouldn’t mind being her rebound and having a little fun. He’d give it a couple weeks and reevaluate from there.
“So, what do you say?”
He held his hand out to Connor. “Let’s do this.”
***
McConnell’s Pub had been the scene of many breakup conversations, and today was no different. Olivia sat in a booth across from her two best friends, Harper and Isla, filling them in on everything that went down the night before, including her encounter with the mysterious new McConnell.
She’d spent a good portion of her night reliving the car ride, trying to recall everything she’d said. Once the shock wore off after realizing Shane was a McConnell, she was left confused but mostly annoyed. She and Milo had gone on and on about his family; why hadn’t he stopped her? Especially when he had said he didn’t want someone else’s opinion of his family to affect his initial impression. If that were the case, then he failed miserably. There wasn’t much she and Milo didn’t say.
It wasn’t just the embarrassment, though. When his eyes met hers right before his big reveal, there’d been a spark that set her soul on fire. For that blip of a second, Daniel didn’t exist; the heartache and anger that had raged inside her subsided, giving way to a light she couldn’t ignore.
“Another McConnell, huh?” Harper said, tapping a finger stained with orange paint to her chin. She had just come from a paint party at the senior center where she’d taught the seniors how to paint a sunset.
Isla laughed. “Don’t get any ideas, Harp. I’m pretty sure Olivia has already staked her claim.”
“Daniel and I just broke up yesterday. I’m not staking claim on anyone.”
Harper nodded over Olivia’s shoulder. “Then you wouldn’t mind if I went over and talked to him?”
Olivia’s eyes widened, and she spun on her chair following the direction of Harper’s gaze. Behind the bar in all his masculine glory was Shane. His attention cut toward her, and she jolted around before they could make eye contact.
“That’s him, right?” Harper asked.
“Yup.” Olivia leaned back in her chair. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.”
Isla rolled her aquamarine eyes. “Lucky guess, my butt. What are the chances there are two new guys in town? There was no luck involved.”
Harper sighed, disappointment drooping her shoulders. “Either way, by Liv’s reaction, it’s obvious he’s off the market.”
“I just told you, I’m getting over Daniel. I’m not going to jump back into dating, especially with a guy I know nothing about. Besides, I’m sure he’d want nothing to do with me. I told you how crazy I was on the train.”
“Yes.” Isla took a sip of her sangria. “But you also told us how good looking he was, how sweet he was to carry your bag and get it out of the trunk, and how your eyes locked and fireworks went off right before he dropped the bomb.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“I’m paraphrasing, but that’s basically everything you said.”
Olivia wasn’t going to argue. Nobody won an argument against Isla, even if they were right. Olivia wanted to look over her shoulder and get another glimpse. She was annoyed at herself for sitting with her back to the bar. “How did I not realize he was here?”
“I noticed,” Harper said. “He’s nice to look at.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
Harper shrugged. “I wanted ten minutes to fantasize that he wasn’t your Shane, I’d get a chance, and finally be able to give up online dating.”
“Milo said you had a date last night. I’m guessing it didn’t go well.”
Harper’s head fell forward, and her shoulders shook with miserable laughter. “He wanted to share an entrée, so he only had to pay a sharing fee instead of full price for two dinners.”
“Cheap bastard!” Isla exclaimed. “I hope you walked out right then and there.”
Harper downed the rest of her margarita. “I stayed and paid for my own meal.”
Isla’s eyes doubled in size. “Harper! You deserve better than that.”
“I was starving, and the restaurant had good ratings. I didn’t know when I’d ever go back there, so I stayed for the food.”
“Was it worth it?” Isla asked.
“Oh yeah.”
Olivia zoned out of their conversation; her mind too focused on the guy behind the bar. After a few minutes, she grabbed Harper’s empty glass. “Want another one?”
Before Harper could answer, Olivia was already on her way to the bar. Shane stood at the far end, getting a drink for Mr. Peterson. Olivia leaned against the bar, trying not to stare. She placed the empty glass on the bar top and waited as if this were any other day.
Shane handed Mr. Peterson his drink and tossed a dish rag over his shoulder. He turned, his eyes immediately landing on Olivia. Heat trickled through her body from the intent in his stare. He moved toward her with an ease that was both confident and laidback. He propped himself against the bar directly across from her. The muscles of his arms pressed nicely against his short black sleeves.
“Are you stalking me?” he asked, eyebrow raised in an intriguing, yet very attractive way.
Olivia played it as coy as possible. “No, McConnell’s has the best burgers.”
He rubbed his chin and laughed. “I remember you saying that on your tour.”
She bit her lip, eyes drifting down to the shiny wood of the bar before she found the courage to look him in the eye. “About that… Why didn’t you stop me? Tell me who you really were?” She felt like such an idiot, then toss in all the stuff Milo had said about her obsession with the McConnell’s, and she was downright embarrassed.
“I guess I didn’t want you to judge me before you got to know me.”
The sincerity in his tone matched the honesty in his gaze, and though she was still slightly embarrassed, she understood. “I just feel bad that I might have influenced your first impression of your family.”
“You did.”
Guilt tied her stomach in knots. “I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t a bad thing. I was expecting rich snobs, but I was met with the total opposite. Mimi was warm and accepting. My uncle was kind and willing to help me out, no questions asked. I was afraid I’d be met with opposition, but they welcomed with me with open arms. And so did Connor. It’s crazy. The only family I’ve ever known is my mom, and now I have this whole new family that, up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea existed.”
He didn’t smile, but he didn’t have to, she could hear the relief in his tone. “I’m happy it worked out. Everybody deserves the love of family.”
“Thanks.” He nodded toward the empty glass. “Ano
ther margarita for your friend.”
“How do you know it’s not for me?”
“You’re drinking Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Intrigued, she smiled. “You pay attention to detail.” It was something Daniel never did. As if it would kill the guy to remember their anniversary. She supposed it was a date he didn’t want to remember.
She shook the annoyed anger from her mind, forgetting about the two-timing jerk, and focused on Shane. “Another margarita for my friend, and I’ll take another Cabernet.”
“Coming right up.”
She watched as he moved effortlessly behind the bar. “Is this a permanent gig or just helping Connor out?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t like to look too far into the future.” He walked over to her and placed the two drinks on the bar in front of her. “Prefer to take one day at a time.”
“How’s that margarita going?” Harper called from the table, and Olivia laughed.
“I should get back.”
“Of course.”
She took the two drinks in her hand. “If you get a break, stop by the table and meet the girls. If you’re going to be bartending here, you might as well get to know the regulars.”
He smiled. “I’ll do that.”
Olivia headed to the table, fighting with her lips to stay flat and indifferent, but as soon as she sat down her mouth betrayed her. Her lips curved upward, and her cheeks filled with heat, most likely turning them a horrible shade of red.
She handed Harper her drink, and Harper sighed.
“Yup, he’s definitely out of the question.”
Chapter 6
Olivia checked the fridge for the nine hundredth time. Both her parents were at work, and John Andre was settled on the couch for his afternoon nap. She’d call Isla or Harper, but Isla was working the register at her parents’ florist shop, and Harper was doing another paint event at the library. Olivia was unemployed and bored. And hungry. Her stomach growled at that moment as if agreeing with her.
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