Liam took hold of her hand as they took their place in line. “I know the perfect place to sit,” he said.
“Where?”
“You'll see.”
Once inside, the heat from the fryers hit her in the face. There were no tables; it was strictly a takeaway operation. They each ordered a single portion of cod and chips, and Liam insisted on paying. Aislinn disliked his paying for everything and told him so, announcing that she'd be paying for dinner that night. “We'll see,” Liam murmured. She shook her head, knowing that meant, No, Idon't don't think so. She could hear Nora's voice in her head: Just let him do it for God's sake. Let him pamper you. Heaven knows, you've no idea how to pamper yourself Perhaps Nora was right.
Back outside, Liam pointed across the street at Christ Church Cathedral. “They've got a really nice garden there. Lots of people go there and just sit on the grass and eat. C'mon.”
She followed him across the road. Aislinn thought maybe she'd suggest going inside the church after lunch to have a look round. She'd never been inside a cathedral before.
“Jesus God, I'll never be able to eat all this,” said Aislinn as they settled down on a thick, green patch of grass and she saw how big their portions were. Whatever I don't eat, she thought. I'll wrap up and bring back to the hoteL There was a microwave in the room: she could zap it to have as a late-night snack if she wanted. She wondered, though: was that unsophisticated? It probably was, but she hated the idea of wasting food. It had been drummed into her by both her parents that it was a sin.
She near swooned as she popped the first chip into her mouth. “Gorgeous.”
“I agree,” said Liam, spearing a big hunk of fish with a plastic fork.
“So you've eaten in the garden before?”
“Yeah, with my folks. I've visited Dublin with them a few times. The whole family never came over together: my folks couldn't afford it. They'd take two of the four kids at a time, and the other two the next time.” He chuckled, lost in reminiscence. “The last time I was here was when I was fifteen and my sister Maggie was seventeen. We thought our parents were such idiots we wouldn't even walk down the street with them!”
Aislinn laughed. “I remember walking ten paces in front of my mother when we'd go into Moneygall to shop for clothing. Oh, the humiliation of being seen with her!” She paused, thoughtful. “I was never embarrassed to be seen out with my dad, though. Odd, isn't it?”
“That's because you worshipped him,”
“I suppose I did.”
“Still enjoying Dublin?”
“Can't you tell?”
She looked around at the flowers in full bloom, the branches of the trees waving hello at her. She'd loved strolling around the city with him, letting the sights and sounds and smells sink in.
“Are you enjoying it? Being back in a city and all?” she asked, pushing her hair off her face. Bloody pain in the neck it was, blowing all around. She'd wanted to put it back in a braid the way she usually did, but since Liam liked it tumbling down around her shoulders, she let it be. She found she liked looking attractive for him.
“Totally.”
“But you're homesick.”
“A little. But not enough to interfere with being here with you.” He pulled a digital camera out of his backpack, aiming it at her. Aislinn's hands immediately flew to cover her face as she groaned.
“I hate having my picture taken.”
Indulge me. Just one.
She lowered her hands. “Only if it's one of us together.”
“Fine.” Liam jumped to his feet, asking a man sitting nearby to take a snap of them. The man happily obliged as Liam sat back down and Aislinn rested her head on his shoulder while Liam snaked his arm around her. I'm so happy, she thought. So. so happy.
The man handed the camera back to Liam, and he stuffed it into his backpack. “I'll download it when we get home and e-mail it to you.”
Joy sparked inside her. He'd called Ballycraig home.
They chatted easily, eating their lunch. Aislinn filled him in on Nora and Donald's sudden interest in the farm and how alarming it was to her and Padraig.
“I can understand that,” Liam said carefully, 'but look at it this way: even if they did build a place for themselves somewhere on the property, they wouldn't be there all the time."
“True,” Aislinn agreed, but it was still not what she wanted to hear. She tried to picture where the cottage would be. Far from the house, probably. Which meant they'd have to clear a road on the property. When they weren't using it, they'd probably let their rich London friends borrow it. Aislinn frowned, trying to disperse the dark cloud forming in her head. You're being a rig/it nasty bitch, she told herself. Nora told you she had no designs at all on the property. Stop spinning negative tales.
Liam turned to her, dangling a chip in front of her mouth. “Open up,” he said playfully. Aislinn complied. “I love you, you know.”
Aislinn halted mid-chew. “Pardon?”
“I love you,” Liam repeated, his eyes shining with unabashed ardor.
Aislinn forced herself to finish chewing the chip and swallowed. 'And you thought now might be the perfect time to tell me, when I've a chip in my mouth?"
“The urge was there, and I just had to go with it,” Liam declared.
“Dead smooth, you are.”
His shoulders slumped. “I'm an idiot.”
“You're not, you're not, you're not,” she rushed to assure him. “I just wasn't expecting it, was all. And no one could ever argue that it wasn't memorable.”
Liam laughed, clearly relieved. Inside, Aislinn's heart was knocking against her ribs, desperate to burst out and take happy flight. She was giddy, and it was lovely.
She cut a piece of fish, holding it aloft on its plastic fork.
“Open wide,” she said mischievously. Liam chuckled, then complied.
“I love you,” she told him.
Unlike her, Liam looked nowhere near choking. In fact, the smile on his face was adorable. He swallowed, washing down his food with a sip of cola, and then leaned in to her, one hand reaching around to cup the back of her neck as he pressed his mouth to hers in a sizzling kiss. Aislinn felt paralyzed by her own desire, unable to move, not really wanting to, as the kiss burned on and on. She'd never been comfortable with doing things in public that she believed were best meant to be done in private, but right now, she didn't care. They were a couple in love, and there was no reason not to glory in it. A fantasy of the future shimmered its way into her thoughts: she saw herself in the big kitchen at the house preparing dinner, talking to a little girl with Liam's dark, tousled curls and stormy gray eyes who sat swinging her legs at the big Parsons table. “And then, would you ever believe, your da asked me to marry him as he stuffed a chip in my mouth!” The little girl laughed delightedly, begging for more details.
Liam eventually lifted his mouth from hers. “I've never said that to anyone before,” he admitted.
“How does it feel?”
“Great.” He paused. “And scary.”
“It is scary; I agree.” She took one of his hands and pressed her lips to his open palm. “But worth it.”
“Definitely worth it,” he agreed. He gestured at his lunch. “No way I can finish that.”
Aislinn put a hand to her belly. “I'm relieved to hear you say that.”
“We can wrap it and bring it back to the hotel.”
“Yeah. Worried about my article. I'm stuck.”
“I know you: you'll come unstuck.”
Nora sat down on her bed, watching Aislinn as she undressed. Aislinn noticed she was wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and thick wool socks.
“Is that what you sleep in? No wonder you're awake. You must be boiling like a shrimp in a pot.” “It's freezing in this house, Aislinn,” Nora replied, rubbing her shoulders briskly. “Ever think of installing central heating?”
“The heating system suits me fine,” Aislinn said, slipping an oversized old T-shirt of Connor's
over her head.
“Gas fires in individual rooms? I feel like I'm in a Dickens novel.”
“You can install central heating if you want. Feel free.” After all, it is half yours, right? she was tempted to add. Exhaustion was giving way to crabbiness. She held her tongue.
“You look tired,” Nora noted.
“I'm totally banjaxed,” Aislinn admitted with a yawn. “We left late so we could get another day in Dublin.”
“Did you like it? I do,” Nora asked excitedly. “I mean, it's no London, but it does have a certain charm.”
“It does,” Aislinn agreed.
Nora pelted her with questions. Did she go see the Book of Kells at Trinity College? Did she go to the Writers Museum? Dublin Castle? The General Post Office on O'Connell Street, where you could still see the bullet holes in the pillars from the Easter Rising of 1916?
“No, no, and no,“ Aislinn said. She gave her sister a curious look. ”I'd no idea you'd spent so much time in Dublin."
“See? There's something you didn't know about me. You missed a lot. Guess you'll just have to go back,” Nora teased.
“I'm in no rush.”
“What did you do, then?”
Aislinn filled her in on her glorious weekend, taking lots of time to tell her all about meeting Quinn.
“Did seeing his brother make Liam homesick?” Nora asked carefully.
“Yes.”
“Are you worried?”
“Why should I be worried?” Aislinn replied, smiling confidently. She practically danced over to where Nora was sitting. “He told me loved me!” she gushed. “And I said it back!”
Nora bounced on the bed like a little girl. “Oh my God! That's so great!”
“I know.” Aislinn sat down beside her. “Can you believe it? I mean, can you?”
“Yes, I can.” She walked over to Aislinn's dresser, returning with the thick, horsehair brush Aislinn had had since she was a little girl.
She sat back down on the bed to brush Aislinn's hair. Aislinn closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling: no one had done this for her since she was small, and Nora's strokes were so tender.
“Oh, I love that man so, Nora,” she continued exuberantly. “It's positively dizzying.”
Nora laughed. “Isn't it the best feeling? I remember when I realized I loved Donald. I felt like I was suffering from vertigo for days.”
“I could leap in the air.” Aislinn blushed. “I sound like an eejit.”
“No, you sound like a woman in love. I'm so glad you let him in, Aislinn. I was so worried you'd never meet anyone.”
Nora put down the brush and began braiding Aislinn's hair. “I was always jealous when mum would braid your hair, you know that?”
Aislinn was surprised. “No, I didn't know.”
“She was always going on about how thick and wavy it was. And there was me with the stick-straight hair.”
“But you were the beauty.”
"You've never been able to see how gorgeous you are, have you? With that hair and those long legs of yours Nora shook her head.
“I hear you hid in the house while I was away,” Aislinn said, eager to change the subject.
“I was not hiding!” Nora protested. “I was working on my article!”
“And avoiding Padraig.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Honestly, the two of you need to let it go. It's ridiculous.”
Aislinn rose, giving a big stretch. “I hate to be rude, but if I don't try to catch a bit of kip, I'll be dead on my feet by lunch tomorrow.”
“I understand.” Nora stood. “I wanted to tell you: I'm going back to London on Tuesday for a few days to do some research.”
A few days. Which meant she intended to come back.
“When will you be back?”
“I'll ring you and let you know.”
“Fair enough.” :
“I'm so happy for you, Aislinn.” Nora gave her a big hug. “It's too bad Mum and Da -”
“I know. Aislinn kissed her cheek. ”I'll see you in the morning.
Nora quietly closed the door behind her, and Aislinn slipped into bed. For the first time ever, it felt too big, as well as lonely. She missed Liam's body wrapped around her, keeping her warm and making her feel cherished. Ah, well, soon enough, she thought, drifting off to sleep. The days of hiding were over. She planned to go down to the Oak tomorrow night and let the world see she and Liam were together. She closed her eyes and slept.
Straight Up
Chapter Seventeen
************************************************************************************************
“Be prepared to eat a big, heaping dish of crow. Jack.”
Old Jack shot Liam a dirty look as he set down three pints of Guinness before Fergus. Teague, and David, who were also glaring at him. In about half an hour, Aislinn was going to walk through that door, and she was going to plant a passionate kiss on his mouth. Liam was going to announce they were a couple, and that all drinks were on him. After all, he could afford it: Jack would be paying him double starting tomorrow.
He preferred not to think about the bet that had started it all, focusing instead on the amazing weekend he'd had with Aislinn in Dublin. He'd loved that she delighted in seeing new things, having new experiences. Seeing Dublin through her eyes gave him a new appreciation for it and for Ireland.
He especially loved that she was into taking things as they came. The only time he sensed her discomfort was when they were on Grafton Street, which was packed. He could feel her longing to get back home to open air and quiet. Seeing her face crease with stress, a thought had flashed through his mind: if Grafton Street made her tense, she could never deal with New York. The thought winked out as quickly as it came. There was no point trying to predict the future.
He'd always imagined if he fell in love, he'd go the whole nine yards to set the scene to say the words: dinner by candlelight in some nice restaurant, a romantic walk through Central Park. Instead, he'd playfully popped a French fry in Aislinn's mouth and declared his heart as matter-of-factly as someone asking a buddy how her day was going. Real smooth. Yet it felt right, and, as he'd confessed to her, scary as hell. He'd never made that kind of emotional commitment before. Then again, he'd never felt this way before.
He'd known Aislinn and Quinn would get along. But spending time with his brother and then having to say good-bye to him, not knowing when they'd see each other again, had messed with his head for a while. He couldn't believe what an idiot he'd been, letting his friend Tommy pull him into the web of the Irish Mob.
Chatting with everyone who sidled up to the bar and effortlessly filling orders, Liam resisted the urge to check every time the pub door opened. After what felt like forever, Aislinn finally walked in, looking not unlike the way she did the first time he set eyes on her: faded jeans, wellies caked with mud, the well-worn barn jacket. The only differences were that her hair was tied back in a braid, not in a wild, auburn tangle around her head, and this time. she wasn't scowling. In fact, she was beaming at him as if he was the only person in the room.
“Hello, Jack,” she called cheerily from the door, shucking her jacket and hanging it on a peg. “Hello Fergus, Teague, and David. A whiskey for me please, Jack.”
She slipped behind the bar as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Hello, darlin',” she said to Liam, giving him an eye-popping kiss. There was a swell of whispers, and then a hush fell over the room.
“There's my girl,” said Liam. He put down the bar rag in his hand, snaking an arm around her waist to draw her close to him. “Listen up, everyone.” Liam looked at the patrons' faces and held back a laugh. They were listening, all right - listening and looking at him and Aislinn as if they'd never seen a man and woman together in their lives. “I want everyone here to know I love this woman. Madly. And if what she's told me is the truth, she loves me, too.”
“The lot of you have known me my whole life,” Aislinn adde
d, “so you know I never lie. It's true: I love the Yank.”
“I'd love for you all to share in our happiness, so drinks are on me tonight,” Liam finished.
The pub began buzzing. Fergus was staring at them, openmouthed.
“And what might be wrong with you, Fergus Purcell?” Aislinn asked, hands on hips. “Cat got your tongue?”
“Envy, more like.” said David with a frown. He reluctantly held a hand out to Liam to shake. “Well played. I never thought -”
“Thank you,” Liam said curtly. Christ, he hoped the three idiots didn't start talking about the bet.
“God forbid you give your heart to an Irishman,” Teague sneered at Aislinn.
“You may recall that I did once.”
“I mean a real one. Not one who was, you know, that way.”
“All the specimens in this town are pitiful,” said Aislinn.
“So now what?” Fergus sniffed, smirking at Liam. “You're going to become a shepherd?”
“Or maybe she'll go back to New York with him and become a wool merchant,” said Teague. The three of them laughed. Liam stiffened. Leave it to these assholes to bring up the one possible monkey wrench in his and Aislinn's future.
“Oh, listen to the three hyenas entertaining themselves,” Aislinn said scornfully. She drew herself up in that imperious way that had so left an impression on Liam the first night he saw her. “There's nothing you can do or say that can put a damper on this night or on the future, so don't waste your sad, sorry breath.” She turned away from them, kissing Liam softly on the mouth. "I best get out of your way.
Liam put his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Will I be coming home with you tonight?”
“Would you be upset if we waited until tomorrow night?” Aislinn whispered back apologetically. “I've still not caught up on my sleep.”
“No problem at all,” Liam murmured, discreetly nipping her earlobe. “I like you all energetic.”
Aislinn blushed as she picked up her whiskey. “I'm off to chat with Grace Finnegan and find out how her husband is getting on at that cancer center in London.” She slid out from behind the bar, raising her glass at the Holy Trinity as she sauntered past. “See you, boys.”
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