Chapter 6 #2
He noticed the subtle stiffening in Rory’s face, then she dipped her chin. “If I’m rostered on then of course you will. Why wouldn’t I be there?”
He could take a stab at why Mary might have questions.
Rory didn’t look at him except to raise her eyebrows, which he took to mean “are you coming or not?” Then she exited.
“I guess that’s my cue,” he murmured.
“Truly, Aidan, I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you,” Mary said. “It’s just that I thought it important to share all the information, even if that’s not going to be popular with some.”
Like Rory and her family.
“I appreciate your help. And thank you so much for this. I’d better go catch her seeing as she’s my lift back to the hotel.”
“If you find you need somewhere else to stay I’m sure we can fix you up with a bed in the pub.”
“I’ll keep it in mind, thanks.”
“Oh, and don’t forget to take the books,” Mary said, gesturing to them. “You can always return them to the bookshop, or ask Rory to pass them on.”
Was she serious? He didn’t think Rory would appreciate being asked to do that. Although if it gave her the opportunity to see the other side of things, maybe she would be more open.
“Thanks.” He scooped them up, made a final farewell, then hurried through the halls, back into the main pub room, then out the front door.
A quick glance down the street saw Rory’s stiff figure striding to her car. And a figure following behind her.
Aidan frowned, and was about to call out when the man put on a burst of speed and grabbed Rory’s arm.
“Hey!”
Aidan rushed forward, just in time to see Rory twist her arm away, bending her knee then jamming it upwards between her attacker’s legs.
The man’s cry of pain ricocheted off the brick and lime-washed buildings, and Aidan hurried to her side, startling both her and the man who was now whimpering, his hands over his groin.
“Are you okay?” Aidan asked.
“Of course I am.” She glared at her wannabe attacker. “I’ve got a brown belt in jiu-jitsu—”
She had? That was unexpected. And impressive.
“—so it’s not like I need a man to save the day.”
Oh. Right. Good to know.
Now he was closer, the street light revealed the man who’d grabbed her was the same one who’d slurred his hello before. “You again.”
The man cringed and stumbled away.
“You should report him,” Aidan told Rory.
She shrugged, shook her head.
“No?” he exclaimed incredulously. “Why wouldn’t you? Creeps like that deserve to be locked up. What’s to say he won’t try that again on another woman?”
“He won’t,” she muttered, still refusing to look at him.
“How can you say that?” He frowned. “Do you know him?”
“Yes.”
She did?
“Well, how do you know he won’t try that on someone else?”
“Because Seamus has always had a crush on me, okay?”
That was understandable. “But that doesn’t mean he won’t try it on someone else. Come on. I thought women these days were all about solidarity and ‘me too’ and trying to take the bad guys down. Why won’t you report him?”
“Because he’s Mary’s son.”
Wow. Okay, that made a few things more clear. And more tricky. But, “It’s still not okay,” he said gently.
She sighed. “I know it’s not okay, but I don’t want to cause any more drama for that family than what they’ve already undergone.”
Drama? Was there more to Mary’s surprise find than he’d first realised? The situation before which seemed so black and white suddenly seemed a little more grey.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked. “Regardless of your toughness, and ability to take care of yourself, that still must have shaken you up a little.”
“I’m fine,” she snapped, unlocking her car. “Now, are you coming back with me? If so, I’d really rather not talk too much. I have a headache.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, which earned him a glare.
He stayed quiet as she settled into the driver’s seat, and did his best to hide the books to not trigger her again.
He appreciated her fortitude, and even though she might not appear to be the most gracious of hosts right now, he could understand how the previous news had shocked her.
And probably not just the news about her family’s claims of ownership over the castle ruins.
His involvement, which he’d kept on the down-low, was probably also not something she’d appreciated learning.
He peeked across as she drove, her brow furrowed, her teeth nibbling at her bottom lip.
“I really didn’t mean to upset you,” he said.
“You know, I would be feeling less upset right now if you didn’t keep insisting I was upset.”
He wasn’t sure about the logic of that, but as it sounded like something his sister might say, he figured it probably wasn’t wise to pursue it.
“The meal was good,” he said instead.
“Maybe you should eat there again tomorrow night,” she snarked.
Okay. When snark overtook tourism hospitality manners then something was very wrong.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked again.
“I told you I’m fine .”
Yeah…
“Look, could you please not talk to me right now?”
“Sure,” he muttered.
And the rest of the return journey was silent, save for the hum of the motor, the crunch of gravel, the slam, slam of two car doors, and his murmured, “Thanks again” which earned him a shrug.
Yeah, clearly this was either a massive headache or she was mightily ticked at him. Which meant the next few days would be fun.