Chapter 3
Friends
Deja
Three years later …
“Jesus, Mary, Joseph, they’re back. I swear, if Kate quits the team, I’m drowning her, I am. So it is,” Aisling gasps.
“Ya don’t tell a fib. How do they get hotter every year? Is it the water in America?”
“Quit yer drooling,” I snicker and roll my eyes.
I already know they’re talking about Logan and Cole O’Brien. They and their sister Connie attend school in the States while staying with their granda. However, most summers they return to Ireland to be with the rest of their family.
Their youngest sister Kate, is my best friend. I’ve grown up around the O’Briens nearly all my life. I’m immune to their looks. Do I know that they are handsome? Of course, no one can deny that, but they’re more like my big brothers.
Besides, I’m six years younger than Logan and four years younger than Cole. Neither of them is worried about me. I’m sure the girls in America have secured their hearts already.
However, I do look forward to the summers when they return. It’s been three years since they were last here. Granda Ian had been sick for a while before they lost him. For the last year, they have been busy with university and taking over the business in America for their granda.
I may not have set eyes on them in three years, but I do talk to Cole a lot by phone since I’m always with his sister. Although I’ve missed having them around for a good laugh. The O’Brien home is still lively, but not as lively as when the guys are home.
They have probably changed a lot since I last saw them. I know I look nothing like I did the summer I was fifteen. A lot has changed with me.
I turn around to set eyes on my friends. Kate has a huge smile on her face as she walks between her two older brothers with her arms looped through theirs. They are both looking down at her as they talk.
I smile. It looks like both brothers have gotten taller. They were over six feet tall the last time I saw them. I’ll give each of them a few more inches in height.
Suddenly, the sun seems to begin to shine directly on Cole as he turns his head in my direction. My breath is stolen right from my lungs. He’s even more handsome than I remember.
His green eyes seem to sparkle as they roll over me. The crooked smile he gives me makes my belly flip and do all types of things it shouldn’t be doing at the sight of an O’Brien brother. I allow my gaze to roll over him to take him in.
He has on a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The black pants he’s wearing cling to his thick thighs. His black shoes look too expensive for a day at the softball field with his little sister.
However, what has me captivated is the ease of his walk and his presence. He moves as if everything around him should answer to him and his whims.
My mouth runs dry. Quickly, I snap my eyes back to his face as my cheeks heat. My heart is racing like crazy, and I feel insane for reacting this way.
A glance at Logan tells me this is a Cole-related response. While Logan has gotten broader and is more handsome than ever, I’m still not blushing and ready to run into his arms the way I’m ready to jump into Cole’s.
“Deja? Look at ya,” Logan says with a smile. “I thought Kate looked all grown up. Looks like ya went and turned into a little woman on us too. Aye, Cole, we have been away for too long.”
Logan pulls me into a bear hug and spins me around. I laugh and give him a tight hug. I’m relieved as his embrace feels like that of an older brother just come home.
He places me on my feet, and I look up at him with a smile. He reaches to tug at my ponytail and winks at me, still only the feeling of an older brother showing affection.
“Are you going to ignore me? Haven’t you missed me too?” Cole croons, causing me to look at him.
He pulls me into the same type of hug as the one Logan gave me. However, his hug causes butterflies to fill my stomach and I can’t help but take a deep breath. That’s the wrong move.
My lungs fill with his delicious scent, and I want to moan into his neck. Instead, I bite down on my lip to stifle the response as he spins me in a circle. When he places me back on my feet, I can’t force myself to look up at him.
“Ach, you haven’t gotten much taller, but you’re grown up all right,” Cole says.
“Ew, it’s more terrible in person. Ya sound like an American. That’s worse than me height not showing up for me, it is,” I tease. “What happened? Ya afraid ya wouldn’t fit in?”
“Ach, ya think I’ve forgotten where I’m from?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Aye, sounds like ya have.”
He tugs me into a headlock as he laughs. I wrap my arms around his waist and bask in his embrace. This shouldn’t feel this good.
I pull away slowly and take a few steps back. “Welcome back.”
“Ya can welcome me back by winning this game. Ya hit a home run and dinner is on me.”
“What do I get for two or three?”
He winks at me. “Ya have to hit them to find out.”
“Get yer pockets ready. I’m holding ya to that.” I rub my hands together.
“Ye two live to taunt each other. It hasn’t been five minutes,” Kate says.
I laugh and shrug. Like I said, Cole and Logan have always been like older brothers to me. I spent a lot of time with Cole the last time they were here.
I think we became closer during that time. During that visit, I saw something I don’t think many others did. Cole was struggling with something, and I wanted to help him out.
Kate had been focused on fourteen-year-old stuff. I don’t think anyone else saw the stress on his face as they were concerned with Granda Ian’s health. Kate’s a year younger than me. Right now, we’re both seventeen, but that’s not going to be for long.
I turn eighteen soon. Cole is already twenty-two. To be honest, I look up to Logan, Connie, and Cole.
I plan to go to America just like them someday. That’s where my mum and biological father are from. Mum keeps telling me she’ll take me, but she hasn’t yet.
Angus, my da who raised me, promised next year will be the year when he will take me himself. All I have to do is secure my spot on the softball team.
I guess I’ll be in America next year. I’m going to play in the league here. I’m good enough. I’m ranked as one of the best hitters in Europe.
“Come on, DJ. Enough of everyone talking. Show me what ya got,” Cole croons, pulling me from my thoughts.
I love his nickname for me. With a smile, I nod and turn back to my team to get my head into the game. I’ll show him all right. Dinner is as good as mine.
Brooklyn
“Aye, she’s still got it,” Logan croons as DJ knocks another one out of the park.
I nod my head as I clap. She sure does. “Ach, I know they hate to see her coming,” I chuckle.
“Your wallet is going to have the same feeling later,” he taunts.
“I don’t mind.”
“Mm.” He makes the sound, causing me to turn to look him in the face.
I try to dial it down, knowing I’m probably giving myself away. I should be ashamed of the crush I have on my little sister’s best friend. I’ve always had a little thing for Deja.
She’s a gorgeous girl inside and out. However, I wasn’t expecting to see her like this. She’s all grown up and so fucking pretty.
She’s had those bangs for as long as I can remember, but they suit her face. They sit right above those pretty brown eyes, bringing a mystery of their own to her features.
Last time I saw Deja, she was flat as a board, front and back. Today, that softball uniform fits her curvy body in a way no man can ignore, but I must.
We’re not here for our usual family visit. It’s been best for Logan, Connie, and me to steer clear of Ireland. Our good-for-nothing granda Oland feels we betrayed him by living in America with our granda Ian.
Then I turned him down three years ago when he asked me to stay and work for him. Not under my da, but in my da’s place. The bastard is an eejit if he thought I was going to go against my da and my brother.
Granda Oland knows Logan doesn’t want to be my da’s successor. Oland and Logan bump heads like bulls. However, Logan hasn’t stepped away from doing what my da asks of him.
This has caused tension and problems for our da. We don’t want to be a problem for Da, but Oland leaves a bad taste in the mouth of anyone he comes in contact with.
We’ve always preferred to spend time with Granda Ian over that bastard Oland. When the offer was made to follow Granda Ian to America and spend time in Scotland, we jumped all over it.
Logan and I thought it might ease things for Da. It did in some ways. However, it caused trouble in others.
This is why we’re back. Not to see our family and have a good time. We're here because we’ve gotten wind of Oland being up to something.
Something that involves Kate and her best friend. It’s a problem Da and Uncle Finlay thought we should look into. A problem that’s going to get Oland hurt if there’s any truth to it.
“Remember, we have to keep an eye out for McTavish. We probably should keep our distance as much as we can. I didn’t mean to hug the lass. It’s a habit,” Logan whispers into my ear.
Deja will be eighteen next week. Her father plans to surprise her with a trip to New York at the end of the month. There’s a chance she won’t be coming back to Ireland. Not for a while.
My granda is up to something. Logan and I are here to confirm some things. Once Deja is in New York, I can finally tell her how I feel.
She’ll be further out of Oland’s reach. I’ll be careful this time. What happened to Nakim will never happen again.
I grunt at Logan because I can’t promise him anything. I find it hard enough to keep my feelings for Deja locked away. Whenever I’m around her, I need to be near her.
It’s for her safety, Cole.