Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Did you get your obligatory photo yet?” Finn asked as he approached Maisie.
He didn’t miss the brightening of her eyes as she turned toward him. “Yeah, Pearl took it for me.”
Hmm. That was disappointing. He’d missed his chance to have the excuse to stare at her without being creepy. “Doesn’t she know I’m the designated photographer? What am I to do with me life if she’s takin’ over me photo responsibilities and you’re takin’ over entertainin’ on Bob?”
“Yeah, you don’t have to worry about that happening,” she said. “I’m never going to be late again.”
“That’d be a shame. Your voice is lovely.”
She stared, as if trying to decide if he was teasing her or not, so he gave a reassuring nod. The humble smile she delivered in return sent a warmth straight to his soul.
“Thanks,” she said softly.
Their eyes met, and an energy passed between them, snapping and crackling like electrical currents, pulling his spirit closer to hers.
He shouldn’t be doing this, staring at her, admiring her, giving her compliments. Not when it resulted in his will being thrown out the window.
Fortunately, she seemed to have more strength of mind than he did, as she was the first to break their contact. The energy between them vanished, dissipating into the air around them like flecks of dust in the sunshine, and he was left to pick up the pieces of his determination that had been pulled away from him in a flash.
He really didn’t have the time or energy to deal with this—the repercussions of allowing himself to dwell on his attraction to her. It certainly wouldn’t help him to focus on his family, nor would it lead to any good, what with the physical distance between where they lived and their oh-so-different lives.
“Have you gotten a photo here yet?” she asked next.
He wasn’t away in the head enough to think their connection had been one-sided, but she appeared utterly unphased.
“Aye,” he responded. “A long time ago. I used to come with me parents when I was a wee lad.”
“But not a recent one?”
“Naw,” he said, still bringing his mind up to speed.
“If you ask me, that’s all the more reason to take one now.”
He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m more than happy without one.”
“Come on,” she pressed. “Imagine how much your mom would love it. Ooh, like those photo recreations, you know?”
Finn shifted his feet. He didn’t like posing for photos. With a group, sure. But alone? Ach, it was too awkward. Too exposing, like he was standing inside a glass cage at a zoo with everyone watching him, figuring out his darkest secrets and deepest feelings.
But Maisie was clearly not giving in. “You know your mom would love it,” she coaxed.
That was the truth. Ma was always asking for an updated photo of him. The only ones she had recently were ones of his mates or ones that she’d taken herself .
“I just don’t like havin’ photos taken of meself,” he said. “That’s all.”
A fleeting thought came of how he’d be fine if Maisie posed with him, but he readily set the image aside. Taking a photo with her might give others the wrong idea about them.
Maisie regarded him silently for a minute, then folded her arms. “You know, normally I don’t push people to do something that makes them uncomfortable. But the very fact that you had me sing in front of everyone on Bob is kinda making me not want to back down.”
Finn didn’t know if it was her use of the name “Bob” or the cheeky glint in her eye, but he found his determination wavering.
Still, he pressed his lips together before responding. “You do know how stubborn a Norn Irishman can be, love, don’t you?”
He used the word “love” platonically, of course.
“I’m aware,” she responded. “I’ll have you know, though, that my great-great”—she paused, counting on her fingers before continuing—“great-grandparents were born in Antrim, so that same stubborn streak has been festering in my blood for centuries.”
He couldn’t help but smile. She was too adorable.
She tossed her head toward the trees. “Come on, Mr. O’Meara. Do this wee photo for your ma , and I’ll stop bugging you.”
He made to shake his head again, but when she reached forward, wrapping her fingers around his forearm and gently urging him toward the center of the tree-covered avenue, his resolve fully unraveled. Like a lovesick schoolboy, he did exactly as he was told, his age-old, stubborn Irish pride melting into a puddle at his feet.
As soon as he was situated in the middle of the street, she released her hold on him. He didn’t even bother attempting to retreat, his body still reeling from her touch.
“There we go,” she said with an encouraging nod as she pulled out her own phone. “I’ll use mine since I don’t think you’d give me yours.” She gave him a knowing smile, then looked down at her phone as she pointed it at him. “Now go on and give me a big ole grin.”
He stood awkwardly in front of her, unsure of what to do, how to stand, how to even smile.
“Wow,” she said.
“What?”
“You’re really bad at this.”
He pulled back. “I do have feelin’s. As you trod all over them.” He waved his hand dramatically in front of him.
Maisie laughed. “I’m sorry, but look at this.”
She took a few steps toward him and held up her phone for him to see. He grimaced at the sight of the discomfort written across his features.
“You see?” he began. “That’s why I hate havin’ photos taken of meself.”
Maisie, however, was undeterred. “No, you just need some coaching, that’s all.” She backed up again, holding up the phone once more. “Okay, first off, think of something that makes you happy. Like your mom.”
Finn did his best to think of Ma, but with Maisie’s eyes glued to his features, he couldn’t focus much on anything.
She pulled her lips to one side. “If I had a son, and he made that face when he thought of me, I’d be wondering what in the world I did to him.”
She had a point. The eyes of a few other tourists not from their group settled on him, and he nodded uncomfortably at them.
“Maybe you could just take the photo already,” he mumbled to Maisie.
“Nope. You gotta loosen up a little.”
“I am loose,” he said rigidly.
“You look like a piece of chalk.”
He pulled a face. “Beg your pardon.”
“A very cute piece of chalk,” she quickly corrected .
Did she just call him cute? Was that good in the States? Or was she saying he looked like a wee boy?
“Just smile normal,” she instructed.
“We’re not exactly known for smilin’ in our photos here. Least not like you lot.”
“Okay, then just say, ‘cheese’.”
“Cheese,” he repeated dully, his lips moving forward more than from side to side.
The pink pigs on the back of her phone smiled at him mockingly. “That didn’t work.” She sighed. “Do you like jokes?”
“If they’re class.”
“Okay, I’ve got a great one. Where do generals keep their armies?” She paused, and Finn shook his head. “In their sleevies!”
She popped her head above the phone, her mouth spread out in a wide grin as she looked at him expectantly.
Her look alone was enough to nearly make him crack a smile, but he decided to play as if he was still unamused.
“Oh, come on,” she said. “That was a great joke!”
“That was a terrible joke,” he retorted.
“Fine, let’s try something else.” She looked at him, then back down to the camera. “Stand to the right a bit. No, my right. A bit more. Bit more. Just a little bit more.”
Finn did as he was told, but after further instructions, he sighed. “Are you havin’ a laugh, Maisie? I’ve stood in this exact same spot over and over again.”
She grinned. “I just wanted to see how many times you’d move before giving up.”
He laughed in surprise. “You cheeky wee minx.”
“Hey, it made you feel more comfortable, didn’t it?” She moved forward, showing him the photo he hadn’t known she’d taken.
He stared at the image of him, his shoulders lower, his stance more relaxed, and his smile completely natural.
The woman was a miracle worker .
“Now one more for good measure,” she said, backing up again.
“Ach, naw,” he said, waving his hands. “One is good enough.”
“Nope. I’m gonna make you take photos for as long as you made me sing that song.”
He laughed again.
“That’s it,” she said. “Now just look right here and think of how funny you are. Bragging about yourself usually brings about a smile.”
Once again, he felt a grin tug at his lips.
She took another photo, then stared down at her phone. “There we go. I got some great ones.” She looked at him with a pleasant smile. “And you’re all done.”
“Thank heavens.”
Another couple came up nearby to have their photo taken in the center of the avenue, so Finn and Maisie shuffled to the side.
“So many good ones,” she said, swiping through the photos.
Finn leaned closer to her, looking down at the images himself until he caught a whiff of something sweet drifting toward him. It didn’t take him long to realize it was coming from Maisie. Was it her shampoo? Lotion?
His eyes traveled down the gentle slope of her neck and admired her dainty ears, accentuated with delicate silver hoops. Everything about her was so feminine. So gentle and lovely that it made his own masculinity flair up in a strange desire to protect her and make her happy.
“All right, let me send these to you,” Maisie said, jogging him from his thoughts.
He blinked mutely, taking a step away from her, though that gentle scent still lingered beneath his nose.
“Your mom is gonna love these,” she said, still looking down at her screen.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and in his distracted state, he half-thought Maisie had sent him the photos already. One quick look down, however, revealed a message from his da instead.
Da
Job at William’s Banking Group fell through. I guess there was someone better qualified. Still hoping to hear back about the operations analyst at EJS. We’ll need to chat soon.
Finn stared at the words, his shoulders sinking as the weight of the world fell back onto him. They’d had such high hopes for that management position. EJS couldn’t be relied on at this point either.
Which meant, Finn was the only one they could rely on.
He rubbed his hand down the side of his cheek, his whiskers scratching against his palm, though he hardly noticed. Da needed to chat soon. That meant he needed another month’s rent.
Finn had already been planning on it, but the thought tightened around his chest, making it difficult to breathe.
“Finn?”
Maisie’s soft voice slipped through the cracks in his mind.
“Pardon?” he said. Had she said something?
“Do you have WhatsApp?” she asked, apparently repeating her words. “So I can get these photos sent to you.”
Finn stared hard. Exchanging personal numbers with passengers was definitely not allowed, and dating was strictly forbidden. She was just trying to get him photos for his ma, though. That hardly warranted concern, right?
And yet, as he numbly repeated the numbers to Maisie, the realization of his circumstances settled around him more heavily. What if someone saw them, reported Finn to Nirbt, prevented him from getting that bonus, or worse—got him fired? If he lost his source of income, his family would lose everything because of him.
He took a quick glance around, but fortunately, everyone seemed focused on the hedges instead of them.
Still, he needed to be more careful. He needed to be more aware. He’d allowed himself to slip, to waver in his focus. If things got worse, he could very well risk the security of his family and their home—not to mention his own flat.
“There you go,” Maisie said as his phone pinged, alerting him of her messages. “Now don’t forget to actually get them to your mom, okay? I worked hard for that.”
She clicked off her phone with a smile, apparently unaware of the crisis taking place in his mind.
He nodded, staring at the images though not really seeing them. She hadn’t sent anything other than the photos. That wasn’t breaking any rules, right?
“You okay?”
Finn looked up, a moment passing before he registered Maisie’s concerned look. “Aye,” he breathed. “I’ll be sure me ma gets them. Cheers.”
She nodded, though her eyes still watched him curiously.
He cleared his throat and tucked his phone in his pocket, backing away before she could talk to him further. “You’ll have to excuse me now. I’ve got to see to the others on the tour.”
“Of course,” she said, her smile not as bright as before.
Finn walked away with a tip of his cap.
Maisie had been the perfect distraction to his worrisome corner of the world. But then, that was the problem. She’d been so distracting that he hadn’t been thinking clearly—he wasn’t acknowledging the risk he was taking by spending so much time with her.
It was time to wise up. Time to prove to his family he wasn’t completely useless.
He needed to get that bonus for himself, and he needed to keep his job for his family, and that was evident now more than ever.