Chapter Twenty-One
Alicia
Today’s the day Paddy’s new lady comes to visit. He’s had me cleaning out nooks and crannies that literally no one will ever see while he flits around the pub aimlessly. He’s nervous.
“Pat,” I call out to him. “Would you sit down before you have some sort of medical episode?”
He harrumphs, taking a seat at the bar opposite of me. I pour him a couple fingers of his favorite whiskey and hand it to him.
“Here. Drink this, and breathe.”
Nodding, he takes a healthy swallow from the glass followed by a deep breath. “You’re a good lass, Alicia love. I don’t tell you that enough. This place would damn near turn to rubble without you.”
My eyes widen at his admission. He’s complimented me before and has often joked about how I keep the pub up and running, but he’s dead serious right now. There’s not even a hint of teasing in his voice.
“Thanks, Paddy,” I mumble before snagging his glass and downing the last of his liquor.
“Now see here! Just because I paid you a compliment doesn’t mean you get to pilfer a man’s drink!”
There it is.
“Good thing you’re the owner and can just pour yourself another glass.” I give him my best smile.
“Ach, not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep up as the owner, if I’m being honest. I’m no young buck anymore.”
I think I might be the one having a medical episode right now because my heart just stopped, then tried to leap through my sternum. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I grab a lime from the container next to the cutting board and begin quartering it.
“Is there something I need to know, Pat?” I ask cautiously.
He’s staring down at his hands, completely oblivious to what I just asked.
“Pat?”
“Hmm? Oh, sorry, love. What did you ask?”
“Is there something I need to know? Is there a reason you brought up not running O’Nelly’s for much longer?” Refusing to make eye contact, I keep cutting limes until there are no more.
“Nah, just an old man talking nonsense, is all.” He waves a hand dismissively, but it’s not very reassuring.
I’m about to pry, when the door to the pub opens, the little bell attached to the top frame jingling as it does.
The sunlight has them backlit, so I can only see the silhouettes of two people, but the grin on Pat’s face confirms that Sondra has arrived.
He hops down from the stool and makes his way toward her.
The moment they’re close enough, he takes her hands in his, kissing her knuckles and every bit the enamored gentleman.
Once the door closes and my eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the pub, I finally get a good look at the woman who’s stolen Paddy’s heart.
She’s about my height, but far curvier in a way that makes me a little jealous.
She’s an elegant beauty with deep brown skin and nearly silver box braids pulled up into a stylish bun.
Fine lines adorn her face, but they just add to her beauty.
When Paddy leans in to kiss her cheek, you can tell she’s just as crazy about him as he is with her.
“Hello, a stór,—my treasure. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Ugh, it’s too sweet.
“I’m glad to be here, my dear,” she tells him, then turns to look over her shoulder. “You remember my grandson, Isaac.”
Isaac is tall, broad, and devastatingly handsome.
He reminds me of a younger Idris Elba—high cheekbones, strong nose, and bedroom eyes.
Stepping around his grandmother, he extends a hand to Paddy and lighting up the entire room with his smile.
I’m not sure how long he’ll be visiting, but I’m expecting him to attract a lot of attention if he comes to the pub during normal business hours.
Especially if he keeps wearing those designer jeans that hug him in all the right places.
“Aye, of course. Nice to see you again, son,” Pat greets, then turns, waving me forward. “And this is Alicia, my right-hand lass.”
“Hi, nice to meet you both.” I extend a hand toward Sondra, who gently grasps my fingers.
“Lovely to meet you, as well. My Paddy has told me so much about you.”
I laugh. “Hopefully all good.”
“Only the truth,” Pat says mischievously.
I shoot him a look before offering my hand to Isaac, who surprises me by dipping his head and bringing my knuckles to his lips like a proper Southern gentleman.
“Alicia, it’s a pleasure.” His baritone voice is smooth like velvet.
He winks at me before righting himself and making a show of examining me from top to bottom. Years of fending off the advances of good-looking men has taught me how to hide my facial expressions well, but the attention is no less flattering, especially when they’re tall, dark, and handsome.
Extracting my hand, I cross my arms over my chest, not missing the way his gaze darts down to the swell of my breasts for half a second before looking me in the eye. Sondra doesn’t miss it either.
“Isaac Brookes,” she reprimands, giving him a stern look when he turns. “Behave.”
“Sorry, Gran.” He has the decency to look ashamed, but the moment she gives her attention back to Paddy, he grins at me with a devilish smile.
He’s trouble.
“Can I get either of you a drink?” I ask, throwing a thumb over my shoulder. “Wine, beer, cocktail, soda?”
“Nothing for me, sugar, but thank you,” Sondra declines politely, ever the proper lady.
Isaac asks, “What’s your specialty?”
“Well,” I reply slowly, then give a conspiratorial look . “I don’t like to say this in front of the boss, but I’ve been told I pour the best Guinness.”
“Ach! Who told you that?” Pat asks indignantly, crossing his arms and pouting.
I give Isaac a look that clearly says, “See?”
Sondra giggles and reaches out to squeeze Pat’s arm. The scowl melts from his face at her touch, and he lays his hand on top of hers.
“Well, I won’t be a very good judge then. And, please don’t be offended when I say this, but I’m not a Guinness fan.” He grimaces like he’s just insulted the entire O’Nelly family line.
I snort a laugh at the choked sound my boss makes. “Alright, fair enough. What’s your poison then?”
“I love a good IPA.” His deep voice follows me as I turn. “There’s a brewery back home that makes this incredible pineapple coconut IPA. They sell out of what’s on tap almost nightly in the summer.”
He watches me as I walk behind the bar, propping his elbows on the surface and lacing his fingers together.
“That sounds pretty amazing,” I admit. “Do you know if they distribute? Might have to talk Paddy into adding it to the menu.”
Isaac grins broadly. “You get that here, and I’ll move to Wilmington tomorrow.”
I give him a curious look. “Wouldn’t you miss your life in Indy?”
“Nah, there’s nothing really holding me there anymore. Especially now that Gran’s moved.”
The light in his eyes fades a little, so I reach for a glass and put it under the tap of our best selling IPA, filling it to the brim. “That sounds like a broken heart to me.” I slide the beer to him. “Want to drink about it?”
A smile returns to his face as he picks up his beer and holds it up in salute. “I see what you did there.”
“What can I say? I’m gifted.” I shrug. “Let me know how you like that one. It’s from a semi-local brewery and one of our top sellers.”
Isaac takes a healthy drink and ponders it for a moment before nodding slowly. “Yeah, that’s good stuff.”
“Good enough to leave Indiana behind?”
He gives me a shrewd look as he takes another drink, eyes studying my face. Setting the glass down, he leans forward a little. “Maybe.”
The bell over the door jingles and my eyes flit over automatically, then I beam as Norah and Eamon walk in.
“There they are!” Pat blurts, pulling Sondra by the hand to intercept the couple.
I watch in amusement as he shows her off like she’s the greatest thing to have ever walked the earth, and maybe she is to him.
The Kennedys exchange greetings and handshakes, Norah radiating joy while Eamon smiles gently.
I don’t have a lot of close friends, which is my own fault, but if there was one person I know I could go to for anything, it’s Norah. She’s been trying to get me to hang out for weeks now, but our schedules never seem to line up.
“Friends of yours?”
“What?” I jump because I might have forgotten Isaac was standing there.
“Oh, yeah. Norah and Eamon. He’s Irish too.
Pat is kind of responsible for them being together.
Or so he likes to tell everyone. I’m technically the one that introduced them and fueled their meet cute, but whatever keeps the old man happy. ”
Isaac chuckles, standing as Pat leads the Kennedys over. Norah grins at me, and Eamon nods his head in greeting.
“Isaac, meet Norah and Eamon Kennedy. They’re only recently married because of yours truly.” Pat puffs his chest, looking mighty proud of himself.
I raise my brows at Isaac when he glances my way. “See what I mean?”
He laughs again, extending a hand toward Norah first, then Eamon. “Nice to meet you both. Congrats on your recent nuptials.”
“Thank you!” Norah gushes, not so casually bringing her left hand up to Eamon’s chest to show off her wedding rings. “Paddy walked me down the aisle.”
Leaving them to get acquainted, I slip down the bar to where Sondra is sitting quietly. “Are you sure I can’t get you something?”
She smiles and shakes her head. “I’m just fine, honey. It looks like my Isaac has taken a liking to you. I haven’t seen him smile a genuine smile in a few weeks.”
This revelation makes me a little uncomfortable.
I don’t want either of them thinking I’m on the market, but I also don’t want to be rude.
So instead of blurting out that I’m involved with someone, I admit something easy.
“He seems like a great guy. What stole his smiles, if you don’t mind me asking? ”
She glances his way, pursing her lips for a moment, before answering. “A girl, of course. Isaac was dating this young lady for a short while, but was quite smitten with her. She ended things about a month ago.”
I nod my head knowingly. Break up stories are par for the course at a bar, and usually the number one reason for any fall down drunk customers. That, or when Norah Kennedy challenges someone to a drinking contest.
“I’m sorry to hear that. He won’t stay lonely long, I’m sure. He’s young, handsome, and charming. He’ll be snatched up in no time.”
Sondra grins, eyes twinkling and I can practically see her wheels turning. I’ve seen Paddy give that look whenever he plays matchmaker. Her lips part like she’s getting ready to say something, probably asking me if I’m single, but Norah saves the day.
“Hey, Li!” she chirps. “How are you? It’s been too long since we’ve caught up.”
“I know,” I tell her with a pout. “I was just thinking about you earlier, so I’m glad you’re here now. How’s work?”
Norah is a costume designer and seamstress for the theater department at UNCW. She gained a small amount of limelight after creating costumes for a modern-day production of Beauty and the Beast. And rightfully so, because they were stunning.
“It’s good! We just started working on costumes for the spring production, but I was able to talk the department into adding a few extra people to our team, so it shouldn’t be quite as chaotic.”
I turn to Sondra. “Norah is a master seamstress and designer at the University. She made me a dress to wear to her wedding too, and it’s still my favorite article of clothing.”
They don’t need to know that it’s because it was the dress Ro stripped off of me the first time we slept together.
Norah blushes, embarrassed by the praise, but she’s earned it. “Thanks, Li.”
“What a wonderful talent to have,” Sondra tells her. “I can do some basic stitching, but to create entire dresses? That’s quite the achievement. I’d love to see your work sometime.”
Norah pulls her phone from her pocket. “I have a few on my phone if you want to see those.”
“I’d be delighted!”
They quickly get lost in the collection of photos, so I pivot, nearly walking right into Pat.
“Jesus, Pat!” I whoosh out. “When did you sneak over here?”
He chuckles. “Sorry, lass.” Then he steps closer and whispers, “So? What do you think?”
I smile softly. “I think she’s great, and if she makes you this happy, then how could I not love her?”
A giant grin breaks over his face. “Good. My sons have met her, but they’re rarely around. It’s you three,” he gestures to me and the Kennedys, “who matter the most.”
“I think it’s safe to say she’s a keeper for all of us,” I tell him honestly. “You deserve all the good things.”
Those aren’t empty words. Pat has been a constant and steady presence in all of our lives for a handful of years, and I know I speak for all of us when I say he’s worthy of every joy this world has to offer.