Chapter 12
Liam frowned at the text message on his phone.
Heads will roll!
There was no doubt that it was a drunk text. Sophie always got high and mighty when she drank too much, earning her the nickname Your Majesty. He considered calling, but something told him she wouldn’t pick up.
With a sigh, he grabbed his keys and headed to her house.
He arrived to find the front door unlocked. Stepping inside, he spotted Sophie—barefoot, very drunk, and stumbling around the living room, belting out the lyrics to a song they’d learned as kids.
“With her head tucked un-der-neath her arm, she walks the bloody tower! With her head tucked un-der-neath her arm in the midnight hour!” She marched, then took a swig straight from the bottle tucked beneath her arm as if it were a head.
Liam snorted, startling her.
“You’re here! You got my message!” she cried and stomped toward him with the half-empty bottle of whiskey cradled under her arm.
“What’s going on, Soph?” If she were in a better mood, he would have referred to by her nickname ‘Your Majesty’ but when Sophie stomped, as her text message said, heads will roll.
“Do you know what the bastard did?”
Liam braced himself. “Who? What’s happened?”
“That rotten lying bastard! I shouldn’t have divorced him, I should have killed him! Where is it?” She spun on her heel in search of something and nearly fell over snatching a letter from the couch. It had landed there after she’d thrown it earlier. “Read this!” She shook it violently in front of her.
He tried to take it from her but she waved the crumpled paper tight inside her fist just out of his reach. “I’m ruined! That son-a-bitch-piece-of-shit ruined my life! Again! Twice!” She held the letter within his grasp again then moved it away as her rant blazed on. “He’s an asshole’s bastard step child who was left on the doorstep of hell and raised by Satan himself!”
“Why don’t you let me read that, love?”
Sophie handed over the letter, then plucked the bottle from under her arm, unscrewed the cap, and took another swig. “See for yourself! He’s erasing—no—he’s resending my alimony!”
Liam’s jaw clenched as he read. Her ex-husband, Bobby, was rescinding her alimony. “That fucking bastard.”
“That’s my line.” She threw her free arm up, nearly tipping over. “And you know what’s worse? I was nice about the divorce! I could have made his life a living hell, but noooooo, I just wanted to be done with the bastard! I wasted the best years of my life on him! I worked extra shifts to pay off his student loans! But does that matter? NO! Because he’s a spiteful, cheating, soulless devil!”
“Can he do this? Is it legal?”
“How should I know? Probably not! He never cared about rules! He even sent a contract he expects me to sign!” She threw her hand in the air gesturing to the kitchen counter where the contract laid. Sophie’s lip trembled and she quickly burst into tears. “Well, he can take it, and he can fold it in five corners, and shove it where the sun don’t shine because I’m not signing!”
Liam wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she let it all out.
Once her sobs faded into quiet hiccups he guided her to the sofa, and as soon as they sat, she curled into him, tucking herself beneath his arm.
“What am I going to do? I’m responsible for half of the pub. Keefe can’t afford the place on his own.”
Liam scanned the room looking for a box of tissues. His shirtsleeve was already soaked through. He was relieved when he found one just within his reach. “I can help, if you’ll let me,” he said offering the tissues.
She plucked one from the box and blew her nose. “You’re very sweet but I don’t see how.”
“I’ll lend you the money.” He would have offered it to her outright but knew she would never accept it.
Sophie shook her head and took a few more tissues to wipe away the tears that just wouldn’t stop coming. “I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not? What’s the alternative?”
She shrugged her shoulders and started bawling all over again. “I’ll just have to go back home.”
Nope. Nuh-uh. Not on Liam’s watch. He would not sit around and let the love of his life walk away again!
Sophie was too drunk to think straight and therefore in no condition to have an adult conversation. So, he cut to the quick and gave her no other choice then to go along with his plan.
He sat her up and made her look square into his eyes. “Now, here is what’s going to happen: I’m going to loan you the money you need. You’re going to accept it. Then you’re going to pay it back. End of. Understand?”
Sophie considered for a minute. She didn’t want to leave Ireland and she couldn’t argue with Liam’s determination. At the moment she definitely couldn’t argue with him considering she wasn’t sure which one of the three Liam’s she was looking at right now was the real one. All three had the same handsome face she adored. She assumed it was the one in the middle.
Sophie burst into tears all over again and nodded her head as she threw her arms around him. “Thank you.” She pressed a lingering, wet kiss to cheek. “You know this isn’t why I called you, right?” she blubbered.
Liam tightened his arms around her and gave a comforting squeeze. “I know that, a stór.”
Sophie sighed and relaxed inside his arms. She had always loved it when he called her that: his treasure. “We’ll need a contract and?—”
“No, no contract, no schedule. We shake on it and that’s that.” Liam pulled away from her, stuck out his hand for her to shake, and she took it with a tear-stained smile.
He’d always known what to do. No matter what the situation, Liam had always found a solution and if by some small chance he couldn’t find a solution, he made one instead.
“Have it your way. You always were the stubborn one,” she teased, nudging him with her shoulder.
“Me? I’m not nearly so stubborn as you.” Liam brought her back under his arm and hugged her close.
“Liam?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” With her bitter tears now dry, she settled against him. He gazed around the room. They had a lot of memories in this house. This was where Sophie usually stayed when she would visit in the Summer. “Being in this house takes me back. We used to play games at that table over there. You taught me how to gamble.”
Sophie grinned. “Yeah, I remember one time I bet my aunt’s statue of Mary.”
“I still have that.”
“You’re kidding!”
“You didn’t notice it in my kitchen? I tried returning it once, but she said that it had been a gift from her mother-in-law and she’d always hated that statue and to keep it.” He could still recall Nan’s laughter. She knew all along where it had gone to.
Sophie smiled. “Remember when she caught you sneaking out my bedroom window?”
How could he forget? If Nan hadn’t come home when she did, he and Sophie would have been naked in her bed and at it like rabbits. “I wasn’t wearing any pants, and she made me stand there in front of her while she lectured us. How old were we?”
“I don’t know. I think I was fourteen? She’s always loved you.”
“She wasn’t so fond of me when she caught us making out on this very sofa.”
“Different sofa.”
“Huh?”
“Same room, different sofa. That one was green plaid. This one is blue.”
Liam looked to his left at the sofa cushion. Now he remembered.
So many memories.
All this talk about sex stirred up feelings in him that were completely inappropriate for this situation. He needed to get off the sofa before he did something reckless—like kiss her. He’d never been able to resist Sophie when she cried, which wasn’t often, but she wasn’t ready for that, and he wasn’t the kind of man to take advantage.
Gently, he eased her away and stood. “Now, what do you say to some food?”
“I’d rather have my bottle back.”
“You’re already drunk, Soph.”
She gasped. “How dare you? I resemble that remark.”
He lifted an eyebrow. She sure did.
She glared at him and although wobbly, stood up. Then, to his absolute shock, she stomped her foot demanding her bottle. He couldn’t help but laugh.
Liam stepped closer to steady her. “Come on, let’s get you some water before you declare war on the furniture.”
“Too late,” she muttered, kicking at a throw pillow on the floor. Then she scowled at it. “That thing tripped me earlier. Off with its head!”
Liam bit back a smile. “Right. Definitely the pillow’s fault.”
Sophie poked him in the chest. “You know, Liam Gallagher, you’re very bossy.” Then she patted his cheek a little harder than she probably meant to. “But that’s okay. This handsome face can boss me around anytime.”
Oh, great. Now she was flirting. Liam exhaled. It was going to be a long night. “We should get you some carbs, or you’ll wake up with a whopper of a hangover.”
“A whopper sounds good.”
Liam snorted. “The nearest Burger King is at least two hours from here. And if your uncle Henry ever caught you there, you’d never hear the end of it.”
Sophie groaned and put on a brogue Irish accent imitating her uncle. “Him and his ‘proper chips’.”
Liam laughed. “I can cook.”
Sophie perked up and stumbled behind him into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and looked over the contents. “Keefe won’t get upset if we use some of this beef, will he?”
“He’ll get over it.”
“I will?”
Sophie yelped, startled, as her brother appeared in the kitchen. “What the hell, Keefe?”
Keefe folded his arms. He’d smelled the whiskey from the front door. “Jeez, had enough to drink, sis?”
Sophie got down from her seat and made her way to the side table where Liam had laid the letter then shoved the crumpled letter at him. “Shut up and read this.”
It was then he noticed she had been crying. Keefe scanned it, his expression darkening. “What a—well, this changes nothing.” Keefe sighed, understanding now why his sister was upset. He took her in his arms, hugging her hard. “Listen, I don’t want you worrying about money. I didn’t drag you into this plan for your money. I did it to get you away from this.” He crumpled the letter tight inside his fist. “From him. I wanted to help you start fresh. I never really needed your money to do this. I just let you think I did.”
Again, her eyes burned with tears and she held her brother even tighter. “Why would you do that?”
Keefe softened his voice. “So you’d feel like you had a purpose again. I didn’t want you to feel like you were just tagging along or coming as my special case.” He pulled back but held onto her shoulders. “But most of all, I couldn’t see myself doing this without you. I need you here, Soph. I told you, I can’t do this without my big sister.”
Sophie threw her arms around him. “I love you, you big jerk.”
Keefe hugged her tight. “I love you too. It’s all going to be okay.”
Sophie sniffled, then turned to Liam, her head still on Keefe’s shoulder. “Liam?”
“Yes, love?”
She wiped her eyes. “You can keep your money.”
Keefe didn’t know what that meant but it didn’t matter. Knowing Liam, he’d probably offered her a loan. He clapped his hands together. “Now that’s settled—Liam, get the hell away from my stove. I’ll make us some food.” He turned to Sophie. “Fried cheese and a ham omelette, sis?”
“Yes, please! And buttermilk biscuits too, please and thank you! Liam, you’re going to love this.” As she passed behind him, Sophie gave Liam’s butt a quick pinch, making him jump. She shot him a wink over her shoulder before falling face down onto the sofa to pass out for a few minutes. “Wake me up when it’s ready, would you?” she said, her voice muffled from the cushion.
Keefe blinked after his sister then looked back at Liam. “Did I miss something? Are you two…?”
She had caught him completely off guard with that cheeky pinch. Not that he didn’t like it. And he didn’t know that she hadn’t told Keefe about them. Those two told each other everything. “Ah… yes.” Liam gestured with his hands, trying to explain. “That is, we… I… it’s pretty recent.”
Keefe grinned wide with a snort as he cracked two eggs simultaneously into a bowl. “It’s about time.”
“Thanks.”
“Should I be threatening you or something?”
“I think a small brotherly threat would satisfy protocol.”
“I don’t have to tell you what her divorce did to her, but if you hurt her in any way, I’ll cut your balls off and serve them in my mulligan stew.” Although it was said in jest, the sentiment was genuine. Liam slowly nodded, looking a little fearful. Keefe grinned, then went back to work. Deep Fried cheese would not fry itself. “Should I be asking what your intentions are with my sister?”
“I love her and want to marry her. I know she’s not ready for that but I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”
The question hadn’t been genuine but Liam had given a very genuine answer. Keefe had hoped that Liam would say something like that.
With protocol now satisfied they could move on. “For god’s sakes don’t let her drink anymore. Any more and we’ll be dining with Her Majesty.”
Liam was filled the kettle to make tea. “I hate to break this to you but the queen has already made an appearance. She was singing when I got here.”
Keefe glanced back over his shoulder. “Anne Boleyn?”
“The one and only.”
“That’s your fault.” He pointed a spatula at Liam then turned back to his cooking.
“I was nine years old when I taught her that. She wanted something to jump rope to. How was I supposed to know it would become her drunk anthem?”
“Liam! I need you.” Sophie summoned him from the living room.
Liam shook his head and laughed. Apparently, she hadn’t passed out. It was good to have Sophie back.