Chapter 18
Sophie had just finished wiping down the last table when the front door of the pub banged open, bringing with it a gust of chilly air and a cacophony of American voices.
“Here we go,” she muttered under her breath, as a horde of tourists poured inside, their faces a mixture of frustration and relief.
“Our bus broke down! Can you believe it?” an older man announced, tugging off his “Irish Goodbye Expert” hat and shaking out his overgrown hair. As if everyone didn’t already know the bus had broken down.
Now, if Sophie were a betting woman, she’d say the red-faced man did not know what an Irish Goodbye was. However, she wouldn’t be sorry in the least if he and the rest of the busload did an Irish Goodbye and turn right back around to leave.
Sophie tried to take a head count but there was just too much activity. There had to be nearly thirty of them, all shedding coats, grumbling, and shuffling toward the tables.
Sophie forced a smile. “Make yourselves comfortable, everybody,” she called out, her voice betraying the mild panic clawing at her chest. She had called Keefe, and he was getting groceries enough to feed everyone, but he was still at least thirty minutes away. And even then he would be chained to the stove. And unless she suddenly grew four extra arms, she was going to need help!
She didn’t want to call the family. Darcie was recovering well, and the twins were thriving, but Sophie couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d be pulling them away when they were needed elsewhere.
With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and dialed. It barely rang twice before Liam picked up. “Hello, love. Where are you? What’s all that din?”
Sophie turned away from the crowd and took refuge in the kitchen. “That’s the sound of me drowning. The pub’s just been invaded by a stranded tour group, and Keefe’s not back yet. I hate to ask, but?—”
“Say no more. Hold tight. I’m on my way, love.”
And just like that, her pulse steadied. Help was coming.
Sophie closed her eyes for a moment, then threw back what was left of the coffee in her cup and brewed a fresh pot. With the coffee going, she filled pitchers with water then arranged glasses onto a large serving tray. With an exhale she opened the kitchen door carrying the tray and nearly dropped it when the last face she expected to see in the world appeared in the crowd.
“Sophie, Sophie, Sophie!” cried Emma waving her arm in the air from the front doorway.
Sophie put the tray down on the end of the bar as Emma rushed to her friend’s open arms. “Emma? I don’t believe it! What are you doing here?”
“I was passing and saw the line outside, and thought I’d pop in and see what the craic was.”
“No, I mean, why aren’t you in London?”
Emma smiled excitedly. “Surprise! I’m moving back! I bought a house and everything!”
Sophie couldn’t believe it! Emma had been her best friend since they met at Derrynane beach at the age of eleven and if she weren’t drowning in tourists right now she would throw her hands in the air and do a dance but… “Are you busy?”
“No, I’m not, why do you ask?”
“Good. I’m swamped! Can you stay and help?”
“Of course! What’s happened? I didn’t think you were open yet.”
“We’re not. I’ll explain everything later.” Before getting back to the business at hand, she gave her friend another tight hug.
Sophie instructed Emma to pour the water into the glasses after setting them on the tables. Now, one might assume that simply pouring a glass of water for each guest would be a task so easy it could be done in their sleep. A task that might earn a small smile, maybe a casual ‘thank you for letting us invade your humble establishment. We’re so grateful not to be left out in the bitter Irish cold, freezing our asses off.’ But, of course, that’s not what Sophie got.
“Hey, you’re not Irish,” an American said.
Well spotted, dumbass. This group was going to be a real treat to serve.
Sophie didn’t have time to split hairs about where this particular American was from, but if she had to take an educated guess, she’d say California. She’d dealt with enough customers at her parents’ pub to be right most of the time. Her time there also taught her that the customer is always right—no matter how much they irritate the ever-living hell out of you, you still have to be nice.
She plastered on a smile. “I’m half Irish. My father married an American.”
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be wherever you’re from?”
“I could ask you the same question,” replied Sophie with a screwed-on smile and she moved on to the next table.
The next table was a double and filled with tourists waving their phones in the air like magic wands looking for a signal and complaining. “Do you have somewhere to plug in my phone?” A middle-aged woman asked. Then another. And another. And another. Until practically every person in the room wanted an outlet for their phone.
Why, yes! Yes, yes, we do. Right up your—Okay, Sophie didn’t actually say that, but she sure wanted to.
Put the phones away! You’re on vacation in one of the most magical places in the world. That dumbass video of a dog on a skateboard can wait.
Sophie and Emma shared a look, both fighting the urge to roll their eyes and give them an earful because that wouldn’t be very hospitable now, would it?
As Sophie poured water, one tourist—a sweet, bubbly woman named Ginny with a thick Southern accent—offered to help serve. She was adorable, if a bit clumsy, nearly tripping over her coat that had fallen from the back of her chair onto the floor. But with the pub bustling, Sophie couldn’t turn down an extra set of hands.
Once everyone had a glass of water Sophie, Emma, and Ginny made their way back to the kitchen to make a plan.
“These tourists are peculiar,” whispered Emma, so as not to offend Ginny. “One of them was fascinated that I’m Irish.” Emma helped herself to a cup of coffee. She was going to need a lot of caffeine to deal with this crowd.
Sophie shook her head. Whatever she had done to deserve this she was more than sorry and would never ever do it again. “Zombies! All of them. Present company excluded.” Unlike Emma, Sophie did not whisper. This was her pub and if someone didn’t like what she said then they knew where the door was.
Ginny covered her mouth and giggled. “Try spending a week on a bus with them.”
“No, thanks,” Emma and Sophie said together.
“They’re not all bad, though. That couple at the table in the back by the window? That’s Lacy Ruser and her husband Jason. They’re newlyweds. Isn’t that sweet? They’re actually from Canada—very nice people. And you know, I bet this colder weather doesn’t bother them a bit. And then there’s Dani and Danny. Dani Varney—that’s Dani with an I, and her husband Danny with a Y—isn’t that just so adorable? Oh! And there’s Julie Camino—I just love her name. It makes me think of the car. I had a boyfriend, Jake, back in high school. He drove a black El Camino. We’d go driving all over?—”
Sophie suspected if allowed, Ginny would list each and every name of the passengers with a bio. She couldn’t decide if this woman was adorable or obnoxious. Since she was helping, she decided adorable, but Sophie had to make her stop. As it was, she didn’t need to interrupt.
“Sorry, was I talking too much? I do that sometimes. My daddy’s always telling me I talk too much, but he doesn’t mind, really. But you just tell me when to shut my mouth.” Ginny picked up her glass of water and took a drink.
Deciding that Ginny was adorable, Sophie laughed in her throat. Then she pressed her palm against her forehead for a moment pushing back a headache. This wasn’t her first crowd. She had worked in a pub her whole life but it had been a while and this lot… ugh! Talk about trial by fire.
She prayed this wasn’t an omen of what owning this place would be like. She huffed out a breath and started laying out a game plan. Emma, bless her soul, was the clumsiest woman she knew. That they’d managed to pour each glass of water without spilling—or worse—was nothing short of a miracle. Liam would arrive shortly, and Keefe too. The best Sophie could figure, the safest place for Emma, would be behind the bar. They weren’t fully stocked yet, but they had enough to keep the crowd happy. Ginny could help in the dining room, and Liam could assist Keefe in the kitchen to get these people fed as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the bar would be open, and that should keep them satisfied.
“How long do you think they will be here?” Emma asked.
Sophie shook her head. “Their tour guide, Benjamin?—”
“The nice one with the glasses?”
“That’s the one. He said there’s another bus coming to get them but it will be about four hours.”
“Oh, boy…”
“Ye-p,” said Sophie with a popping P. “Thanks for staying, Em.” Sophie crossed the floor to her friend and hugged her tight. “God, I’ve missed you!”
“Me too! But there’s time for that later. What’s your plan? Where do you want me?”
“And me,” Liam appeared inside the kitchen from the back door with a smile. “Hello, Emma. I wasn’t expecting to see you here. What a nice surprise.”
“Liam!” Emma went to Liam and hugged him. “It’s good to see you again.” Emma whispered in his ear before breaking their embrace, “I’m so excited that you and Soph are back together!”
Liam smiled and winked at her before kissing Sophie quickly. Then there was the quick introduction of Ginny. Sophie handled that herself or they were likely to get Ginny’s life story. “Right, what’s the plan, Boss?”
“Emma, you man the bar, but go easy. The last thing we need is a bunch of rat-assed tourists. Ginny and I will serve coffee and tea now and Liam, you give Keefe any help he needs. Em, when you need help, just shout.”
Emma nodded and went to the bar but returned to the kitchen a moment later saying there were no glasses behind the bar. Sophie and Liam rounded up the glasses, got them washed and dried and to the bar while Emma and Ginny went around the room taking drink orders.
So far so good. It wasn’t ideal, but they were making do just fine.
Sophie was pouring the last cup of coffee when she heard her brother’s voice calling to her from the kitchen doorway. She looked up and there was Keefe’s smiling face.
“Isn’t there any food around this joint?” the red-faced man asked rudely as she poured his coffee.
Sophie ignored him and her urge to pour hot coffee in his lap and went to the kitchen.
“Hey Sis, look who I found at the grocery store.” Sondra was there unpacking groceries. Sophie had never been happier to see her.
“Just tell me where you want me,” said Sondra.
Sophie put Sondra with Emma behind the bar—no way did they want her in the kitchen.
Since offering a full menu on such short notice—more like no notice—was impossible, Keefe whipped up two entrée options for everyone to choose from. He also thanked Sophie for having the foresight to fire up the fryers.
Before long, the rich aroma of food filled the pub, mingling with laughter and clinking glasses. The tourists were fed and happy, sipping their drinks and chatting away. And the makeshift staff were taking a well-earned breather in the kitchen.
“Honestly, they are the rudest people I’ve ever met and I’ve lived in France!” said Liam.
“I swear, there’s less activity in their brains than inside the Pope’s underwear!” Sophie declared.
“One of them asked if we serve hummus and another asked if the milk was pasteurized,” said Sondra.
“What did you say?” Keefe asked with a snort. That had to be the most butt-stupid question he’d ever heard.
“I said we keep a cow out back that we milk as needed and that we don’t serve hummus but that they were welcome to go outside and eat gravel.” Keefe threw his head back and laughed.
“So that’s why a bunch of them asked if they could have their picture taken with the cow! I wondered what they were on about.”
“That’s nothing. One of them introduced themselves to me and described himself as ‘a very Zen person with rage problems,’” said Emma as she rolled her eyes. “Ginny is nice though.”
Sophie looked around the kitchen and realized there was no sign of Ginny. Liam offered to take one for the team and go find her then disappeared into the dining room.
A minute later, Ginny came through the kitchen door. “I hate to ask this but, do ya’ll have a secret menu?”
“Sorry, a what?” asked Keefe.
“A secret menu. One of them is asking.” Ginny pointed her thumb over her shoulder.
“What sort of dumbass thing is that? This is a pub, not a?—”
Sondra pushed up her sleeves. “I’ll handle this.”
This was exactly the moment she needed to unload on these ungrateful interlopers. Ginny led her to the tourist, Zane, who was in the middle of a very self-important conversation about his album that was “going to be so chill.”
Sondra rolled her eyes. Good grief. When the hell was that bus coming to take these people away?
She leaned down and lowered her voice so that only he could hear. “I hear you’re asking about our secret menu? Now, the app is under construction—you know how Ireland is—but the cook told me himself…” Sondra looked around, pretending to make sure nobody else was listening.
“Yeah, yeah?” he said eagerly.
Sondra looked back into the dimwit’s eyes and almost felt sorry for him. But not sorry enough not to screw with him. She whispered something in Irish then stood up and swished her blonde hair out of her face then walked away leaving the guy looking bewildered.
Ginny followed as quickly as she could after Sondra, who moved elegantly through the crowd back to the kitchen. “What was that you said to him?”
Sondra leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms. “I told him deep fat fried donkey’s arsehole served with a jacket potato topped with unpasteurized cheese and dirt, served with the grass sifted from the cow’s shite out back and garnished with the tail feathers of a rooster.”
Keefe chuckled. Sondra was a wonderful addition to the family. “I’ll make him a plate of nachos and add a little something special.”
“Just throw some chips on top,” Sophie suggested.
Keefe cackled. “What did you think I was going to do?” He dropped a handful of thick sliced potatoes into the deep fryer.
Sophie laughed the hardest. “Sondra, did you see Liam out there?”
Sondra nudged her head toward the dining room. “Come with me,” she said.
Curious, Sophie followed, only to stop dead in her tracks the moment she spotted Liam across the room. Her stomach clenched.
A woman—a sexy woman—was practically draped over him.
Sophie gaped. She was polished, confident. Not trashy, but definitely the kind of woman who knew exactly what she was doing. Red high heels, tight black jeans, and a black lace button-up blouse that clung in all the right places.
Sondra stepped beside her and nudged her lightly with an elbow. “That’s Barb. Barb Strathearn. I asked Ginny.”
Sophie let out a humorless laugh. “You know her? What, do tall, skinny, gorgeous bitches have a club or something?”
Sondra smirked. “If she were coming onto any other man in here, I’d say be worried. But Liam won’t give her the time of day.”
As if on cue, Liam casually removed Barb’s hand from his chest and took a step back.
“I mean, really, how am I supposed to compete with that?”
“You don’t need to,” Sondra said, folding her arms. “She’s not his type.”
Sophie snorted. “Her breasts could poke my eye out.”
“Want me to take her down for you?”
Sophie then gestured toward Barb, who was now fully invading Liam’s personal space, draping an arm over his shoulder and leaning in just enough to flash a teasing peek of cleavage. While Sophie wanted to claw the woman’s eye out she also couldn’t help but admire her confidence. “Hey, Sondra. Do you think you could do that for me? Make me look like that?”
Sondra’s lips curled into a smile and she practically rubbed her palms together. She’d wanted to get her hands on Sophie from day one. “I thought you’d never ask. Come to my shop tomorrow.” Barb just let her hand drop slowly down Liam’s arm in the smooth, casual way men adored. Sondra pushed up her sleeves. “Right, I’ll take the eyes, you go for the throat.”
Sophie barely had time to laugh before Liam peeled Barb’s hand off him once more and walked away without so much as a backward glance.
He went straight to Sophie and before she could say a word, he swept her off her feet—literally. Then he kissed her deep and thoroughly. When he finally pulled back, his forehead resting against hers, he murmured, “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.” Liam placed Sophie back on her feet, then led her and Sondra back to the safety of the kitchen.
“So much for being out of the way of tourists. Their money is great but I wish they wouldn’t bring their stupid thoughts with them. Present company excluded,” she said gesturing to Ginny. “You were a great help today, Ginny. Have you eaten?”
Ginny shook her head.
Keefe was one step ahead of his sister and presented Ginny with a plate of fish and chips and another with Irish nachos. Her face lit up. “Thank you!” Sophie handed her a knife and fork, and Ginny began eating there at the counter. “You’re right about them, you know?” Ginny said. “I’ll tell you, if it were any longer than a day, I would ask where the closest hotel is, but the tour is over tomorrow, so I’ll stick it out.” She took a bite of the most delicious french fries she’d ever had and groaned. “Oh, my Lord. This is slap your momma good. Like something I would get back home. So good! Keefe, if I wasn’t so hungry right now, I’d kiss the lips right off your face, sugar.”
Keefe threw his head back laughing.
“It’s a shame though,” Ginny licked her finger, “hectic as this day was, it’s the best I’ve had on this vacation. I’m sorry it’s over. I feel like I missed out or something.”
“I’d offer you a job if you were local,” said Sophie as she leaned into Liam’s side, wrapping her arm around his waist.
Ginny swallowed another mouthful of food. “Really? Do you mean it?”
“Anyone who works as hard as you did today and always with a smile, you’re more than welcome here.”
“Is there any word on their new bus at all?”
Liam chimed in with good news. “Yes, their bus will be here in twenty minutes!”
Sophie reached into her pocket and pulled out some money for Ginny. “Take this and thank you. We couldn’t have done this without you.”
Ginny shook her head as her eyes teared up but she didn’t cry. “I can’t take this. This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
Sophie nodded her head. “If you ever come back, make sure you come and see us. You won’t ever pay for a meal here.”
To Sophie’s surprise, Ginny threw her arms around Sophie’s neck in a hug. “Thank ya’ll so much!” Now Ginny’s tears spilled over. “Ya’ll are just so nice,” she said as she released Sophie and stepped back.
A knock sounded on the door, and Benjamin poked his head inside. Keefe told him to step inside. Benjamin did so and searched for Ginny. When he’d found her, he smiled. “Thanks very much for taking us in. We’d all be frozen by now if it weren’t for you.”
“Glad we could help,” replied Keefe as he offered his hand to Benjamin to shake.
“We’ll be off now. The other bus is nearly here, and we need to get the luggage ready. Ginny, love, we’ll meet you outside?” He nodded a goodbye to everyone, then turned.
As he pushed the door open, a voice rang out behind him. “No, like, really, I swear! She said dirt and shit and something about a pastor!”
Before leaving, Benjamin glanced over his shoulder with an embarrassed smile—one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Beneath, was a clear, desperate glint that screamed, Please, for the love of God, save me!
Not wanting to embarrass the adorable Ginny, Sondra waited until the door was closed to say anything. “It looks like someone’s got a crush on you,” she said to Ginny. Sondra could spot sexual attraction from a mile away.
Ginny blushed and smiled and smiled and blushed. “Benjamin’s really nice. He’s the only one on the bus I could really talk to and—I’m talking too much.” Ginny popped her last proper chip into her mouth, then wiped her hands on a napkin. “Anyway, thanks again. Bye-bye.” She waved as she left the kitchen.
Liam tugged Sophie against him a little tighter. “Well, that’s them gone,” he said with a sigh of relief.
“Is everyone hungry? I have something set aside just for us.” A resounding yes sounded in the kitchen. “Get out of my kitchen then and put your feet up. Hey Soph, bring me a whiskey, would you?”
“Coming right up.” Sophie, along with everyone else, headed for the dining room and stopped at the bar to pour her brother a drink.
“Jesus Mary! I thought they’d never leave! Give us a splash of that whiskey would you, darling?”
Sophie lifted her head in surprise. “When did you come in? You’re Irish!”
“Well spotted, pet,” the aged Irishman said sarcastically. “I was passing by and saw you open and with all those people so, I came inside for the craic, thinking it was an opening party or something. Before I knew it, some American grabbed me by the arm, a pretty little thing, Barb I think her name was, and I swear I’ve been held hostage ever since. Anyway, I finally got away and hid inside your snug there till it was safe.” He shook his head in disbelief and sighed. They had tourists throughout the year and mostly they were fine, but you get a bus load like that and it makes a man grateful he lives on the Emerald Isle and not on the West Coast. “What a bunch, aye? I’ll say this though, if you hadn’t bought this place, God knows what would have happened to it. Probably would have been knocked down to make a parking place for more tour buses.”
Sophie blinked, then blinked again. Could this day possibly get any weirder? After a moment she burst out laughing hysterically. Once she gained her composure, she poured the man a small drink then sent him on his way.
After pouring Keefe a drink, Sophie looked inside the snug to make sure there weren’t any more stowaways then laughed when what she found was an empty plate neatly cleaned with a napkin folded beside it and the words “thank you for the best proper chips” written on it. Sophie folded the note and tucked it into her pocket. What they needed now was to unwind.
She stepped out of the snug and closed the door behind her. To her right everyone was lounging, laughing, and swapping stories. She picked up the bottle of whiskey on the bar, then placed it back on the shelf and that’s when she spotted it—peanut butter whiskey. She grabbed another bottle from the shelf and had an idea. “All right, who wants a peanut butter whiskey milkshake?” she called out above the rising laughter.
“Me!”
“I do!”
“I’ll take two!”
“I’ll make them!” shouted Emma. “I only spilled three drinks today and I didn’t break anything, I can handle this.” At the rate Sophie was moving, it would be ages before those milkshakes materialized. “You sit.” Emma pointed for Sophie to get out from behind the bar, then plucked Keefe’s drink from her hand as she passed by. “And I’ll give this to Keefe.” Emma, her perpetually klutzy best friend, didn’t make it three steps before she tripped—but to Sophie’s amazement, she didn’t spill the drink.
Liam held out his hand for Sophie to take. “There’s a sofa in your office. Why don’t we sit there for a few minutes, love?”
Once inside the office, Sophie and Liam collapsed onto the small sofa side by side.
“Liam, I couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you so much for coming.”
“You would have managed. You always do,” he said with a small smile. “I suppose I was sort of your knight in shining armor.”
They exchanged a look, warmth lingering in their gazes. She grinned, then glanced down at her shoes. Her feet were killing her. Without thinking, she lifted her legs and rested her feet in his lap.
Liam didn’t hesitate—kneading gently, his hands found her aching soles.
“Come on. Give yours here.” She patted her lap, gesturing for his feet.
“No, you’re all right.”
“You worked just as hard as I did. Your dogs must be barking as much as mine.”
“Well, it’s true—I have never peeled that many potatoes in my life. Have it your way.”
They shifted until they were holding each other’s feet, falling into easy conversation. She bit back a yawn, and Liam chuckled.
“Honestly, I think my IQ dropped ten points listening to the dumbest conversations ever known to man,” Liam groaned.
“Come on, don’t be so hard on them. I’m sure Gnarly and Lala will be top-notch musicians,” she said dryly. “In fact, it’s too bad I didn’t get their number to invite them to play here.”
He smirked, reaching into his shirt pocket. “Oh wait, what’s this?” With exaggerated flair, he pulled out a crumpled receipt, their phone number and email scrawled on the back.
She rolled her eyes. “I would wad that up and shove it up your nose if I weren’t so tired.”
“They insisted I take it, and I promised to give it to you,” he said, grinning. “And you know, I always keep my promises.”
She snatched the paper from his hand, crumpled it up, and launched it across the room, sinking it into the wastebasket. “Today reminded me that I need to advertise for staff.”
“Don’t think about that right now. You can deal with that tomorrow.”
From down the hallway, Keefe’s voice rang out. “Hey, you two! Quit flirting and get your asses in here for dinner while it’s hot!”
Liam grinned. “I’m starving.”
“Me too.”
With that, they headed to the dining room.