Chapter 9
POV: Maeve?
Two days had passed since Liam and I kissed.
Declan had been texting me, quite frequently since our first meeting, and had insisted on taking me on a proper date.
Honestly, I thought our first meeting was a proper date, but maybe they did it a bit differently here in Ireland.
Declan insisted that we go out for a proper fish and chips. His recommendation was this cozy little spot that actually happened to be just two doors down from The Crow’s Nest.
We set our meeting for 6 pm sharp, and right at 5:50 pm as I was throwing my raincoat on and hauling on my yellow rainboots, I realized I was going to be late.
The restaurant wasn’t too far, but I still insisted on walking everywhere, no matter rain or shine, so my usually peaceful walk was replaced by a quick jog, jumping over every puddle in my way.
I made it just two minutes past 6 pm and as I stomped my feet on the rug at the entrance of the Fisherman’s Net, my gaze connected right with Declan’s. He was happily smiling from a small corner booth, and waving at me.
I should have felt giddy with excitement—I should have blushed, or felt awkward even, instead it just felt like I was meeting a friend for a quick bite to eat.
We exchanged pleasantries, including a very awkward hug then I slid into the booth across from him.
He talked about teaching with a spark in his eye that gave me hope about loving one’s profession. I felt like that when I wrote.
We had similarities but the more I dissected the date, and what I was feeling for him…I realized it was a whole lot of nothing. It felt like going on a platonic date. There wasn’t chemistry, not even with things in common.
Declan insisted on paying, even though I insisted first.
I hated wasting his time, but I was trying my best to give this a chance…to give him a chance—the nice, kind, safe guy, the one who any woman would be lucky to go on a date with and here I was wasting his time, without him knowing I was wasting his time. And I think that made me feel like an even bigger jerk.
We hugged and Declan went on his way down the sidewalk, while I just stood there frozen in place.
Because all I could think about was seeing him. Liam.
Even though he had ignored me the last time I saw him and I had ignored him back, I still couldn’t stop thinking about the way he made me feel…which was very different from the way Declan made me feel.
I closed my eyes for a second and let the rain fall on me. Luckily, I was still wearing my raincoat with my hood up, but the sound somehow brought me clarity.
It’s like the rain could whisper—The Crow’s Nest is only 2 storefronts away.
Well, maybe it wasn’t the rain. Maybe it was my delusional, overly proud, and stubborn mind that told me to go to the Crow’s Nest in hopes that I would see Liam there.
I should have gone home. I should have reflected on my date with Declan. I should have done anything else but go to where I knew Liam was.
But bad ideas came easy to me. And this one wasn’t going anywhere. So I might as well go with it.
And suddenly, I was standing in front of the Crow’s Nest, thinking about entering but wondering if I actually should.
Then the next thing I know, I pushed the door open, catching a gust of wind as I did, and met the eyes of Liam straight on. He was busy cleaning a glass in his hand. After a moment too long of normal human eye contact, his gaze retreated from mine and back down to the glass.
So, he was still planning to ignore me I see.
What Liam didn’t know, is I was as stubborn as women could get. If he’d go high, then I’d go low and so over, until he got the point.
Following the need for instigation, I led myself straight to the bar area and plopped myself down nonchalantly on a bar stool, not exactly in front of him, more off to the left but still, in reach for him to notice me.
Liam was still staring down at that glass like it was speaking to him, obviously avoiding me as if I was the next black plague.
I rolled my eyes, half hoping he’d see and that would lead into a fight, and maybe just maybe a heated exchange of banter that sent my entire body reeling with electricity.
But he ignored me, and after 5 minutes of waiting, the other bartender, the brown haired girl from yesterday, came over to greet me.
“Well, hello again!” She greeted me. “A little late for coffee and Bailey’s I take it?” she joked.
I nodded. “Can I get a Guinness?”
“Of course you can!” she smiled then walked away to pour my Guinness.
When she brought it back, she placed it in front of me and then offered her name, “My name is Caitlin. I take it you’re a visitor then?”
“Maeve. What gave it away?” I laughed.
She smiled. “The accent.”
“Always the damn accent,” I joked.
“Are you here for the festival?” she asked.
“Unfourtantly,” I almost rolled my eyes, and snuck a peek at Liam who was actually watching Caitlin and I’s exchange.
As soon as he noticed I saw, he quickly averted his gaze away from us.
“My grandma insisted I come here for the festival. But I’m a writer, so I figured why not? I could at least write a story out of it.”
“And how’s it going so far? Have you found love or have you found your story?” she asked with peaked interest.
“It’s going,” I shrugged, laughing. “I’ve gone on two dates so far with Declan O’Malley.”
“Oh, Declan O’Malley?” she cocked an eyebrow with surprise. “And how is that going?”
“It’s going,” I replied kindly. “He’s kind, thoughtful, he’s safe…” my words drowned out.
“And a bit vanilla,” she joked.
I nodded, sipping my Guinness. “I just don’t know if finding love in Ireland is in the cards for me.”
As I said the words, my gaze drifted back to Liam, who was pouring two Guinesses into glasses and handing them off to a pair of women sitting at the bar.
I guess I was a little obvious, because her gaze drifted behind her, to the exact place my gaze was fixated on. Liam.
She gave me a knowingly smile, “Liam is definitely not safe, by any means.” she laughed.
I pretended like I had no clue what she was talking about.
“Who?”
She gave me another knowing look. “It’s impossible not to notice my brother unfortunately, though I try to ignore him as much as I can.”
“Your brother?” I almost spit out my beer.
“That’ll be him. He owns this place. I’m just helping him out here.”
“Oh,” I replied, nodding. “Well like I said, I don’t think love is in the cards for me here.”
She shrugged. “Maybe not with Declan. Well Maeve, it was wonderful meeting you, but I’ve got a bar to tend to before my grumpy brother says something, I’m surprised he hasn’t stomped over here and told me to get back to work yet!” she called out, hoping he’d hear from the distance, but Liam was still at it—ignoring me. He didn’t even bother to look in our direction.
If I knew anything about Liam, then I knew exactly what he was doing.
Maybe it was because I ran away from him, leaving him standing there shocked in the rain.
Maybe it was because I was openly dating Declan and he was jealous.
Maybe it was because he didn’t want me to get the wrong impression and he wasn’t interested in me romantically.
But my gut told me that it wasn’t number 3, that it had to be the first two options.
So, I continued playing the long game—-ignoring him as he ignored me.
I set down ten euros before I wrapped myself back into my raincoat and left the bar without another look back.
And I vowed that the next time I saw Liam, I would confront him and address the silent elephant in the room.