Chapter 4
Chapter Four
The next night, Sierra found herself in Mulligan’s pub surrounded by fans screaming at the TV where soccer, called football in Ireland, was playing.
“Oh, COME ON!” Tyler practically screamed in her ear. She tried to lean away only to find his roommate, Jack, screaming something by her other ear as well. Her eardrums weren’t going to survive this.
Tyler’s second roommate, Jameson, laughed from the other side of the table. “You actually came when Tyler invited you to a pub? You had to know this was going to happen.”
Sierra frowned. “I thought we were coming to spend time together as friends.” She emphasized the word ‘thought’. “If I had known it was just to watch football, I would have stayed home.”
Tyler looked over at her as if suddenly remembering she was there. “Sorry, I just get a little too excited about sports sometimes.”
“I see.” Sierra took a sip of her cider. This just reaffirmed that he wasn’t her type. Sierra wasn’t interested in sports at all.
“Oh, come on, Sierra, loosen up a little. Football is fun!” Tyler put his arm around Sierra’s shoulders as she grimaced.
“For you, maybe.” She huffed under her breath, draining the rest of her drink and ducking out from underneath Tyler’s arm. “I’m going to get some fries. Anyone else need anything?”
The guys had their eyes glued to the screen, not even acknowledging that she spoke. Sierra rolled her eyes and headed to the bar.
The bartender was also watching the game as she dried a glass in her hands.
As the team on the screen missed a goal and the crowd in the pub cheered, she turned and looked at Sierra.
“What can I get ya?” she asked in the Irish accent that Sierra wished she had.
The lyrical lilt made everything sound so much more attractive.
Sierra ordered another cider and a basket of fries, handing over her card.
The bartender printed the receipt, sliding it back to her.
She quickly signed, picking up her cider and turning from the bar, only to run into a wide chest. She would’ve fallen over if the owner of the chest hadn’t grabbed her arms to steady her.
Sierra checked to see that her cider was still mostly full before raising her head to find Aodhan’s piercing green eyes staring back at her.
Anger immediately coursed through her, igniting beneath her skin. The library at the campus they both attended was one thing, but ending up in the same pub in a city that was nothing but pubs? He was clearly following her.
“You need to stop following me.”
Aodhan didn’t say anything. He took a step back.
“I’m serious.” She tried again. “I’m going to contact the campus police if I keep seeing you.”
Aodhan’s eyes raked over her, not an ounce of fear on his face, making Sierra feel naked even though she was wearing a turtleneck sweater and jeans.
His eyes drifted over to the table where Tyler and his roommates were sitting, anger flickering in their depths.
“I just want to know why you will go out with him, but not me.”
Sierra cocked her head at the odd words. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m ten times better than that guy.”
Sierra felt her ears getting hot. “You must have some nerve. That guy is only my friend, and, unlike you, he showed up on time when we made plans. As far as I can see, the fact that he values me should be answer enough as to why I’m here with him.
” Sierra made to move past Aodhan, but he put a hand on her shoulder, effectively stopping her.
“Listen, I’m sorry I was late on the date. But you’re not giving me a chance.”
Sierra glanced at the table, wishing that Tyler was paying attention so he could come rescue her.
She attempted to duck out of Aodhan’s strong grip but it was like iron.
Pissed that she couldn’t avoid the situation, she retaliated.
“Maybe if you had said sorry when you arrived, I would have given you a chance. But with your behavior, following—no, stalking—me, I see no reason in hell to spend any more time with you.”
Aodhan raised his eyebrows. “I am quickly noticing that maybe we are not a match after all.”
Sierra narrowed her eyes. Who talked like that? Aodhan was clearly off, and she regretted that she had ever granted him a date. But it looked like he was backing off at least, so she added her retort. “Yeah, I guess we aren’t. So, bye.”
Yanking herself out of his grip caused her cider to splash over the edge of the glass, but at this point, she didn’t care.
“You’ll regret this!” Aodhan called after her as she stomped back over to the guys, who hadn’t even noticed she was gone.
Sliding into the rickety wooden chair at the high-top table they had chosen to occupy, Sierra sipped at her cider, refusing to look around and confirm that Aodhan had left. Instead, she watched the soccer players run across the screen, not really watching the game, or caring which of the teams won.
Something about Aodhan brushed her the wrong way, but the words he was saying weren’t technically threatening. Internally, she was going back and forth about whether or not she should speak to someone on campus about her concerns regarding him.
When the server arrived with her fries, she took the opportunity to look around and see if Aodhan was in the bar.
When she noticed he had indeed left, she decided she likely didn’t have to worry about him.
If he showed up somewhere again, then she would tell someone. He was probably harmless, just weird.
At least, she hoped that was the case.