Chapter 32 Declan
DECLAN
Bree loved us, and it might not be enough to get her to stay.
I’d barely slept last night, my mind too busy replaying our conversation and everything that happened afterward to allow rest.
I pulled the chairs down in the main pub area and double-checked the taps even though I knew they were fine.
The routine helped me settle in and change direction with my thoughts.
My personal life had never interfered with work before, but I’d never had a woman like Bree in my life before either. She took up every second of every day.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The morning passed in slow motion. Every time a thump sounded overhead, I jerked in that direction, anxious for the moment Bree joined me.
It didn’t happen till noon, and by then, I’d stopped trying to polish glasses and wipe down the bar. I served drinks when asked and kept the place running.
Her footsteps reached me, soft and quick on the stairs in that cadence I’d memorized the day she showed up.
She paused on the bottom step, her gaze sweeping over the pub.
Her green sweater brightened her eyes, the sharp cut of her hair drawing my eyes to her throat.
A quick smile flashed and she joined me at the bar. “Morning.”
Tom and Gerald walked in for their lunch, waved at Bree, and settled into their booth.
“I got it.” She filled two pints and picked up the fries Benny had ready for them and carried it all over without breaking stride or losing her smile.
They’d behaved since my little chat, but I kept an eye–and an ear–on them just in case.
I love you. The way she’d looked when she said it last night swelled in my chest.
Damn it all. Don’t start counting on things. Bree would make up her mind, and we’d accept her decision.
Didn’t mean I had to like it or not try my damndest to convince her to stay, but not here. Not yet.
The door opened with a jingle of the shamrock bell Ronan had installed in honor of Maeve.
Bree turned, a smile already in place.
Tammy Whitaker and two of her friends walked in.
“Tammy. Vicky. Rose.” Bree nodded to each of them in turn. “It’s good to see you.” Her smile never faltered, and she motioned at their table, welcoming them without hesitation.
All three women looked around, their gazes darting. Tammy took a step forward, pulling her bag higher on her shoulder. They took in the whole room before Tammy spoke. “Ronan does good work. Maeve would have loved to see the pub’s facelift.”
Bree’s head tilted to the side. “Yes, he does excellent work. Nana Maeve would love the changes he made.” That was it. No condemnation, no demands for an apology. Bree let Tammy’s underhanded comment slide with a smile and more grace than I possessed.
Bree backtracked to the counter. “Coffee?” She filled four mugs almost before Tammy bothered to respond with a quiet yes.
They took their usual table, each one sliding in and scooting around while continuing to check out the updated pub.
I pressed my lips together to keep from saying a word and focused on my job.
Bree carried the coffee over, pulled out a chair, and sat.
The move startled Tammy enough that she hesitated in reaching for her coffee, her hand poised halfway then coming back to rest in front of her.
Bree nudged the coffee closer, taking the extra one she’d poured for herself and wrapping both hands around it.
“I really am glad to see you today. Things were a little strained last time we spoke, and I’d like to settle this whole thing.
What have I done that offends you? I’d rather you tell me to my face than skulk around town avoiding me. ”
I almost cheered for her.
All three women looked at each other, mouths falling open enough to flash their dentures. Rose sipped her coffee and nudged Tammy. “Go on, then. You wanted to come here. Might as well give the girl what she asked for.”
I started out from behind the bar.
Bree didn’t even look at me, but when she dropped her hand by her side and waved it back and forth, I stopped.
Tammy squared her shoulders, the set of her jaw reminding me of Maeve when she had something important but uncomfortable to say.
“Fine. You’re right. I’ve been avoiding this, and it’s high time you hear the truth.
I think you’ve been playing games with men who don’t deserve it.
Finn, Declan, and Ronan have built lives in this town.
They’re good, honest men. They deserve better than to be flirted with and led along by someone who made it clear on day one that Clover Hill would never be home. ”
She took a breath, and I waited for Bree to defend herself. Instead, she rolled her wrist in a ‘keep going’ motion that Tammy must have taken as a challenge.
Cheeks red and hands trembling, Tammy stared Bree down.
“I think you’ve been playing those three men against each other.
You’re stirring up trouble, is what you’re doing.
And I want to know when you’re leaving. Now that the renovations are done, which is the only reason you’re here, when will you go back to where you belong? ”
Silence.
Absolute. Utter silence. I’d never heard O’Sullivan’s so quiet.
Bree sat there, either in shock or despair, I couldn’t tell.
The door opened with a merry jingle, and I very nearly ripped the shamrock off the fucking thing and tossed it in the trash.
Every head in the room turned toward the sound.
Bethany.
Jesus Christ almighty. Could one single fucking thing go right today?
Bethany grinned so wide and sharp she reminded me of a shark.
All teeth. No soul. Triumph shone in her eyes as she swayed over the threshold, the door closing quietly behind her.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.” She almost purred the words, and I knew she’d been standing outside, waiting for this moment.
It was something a woman like her did, preying on others.
She looked at me, then Bree. “I’ll say what everyone else is too polite to.
” A turn of her heel brought her around to face Bree.
“You came into this town, shoving your ungodly amount of cleavage at any man who looked twice. I’m sure plenty of them looked.
How could they miss it? You looked for anyone who would fall into bed with you.
” Bethany shifted her expression when she turned again, this time to address the room.
I ground my teeth, halfway across the room to throw her out on her ass, when Bree stopped me with a look. Why? None of this was true.
Bree shook her head in a tiny motion no one else would notice.
“We don’t want a woman like that around here, stirring up trouble. We don’t need someone like her ruining our town’s community spirit. I, for one, think the world would be a better place without sluts like her sowing conflict.” She snorted. “I bet she’s given all three of them and STD.”
Enough. I didn’t care what Bree was up to. No one spoke like that and got away with it.
Bree pushed up from the chair in one slow movement that yanked every eye her way just as Bethany did when she came in.
My breath caught at the cold, glorious fury in her eyes. Hell, I hoped she punched the shit out of Bethany. If it was a man saying those things, he’d already be flat of his back.
Bree tugged her sweater sleeves down and picked a piece of lint off her shoulder. “I’m so glad you got that off your chest. I’m sure you feel better. Now it’s my turn.”
The righteous, triumphant smile on Bethany’s face dimmed.
“As the owner of this pub, I have the right to ban anyone from the grounds.” Bree didn’t break eye contact, didn’t raise her voice.
The low, controlled tone spoke volumes after the tirade she’d endured.
“You, Bethany Clearwater, are from this very moment, banned from O’Sullivan’s.
You are not allowed on the property, though I will grant you access to the sidewalk.
This ban is final. And permanent. I will not allow this establishment to serve anyone who is as spiteful and slanderous as you.
” Bree faced me. “Declan, if she ever so much as puts a toe onto my property again, call the police.”
“Done.” I bared my teeth in a smile that sent Bethany back a step.
“You.” She looked around, desperate for help. “You can’t do that.”
“I just did. You have five seconds.” Bree tapped her wrist. “Five. Four.”
Bethany stormed out with a screech and a huff, trying to slam the door behind her. The automatic hinge resisted, and she let go with another grating scream.
No one moved.
Bree returned to her seat in front of Tammy and took a drink of her coffee. Everyone held their breath, no doubt as curious as I was whether Bree would pronounce the same judgment on Tammy.
Bree turned the cup three times. Tammy noticed, her sharp inhale giving her away. Bree smiled a tiny, barely there smile. “I respect you for walking in here and saying what you did. Your intentions were good, though you’re misreading the situation from every angle.”
Tammy opened her mouth, then snapped it shut when Rose put a hand on her arm.
“You’re concerned for their wellbeing. I respect that too. You love them, and I’m the prodigal daughter you never had a chance to know.”
That had to hurt. Tammy flinched and grasped her cup tighter. Good. Maybe Bree could get through to the old bat that she’d belonged here this whole time.
“I get it, though. From what you’ve seen, from your perspective and your beliefs about love, you’re unable to see the full picture.
But, you see, I’m not playing those men against each other.
I love them. I love each of them, and they all know it.
It was never a game to me. I never came here to play with hearts.
But none of that matters, because no matter what I do, no matter what I say, nothing on God’s green earth could convince me to stay in a town with such smallminded, judgmental gossips who would rather ruin someone’s life than mind their own business.
” Bree stood, taking her cup with her. “I can’t wait to leave this place.
You’ve all made sure of that. I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning.
” She turned away without another word, set her cup in the sink, and went up to her apartment.
She said it all so calm that it took a minute for the devastation to catch up.
When it did, I swayed on my feet as the full force of it hit. Sweat broke out on my face, and my vision went spotty, forcing me to grab the bar to steady myself.
Voices rang in and out of focus. I let them.
I let it all go as the storm rushed through every part of me. I should go after her.
No. She probably wanted space after all that.
I’d talk to her tonight. Tell her how proud I was of her for standing up to Bethany and telling her truth while saying to hell with it.
She’d pretty much blown our relationship wide open.
A few people glanced my way, then decided they had a lot better things to do than even think about talking to me.
Finn and Declan came in hours later, and I told them everything that had happened.
We agreed we needed to talk to Bree once I closed the bar for the night, and by the time I shooed out the last customer and locked the door, Finn was vibrating on his seat.
He leapt up as soon as the lock clicked and bolted up the stairs with me and Ronan on his heels.
Finn opened the door and dashed inside, sweeping Bree into a hug from behind. “You badass. I am so glad you gave Bethany what she deserved.”
The instant praise cleared the lingering fear to the point that Bree chuckled and hugged Finn back. It lasted all of two seconds before she reached across the bed, grabbed a stack of leggings, and tossed them into her suitcase.
My heart plummeted. “You said you were leaving tomorrow.”
“We’re here to convince you to stay.” Finn plopped onto the bed so hard the stack of shirts toppled. “Stop packing and talk to us.”
Bree grabbed them and dropped them on top of the leggings, not bothering to smooth the wrinkles. “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.” The second suitcase sat by the door, already packed from the way it bulged.
“Bree.” Ronan lifted his hand but let it fall without touching her.
“I can’t stay here another day.” A quiver hit at the end, but she shook her head hard and kept going.
“I refuse to be this town’s scapegoat and town pariah.
I can’t handle that kind of cruelty long term.
I bested Bethany today, but she will never give up.
Loving you is the best thing that has ever happened to me. ”
She said it all fast, smooshing the words together like she couldn’t get them out fast enough.
“We can fix this.” Finn held her hand, pinning it between both of his.
Bree took a shaky breath, then another. “This is why Mom wanted me to get out of here in the first place, and she was right. I did what I came here to do. It’s time to go home.”
“What about us?” I refused to let her skate past that part without an answer. “Where does that leave us?”
She stopped shoving stuff into her suitcase with her one free hand and raised her head. Tears shimmered in her eyes and streaked her cheeks. “It’s over for us. It was fun while it lasted, and I’ll never forget you.”
Ronan flinched.
Bree sucked air with a long, gasping sound. “It’s time to face reality. There is no path here. There is no happily ever after. There is no choice I can make that ends with me being able to stay with all three of you.”
Pick one. The thought hit and was discarded just as easily. It wouldn’t be possible, and I would not put that kind of weight on her. We were an all or nothing group. She knew that going in, and we’d accepted it.
Ronan wiped a hand down his face, clearing the tears before Bree turned.
But Finn and I saw. We saw and we broke for him and for ourselves. I’d never loved anyone the way I loved Bree.
Could I love her and let her walk away?
I had to. She deserved to be happy too, and this town made her miserable.
“I love you.” I cupped her face and kissed her one last time. “I will always love you.”
“I’m sorry the people here are so shitty.” Finn hugged and kissed her. “I don’t want you to go, Bree. You’re breaking our hearts.”
“Mine too, but this is how it has to be.” She sobbed but never stopped packing.