Chapter 32 #2
I scoff too loudly, drawing the eye of several nearby diners.
Clearing my throat, I lower my voice so only she can hear me.
“No, bug. I never brought her here. I never brought anyone here bar you. To be honest,” I lean back, allowing our server to fill our glasses and hand us the menus.
I wait a beat after they stalk off to give us a moment, then add, “I didn’t realise éabha ate anything that didn’t come out of a takeout bag.
” Opening my menu, I catch Katie’s lips twisting into a sweet grin. “I guess money changes people.”
Katie chuckles softly, shaking her head. “So, no hostility towards her then?”
Cheeky bitch.
I try to keep a straight face and fail miserably. Speaking through my teeth, I say, “She fucked him in the back of his car while we were still technically married.”
“Weren’t you separated?”
“Besides the point!” Oh yeah, I’m getting drunk tonight. I grab the drinks menu, scanning the list of overpriced wines and speciality cocktails.
Of course, Katie doesn’t stop there. Oh no. Girl power and all that jazz. “She was with Tommy before that, no?”
My only response is to glare at her.
“I’m sure you had your fair share of bed mates at that time; why is it a different set of rules for her?”
She is so close to going over my knee right now. Onlookers be damned.
“She. Left. Me,” I say through clenched teeth, my patience wearing thin.
Katie leans in. I’m momentarily distracted by her cleavage; I don’t notice the condescending grin spreading across her face. “That must have stung. I’m surprised your ego could handle it.”
The brat-tamer eyebrow arches in response to her comment. She sees it, sniggers, and sits back in her seat. I love this woman. I do. But I’m tempted to strangle her right now.
“Are you ready to order?” The server interrupts, oblivious to the tension between us.
I don’t know. I don’t seem to see my dignity on the menu tonight.
Katie hums softly in her throat; she was too busy winding me up to look at the menu.
“We’ll have a bottle of the 1966 Salon Cuves ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut.
We may need another moment or two to browse the menu for our food selections.
” I shoot Katie a look that could kill, silently warning her not to push me any further.
She smirks in response, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
As the server walks away, I take a deep breath and drop the wine list on the table. Only then does Katie see the price and make a noise that draws every eye in the restaurant.
“Bug,” I mutter under my breath.
“Ten grand,” she hisses back at me.
“Will you please,” gripping her hand tightly, I wait until she makes eye contact before continuing. “Sit your gorgeous arse back down in that seat and let me worry about the finances.”
She glances around, noticing the odd lingering stares from nearby tables. She blushes to her roots, withdraws her hand from mine, and begins finger-stimming under the table.
Shit, that must have sounded harsh. “Bug.” I reach for her hand, but she slides it further away, avoiding my touch.
Fuck decorum and propriety; I need to make things right.
Sliding from my seat, I take great care to hunker down and not kneel beside her.
I don’t want everyone to think I’m proposing just yet.
“I’m sorry, bug. I didn’t mean it to come off that way.
” Running the back of my hand along her cheek, I feel her relax slightly.
“You never need to worry about the cost of things with me, bug. Let me worry about the finances. You can just focus on being happy and taken care of.”
“I don’t belong here,” she mutters lowly, her voice barely audible over the soft hum of the room.
“Neither do I.” I grin up at her, gesturing at the tattoos peeking out from under my sleeve and the collar of my shirt. “Let them stare, bug. I don’t need their approval, and I damn sure don’t need their acceptance. It’s not going to stop me from taking you to bed tonight.”
An older woman at the table behind Katie glances over at us disapprovingly, I wink at her and turn my attention back to my girl.
I make no apologies for who I am or who I choose to be with.
“Don’t like it?” I toss the comment to the eavesdroppers at the table behind us.
“Don’t listen.” Planting a kiss on Katie’s lips, taking much longer than what is considered appropriate in a public setting, I then round the table and pull up my chair just in time to place our order.
Katie drops her guard as soon as the starters arrive, laughing and chatting freely with me as if no one else is around.
The older woman’s disapproving glare lingers, but I ignore it.
I get that from time to time. She must recognise me from the newspapers.
Jeez, you’d think that having a “maniac” sitting across from you would make you a little less generous with the scowls, but no, some people just can’t help themselves.
Like I’m going to wither and die because an auld bitch with bad Botox and too many fillers is giving me the stink-eye. News flash Donetella, your face looks worse than a melted candle, so maybe focus on trying to fix that dumpster fire rather than worrying about me.
The main goes down a treat, especially when my favourite onlooker finally fucks off just as our food is put down on the table.
“This looks so good,” Katie grins, tossing a quick look over her shoulder for the fifth time. At first, I thought it was because of the nosey bitch behind her, but now I’m thinking she’s looking for something.
“You ok, bug?”
“Where are the bathrooms?” She doesn’t even turn around to look at me, her eyes darting around the restaurant, hoping to find the answer to her question.
“We passed them when we were being seated. Right at the bottom of the steps, to the left.”
“I’ll be right back.”
I order another bottle of champagne for us while she’s gone. Just as I think things are going smoothly, I catch éabha heading for the bathrooms. Most would say this is a coincidence, but most don’t know my ex-wife. She’s after my bug. I can feel it in my bones.
Counting to thirty, I get up from the table, meeting Grimsby’s eyes as I discreetly follow éabha.
As soon as I open the door, I catch her standing by the sink, speaking with Katie.
“Are you lost? This is the women’s bathroom, AJ.”
I make a show of glancing before flashing her a shit-eating grin. “I identify as a problem.”
Katie moves for the hand dryer, grinning in return. “I’ll be out now.”
“Take your time, bug.” I move from rocking back on my heels and opt to stand against the wall, noticing éabha glowering at me. “Do you need to go, or would you rather piss in the sink?”
“Aiden.” Katie rolls her eyes as she approaches me, looping her arm through mine.
“It’s a valid question, bug,” I respond with a smirk, causing éabha to scoff and walk past us, muttering under her breath. “What did she want?”
Katie raises an eyebrow, glancing at éabha’s retreating figure. “To warn me that you’re a walking red flag.” She slides her hands up my chest and around my neck. “But I already knew that,” she grins, pressing her lips against mine.
“Look who’s talking, Little Miss Slice n’ Dice.” I chuckle against her lips. “I better get out of here before I get us tossed out.” I exit the bathrooms, lingering outside until Katie emerges, her hand slipping into mine as we walk back to the table, our fingers intertwined.
Holding out the chair for her, I wait for my girl to get comfortable before I pull my chair closer to hers, our knees brushing against each other as we tuck into our meal.
The braised beef is so tender, I have no need for my knife.
My wandering hand finds its way behind Katie’s back, my fingers skimming the warm skin where the low-cut fabric of her dress meets her bare back.
Katie’s eyes meet mine, a mischievous glint dancing in them as she edges closer, whispering, “Behave yourself.”
“This is me behaving.” I kiss the side of her neck. Katie smiles at me, offering me a bite of her pasta. I take a mouthful. “Nope,” I say with a swallow. “Still not as good as you.” I capture her lips in a soft, lingering kiss, then move to pull her closer, knocking my unused knife from the table.
“Oops,” I mutter, breaking the kiss with a chuckle. Katie laughs and reaches down to pick it up, her hand brushing against mine.
When her head pokes back up, she all but falls off her seat when she spots me on one knee, holding a small velvet box. “Katie,” pulling the lid back to reveal the champagne diamond ring inside, “you’re my addiction, my unrelenting obsession, my soul mate.”
Katie’s hand covers her mouth in disbelief.
“Will you make me the happiest man alive and become my wife?”
Her breath catches in her throat as she nods vigorously, unable to form words through her tears. I slip the ring onto her finger, and she throws her arms around me, burying her face in my chest.
The room erupts in cheers and applause as our lips fuse in a soul-destroying kiss.
I catch éabha’s baffled expression out of the corner of my eye, but I am too lost in the moment to care.
“Mmm, come here.” I grab her, snapping a picture to send to my mam and Robbie. My thumb barely comes away from the screen when the phone starts buzzing.
“That was quick,” Katie smirks, wiping away the tears staining her cheeks.
“It’s Keith.” My brow furrows, he never calls unless there is something seriously wrong. “Sorry, bug, I better get this,” I mutter, excusing myself from the table to take the call.
“This better be good,” I growl into the phone. Wait, are those sirens in the background?
“AJ!” He shouts, out of breath. “You need to get down here.”
“What the hell is going on?”
“There’s been an accident,” Keith says, his voice shaky. “It’s Robbie.”