Beers, Hens, and Irishmen (Warbler's Point Series) (22 page)

She just shrugged his comment off
even though she had a hurt look in her face, from what he didn’t know. He knew his voice sounded a little harsh but nothing to send such pain through those bourbon colored eyes. Sensing she wanted to lighten the mood, she scanned him up and down. “That is quite the costume.”

He countered.
“Like you have room to talk.” He gave her the once over as well, lingering a little too long on her breasts. “I thought I felt my jaw hit the ground when I first saw you. You look fucking hot. Excuse my language but damn.”

His comment made her finally succumb and deliver that gorgeous smile of hers. That was more like it, he thought.

“I could say the same about you.” She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt that were too close to his southern region. “You know, there are buttons on this thing, you don’t have to have your shirt open like that.”

He chuckled. “You know they make costumes that cover more of your girly bits.”

“Touché.” She giggled. “Seriously though, where did you get that outfit? It looks familiar.”

“Your mom, she insisted I wear a costume and this is what she came up with at the last minute and I can’t disappoint Mary Margaret, she controls my bacon proportions.”

She laughed hard at that one. “Yes, don’t want her skimping out on your bacon intake, heaven forbid.”

“I’m telling you, she makes the best bacon I’ve ever had, and I’ve had plenty of bacon. I don’t know what she does but it’s fantastic. She has now limited me to three pieces at breakfast. She said she didn’t want to be responsible for clogging my arteries.”

“Sounds like you are starting to get close with her. That can be dangerous, next thing you know she’ll be asking you out to parties…oh wait she already did.” Fiona gave him a little wink and he felt his heart nearly pop out of his chest. He wanted so badly to touch her, caress her face, run his hands up the sides of that devil outfit she was wearing and cup those delicious breasts that he so desperately tried to avoid looking at out of being a pure gentleman but his control was starting to slip.

“I’m not at all embarrassed at showing up to a Halloween party with your parents.” He laughed and thought about it for a second. “Damn, I look lame.”

Fiona held up her fingers saying, “Just a little.”

Silence fell upon them for a moment and it would have been the perfect time to throw her up against the wall and kiss the living daylights out of her but he wasn’t going to do that, if they kissed or touched i
t was going to be on her terms not his. He was going to woo her until she couldn’t take it any longer and she had to have him. Although, staring at her right now, he was slowly losing the battle of letting her make the first move so he decided reluctantly that it was time to go back into the pub.

Booker rubbed his arms and said, “Well I don’t want you to catch a cold so we better get back in there.” He nodded toward the pub with his head.

Her smile wavered for a second and then she nodded in agreement. Before they opened the door she said, “Hey Booker, I’m sorry I didn’t get to talking to you earlier tonight. I didn’t want you to think I was ignoring you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Even though he was mad about the way she acted toward him, he wasn’t going to let her know about his feelings. “You were busy with Murphy and running the party. Don’t sweat it.” He turned but she stopped him again.

“I hope you know Murphy and I are not together.” Even though her announcement was a relief he couldn’t help but sound bitter.

“That’s hard to imagine with the way he was hanging all over you.” Damn that came out like some jealous boyfriend. He needed to lighten his tone. “It doesn’t matter Fiona. We can just be friends. What you do with your personal life is your own business. No worries. Come on its cold out here.”

He saw the shocked look on her face and ignored it by proceeding inside holding the door for her. He watched her shake her head as if she was trying to rid of something and followed him inside. They smiled at each other briefly, said bye and went their separate ways.

Booker found it quite interesting that Fiona made it a point to let him know that she was not involved with Murphy even though their actions tonight spoke otherwise. He was going to take her word for it. He decided to leave the party, his job here was done. Thankfully he was able to call a cab in such a small town and was in his cabin getting ready to go to sleep in no time. Now if only he could get the images of Fiona in her skimpy little outfit out of his head, he could actually get a decent night sleep.

             
                                                        ***

              Finn was cleaning up the pub with his siblings when he looked at them and realized they were all running on fumes from the nights activities. They had been working to get ready for the party since early in the morning and now it was past midnight. He looked over at Bradon who had a girl in some skimpy costume waiting for him in a booth, Bradon was just about finished up with clearing all the tables. Finn knew his brother was working faster than normal and Finn didn’t blame the kid. Finn noticed the lady in waiting throughout the night as well and thought about asking her out later but Bradon beat him to it…like usual. Bradon was the ladies’ man but where Finn would try to make something of a relationship, Bradon just pumped them and dumped them. He was actually kind of tainting all the women in town, leaving him with very slim pickings. Finn would have to talk to his whore of a brother about that.

             
Murphy left a little bit ago looking awfully disappointed and a little angry. Looked like Fiona was sticking to her guns and staying away from him. Good for her, although, Finn hoped it wasn’t because of the Sheila.

             
Liam looked pathetic, he looked pathetic all night. At one point Finn was able to talk to him and found out that Neala had the divorce papers delivered to him. That would make any man upset, realizing that the family he loved was going to be forever split up. He couldn’t imagine going through what Liam was going through.

             
Bradon waved bye to his siblings as he wrapped his arm around the pretty little treat Bradon would be tasting when he got back to his place making Finn feel jealous once again of his little brother. What Finn wouldn’t give for just a one night stand right now. If Tipper wasn’t Fiona’s best friend he would have rushed her up to his apartment tonight and peeled that cat woman costume slowly off her body. Damn she looked good tonight. Although, she was a little young for him.

             
Fiona saddled up next to Finn counting the drawer. “We did so much better this year than we ever have.”

             
“Maybe because you were walking around looking like a slapper all night.” Finn joked.

             
“Well it defiantly wasn’t your costume that was bringing in the dough, that’s for damn sure. What were you guys thinking? The Chipmunks? Really? You should have just dressed up as your favorite Care Bear.”

             
“Hey now, don’t knock on the Care Bears, they were a 90’s treasure and you know it.”

             
“Alright, settle down.” She looked over at Liam who was finishing up wiping down the bar. “What’s his deal? I saw him trying to talk to Sophie earlier and from a distance I could tell it was super awkward.”

             
Finn thought about the encounter as well, it seemed like there was a huge iceberg between them, their interaction seemed so cold. When Finn first saw Sophie earlier he couldn’t help but notice her shapely little body in her costume. She looked good, almost as good as Tipper, Tipper really took the award for best dressed. Although he thought Tipper was hot he knew nothing would have come between them, she was too young, too chipper and just not his type. But Sophie, she was a different story. She was one of his best friends and seeing her tonight, in that tiny little costume resurrected some of those old feelings he tried to push away when Liam first brought her home to meet the family.

Pushing his thoughts aside he answered Fiona. “He received divorce papers form Neala.”

Fiona looked at Finn with a shocked expression clear as day on her face. “Oh my gosh, so he’s just going to let her leave him? Why doesn’t he fight for her?”

“He’s tried, sis. I don’t know what to tell you. She is honestly convinced he cheated on her and wants nothing to do with him. They are done.”

“I just can’t believe this.” Fiona shook her head in astonishment. “This is so crazy. Remember how in love they were? We always thought they were going to die together, that’s how close they were. Liam never cheated on Neala, I don’t get what her deal is. Maybe she is unhappy and is just using that as an excuse.”

“Maybe you are right but I think whatever we do we just need to be there for Liam and if someone happens to approach us about Liam we just need to tell them the truth, keep his name clear.”

“I agree. This town is one rotten gossip rag.”

Finn nodded his head in agreement, and then decided to push his luck. “I saw that Murphy was not a happy camper leaving tonight.”

Once again Fiona rolled her eyes at her brother. “You never quit, do you? If you have to know, Mr. Nosey, I told him I don’t want a relationship with him and that was that.”

“Is it because you have feelings for the Sheila.”

His comment made her turn completely red, thanks to their Irish genes. She tried to be coy, but he knew her better. “The Sheila? You mean that guy Booker? No, I barely have talked to him.”

“Don’t even try hiding from me little girl, I know you better than anyone. I see the way you look at him and I’ve seen you two hanging out a couple of times. There is something going on between the two of you.”

She exhaled sharply. “Nothing is going on, I can tell you that much.”

Finn didn’t like that comment, for many reasons but mainly because she made it seem like the Sheila wasn’t interested in his little sister. Who wouldn’t be interested in her? She was beautiful, smart, funny, adventurous, any guy would be lucky if she looked their way.

Finn tried to bite back his anger. “Has he turned you down?”

Fiona’s eyes shot up in shock at her brother’s bold question. “No, it’s not like that. He wants to get involved but I won’t let him close enough. He’s not local, Finn. Why would I get involved with someone who is just going to up and leave like Steve did? I know better than that now.”

Relieved that his sister wasn’t going down another Steve path, he patted her shoulder. “I’m glad you realize that because you know I don’t like the thought of you getting involved with another ‘Steve’ but it seems like you like him. Is that true?”

She nodded in agreement and Finn noticed her eyes starting to well up with tears. “Don’t cry baby girl.” He pulled her into a hug.

“It’s just not fair. He is amazing Finn, so amazing but I can’t get involved when I know he’s just going to leave. He’s unpredictable. I mean honestly who drops their life in California to come to a small hillbilly town like Warblers Point for weeks on end?”

Finn thought about that for a second. “Maybe he isn’t who he says he is.”

Fiona shrugged. “Maybe, whoever he is, he’s worked his way under my skin and I’m having one hell of a time working him out.” A tear fell from her eye and she quickly swiped it away. “You can’t tell the boys about this, it’s bad enough you know.”

Finn gave her a squeeze and said, “You know I won’t say anything but please don’t be afraid to talk to me about it.”

Fiona placed a kiss on his cheek and nodded. “I’m going to head upstairs. I will put this chunk of change in the safe first, other than that it looks like everything is done.”

Finn nodded in agreement and watched his sister walk away still grimacing at her itty bitty outfit. When did she grow up to be a woman? He could still see her tagging along with their brothers through the woods, in her overalls, playing follow the leader and claiming she could do anything they could do. Those were simpler times, now that they were all grown up they faced such challenges as divorce, running a business and falling for someone who was unattainable. If he knew this was what life was going to be
like he wouldn’t have rushed to grow up.

                                                                      ***

              Fiona made it up to her apartment, stripped off her clothes, threw on an oversized t-shirt and put herself to bed. Images of Booker in his sexy pirate costume kept running through her mind. She wanted to pound the images out of her head, but there was no use damaging her skull, they were engrained in her brain as well as the smell of his very masculine cologne that filled her senses. Everything about Booker was perfect, his scent, his smile, his body, his personality.

             
Life was so unfair. Why did he have to live across the country? Why couldn’t he live at least on the east coast? She could possibly make that work…maybe. Cursing herself for even thinking about starting something up, she flipped on her side and faced her nightstand, eyeing her phone. She could send him a message if she wanted, a little innocent text message, just to have some minor connection to him. Anything to settle the pounding of her heart.