Beers, Hens, and Irishmen (Warbler's Point Series) (32 page)

             
“Liam, You’re scaring me.” She pushed on his shoulder slightly to get him to look at her.

             
He finally looked her in the eyes and shook his head. “I’m such an idiot.”

             
Sophie’s stomach dropped. Did he get into some serious trouble? The thought of him walking in on Neala with another man popped into Sophie’s head. Not that she knew Neala was seeing someone else but she could see Liam losing his mind over something like that. That would make sense if he walked in on Neala since his face looked like it took a good beating.

             
“What did you do?”

             
“I tried to beat up the Sheila.”

             
The Sheila? What the hell was he talking about? Was she right? Was Neala actually involved with someone?

             
“The Sheila?” She asked.

             
Liam rolled his eyes. “Booker.”

             
“Oh yea, the Sheila. Why would you beat up Booker?” Sophie was confused.

             
Liam set the ice on the counter but Sophie made him put it back on his eye while she pulled up a stool next to him. She hoped no one came in early to the bakery, she didn’t need people seeing her with Liam, let alone with him looking all beat up. Most likely the rumors would start spreading about him defending her honor or something crazy like that. Sophie missed the small town feel of Warblers Point but she didn’t miss the way everyone was in each other’s business or the amazingly fast grapevine of information that traveled. She could do without that. Not that Neala and her lying big mouth helped any.

             
Liam still wasn’t talking. “Listen, Liam either talk or get out, I can’t have a bloody mute man hanging in my bakery all day.

             
“Sorry. I am just so mad at myself.”

             
“Start from the beginning.” Sophie encouraged.

             
“I got a text message from Murphy this morning saying he drove by the pub on his way to his shop when he noticed the Sheila’s Jeep parked in the back and how he knew Fiona was out with the man all day. He just wanted to make sure the Sheila didn’t take advantage of her or anything.”

             
“Sounds like Murphy’s jealous and that whatever Fiona does with her love life is none of his business or yours.”

             
“Wish I would have thought about that earlier but I didn’t. With everything that has been happening with Neala I just lost my mind. All I could think about was that man fulfilling some kind of crazy California sexual fantasy with my baby sister and all I saw was red.”

             
“Do Californians have crazy sex?”

             
Liam furrowed his brow. “What?”

             
“You said Booker had some crazy Californian sexual fantasy, I didn’t know if it was a known thing about Californians.”

             
“Oh.” Liam waved his hand in dismissal. “I don’t know, my mind is just making shit up. I’m sure Californians are just like the rest of us, but maybe more plastic parts.” A little grin peaked out, slightly warming Sophie’s heart. “Anyway, I stormed up to Fiona’s apartment and pounded on her door until she opened it. She was in an oversized shirt and he was just wearing jeans…in her bedroom.”

             
“Oh the horror.” Sophie faked shock.

             
“Well it is to an older brother and that was when I attacked him but the Sheila actually has a good upper cut, you wouldn’t think from his pretty boy face. We rolled around for a bit until Finn came in and broke us up but not until I attacked him as well.”

             
“Oh Liam, you didn’t fight with Finn again, did you?”

             
Liam just nodded his head.

             
“Liam you can’t keep going around town punching family members.”

             
“That’s how the Irish fight…with our fists.”

             
“It’s no way to accomplish anything. You just look like an idiot when you do it.”

             
Liam tossed the ice in the trash can behind her counter and pointed at his face. “Yea you look like an idiot when you fight people younger than you.”

             
Sophie quirked a smile. “Finn isn’t that much younger than you.”

             
“Three years is young enough. Fiona was so mad at me and I acted like such an idiot. I didn’t end it well. I’m afraid she will never forgive me and separate herself from me. It already is bothersome that Fiona goes to Finn for everything, she skips right over me and goes to him for advice…everyone does.”

             
Sophie felt guilt starting to crawl up her neck. She knew Liam was talking about her too. She always went to Finn for advice, he was just so good at listening  and always had a solution to solve her problems. She didn’t know people going to Finn instead of Liam was so hurtful to him. She needed to make a better attempt at approaching Liam for help, to make him feel better.

             
She tried to perk his spirits a bit. “You know Fiona and Finn have always been close, just like how you and Bradon are close. You guys always said it’s the brown eyes against the blues.”

             
“That was when we were young. Now Bradon has his own life satisfying the sexual needs of the women in Warblers Point.”

             
Sophie couldn’t disagree with that. She saw the woman Bradon easily shuffled through in a week, how he did it, she had no clue, especially since the town was so small.

             
She added, “Well, he won’t be around especially now because it’s the season of pussy for him.”

             
Liam sat up straight and stared at her for a second and then busted out in laughter. “Why Sophie, I don’t think I have ever heard you say pussy. I think you just socked the hair right off of me.”

             
She patted his hand and moved her way behind her counter to make sure everything was in place in her food coolers. “Well there is always a first for everyone.” She said with a wink. “Seriously though, I know your sister and if you go up to her and sincerely apologize and explain to her what has been going on, she will forgive you. But you have to stay out of her business. She’s a grown girl now, she can handle anything she gets herself into.”

             
“She will always be my baby sister.”

             
“I know, but just because she’s your baby sister that doesn’t give you the right to treat her like a baby for the rest of her life. Plus, you have to realize your sister really likes Booker. Maybe if you got to know him better and stopped calling him the Sheila, Fiona would cut you some slack.”

             
“Damn, why do you always have to be right?”

             
She shrugged. “I just am and don’t you forget it.”

             
Liam looked her in the eyes and she could see there was yearning in his face. Yearning for her.

             
“Soph, I… ’”

             
“Don’t Liam.” She didn’t want to deal with any Liam-Sophie drama right now, especially since his divorce wasn’t even final.

             
“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

             
“Yes I do. I can see it in your eyes and it’s not going to happen. We have to close the chapter on us.” Mainly because she couldn’t stand to start things up with him again and possibly lose him once more. She needed to end any kind of thoughts he might have of them getting back together.

             
Liam nodded. He pointed to a cinnamon chip scone and said, “Bag me up one of those and a coffee, please.”

             
She did as he asked and took his money because she knew he would leave it if she tried to refuse it. “Anything else?”

             
“No.” He lifted the coffee and bag at her. “Thanks and thank you for the advice. I will try my best controlling my temper.”             

             
He was about to leave the bakery when she called after him. “Liam, wait.” She walked up to him and gave him a hug. When she pulled away she looked him in the eyes and said, “I really want to be friends. Do you think that could be something that happens for us in the future?”

             
Liam sighed and nodded his head. “I would like that Sophie. I would like that a lot.”

             
“Good.” She waved good bye to him and watched him walk out the door. She wasn’t sure but she thought maybe she just gained the closure she needed on that chapter of her life. She hopes Liam felt the same way.

Chapter 15

              A couple weeks later Fiona watched in awe as her family ate Thanksgiving pie around the big table they put together at the pub. Her family more than welcomed Booker and Blaire for the holiday. After Liam barged in her apartment, he approached her later that night and apologized, explaining he has been having a really difficult time dealing with his divorce and when Murphy text him that Booker was with her, he just lost his mind and took it out on her and regretfully Booker. He also apologized to Booker and in the past few weeks they really grew close.

             
Fiona watched Booker as he laughed at a stupid Irish joke Liam was telling. Fiona even noticed Liam lightened up since the big brawl, which was what they were calling it now. Bradon complained about being left out, he always enjoyed getting his jabs in at his brothers when the opportunity arose. Booker joked about re-enacting the whole incident so Bradon could be included but both Finn and Liam said it wouldn’t be worth it since Bradon’s punch was weaker than Fiona’s. That comment resulted in all three O’Leary boys rolling around on the ground until both Liam and Finn pinned Bradon to the ground. They just patted his face and told him to keep his pretty boy image because he fought like a slapper.

             
Fiona looked over at Bradon, he brought one of his random girls to Thanksgiving dinner, that was a “misfit” according to him and had nowhere else to go, also known as, Bradon wanted to take advantage of the tryptophan his date consumed at dinner.

             
Tipper and Sophie also came over for dessert, which was nice since Fiona didn’t want to be stuck striking up conversation with Bradon’s flavor of the day. Fiona would talk to her boyfriend, Booker, but he was too busy being one of the guys and Finn and Blaire were attached at the hip. They had been inseparable ever since they went on their first date. The same day Fiona was pretty sure she fell in love with Booker.

             
They had been seeing each other non-stop, whenever Fiona had a spare moment they were together. Booker even started helping out at the pub. He called her his girlfriend a couple days after their “date” in Puerto Rico. Hearing those words roll of his tongue sent a shock through her body, a good shock. She couldn’t believe how fast things were moving between them. They still hadn’t said “I love you” out loud to each other but Fiona knew she loved him and deep down she could tell Booker felt the same way. She had never been happier, they still had not had any sex since the first time in his cabin, but she was starting to get a little antsy now. She thought they had taken their relationship slow enough by now to build a solid foundation for their relationship. They spent each night with each other but just talking and then cuddling…and maybe a little bit of groping but that was it. She thought about how she wanted to show him tonight just exactly what she was thankful for.

             
Fiona had not seen Murphy in a while and ever since Booker found out Murphy was the one who tipped Liam about Booker’s sleep over, Booker decided he wouldn’t be taking any ski lessons from him because he was nervous about burying his fist through Murphy’s face. Her brother’s must be getting to Booker because more and more he was thinking more with his fists and less with that gorgeous head of his. Since Booker decided to give up his ski lessons with Murphy, Fiona offered to teach him. There was about a foot of snow accumulated on the ground so instead of some crazy black Friday shopping, Fiona, Booker, Finn and Blaire decided to hit the slopes.