Beers, Hens, and Irishmen (Warbler's Point Series) (36 page)

He got in the Jeep and peeled out of the parking lot. She felt like she didn’t even have time to breath. She looked over at him and his knuckles were completely white from gripping the steering wheel too hard and his face looked like it was etched in stone. Where did her Booker go? The fun-loving guy she cared for and fell in love with.
The current man next to her driving like a mad man was not the man she fell in love with. 

             
They drove in silence until they reached his cabin and she followed him inside.  Her car was still there from the last time she drove over to his place, mostly they drove around in his Jeep so her car stayed at his cabin.

             
He tore his jacket off and sat on the edge of his bed, head planted in his hands and pulling on his hair in frustration. She stood in the middle of the cabin with her arms wrapped around her body, completely unaware of what to do. Should she comfort him? She didn’t know what for though. She was so scared, she just kept crying silently to herself.

             
Finally he looked up at her and shook his head as if he was disappointed. Did she do something wrong? She was so confused. She had never seen him like this before.

             
“Fiona, there is something I have to tell you.” Oh crap, that was never good. He just sat on his bed even though she was crying. He didn’t come over to comfort her. It was more disturbing to think how the man in front of her changed so quickly in seconds than about what he was going to tell her.

             
She wiped away her tears and nodded for him to carry on. He continued. “I haven’t been honest with you. I’m not who you think I am.”

             
A chilly wave of darkness settled over her body. “What do you mean?”

             
He walked over to her and finally put his arms around her and squeezed her so tight it seemed like he was trying to imprint his body in hers. He kissed her head gently and told her how much he loved her. “I don’t want to lose you.” He whispered.

             
She tried to look up at him. “What’s going on Booker, you’re scaring me. You terrified me on the slopes, I’m just so confused.”

             
“I know baby, I’m sorry. I should have handled that whole situation better.”

             
She nuzzled into his chest, trying to settle her stomach that started flopping around the minute he took off down the hill. His familiar scent started to relax her nerves and she felt herself melting into the familiar comfort that was Booker.

             
“Just tell me what’s going on.”

             
He pulled away so he could look at her. He looked distraught. “Just remember how much I love you.”

             
“Ok, now you’re really scaring me. Are you married or something.”

             
“No.” He ran his hand over his face and exhaled. “Alright, the flashing and clicks you heard up on the slopes were paparazzi.”

             
“Paparazzi? what would…” She looked up at him and all of a sudden it hit her like a ton of bricks. She was staring not at the sweet Booker she fell in love with, no she was staring at Booker James the famous director, ladies’ man that covered almost every magazine at least once a month.

             
Her stomach flipped again, she needed to get away. She couldn’t believe she had been so naïve and didn’t see it before. Of course he was Booker James, he lived in California and had traveled to a million different places and had money to practically set on fire. He changed his appearance but now that she thought about it, everything clicked into place. She was such a fool. She needed to get out of the cabin. She couldn’t be near him any longer. She fell in love with a liar, she was such a fool.

             
She frantically looked around for her keys. She spotted them on the counter near the phone and went to retrieve them.

             
“What are you doing? Fiona, please say something.”

She didn’t, she just grabbed her keys and headed for the door. He blocked her path and didn’t let her by causing her to cry out in frustration. She needed to leave, she felt like she was going to have a nervous breakdown.

“Fiona, stop please look at me. This doesn’t change anything…”

She threw her hands up in the air and crie
d out, “This changes everything! You lied to me, you told me your name was Booker Hall.”

“It is. My full name is Booker James Hall. James is my middle name.”

“Oh that makes me feel so much better.” She said in a sarcastic scream.

“I never lied to you Fiona. I just didn’t go into detail about what I did for a living.”

She looked at him as if he was crazy. “So you think you are going to get out of this on a technicality of avoiding detail? That’s bullshit Booker and you know it. I have tried asking you about your job and you have avoided the topic every time. You practically proposed last night to me. When were you exactly going to let me know that you were a famous movie director? When he were living together, watching our five kids frolic on the braided rug in front of our fire place?” She tried to push him aside but he didn’t move.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Well please tell me what it was like because from where I’m standing it looks like you are doing research for one of your movies, see how far you can make a poor little bar maid think you are some regular guy. Well you fooled me Booker, congratulations.”

“You really think I would do that to you?”

“You already did!” she screamed. “How can I ever trust you again?”

“You can. I just…”

“Don’t Booker.” She stopped him with her hand. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She thought she actually found a man that she could trust and care about. Maybe she should have just stuck with Murphy, at least she could count him to never lie and deceive her. “I should never have gotten involved with you. It was too good to be true. I should have known then that there was something going on.”

“It’s not too good to be true Fiona, what we have is real.”

“No! What we have is a lie!” She stormed past him with all her might and got through. She took off to her car and turned around before she got into it. “If you know what’s good for you, I would stay the fuck away from me because once I leave here, every man in my life is going to know what you did and you can bet your sorry lying ass they won’t take it easy on you. I suggest you pack up and leave.”

She got in her car and took off toward her apartment. When she finally parked behind the pub she threw the car in park and laid her head on t
he steering wheel and cried until she didn’t have any more tears to shed.

                                                                      ***

Shit, was the only thing Booker could think to say. How did the paparazzi even find him? And what would they want to take picture of him with Fiona in Vermont for? Like he was running some kind of underground prostitution ring in Warblers Point or something? He would never understand the general public’s fascination with the lives of celebrities. Is a picture of him skiing with Fiona really headline news? Shouldn’t they be trying to catch some underage teen mom drinking and boozing at a party instead? That seemed more interesting than him skiing with the love of his life.

He wanted to chase after her but he was nervous what would happen if her brothers found Fiona crying and Booker trying to beg for her forgiveness. He could only imagine it not going over well. He was able to hold his own with Liam
that one morning but three O’Leary boys seemed like he would be outnumbered and asking for an early grave. Still, he needed to see Fiona, he needed to set the record straight.

He was just about to leave when there was a hard knock on his door. Crap, did Fiona already inform her family of what happened? He tentatively opened the door with his fists curled ready to protect himself from any Irish knuckles. When he peaked past the door he saw Blaire, eyes rimmed in red and looking devastated. He ushered her in quickly and sat her on the couch.

“What’s wrong sweetie?”

“Finn and I are done.”

Wow, what a day for the two California kids. He stroked her back gently while holding her and asked, “What happened?”

“I don’t really know. We were getting ready to go to my cabin and we ran into Murphy in the back of the pub, he started saying stuff about you not being who you really are to Finn. I instantly panicked because I didn’t know what he knew and Finn took it as I was having some k
ind of fling with Murphy. I blew up at him and he blew up at me.” She wiped her nose with her sleeve. “I mean the nerve of that man to think that I am some kind of two timing girl. I would never do that. I know we never said we were exclusive but it was kind of an unsaid deal that we both understood. He didn’t even trust me, he just threw it in my face.”

Booker felt his blood starting to boil. He wanted to drive right over to Finn’s apartment and straighten him out but Booker thought otherwise because most likely at this current moment Finn was thinking the same exact thing about him.

“How did it end?” He asked, trying to mask his anger.

“I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore and that it was for the best since we live so far apart. Nothing would really come from our relationship anyway, we wouldn’t be able to work it out.”

“If you think that then why are you so upset?” He knew it was a stupid question, anyone could tell his sister had fallen for Finn but he wasn’t sure if his sister knew it yet.

“I don’t know.” She started crying. “God, Booker I think I fell in love with the idiot.”

Ah, she did know. At least she knew where her feelings were and he didn’t need to spend an afternoon helping her realize that in fact she was in love with Finn.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

She didn’t even skip a beat when she answered him, “Go home.”

“Go home? Wait what about Finn, you love him. Don’t you want to fight for that?”

“No, he doesn’t trust me and it would be too hard. It wouldn’t work, I don’t want to live here and he can’t leave his pub, it’s just not in the cards for us.”

“You don’t know that. Warblers Point is a nice place…”

“No Booker. It won’t work. I packed my stuff up and I’m catching a flight out today.” She looked at her watch. “Actually I have to go. I wanted to come over and thank you for the mini vacation. Even though my vacation is ending like this, I really did have a nice time and I hope you enjoy the rest of your time out here with Fiona.” Booker cringed at the mention of Fiona’s name which caused Blaire to study him. “Wait a second, where is Fiona?” She looked around his cabin. “Shouldn’t you two be skiing right now?”

“We were until the paparazzi found us and started taking pictures. I freaked out and brought her back here as quickly as possible and that’s when she found out who I was. She finally put the two together. She wants nothing to do with me now.”

Blaire clasped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, Booker I’m so sorry. Did you explain to her that you needed to get away and that it was nothing against her?”

“I tried but she wouldn’t let me talk. The crushed look on her face is something I will never forget.” He ran his hand through his hair and paced the room. “I don’t know what to do. I want to go over there and talk some sense into her but I know if I step foot near that pub I’m going to have to face three O’Leary men and I know I will lose.”

“Maybe you can call her?” Even Blaire knew that was a pointless suggestion because they both knew Fiona wasn’t going to answer the phone. “Whatever you do, you need to fight for her. Don’t let this little hiccup stop you. I have never seen you so happy before.”

“I could say the same about you.” Booker countered.

She waved her hand at him as a dismissal. “It would never work out. Do I care for him? Yes of course but we are two different people who got wrapped up in a little bit of romance. It’s best if we just leave it.” She got up and patted his face. “Thank you for everything Booker. I’m heading out. I will call you later. Please don’t give up.”

“I won’t.” He gave her a long hug, he didn’t want to let go. She was like a safety blanket for him and right now he needed her more than ever but he understood her reasoning for needing to leave immediately. “Take care, kiddo.”

After she left Booker sat on his couch contemplating how he was going to fix things between him and Fiona. Maybe if he let things simmer it wouldn’t be too bad. Not that that wasn’t a good idea. He needed to contact her so she knew he cared. He decided to call her, even though he knew it was pointless.

                                                                      ***                                                                     

Fiona was on her couch surrounded by her fuming brothers. Finn looked like a wreck due to his breakup with Blaire but he didn’t even want to acknowledge it so they didn’t. Fiona knew that once she told the boys about Booker they would be furious but Finn was even more angry because Booker promised he wouldn’t hurt Fiona on two separate occasions and Blaire lied to him as well about Booker. If Finn knew, he could have warned Fiona, that’s what he kept muttering.