Beers, Hens, and Irishmen (Warbler's Point Series) (5 page)

             
Looking around the pub, Booker felt incredibly confused. The bar patrons hooted and hollered. Booker scanned the crowd and looked for someone who might resemble a Sheila, whatever that was. When he was scanning the crowd he made eye contact with his waitress and saw sympathy in her eyes and that’s when he realized, he must be the Sheila.

             
“Where?” a drunk man shouted.

             
“What did he order?” another one added.

             
“Tis here Sheila, is a pretty one folks. He ordered an extremely pretty drink to match his Sheila appearance. So he only deserves the prettiest of chapeaus, don’t you all agree?”

             
The pub erupted with agreement. The bar tender went under the bar and pulled out a very flamboyant bonnet, with pink feathers coming off the side and glitter encrusted on the fabric. The bar tender walked around the room and then stopped right in front of him, placing the bonnet on Booker’s head.

             
“Tis, young Lad ordered a Martini.” The pub booed. “What do we say to that?”

             
The pub erupted in unison saying, “Don’t be a Sheila, order a brew!”

             
Booker just nodded his head in agreement and lifted the bonnet out of his eye sight. Looking at the bartender he said, “I will take a Guinness.”

             
The bartender slapped him on the back and said, “That a boy.” He shook his hand and went back to his duties, filling humans with alcoholic content.

             
The waitress came back with his Guinness and placed it in front of him on a small white napkin.

             
“You could have warned me, you know.” He said with a smile.

             
“And where’s the fun in that?”

             
“That your brother?” He nodded toward the bartender.

             
“Yea, that’s Finn. He loves pulling people’s legs.”

             
“He does a good job at it. So how do I look?” He fiddled with the bonnet on his head.

             
“Pink is very becoming of you.”

             
He liked the twinkle he saw in her eye when she was joking around with him. She seemed serious at first when she came up to his table but he could tell she had a light spirit about her, a free spirit. He found it very attractive, he found her very attractive.

             
“Well thank you.” He held out his hand. “Booker Hall.”

             
She took it, sending waves of pleasure up his arm. Her hand was so small in his, but soft and inviting. Good God, he needed to control himself, it was just a hand!

             
“Fiona O’Leary. Nice to meet you.”

             
“Same to you. Fiona is a beautiful name.”

             
“Thank you, Irish of course.” Pausing for a second she said, “What can I get you?”

             
“I think I will have the fish and chips.”

             
“Good choice. I will put that in for you, in the meantime enjoy the atmosphere.”

             
He couldn’t help himself, he had to ask. “Hey, do you go on a break soon?”

             
She eyed him suspiciously and said, “I have a fifteen minute one coming up.”

             
“Would you mind sitting with me? I will share my food.” He tried to give his most devilish grin. He really wanted to spend some more time getting to know this girl. She was very intriguing, well and gorgeous.

             
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

             
Slightly upset he was about to say that’s ok when she added, “But you are here by yourself and what kind of host would I be if I let you sit all alone?”

             
He felt his smile stretch from cheek to cheek. “Fantastic.”

                                                                                    ***

              What the hell was she thinking? She chastised herself when she was in the kitchen giving Liam the order. She couldn’t help herself, he had bright blue puppy dog eyes that called out to her and by God he was handsome, almost pretty, which startled her. She never was attracted to pretty boys, always the ruggedly handsome type like Murphy. Ugh, Murphy. What was she doing talking to this random guy when she should be focusing on her relationship with Murphy? But it’s not like they were completely exclusive or really talked about their relationship. No they just had sex, like always. So it was ok to talk to a random stranger. It’s not like she was sleeping with him or anything, no she was just being a polite hostess.

             
She waited in the kitchen while Liam put together Booker’s meal. What kind of name was Booker anyway? Definitely not Irish. She giggled over the fact of what her parents would say if she brought home a man named Booker. She could see the quizzical look in her ma’s eyes now.That was crazy thinking thought because it wasn’t like she would bring him home anyway, she was getting way ahead of herself. If only he wasn’t so damn charming and good looking. He even looked good in that stupid bonnet Finn made him wear. Damn good bone structure, blonde hair and blue eyes.

             
Liam put Booker’s plate under the warmer and she told him she was taking a break, she already informed Finn. She grabbed a water for herself, she didn’t like drinking on the job and headed for Booker’s table. He finally took the bonnet off and had it sitting next to him in the booth. He looked up, found her eyes and smiled. Her insides melted as if she just met her high school crush for the first time. This was not a good idea.

             
“Here you are, careful its hot.” She placed the plate in front of Booker and took the seat from across him.

             
“Thanks. I don’t want to be called a Sheila again or anything so is it alright to use ketchup?”

             
Chuckling, she nodded. He was too cute for his own good.

             
“So where are you from?” she asked.

             
She saw a moment of weakness slip past his put together exterior but it was gone in a flash. He looked up at her, smiled with that heart breaking grin and said, “California, what about you?”

             
“I’m jealous. I have always wanted to go there. Born and raised right her in Warblers Point.”

             
“A native, huh? Well Vermont has done you well.” He said looking her up and down.

             
Feeling uncomfortable from his gaze, she tried to change the subject but he beat her to it. “California is beautiful, but expensive as hell to live in. This is my first time to Vermont, I like it a lot.”

             
“You came a week or two late, you missed all the fall foliage.”

             
“So I heard.” He said, while taking a bite of a fry. She helped herself and grabbed a fry off his plate causing him to flash that sexy grin of his again. “So tell me, where have you been if you haven’t been to California?”

             
He was going to think she was a total loser, but he was a stranger so in reality it probably didn’t matter what he thought since he would be leaving in a week or two anyway.

             
“I really haven’t ventured out of Vermont. I have been to New York briefly and New Hampshire once but that’s about it.”             

             
She saw his jaw drop in surprise but he quickly retracted it. Heat flushed her face and she felt embarrassed. She always wanted to travel but growing up her parents didn’t have the means for it and now she ran a business with her brothers that barely gave her time to do anything.

             
He cleared his throat, took a sip of his beer and said, “Well, we will have to change that won’t we?”

             
We? Alright, this was getting a little strange. Her break was about over anyway, time to say her good byes.

             
She went to get up when he put his hand on her arm. “I didn’t upset you, did I?”

             
She just shook her head in embarrassment. “What is it?” he asked.

             
She let out a long breath of air. “You are going to think I’m some country bumpkin, which I guess I am but I just never had the means to travel even though it’s my dream to travel around the world and photograph my adventures. I love photography and would love for it to be my job but it’s just not practical. Anyway, it will never happen. Maybe I will go to a place here and there but being a photographer for a living is a pipe dream.” She shook her head. “That’s too much information, sorry.” She got up and brushed off her pants. “The meal’s on the house. Come back again.”

             
She got out of his booth and turned toward the bar but was grabbed by the shoulder and turned around. She looked straight up into Booker’s caring and kind eyes. She almost lost it. Why was she so emotional right now?

             
“Fiona, can I please see you again?”

             
Uh, oh. This was exactly what she didn’t need right now. Things were already complicated with Murphy and the last thing she needed was to fall for some tourist who was going to leave in a couple of weeks because she could see herself falling for Booker, falling for him hard.

             
“I don’t think that’s a good idea Booker. You won’t be here very long.”

             
“That’s not true, I’m here for a couple of months and I don’t know anyone. Please, just as friends. When do you get off tonight?”

             
She thought about his offer. Just friends? She could do that, who didn’t want to be friends with an extremely attractive man? Something in the back of her mind was telling her to walk away but she turned that feeling off and agreed to meet up with him after her shift. That would give her time to prepare herself, pull herself together and be a good friend. A neighbor, a helpful hand to a new person in town, that’s all it was.

                                                                                    ***

              Finn watched Fiona carefully from the bar when she was talking to the Sheila of the night. The guy looked like trouble and he didn’t like it. He was too good looking, like Hollywood good looking and he didn’t want his sister falling for a guy that would only be in town for a couple of weeks and then leave her with a broken heart. No he needed to make sure she concentrated on tying things together with Murphy.

             
He went into the kitchen where Liam was slaving over a potato stew. The smells permeated his senses and made his stomach growl with need. Liam was always the better chef out of the two of them. He had their ma’s talents.

             
“Damn, that smells good.”

             
Startled, Liam turned around and said, “You scared me. Thanks.” Liam adjusted his apron and regained his composure. “How’s it going out there tonight?”

             
“Things are winding down. Our sister made herself a friend.”

             
Liam turned around wiping his hands on a dish towel and said, “What kind of friend?”

             
“A male friend.”

             
Liam quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t like the sounds of that. Who is he?” Liam poked his head out the swinging door trying to get a glimpse of the new guy.

             
“He was the Sheila.”

             
“No shit. Has our sister completely gone bollocks? What about Murphy?”

             
“I don’t know, but I don’t trust the guy. He’s too good looking.”

             
Liam continued to check the man out and nodded in agreement. “He is defiantly too good looking. I mean we are good looking men, but he is like a model. We don’t get many of them in these parts.”

             
“Aye. I think we need to keep an eye on him.”

             
“Agreed, tell Bradon. With our luck, he will be staying at The Sleeping Potato.”

             
“That would be convenient. Let’s not let Fiona know our feelings about him because she will just fight us tooth and nail. I say we keep our distance but do some background work. There just is something about him I don’t trust. I can’t put my finger on it.”

             
“I think it’s his clothes, fancy shit that lad is wearing.”

             
“Too fancy.” Changing the subject Finn asked, “How’s Neala? Should I expect another sleepover tonight?”