Josephine
It had been one hell of a day. A child vomited on me—luckily, I’d brought my date clothes to change into and could exchange my skirt for jeans. Not very principally, but very necessary. Sam threw the puked-on clothes in the kitchen laundry for me.
I wanted to tell her and Dani about Killian and me. I mean, they were instrumental in bringing us together. At the same time, I didn’t want to jinx things by saying anything too early, so I kept my mouth shut. But even so, simply thinking about it brought out a smile that indicted me.
“You’re awfully chipper for someone who’s been puked on,” Sam said, crossing her arms.
This was better. Having a secret to keep from them. “Oh, am I?” I turned and strolled away leaving them both as curious as could be. I loved it.
But as I continued along the hall to my office, the smile faded.
And…I love him.
I told myself not go there. I told myself it was only one evening. But how could I help but to fall in love with Killian? He was so sweet, and…so good in bed. Not that I had anything to compare the experience with…experiences. I smiled remembering. He almost made me late for work. And it would have been so worth it.
I reached my office, closed the door behind me, and plopped into my desk chair. I folded my arms on my desk, and set my chin on top of them, grinning from ear-to-ear.
Oh, Killian Murphey. You’ll be the death of me…but what better way to die?
I knew better than to think I was anything more than another notch in his belt…or however the Irish tallied these things. But I was certain he genuinely cared for me. I couldn’t be misreading him that much. I sighed, straightened, and rolled my desk chair in.
No more thinking about him.
Right.
I would drive myself insane going through it all in my mind until I saw him later. I needed to get some work done. Promptly at four-thirty, I stood, turned the light off in my office, and prepared to shut the door behind me, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but the superintendent of schools in the outer office. Thank goodness I’d changed back into my skirt when it was clean.
“Oh, Hank. Did we have an appointment?”
“No, Josephine. I’m sorry. I was driving by and thought I’d stop in to ask you about the upcoming school board meeting. Did you have a minute? Or were you leaving?”
“Well, I was. But I have a few minutes.”
A few minutes turned into twenty-three. Luckily, Paddy’s was close. I walked Hank out to his car and got in mine. Trying to make up for lost time, I was going a smidge faster than I usually went and not paying attention. I hit a huge pothole and a minute or two later a horrendous noise filled the car. It took me a few minutes to figure out I had a flat. I managed to steer it into the parking lot of an abandoned business. What a day to have left my phone at home. But Killian was quite the distraction. Paddy’s was only a few blocks away. If I hightailed it, I should be able to make it, pretty much on time.
I set off with my bag of clothes to change into, thinking we could take care of the car after dinner, though not exactly something I wanted to be doing on our first date, but…. I caught the time on a bank’s sign. These blocks were longer than I thought. I increased my pace, sweating a bit in my bulky coat. Again distracted, I hit a section of uneven sidewalk and went sprawling. I laid there for a moment, grimacing at the pain in my knees and left elbow. I lifted my head. Most of the contents of my bag were spread out in front of me, but my makeup bag managed to be wedged into my gut, caught between my body and the concrete. A guy came rushing down his driveway.
“Are you okay?”
He helped me to my feet. “Yes, thank you. I’m fine.” I brushed at my skirt, trying to decide if it would make it through the episode.
“Do you want me to get a first aid kit?”
“Oh, no. Thanks. It’s only a scraped knee.” And hand, and elbow. But who’s counting?
He brought me my shoe, the heel having stuck in the sidewalk crack. “Thank you again.”
“Do you need a ride somewhere?”
I jumped around, trying to get the shoe back on. He offered his arm to steady me. He seemed like a nice man, but he was a stranger. “No. I’m meeting someone just up the way. But thanks.”
His forehead was creased. I began to wonder exactly how bad I was looking. “Okay. If you’re sure?”
“Yep.” I got the shoe on and tried to appear put together. “Have a nice night. And thanks again.” I breathed a sigh of relief when he left, but ten feet farther down the sidewalk I wished I’d taken him up on the ride. The heel completely separated from the sole of my shoe, hobbling me further.
Yeah. I was definitely going to be late.
Killian
I never knew a shift to take so long.
“So….” Dooly filled a pint at my elbow as I wiped the bar. “Why are you in such an all-fire hurry to get out of ’ere tonight?”
I looked at him sideways. “Well, if you must know, I have a date.”
“Oh, do ya now? With that bird you left ’ere with last night?”
“If you mean Josephine, yes.”
“Oh, Josephine, is it?” He gave me a half-elbow. “She what’s got the smile on yer face?”
I put me bar towel down. “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”
He laughed. “Ahh. Ye don’t do sly well, Killian.”
I smiled and looked at my watch. “Ya got this now, Dools?”
“Aye. Git out of ’ere.”
I stole my coat from the back bar and went to check myself in the mirror. I had on a sweater vest. Too much like what I’d worn the night before? Nah. No tie.
And besides, she seemed to like what I wore last night anyway.
I grinned at that. The way I’d been smilin’ all day. I hadn’t been so alive since before I’d lost my parents. No. I’d probably never been. The world was full of so much possibility. I ran a hand through my hair. Aiy. It was a lost cause, so it was.
Fifteen minutes later I was sitting at the end of the bar tapping my fingers to nonexistent music.
Dooly approached. “Your bird not show?”
“Must be late.” Though it’s not like Josephine to be late. In fact, she’s always early.
“You want I should get you a pint, then?”
Tempting…. “Nah. She’ll be here any minute. Thanks, though, Dools.”
But I wondered. I told her, after thinking about it, if she didn’t want to go on a date with me, all she needed to do was not show. Did I completely misread everything? I tried to quit checking the parking lot, but after a bit I had to get off my stool and pace about. She was never late. Josie was never late. As much as I was buzzin’ earlier, I began to droop.
By five-thirty, my stomach was heavy, and it weren’t from bein’ hungry. Dooly kept shooting me soulful glances, like he was sorry for me, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed my coat and marched out to my car. I was about to slide behind the wheel when I heard something. I turned, and she was comin’ hobblin’ along the street, leggin’ it like crazy and waving her arms wildly.
“Killian! Killian! Wait!”
I walked toward her, trying to assess the situation. She slipped out of her shoes and ran to me, a canvas bag hanging off her shoulder. I took her arms and she huffed and puffed.
“Sorry. I….” She gulped for air. “They….” She held up a shoe minus a heel in one hand, and in her other hand, a cracked heel. I took a step back to examine her further.
“You’re bleedin’! You’re hurt.”
She looked at her knees. “Nah…I….” She bent over, grabbing my arm. “Flat tire….”
“You had a flat?” I looked down the street, but didn’t see her car. “Where?”
“Back there,” she answered without elaborating. “The superintendent showed up….”
I laughed. “My. Looks like you had a time of it.”
She nodded, laughing as much as her lack of breath would allow her. “Shoo,” she said finally, straightening.
I was so overjoyed she hadn’t dumped me after all, I grabbed her face and laid one on her. When I stepped away she opened her eyes slowly.
“Wow. What was that for?”
I shrugged and looked away for a moment before returning my gaze to her. My words came out softly. “I missed you something fierce today.”
She grinned. “And I missed you, too. Could hardly get any work done for thinking of you.” It warmed me heart. She gestured with her thumb over her shoulder. “Do you think you could give me a ride back to get my spare shoes out of my car?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll change really quickly at Paddy’s—” she indicated her bag “—if that’s okay—and we can go.”
I turned toward Paddy’s and offered my arm. “Sound as a pound.”
She slipped her hand through my arm and used the other to brush at her skirt. “This poor skirt. It’s been thrown up on today, and now it’s ripped.”
“You were sick?”
“Oh, no. A student vomited on me.”
I grimaced. “That’s brutal.”
She grinned. “Tell me about it. But Dani and Sam cleaned it for me in the kitchen’s laundry room.”
“Ahh.” We walked a bit further. “I suspect their tongues’ll be waggin’ about us.”
“Oh, no.” She looked at me. “I didn’t tell them.”
“No?”
She gave my arm a squeeze. “I wanted to keep it our little secret for now.” We’d arrived at Paddy’s.
I looked in the window and ol’ Dooly waved his towel. “I best not go in or they may make a worker out of me.”
“Well we can’t have that. I’ll be right out. I promise. Then we can grab my extra shoes and be on our way.”
I went to warm the car.
She didn’t tell her friends about us. Is she embarrassed by it?
The thought invaded my mind like a bed bug and there was no getting rid of it. But by the time we got to our destination, being with her had brightened me. When I opened her car door, loud laughter came to us from the restaurant’s patio.
“Place is heavin’ tonight. And it’s decent enough weather, even the patio people are out.” A half-dozen was gathered around the outdoor heater as we walked by, smoking cigarettes. “Although, to be fair, they’d be out here even if it were perishing.” We turned the corner and I held the door for her. “Welcome to McGillicutty’s.”
The place made Paddy’s look like a doll house. Designed in an old brick building that used to be a feed store, they’d gotten rid of the second floor to raise the ceiling. The bar was twice the size of ours and huge chalkboards hung on either side with the list of craft beers, and current and coming entertainment. When we entered, the Orange, Green, and Green were playing a raucous tune and many were clapping along.
The hostess looked up. “Killian.”
“Darcy, my love.” I kissed her on the cheek.
“Where’ve you been hidin’ yourself?”
“Oh, you know. Here and there. Is Mick in?”
“He and Bridget both.” She looked at her list. “I don’t know how I missed your name on here. Seems as though we’ve given your place away. You ‘ave yourself a scoop, first, and I’ll give ya the next that’s available.”
“Aye. I wanted to see Mick anyhow. Flag me down when it’s ready.”
“Sure thing.”
I guided Josie along as I waded into the crowd. She was smiling, which was a good sign, and turning her head to take it all in. Giant flags hung from the rafters with the coat of arms for all the counties in Ireland, and Celtic instruments dotted the walls, along with a big, fancy renderin’ of their logo.
“Spud!” the old man hollered from the bar. I worked my way to two open stools. “Why it’s been donkey’s years, friend. What’s the craic?” He spotted Josie’s hand in mine. “And who is this lass, with such bad judgment of character?”
“Josephine Compton, meet Mick McGillicutty. Although I’m certain you have a real name.”
He frowned. “Albert. That’s why I go by Mick.” He took Josie’s hand. “Cead mile failte.”
She looked to me. “A hundred thousand welcomes.”
“Oh. That’s pretty. Pleased to meet you Mr. McGillicutty.”
“Oh, come now. We’ll be kissin’ cousins ’fore the night is through. Call me Mick.”
She nodded with a smile. “Mick.”
“Welcome on then. Pull up a stool. I’ll be right back.”
We took a seat, but I swiveled on my bar stool to face her. “So. What’d’ya think? It’s a wee bit difficult to talk. We could—”
She put a hand on my leg. “I love it. I absolutely love it.” She continued to look around. “It’s like one big family. Only a happy one, instead of a dysfunctional one.”
I fell out. “It’s early yet. I wouldn’t go making any verdicts on that count.”
Mick placed shots in front of us and raised his. With a twinkle in his sea blue eyes, he began. “I drink to your health when I’m with you. I drink to your health when you’re gone. I drink to your health so often, I’m beginning to worry about me own.”
Josie’s laugh rang out. “He’s good. I believe he could give you a run for your money.”
“Slainte.” We clinked, and drank.
“What can I get ya now?”
I looked at Jo. “Oh, I’m fine for now.”
I tapped my glass. “More of the same, on ice.”
He nodded and prepared my drink.
“So, Mick. What’s the skinny? How’s Missy? Missy’s his youngest,” I explained to Jo.
He groaned. “Ya ’adn’t heard?”
I shook my head.
He looked at me while pouring, raising his eyebrows. “Take a wild friggin’ guess.”
It took me a second. “No!”
“Oh, yes.”
“No way. She’s in the family way again?”
He nodded. “Got one up the flue.”
I sat with my mouth hanging open. “What? That three now?”
“All without the benefit of marriage. She’s off her nut, she is. You’d think she’d know how it works by now.”
“Aye.” I took a sip of my drink. “But you know…that first fella really messed with her heart.”
“Aye. Jonny-boy. Took ’er ’eart, ’er innocence, and a good chunk of me wallet, when all was said and done. And, oh. Guess what this fella looks like.”
“Tall. Skinny. Black hair.”
He smacked the bar. “Bang on. Fair play, Killian, me lad. You’re a genius.” He wagged his head, refilling his drink. “Wears his baseball hat backwards, too. Name’s even Johny. But with an ‘h.’”
He looked pretty down in the mouth. I thought I’d try to joke him out of it. “But, you know…the ‘h’ makes all the difference.”
He laughed. “Like hell, it does.”
Mick was being none too subtle about eyeing Jo, who wasn’t payin’ us much attention as she listened to the music.
I looked from her to him pointedly. “’ow’s the wife, Mick?”
“Hmm…oh, Bridget. Well,” he prepared my drink, “ya know what they say. Love may be blind, but marriage restoreth your eyesight.”
He was too busy to notice the object of his affections approaching. “But I thought you said a house without a woman is empty and cold.”
“I may have. I may have,” he conceded. “But I also said, if it’s praise you want, die. If criticism, marry.” Bridget smacked his noodle in passing. “Ouch!”
He watched her leave, whispering out of the side of his mouth. “You coulda told me she was acomin’.”
“Ahh. And what would be the fun in that?” I laughed.
“But we’re being a pair of morons. Your young lass here is going to eat your head off if ya don’t pay ’er mind now.” He turned to her. “You watch this one. ‘E’s a bit of a troublemaker.”
She smiled. “Oh, I know.”
I patted her leg. “Hey, now. You’re gangin’ up on me.”
Someone shouted down the bar. “Mick. Another.”
“Grr. Damn customers.” He looked at Josie. “If they weren’t linin’ me pockets, I’d be done with the lot of them.” He winked then peered down the bar. “Ahh. Cool your jets, Charlie. Can’t you see I’m talking to the lass?”
“Aye. But I’ve got a mouth on me.”
Mick leaned in. “You can say that again.” He snickered. “I’ll be back before ya can say Michael Collins.” He powered off.
“Michael Collins,” I yelled after him, but he merely flicked his bar towel in my direction.
I turned my head, and Josie was again takin’ in the place. I scanned the room as well. “Now ya see, this is a pub. Not like the kip I work in.” I sighed. It reminded me of home. My gaze climbed to the rafters. “If I had my own place, it’d be exactly like this.”
“Well, why not have your own place?”
I spun my glass on the bar and didn’t answer right away. “Ahh. In the good words of Sean O’Casey, ‘All the world’s a stage,’ love, ‘and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.’”
“If we all waited until we were ready for something, nothing would ever happen.”
It nettled me. An uncharacteristic silence fell between us.
She put a hand on my arm. “Killian. I’m sorry. I have no right to—”
I twisted to study her face. “Why didn’t you tell Sam and Dani about us?”
She blinked. “Huh?”
“Was it because you’re embarrassed by me? Is that why you’re so insistent on me being a bar owner? To raise my status a bit in your friends’ view?”
She jerked her hand back as if burnt. “Killian, no. I—” Tears were in her eyes. “I thought that was your dream. I thought that’s what you wanted. I was trying to encourage you, but I—I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. I wouldn’t change one tiny thing about you if I could. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll—”
She left so quickly, I couldn’t find words to stop her.
Savage, Killian. You’re a real gem.
I swirled the ice in my glass, then drained the whiskey as Mick approached again.
He hesitated on his last couple of steps. “Your bird flown?”
“Aye. I was a jackass and she’s off to the jacks.”
We both looked in that direction. Mick leaned in. “Nice jabs on that one. Pretty good ride, eh?”
“Mind yourself,” I growled.
He chuckled. “Oh-ho-ho. Don’t get yeself in a tizzy.” He cleared some glasses left on the bar. “You got the glad eye for ’er?”
I didn’t comment, just tipped me glass and tried to suck the last drops from the ice.
“You’re doting on her!”
“Feck off,” I said good-naturedly.
He sucked in his breath, studying me. “You serious ’bout ’er, Killian?”
I shrugged then debated telling him. “Okay.” I broke down. I had to tell someone. He leaned in. “Truth is, we’re gettin’ on like a house on fire.”
“Really suckin’ diesel, eh?”
“Sure look it.”
We both stared in the direction of the restrooms. “Well, good on you. It’s ’bout time you find someone, Killian. And she seems like a nice gal.”
The door to the ladies’ room opened and Jo came out, looking more composed. Mick immediately straightened and jumped on washing some glasses like he was being chased by a bear. Mind you, he didn’t move or give us our privacy, but he scooched back some.
He nodded at Jo when she got to her stool, drying his glass with a bar towel. “Returned, are ya?” He gestured with his head behind her. “How’d’ya like the place?”
“I love it. It’s fun.” She looked along the bar. “I don’t get out much, so I really appreciate a place like this.”
“Don’t get out much? What do ya do for a livin,’ darlin,’ if I might ask?”
“I’m a grade school principal.”
He raised his eyebrows, still wipin’ away at the one glass and lookin’ to me. “Betcha got to be a real hard-ass to do that job. I admire ya.” He startled and inhaled sharply, turning back to me. “Speakin’ of which, Killian, I heard you got in a clatter the other night.”
I smiled. “Aye.”
He noticed my drink was empty and came to get me another. He looked at Jo. “Ya there?”
Her eyes sparkled with fun. “I was.”
An unexpected wave of tenderness hit me. I ran the back of my hand along her cheek. “I was defending the lady’s honor.”
“Is that so? And what happened?”
I turned back to him, saying, nonchalantly, “I put him out.”
He chuckled. “From what I ’eard, you’re lucky you didn’t get a prunin’ or a kick in the bollocks.”
“Oh, shut your gob.”
Darcy arrived, holding menus.
“Are you two hungry?”
Jo put a hand over her stomach. “Famished.”
They looked at me. “I could ate the twelve apostles.”
“Well, let’s get ya a table, then.”
“Wait.” Mick called. “Miss Josephine.” He took her hands. “It was very nice meetin’ ya. You’re a damned sight prettier than the last gal he brought in. She had a face like a blind cobbler’s thumb.”
“Mick,” I scolded.
He leaned in to Josephine closer and acted like he was whispering. “She was so ugly the tide wouldn’t take her out.”
I wadded my napkin and threw it at him, but I missed.
He laughed, but backed away from Jo. “You couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo.”
I frowned. “Stop filling her with your nonsense.”
But he wasn’t done yet. “Hey, Darc,’ did ya hear Killian got in a scrap?”
She inhaled sharply. “No.”
“’Twas nothing.” I offered Jo my hand to help her off the stool. “’E’s just trying to get me started.”
“Who me?”
Darcy snickered. “No one’s buying yer innocent act, Mick. We know ya too well. Isn’t that right, ’arry?” she said to someone on a neighboring stool.
“Not at all convincing,’” the man responded, folding his arms across his chest.
Mick held up his thumb and pointer fingers. “Not even a smidge?”
The man shook his head. “Not even a smidge.”
We lost the rest of the conversation as Darcy was moving now. She leaned in to me at one point, using the menus as a block. “Got ya a snug so you can get nice and cozy.”
“Thank ye kindly.” I gave ’er a wink.
As soon as she sat us and walked away from the table, I grabbed Jo’s hands. “I’m sorry. I was being a complete ass.”
“No. I overreacted. It’s just been a particularly trying day.”
“Aye. Preceded by a very…active, night,” I teased, wriggling my eyebrows.
The corners of her lips lifted. “And morning.”
“Ya do look bushed though. I was gonna suggest going to the pictures after, but maybe you need to get yourself a good night’s sleep.”
“You know, your accent’s stronger when you’re here.”
I pretended to peruse my menu. “I have no idea what yer talkin’ about. I don’t have any accent.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, right.”
After we’d ordered, she took my hands again. “I want to make sure you know…I would never presume to judge you. My—”
So she was still troubled by it. “I know, Jo. I guess I’m a little…insecure, about it. I mean, me ma was a parlor maid, me da a barman, like myself. Not quite in your class.”
“You’re wrong. My mom works at a dry cleaner, and my dad is a mechanic and part-time farmer. I’m the first person in our family to even attend college, and I had to work two and a half jobs to get there.”
Ya could ’ave knocked me over with a paper airplane. I whistled. “Well, now. I’m impressed.”
She shrugged. “You do what you have to do to make your dreams come true.”
Ginny came and took our order. While Jo was talking to her, I had a moment of insight. It was like the whole noisy, crowded bar slipped away and I was left with her words about gettin’ me own place. She said she shouldn’t have said it, but where the tongue slips, it often speaks the truth.
“Killian?”
Both women were staring at me. “Oh, the shepherd’s pie. Thank ya kindly.” I handed Ginny my menu, and she scurried away.
“Are you okay?”
I tucked my thoughts away for later and gazed at the beautiful woman sitting across from me. “I dunno.” I stretched my arms out, resting me elbows on the back of my seat. “It’s kinda lonely over here on this side of the snug.”
“Is it?” Her eyes shone. She waited for a couple to pass then swung out of her bench and into mine. My arm was waiting and came around her.
“Do you want to make out?”
“With you? Anytime.”
I pinched her chin lightly between my thumb and curled fingers, raising her face. Then I bent in slowly to kiss her. That sweet tango our tongues learned from each other simply took over. Someone passed our table again, and she pulled away. But she laid her head on my shoulder. It felt right.
The band, who had been breaking, took the stage again. Step dancers appeared and waited for the proper beat before starting. Josie sat forward, enraptured by them.
“Would you look at those feet fly.”
“’Ave you never seen Irish dancers before?”
“Not really.” She began to clap to the music.
“I can step dance.”
She spun to face me. “What?” Her face scrunched up as she scrutinized me. “You’re lying.”
I shooed her out of the snug. “Get out of me way then.”
She scoffed at first, then moved. I gauged me space in the aisle, tapped one foot’s toes in front of me, and waited to catch the rhythm.
“Oh, my gosh. You can do it.” She was delighted, and a fair number of people around us were clapping and carrying on. The girls in front smiled at me as they danced. My guess was they hadn’t met too many eejits willing to get up in the middle of a restaurant and dance to impress a girl. The folks at the table to our right moved it away a bit to give me more room. When the tune was over, I bowed elaborately to Josie then lifted me head with a smile.
“Show off!” Mick yelled over the crowd, sending the patrons at the bar into a roar of laughter.
Jo scooted over to make room for me. I took her hand as I slipped in and brought it to my lips to kiss it. I draped her arms around me and pulled her in again, finding her lips.
“Ahem.”
I didn’t stop.
“Ahem. Killian.” I ignored her. “’Allo-o-o! Your food’s arrived.”
Josie laughed and we broke apart.
“Sorry, about that,” she said.
“I’m not.”
Ginny grinned. “Well, I knew that, Killian. You’re a reprobate.”
“And proud of it.”
Josie put a hand on my cheek. “As well you should be.”
Ginny tittered. “Oh, you got yourself a live one this time, Killian.”
I gave Jo a kiss on the forehead. “I do, indeed.”
She put our plates in front of us and I rubbed my hands together.
“Thank the heavens. I’m weak as a salmon in a sandpit.”
We enjoyed a nice meal and when Ginny took away our plates, she asked, “Coffee? Irish coffee? Afters?”
I looked at Jo. “Do you want any dessert? Or an Irish coffee? Only Irish coffee provides all the essential food groups—alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.”
I handed Ginny my plate. “I guess we’ll take the check then, if ya would.”
“Already paid for.”
“What?” I frowned at Jo.
“It wasn’t me.”
Ginny pointed to an older pair at the bar. “They said they enjoyed your dancing.” She rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but came back. “And that you’re a cute couple.”
“Well, that was awfully nice.” I turned to Jo. “Are ya ready?”
She nodded. We stopped by the bar to thank the couple, who were tourists from Florida.
“Nite, Mick.”
“Nite, Killian. Josephine.”
“We should hurry before we get accosted by someone else.”
We managed to avoid folks and made it out the door.
Once we hit the sidewalk I asked her, “Go to the pictures? Drink? Home?”
She took hold of the sides of my jacket and towed me in. “Take me home, to bed, Killian.”
I grinned at her. “You’re a bold one, Miss Josephine. That’s what I like about you.”