Chapter Ten

Eamon

I walk into Paddy's at half past six to find Alicia pulling a few beers behind the bar and a handful of people scattered throughout the pub. The dreary skies are reminiscent of Ireland, and for a moment, I actually miss it. Ireland will always be the most beautiful country in the world to me.

I should probably call my Mam soon since it's been a while since we've spoken. I know it broke her heart when I left for the States, but I just couldn't bear being there anymore. After everything went to shite, I was desperate for an escape, so when the Coach of the UNCW Seahawks called and asked me to come play for them, I said yes without question. I told Mam it was the chance of a lifetime, and a week later, I was boarding a plane for America.

"Hey, Eamon," Alicia greets me as I saunter up to the bar. "Thanks for filling in tonight. I have a feeling this weather will bring us a fair bit of business. Something about stew and beer on a rainy day…"

"Aye." I nod in agreement. "Anything for Paddy. Have you heard from him?"

"No. Why he doesn't see a doctor in town, I'll never know. Surely his son can find someone for him." She shrugs, her long black ponytail swinging behind her.

"Who knows? Shall I start on stew, then?" I ask, knocking my knuckles on the bar.

"Paddy set up a batch before he left. It's already on the stove warming up. Might go ahead and start the next batch," she suggests. "When will our Norah be here?"

I smile at the reminder. "I told her seven. Hope that's okay."

"Perfect. Now off to it, Chef," she says cheekily.

I'm in the middle of chopping carrots when a pleasant laugh sounds through the swinging doors. I look up as Norah walks in, laughter still evident on her face.

"Hi!" She beams at me, and I damn near cut my finger off with how radiant that smile is.

"Hello there, lass. You're certainly in a good mood this evening," I tell her, carefully navigating the knife away from my fingers and back to the carrots.

She ducks into Paddy's office to put her purse away before responding, "Everyone keeps telling me that today. Makes me wonder if I'm normally grumpy."

"No. At least not that I've seen. Other than Friday night…" I wink at her, unable to keep myself from teasing her. It's too easy and entirely way too much fun.

She narrows her eyes at me and says pointedly, "That was a completely different situation. My honor was being challenged. Anyone would be cranky."

"Fair point," I concede, holding my hands—and knife—up in surrender.

She grabs an apron from the hook and ties it quickly around her waist. I watch her as she twists those auburn curls into a knot on the top of her head. Once she's satisfied with its position, she puts her hands on her hips and looks at me expectantly.

"Alright. Where do you want me?" she asks.

I can think of a few places I want her, but not one of them is appropriate. Stopping those thoughts in their tracks, I cough roughly and look around the kitchen. There aren't any dishes to be washed yet, but I do have a pile of veggies still needing to be peeled and chopped.

I nod towards the pile and ask, "Do you cook, Norah?"

"I do," she says. "Baking is my forte, but I'm pretty good with a peeler and knife."

She grabs the peeler and a large potato and gets to work. We stand next to each other in companionable silence for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts.

"How was practice?" Norah asks, breaking the silence.

I glance sideways at her. She's not looking at me; she's still focused on her work.

"Wet," I tell her, "and grueling. Coach has been in a foul mood this week."

"You have to practice in the rain?" she asks, scrunching her nose at the idea.

I chuckle. "We play in the rain, so why not?"

"Good point," she says with a shrug.

"Have you never been to a game when it rains?"

The stands are usually pretty empty on rainy games, which is understandable. None of us enjoy playing in the rain, so I imagine sitting in it isn't much fun either.

"I can't say that I have, to be honest. I've been to a few games, but always under optimal conditions," Norah says brightly.

I stop dicing carrots and turn to her. "Well, we'll have to remedy that, then. Won't we, Miss Grady?"

I hear her suck in a short breath and see her cheeks turning pink as she looks up at me. Her skin is already flawless, but when she blushes? I can't get enough of it .

"Um…" she hesitates.

"It's only fair," I tell her, lightly nudging her arm with my elbow. "I've never seen your Beauty and the Beast, and you've never been to a rainy game. Don't you think we should settle both scores?"

Laughing, she says, "You're not wrong, but it's different. You'll be playing, while I sit in the stands alone—no one to explain things to me. Whereas, with Beauty and the Beast, I'll be there to help you navigate."

"It's a Disney movie. How much navigation do I need?" I grin at her, and she rolls her eyes before going back to peeling.

"And when exactly is the next rainy game going to be? Weather this time of year is pretty temperamental, so there's really no telling when that will be."

"I guess you'll just have to come to all of them, then," I tell her. "I think I'd enjoy seeing you in the cheering section on a regular basis."

She stares up at me with those wide blue eyes, and I'm a goner.

"Hey!" Alicia barks, coming through the doors from the pub.

We both startle at her intrusion. I don't remember moving closer to Norah, but somehow, there's little to no space between our sides and arms. She must realize it the same time I do, because her face flames again and she takes a large step away.

"Love birds, the dishes are starting to pile up, and we're gonna need that stew tonight!" Alicia continues, smirking at us knowingly.

"Sorry, Alicia. I'll go grab those dishes now," Norah says quickly. She puts down the peeler and wipes her hands on the closest towel. Grabbing a bussing tote, she scurries out of the door before Alicia can say another word.

Alicia turns to me with a severe expression. "Don't do her wrong, Kennedy. She's one in a million. If you're just looking for a fuck buddy, you won't find it with her. Not with what she's been through."

And with that, she turns and exits the kitchen, leaving me completely stunned and mildly insulted that she thinks so little of me. Sure, I've had a fling or two, but I'm not Mac. I don't chase girls, and I'm certainly not looking for a fuck buddy. I won't say that I haven't had some less- than-proper thoughts about Norah, but I have absolutely zero intention of pursuing those thoughts. I know she's one in a million. It's what drew me to her to begin with.

But what did Alicia mean when she said what she's been through? Obviously some wanker did something to break her heart, but then, I think back to our earlier interactions. My blood freezes in my veins when I recall how hesitant she was to be alone with me at first. I figured she was just being cautious, but now I'm wondering if that caution goes beyond stranger danger. The thought of someone hurting her enrages me so much that I grip the edge of the counter to steady myself and calm my breathing. I have the sudden urge to be her avenger and destroy anyone who's ever done anything to harm her or make her fearful.

Norah

I bustle through the door with a tub full of glasses, bowls, and silverware and make my way to the dishwasher. Setting the tub on the counter, I begin unloading it. I'm about to make some sort of smart-ass comment about Eamon's slow chopping skills, but stop short when I see the expression on his face. His strong jaw is clenched tightly, and he looks anything but amused. In fact, he looks angry. He scoops up the chopped veggies in both hands and drops them into the pot, then goes back to chopping more carrots with more force than necessary.

What could possibly have angered him in the mere minutes I was out of the kitchen? Is it what Alicia called us? Love birds. Maybe I've been reading him all wrong and he just wants to be friends. My heart sinks as the realization hits. Feeling foolish, I pour my focus into washing dishes, moving loads through the dishwasher, and then heading back out to the dining room to collect more. Eamon and I don't say another word to each other until Alicia comes back to tell us the kitchen is officially closed.

Sighing with relief, I lean against the dishwasher to catch my breath. When I look up, Eamon is standing in front of me holding two pints of Guinness with a wary expression on his face.

"Here," he says softly, "you earned it."

Taking one of the pints, I attempt to lighten the mood by raising an eyebrow at him and asking, "Are you sure they aren't both for me? You know how much of a lush I am."

He smirks and I feel the tension crack. I take a long drink, staring at him the whole time, then lick the foam off my lips. He tracks the movement with those vivid blue eyes.

"Something bothering you, Eamon?"

His brows furrow in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

I shrug then nod towards the stove. "You seemed pretty mad at that pot of stew earlier. You were staring daggers at it."

I may be quiet and shy, but I'll always try to add laughter to unpleasant moments.

He hesitates, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. "It's just that…that batch of stew wasn't as good as I had hoped."

Eyeing him dubiously, I take another swallow of Guinness. "Whatever you say, Kennedy."

"It's nothing. Don't worry yourself about it," he says, moving his hand to rub the back of his neck. The movement raises the bottom of his t-shirt, revealing his well-defined stomach and the start of his happy trail. I gulp down another drink, trying not to ogle him too much but failing miserably. He's too beautiful not to look at. The longer I stare, the more my skin heats.

"You alright, love? You're looking a bit flushed," he asks with concern.

Thoroughly embarrassed, I clear my throat. "Yeah, sorry. It's warm in here; that's all."

Good lord, Norah. Pull yourself together.

"Aye, it is," he agrees with a nod. "Thanks again for coming to help out tonight. Alicia and I would have drowned without you here."

"Sure, no problem. It was actually kind of fun. And I'd do anything for Pat."

"He's a good aul fella, to be sure." Eamon smiles softly.

I smile in return. "Well, if we're done for the night, I better head home. Another early morning awaits me."

"How are you getting home?" he asks, pushing off of the kitchen island and taking a couple of steps towards me.

"I was going to call Charlie and have her pick me up."

Taking my now-empty glass, he reaches past me to put it in the dishwasher tray with his own. My spine straightens at his proximity. Why does he always smell so good? I resist the urge to bury my nose in his shirt. After setting the glasses down, he pulls back, leaving just a few inches between us. I should be filled with anxiety right now with how close he is, but that's not what I'm feeling at all.

"I'll take you home, lass," he says simply. "No need to have her get out when I'm already here."

"N-no, it's okay," I stutter, looking up at his face. "I can't ask that of you."

"You didn't ask, love. I offered. And it's not any trouble." He smiles warmly.

"Are you sure?" I ask, twisting my hands together nervously. I don't want him to feel obligated.

"Absolutely. I don't say things I don't mean, so you can be sure that if I'm offering, it's because I want to."

"Oh," I breathe out. "Well, okay, then. Thank you, Eamon."

"You're welcome." He gestures towards the doors leading to the bar. "Let me just check with Alicia to see if she needs us for anything else, then we can go."

I duck into Pat's office to grab my purse from the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet. When I come back out, Eamon holds the door open, letting me go before him. Glancing up at him as I pass I give him a small smile. His eyes soften, and one side of his mouth lifts in return. We find Alicia closing out the cash register and completing the nightly deposit.

"Hey, Alicia, we're done in the back. What can we help with out here?" I ask.

She holds up a finger to signal us to let her finish her current task before putting down her ink pen and turning our way.

"Okay, sorry." She grins. "When I'm closing out the cash till, I'm laser- focused."

"Aye, seems like a good thing to be focused on," Eamon responds. "Pat appreciates it, I'm sure."

Alicia rolls her eyes. "Only because he hates doing it. I don't know how he manages on my nights off, to be honest. Anyway, no, we're done for tonight, guys. Thanks so much for coming in. Seriously, you saved my ass."

"No problem. Happy to help," I tell her honestly.

"Need a ride home, Norie?" she asks as she stuffs the cash and deposit slip into a blue bank bag.

"I've got her," Eamon says quickly from behind me.

My eyes go wide, and Alicia raises her dark brows, a coy smile playing on her lips. "Norah, you good with that?"

"Yep!" I respond a little too cheerfully.

She chuckles before saying, "Alright, you two. Behave. Thanks again."

Waving our farewell, Eamon and I leave the pub and walk straight to his SUV. He opens the passenger door for me before rounding the front and climbing into the driver's seat.

"Where to?" he asks as he starts the car.

"I'm on the other side of Marstella Park. Just head North on Third Street and turn left onto Meares," I direct him.

"Right. You are close, then. My flat's halfway between here and campus," Eamon says.

"That must be nice. I probably should have found a place a little closer to campus, but as soon as I saw my house, I knew it was where I wanted to be."

"Do you live by yourself?" he asks, glancing over at me.

"I do. Charlie and I were going to get a place together, but she didn't know when she was going to be moving to North Carolina, so she told me not to pick a place based on that." I shrug. "It worked out well. She met Mark shortly after moving here, and it was basically love at first sight."

"You don't get nervous living alone in Wilmington?"

"Nah. It's a quiet neighborhood, and Layla lives next door, so I'm not really that alone. We usually have dinner together a few times a week if she's not working," I tell him, angling my body to see his face better. "What about you? Do you and Rowan and Teagan live together?"

Eamon huffs a laugh. "No, thank Christ. Teagan and I would probably do alright together, but I think I'd murder Ro after a day or two. If you couldn't tell, he's a bit…much."

I snort a quiet laugh. "Yeah, I gathered that. Oh, I'm the second house on the right."

I point at my house, and he pulls into my driveway. It's already a short drive, but it seemed to go quicker while talking with Eamon.

"Thanks again for the ride, Eamon. I appreciate it."

He turns towards me, running his eyes over my face and tipping the corner of his mouth up in a warm smile. "Anytime, lass. It was my pleasure."

I throw up a silent prayer of thanks that it's dark in the car so he can't see my traitorous face blushing.

"Good luck at practice tomorrow," I tell him.

"Aye, I'll need it," he says.

We stare at each other for a handful of seconds, but it feels like a lifetime. Finally, he blows out a breath and says, "Goodnight, Norah."

His deep voice feels like a warm caress that I can feel trail down my entire body.

"Goodnight, Eamon," I whisper and clumsily exit the vehicle.

When I make it to my front door, I turn to wave, fully expecting him to be backing out of the driveway, but he's sitting there watching to make sure I get inside safely.