Chapter Sixteen

Norah

I'm just finishing up the bodice of Belle's gown when I hear my phone chirp from the kitchen. I stand and stretch my cramped muscles before heading inside. I'm pleasantly surprised with all that I've accomplished since Eamon left. Our time together had been more enjoyable than I expected, and I still can't believe how comfortable and safe I feel with him. It's a welcome change to the trepidation I normally feel around men.

Speak of the devil.

A text from the man himself.

Eamon: Sounds like there's a meet-up at Paddy's tonight. Mac and Myra set it up. Ro's begging me to go. Keep me company?

My cheeks hurt from the huge smile on my face and the thought of seeing Eamon again so soon makes me giddy. I should spend the evening working on costumes, but maybe I can go out for an hour or two. A girl has to take a break sometime, right? I'm not thrilled about seeing Mac and Myra together, but there's going to be a pretty gorgeous distraction holding my attention. Feeling emboldened, I decide to flirt a little.

Norah: Missing me already?

Eamon: Guilty as charged. I'm only staying an hour or so. And I won't be imbibing.

Norah: Someone probably needs to make sure you stick to water. I don't trust Mac to do that.

Eamon: Considering how we met, I'm not sure you're the one for the job either, but I'm happy to let you try.

Norah: Fine, Kennedy. Just so I can prove to you that I'm a responsible adult, I will come and babysit you. What time should I be there?

Eamon: I'll come pick you up if you'd like. Or I can meet you at your place, and we can walk together. Say 8:00?

Norah: I'd like that. See you at 8:00!

It's official. Bantering with Eamon is my new favorite hobby.

Taking my time getting ready, I pair my favorite black skinny jeans with a cream-colored off-the-shoulder sweater and curl my hair just enough to tame my natural waves. I finish applying my make-up and am just putting in my pearl earrings when I hear a car pull into my driveway. Taking one last look in the mirror, I spin and hurry to the front door. When I open it, I nearly gasp out loud. I just saw Eamon a few hours ago, but he still takes my breath away. We stand there, eyeing each other, then burst out laughing. He's wearing black jeans and a cream-colored cable knit sweater.

"Nice outfit," Eamon says, grinning at me.

"Right back at you. Maybe I should change so others don't think we planned this…"

"Don't you dare. You look ravishing," he growls, eyes heating. "I don't give a single fuck what anyone has to say about us."

I shiver in delight at his words. This man is making me feel things I never thought I'd feel again. "In that case, let me just slip on my shoes and we can go," I say with a laugh.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Eamon opens the door to O'Nelly's and ushers me in with his hand on the small of my back. I'm hyper-aware of the contact, and it's hard to focus on anything else around me. Saturdays are usually busy, but it's absolute chaos in here tonight. As we make our way through the masses, his hand never leaves me.

"There he is!" Rowan exclaims, jumping from the booth the team normally sits at. He claps a hand on Eamon's shoulder, then turns to me. "With the lovely Norah! What a pleasant surprise. We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Rowan Gallagher, but you can call me Ro!"

"No, we haven't," I reply, smiling at the handsome redhead. "It's nice to meet you, Ro."

"Likewise," he beams. "Come and sit! Mac was just trying to impress your friend, Myra, with some tall tales!"

I hesitate a moment but slide into the booth next to Myra. Eamon drifts in close behind.

"Norie!" Myra squeals, throwing her arms around me and pulling me in for a tight hug. "I'm so, so sorry for the other night. I was being a Grade A bitch and don't deserve to be your friend. Will you please forgive me?"

Pulling out of the hug and looking her in the eyes, I sigh and tell her, "Of course, I forgive you. I'm sorry too. We both said hurtful things. It actually worked out…" I nod my head in Eamon's direction.

She peeks around me, waggling her eyebrows. "We have a lot to catch up on, it looks like. So what's the status? Are you two dating now?"

"Uh…" I'm not sure what we are exactly. We haven't made any sort of declaration, but have agreed that we want to spend more time together, and the physical attraction is there, but are we dating?

"We're whatever Norah wants us to be. She's the one calling the shots," Eamon's deep voice interjects, his warm breath fanning over my exposed shoulder, giving me chills.

I turn towards him and suck in a breath when I realize how close our faces are. His bright blue eyes are boring into mine, and I have the strongest urge to reach up and trace my fingers along his full lips. I duck my head to break eye contact.

"Should I not have said that? I was just trying to take some of the pressure off," he says in a low voice.

I look back up at him and smile softly. "No, it's just that…I appreciate you giving me the choice. I also don't want to label us without coming to a mutual decision."

"You will always have the choice. I wasn't joking when I said we can do this at whatever pace you're comfortable with. As for what we are…"

A loud cheer rings out through the pub, bursting the little bubble we've encased ourselves in. We both look to the stage to see Mac stumbling up the steps, heading straight for the microphone. Myra lets out a cat call, earning her a grin from Mac.

"Oh, Christ…" Eamon starts, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We can leave anytime you want, love. It's only going to get worse from here."

Laughing, I shake my head. "We only just got here!"

"Right, but I hadn't planned on drinking tonight, remember? There's no way I'm going to be able to sit here and listen to Mac howl about up there without a drink in my system."

I raise an eyebrow and look at him for a moment. "Alright, Kennedy. One drink. " I hold up a finger. "Just one, and then we can go."

"Deal. What'll you have? Guinness?" Eamon winks at me.

Damn, if that doesn't make my toes curl. "Definitely not. A glass of the house red, please?"

"Good choice. Be right back. Don't listen to anything Ro says while I'm gone." He gives my knee a gentle squeeze and slides out of the booth.

I watch him walk towards the bar, not at all upset at the view.

"Finally! Never thought the bastard would let me have a chance to talk to you," Ro complains, sliding in next to me and throwing an arm around my shoulders.

Tensing slightly, I purse my lips and say studiously, "I'm under strict orders to not listen to a word you say."

He places a hand over his heart, eyes widening. "I'm wounded! He's just worried that I'll snatch his girl away. I'm exceedingly more charming than he is. In fact, he learned all of the best lines and moves from me!"

"Strange," I say, in mock concern. "I can't imagine I'd be here with him if that were true."

A loud laugh and the sound of chair legs scraping on the floor interrupt our banter.

"Sounds like you've met your match, Ro. It seems only another ginger can beat you at your own game," Teagan says while taking a seat and extending his hand across the table, "Norah, I presume? Name's Teagan. Pleasure."

Returning the handshake, I respond, "You presume correctly. Nice to meet you as well."

What is it with these Irishmen? All three of them are beautiful in their own way. A girl could get used to being surrounded by this kind of scenery.

"Now, Teag, don't be getting any ideas. Norah has already told me I'm her next choice when she gets tired of Kennedy, here," Ro says, shaking a finger at Teagan.

"Is that so?" Teagan responds, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose that's alright. I've had my eye on Alicia anyway. She seems like she'd be a fun…"

"Fuck off. Don't you dare go messing about with Alicia. I'll have your bollocks for breakfast," Ro grinds out, fire in his eyes.

Way to show your cards, Ro.

"Now, where were we?" Rowan turns back to me. "Oh, right. You were about to tell me what your intentions are with our fella."

"My intentions? I wasn't aware you were his parent and that I needed to declare myself to you," I quip back.

"Ah, lass, but that's where you're wrong," Teagan chimes in. "While in the States, we all look out for each other. Like the Three Musketeers."

"More like the Three Stooges. Which one is Curly?" I ask, looking between the two of them.

"Did you just refer to me as one of the Three Stooges?" Eamon asks incredulously, coming up to stand behind Teagan. "I leave for a whole five minutes and you eejits have already turned her against me."

"We're just looking out for you, mate. Wanting to make sure the fire sprite has your best interests at heart. Can't have her taking advantage of you just because you're a star footballer," Ro says.

Eamon rolls his eyes then, noticing Ro's arm around my shoulders, glares pointedly at his friend. I go rigid as Ro pulls me tighter to him, running a lock of my hair through his fingers. I know he's not being nefarious, but the unexpected, and unwanted, contact has my breath coming faster and anxiety rising.

"Norah, love. Have I ever told you how gorgeous your hair is? I'm a wee bit biased after all." Ro leans in as if to smell my hair.

My eyes must be begging for help because Eamon says, "Alright, that's enough. Get your dirty paws off of her before I tear them from your limbs. Besides, you're making her uncomfortable, and I know your Mam raised you better than that. Don't make me call her up…"

"Jaysus, Kennedy. Calm your tits. I'm just messing about. If you're going to keep this one around, she might as well get used to the gang. Right, Norah?" Finally looking at me, Ro stops short, noticing the panic in my eyes. "My apologies, lass. I didn't mean a thing by it."

"It's alright. I just have a…thing…with being touched without warning or permission," I hedge.

"Right, I'll just get out of our boy's spot, then! I need a drink anyway!" he says jovially, leaving the booth and heading towards the bar.

Eamon sits a glass of wine down in front of me before resuming his place beside me and turning concerned eyes on me. "Are you alright, love?"

"I'm fine. Really. But I can't tell you how much I appreciate you picking up the cues. Usually, the girls are the ones to save me," I reply, hesitantly sliding my hand into the one he has resting on his thigh.

Eamon looks down at our hands and twists so our fingers are interlocked. Why does something as simple as hand-holding have my heart thumping hard?

"So, Norah, what do you do here in Wilmington?" asks Teagan.

Yet again, I forgot that there were others around us, somehow even managing to drown out Mac's horrible rendition of whatever country song he's singing and Myra's cheering .

I smile apologetically at Teagan and say, "I'm the costume designer for the Department of Theatre at the university and also a business student."

"No kidding? Do you make costumes as well?" he questions.

"I do, with my team of course. I couldn't do it alone."

"You should see her work, Teag," Eamon says proudly. "It's phenomenal. I know nothing about designing or making any type of clothing, but I got to see it firsthand, and I'm seriously impressed."

"Okay, enough about me," I say quickly, my face flaming at the compliments. "How are you feeling about the game tomorrow?"

"We're playing Duke, so it could go either way." Teagan shrugs, taking a drink from the beer bottle in his hand. "I hate to say it, but they've really improved since last season. Wankers."

I can't help but laugh. "Right. They're your rivals. Shows you how much I know."

"You're coming tomorrow right?" he asks curiously.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to ask my friend Layla to come with me. She's been wanting to see a game."

"That's a good idea," Eamon says. "I'll make sure both names are given to the attendant."

"Yeah, definitely bring a friend," Teagan says with a smirk. "The more pretty lasses there, the better!"

Hmmm. Layla is single, and from what I can tell, so is Teagan. This could be fun.