4. Declan

Chapter 4

Declan

“ S orry, but the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service. ”

I don’t know why I expect the recording to be any different than the other fifty times I’ve dialed this number, but I seem to be a glutton for punishment.

Today started out for shit and has continued to get worse. First, I woke up and had to take an ice-cold shower because my hot water heater decided to go on the fritz. Then when I called the plumber to have a new one installed, he informed me that since I don’t want to wait until tomorrow, he will over tonight after six, which means I’ll be charged an extra after-hours fee. And lastly, the icing on my shit-day, is that Frankie gave me a bogus number last night.

“If you don’t put that phone down,” my buddy Luke barks from the other side of the bar, “I’m gonna smash it with my boot!”

“How are you gonna smash it if it’s still in my hand, ya dumbarse?” That seems to shut him up… for now.

When I get angry, my Irish accent pops up. With dual-citizenship between the United States and Ireland, I grew up speaking both languages. I can switch mid-sentence because that’s how our house was. When I’m back home, with my father’s family, I speak the native language there, but here in the states with my mother’s side, my English is perfect. My sister and I moved to Chicago full time about six years ago. Before then we were on a six-month rotation back and forth, spring and summer here, fall and winter in Ireland. It was taxing at times, but we were used to it.

“Whoever she is,” I knew the silence wouldn’t last long, “she lied. That’s what all women do, Dec. They lie and cheat and swindle to get what they want.”

My heart is screaming no , but the voices in my head are chanting yes . The whole situation from last night apparently was a charade. I was set up by the women to see if they could fuck the bartender. I’ve seen it happen before but I can’t believe I was a sucker and fell for it. I’m the owner for Christ’s sake, I should’ve been smart and seen the signs. I don’t know what the signs are at the moment, but I’m too mad to think past my anger.

Women flirt to see if they can get free drinks and I got conned by a damsel in distress and tumbled dick first into their trap—hook, line, and sinker. Both ladies got free drinks and one got laid. I have no doubt those rich bitches laughed at me and my gullible ass the whole way home to their mansions, far away from the slums of the working class.

Fuck. I’m an idiot. I told Frankie, if that’s even her real name, the county I was born in but she never shared anything in return. We didn’t even exchange last names. Who does that?

Me! I did.

No! I’m not taking any of the blame for this. She’s the only one at fault.

I delete the stupid number from my contacts, then erase my call log just to remove any evidence of the offending digits from my sight. “Fuck her,” I exclaim and slide my phone in my pocket. Out of sight, out of mind.

“Who did you fuck? ”

“Fuck!” I yell again, this time startled by my sneaky sister. “Shit Kiera, worn a guy next time, would ya?”

“Where’s the fun in that? Spooking you is my second favorite thing to do,” she chuckles as she ties an apron around her waist. “after having sex?—”

“Don’t even think about finishing that sentence.” I slap my hand over her mouth, she then licks my palm and I flinch back in disgust. I knew she was going to do that, but my idiot brain still isn’t firing on all cylinders. I blame the cold shower.

Kiera pulls me in for a hug and I kiss her on the cheek. “Sorry for the scare. But seriously, who did you fuck and why are you and Luke all growly about it?”

“No one.” I try to brush the conversation she walked in on under the rug. “I’m just having a bad day.”

“Bad day is an understatement,” Luke sticks his nose where it doesn’t belong… again. “Your brother here knocked boots with a customer last night and she gave him a wrong number. Now he’s all butt-hurt and moping around like someone pissed in his Cherrios.”

Sensing I’m on my last nerve with the asshole, who is somehow still one of my best friends, Kiera pulls me away before I can punch him. She doesn’t let me go until we’re in my office. She plops her butt down in my desk chair, leaving me to choose between standing and sitting on the evil sex couch… I pick standing. That couch needs to be burned.

“Start talking.” When Kiera crosses her arms and stares at me like she can read my mind, all I see is our ma— I fold like a deck of cards in a tornado.

“Luke was right.” I shut the door and lean against it, my ankles and arms crossed. “I met a woman last night and was knocked over the moment I saw her. Then when she looked at me, when our eyes met, I was a goner. I really felt deep down that she could’ve been the real deal. Uncle Paddy always said the bar was lucky for love. It’s where he met Aunt Sheila, it’s why he moved to America and bought the place. We’ve had three cousins all meet their spouses here, and countless other customers, maybe even more we don’t know of, but now I’ve done and gone and messed the luck up with my dumbarse pecker.”

I run a hand over my face, embarrassed that I just talked about my dick out loud to my sister.

“Declan, I hate to be the bearer of bad news for ya, but your pecker doesn’t hold that much power.” She’s trying to hold in her laughter but is losing. “One hook up can’t undo forty plus years of luck.”

“Then how do you explain the wrong number, Kiera? She put her number in my phone. It’s not like I misheard and saved it wrong.” My frustration has met its limit. “I felt it with her. I called her ‘bean ádh’ more than once. The words just came out. I didn’t even try!”

“Oh Declan.” Kiera is up and has me wrapped in one of her signature hugs before I can blink. “Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe she entered her number wrong. Maybe?—”

“No.” I pull away, the anger returning full force. “I got duped. The luck isn’t for me. It’s time I buck up and realize I’m better off alone. No one can hurt me if I don’t open my heart.”

“Life likes to play tricks on us sometimes.” I’m trapped in her hug again and give in, hugging her back. “Don’t count yourself out yet, brother. Your luck will come. I just know it.”

I know she’s trying to turn around my sour attitude, but it won’t work. I just don’t have it in me to crush her dreams for me.