Bran walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry. I’m mad at myself, not you. You’re right—everything will be okay.” But the words sounded hollow even to him.
Ireland swallowed. “We should stay in our own beds tonight. Get actual sleep. We’re both exhausted, and it probably didn’t help this evening.”
He looked away. He wanted her in his bed. Wanted to hold her. But he also wanted time to wrap his head around a mistake he hadn’t made in ten years, certain he’d never make again. “You’re right. I’ve kept you up too late this week.”
She nodded, but not before he glimpsed a look of disappointment.
He’d fucked up. Again. “Ireland…”
She reached for her bag near the stairs and looked up.
“Do you want me to drive you home?”
A strained smile crossed her face, no light in her beautiful green eyes. She shook her head. “I have my car.”
He looked up at the ceiling, wanting to say something—anything—as she walked to the door. “Will you be okay?”
She paused, fingers on the handle. “I’ll be fine.”
But he didn’t believe it. He’d put them in a position where they had to consider what to do about a potential unplanned pregnancy. He’d let himself down. He’d let her down. And he wasn’t sure he could forgive himself.
Chapter 27
Sleep? Why had Bran ever thought he’d get better sleep without Ireland?
He’d tossed and turned all night, reliving the mind-blowing pleasure he’d experienced in her arms, now distorted with guilt.
It happened. People got caught up in the moment and forgot, or ignored, using protection. But Bran didn’t. Not after he learned his lesson in high school and almost ruined a girl’s life. God knew what lasting effects his carelessness had had on her. And he’d done it again. Only this time, it had been with a woman he was falling in love with.
Ireland had become a light in his life. This beautiful, funny, sexy woman had landed in his lap—and he’d put them both in a compromising position.
Bran strode into Prime, still turning over how he could have made such a stupid mistake, when the day manager stepped in front of him out of nowhere.
“Hey, Jacky,” he said. “Everything okay?”
Jacky shifted her weight, wringing her hands. “Not really.”
Excellent.“How can I help you?”
“It’s the ordering system. We’re having issues with it again, only this time it’s worse.”
His brow furrowed. “It’s been running fine. Not an incorrect order since we had it rebuilt.”
“I don’t understand it either, but something’s up. We’ve had two hundred incorrect orders this morning, and the financials are a mess.”
“Two hundred?”he said. “How is that possible? It’s barely ten o’clock.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, but we’ve been receiving angry phone calls all morning. Orders not correct. Overcharging issues.”
Bran grit his teeth. “Shut it down.”
“I did an hour ago, but the orders…”
“Fix them,” he said. “Give everyone back their money. Call in the off-duty managers and get them to help clean up this mess.”
Jacky nodded, but the strain was evident on her face.
Bran stretched his neck, the tendons popping. “How much of a loss are we talking about?”
