Despite being tanked up, Seamus was swinging his keys around his finger. “I’ll go grab the van an’ bring it ‘round front, aye?”
“Aye.” I nodded, popping a smoke between my lips. “I’d be havin’ time t’ finish this up.”
The rest of the group followed behind Seamus, leaving me behind. I held my lighter to the end of the cigarette until it caught and sucked in a deep lungful. I slipped my lighter back into my pocket, resting my hand there too whilst I smoked.
I wasn’t alone out here, crowds of travellers were all around, laughing and joking as everyone’s night wound down. Just as I was taking another long drag, a large group exited the pub. They were drunk and a wee older lady stumbled, her ankle twisting beneath her. She slammed into me, and I lost my footing, stepping back and colliding with another group of fellas.
“Ah, shite!”
“Feckin’—”
“‘Ey! Watch it!”
I just aboutmanaged to stay upright, holding the woman by her elbow. I glanced back over my shoulder, keen to apologise to the folks I’d unwittingly crashed into. My eyes locked on the wee cute piece. He scowled at me and shoved me away.
“Sorry, fellas,” I muttered, mouth suddenly dry. I turned my attention back to the older woman. “Y’alright there? Got y’footin’ now, aye?”
She laughed, too drunk to even be embarrassed. “Aye, I got it. I got it. Thanks, love.”
“No bother,” I replied, straightening up and brushing myself off. Before I could stop myself, my gaze returned to the handsome stranger. To my surprise, he was looking right back at me, and I faltered as he eyed me up and down.
“Watch where y’goin’, eh?” he muttered tersely.
“Wasn’t me, fella,” I replied with a shrug. “The wee old bird fell inta me, but aye…” With booze and coke bolstering my confidence, I raked my gaze over him hungrily. “I’ll watch meself next time.”
He didn’t respond and despite his scowl, I was sure I saw the corner of his mouth curl into a smirk. It was barely perceptible, but I’d long since grown adept at reading even the most subtle of signals.
Before I had a chance to think about it, Seamus’s van pulled up, brakes squeaking. I flicked my cigarette away, sparks flying, and shoved my hands into my pockets. As I moved to stroll away, a deep voice spoke at my back.
“Be seein’ y’around, like.”
I glanced over my shoulder with a heated glance. “Y’can count on it.”
The tattooed stranger held my gaze for a moment longer than was truly necessary before turning away and I rushed off to join Seamus as the others in the van.
Chapter Two
Ronan
“Someone ya know, boyo?”
I shook my head, brows still furrowed with a frown. I didn’t know anything about that tall fella, except that he’d made me uncomfortable in a way I hadn’t been in a long while.
“Nah.” I turned to my cousin and best mate, Darragh, tugging my cap. “Let’s get goin’. Ma’s gonna be awake frettin’ over us no doubt.”
“Aye. I’d be needin’ t’ stop at the chippy or somethin’ though. Starvin’, like.”
Though Darragh wasn’t my brother by blood, he was the next best thing. His ma, my own ma’s sister, had passed giving birth to him. No one knew who his da was. My aunt had taken his identity to the grave and when no one stepped up, my ma took Darragh in and raised him as her own, despite being pregnant with me and due only four months later. We’d been wee pals ever since we’d known the meaning of the word, and whilst he drove hell into me some days, I wouldn’t be without him.
Darragh and I said our farewells to the group of fellas we’d convoyed to Appleby with. They were a decent enough bunch and had shown us to the best pub in the village. I was grateful, but they weren’t mates and that meant they weren’t to be trusted. I just hoped we could find our way back to the hitching site in the dark without them.
“Not a bad first day, eh?” Darragh said, shoving his hands into his pockets as we strolled off into the night.
“Aye, quality wee place, like. Should be a belter o’ a weekend.”
A comfortable silence overcame us, both tired from the long journey we’d made to be here. It was the first time either of us had had the opportunity to attend thefamous Appleby Horse Fair, though Ma had told us endless tales of attending in her youth. The fair had been on my bucket list since I was a wain. Hailing from Galway on the Western side of Ireland, it had been an exhausting ten-hour road trip to get here, but it was already looking like it was going to be worthwhile.
Without really meaning to, my thoughts turned back to the handsome, tall drink of water who’d literally run into me outside of the pub. Worthwhile, for fucking sure.
