Finally alone, I check my email and see that my Susie-change-a-lot client has yet another overhaul she wants me to do.My bank account gets fatter with every one of her whims, but she’s starting to drive me insane.
Aidan responded to my meeting request, and thankfully, he’s agreed to meet at the coffee shop.I pack my stuff up and notice that no one really said good-bye to me.Shoulders slumped, I grab my bag and head out the door, flipping off the lights as I go.
Finn is opening and closing car doors for Virginia and Louise.Maybe he is chivalrous.Maybe he misses his grandma, too.I don’t know.But my heart breaks a little when I see Louise wrap him in a hug before she settles in her car.
With a deep breath, I tuck my head down against the wind and power-walk to my car.It’s time for a change.
* * *
“Thankyou so much for being flexible.”Aidan assesses me as I settle at a table in the back corner of McBride’s.“I have to cover for one of the bartenders for a bit and couldn’t get away to the coffee shop.We shouldn’t be bothered much over here.”He’s searching, trying to figure out what’s different with me.
“It’s green,” I say, thinking that’s all he needs, but he’s still squinting his eyes and furrowing his brows.“My hair.It was time for a new color, so…” I just shrug.Do I really want to share with him that I was feeling a little jealous, so I needed my hair to match?Probably not.It sounds crazy enough when I think about it too hard, but I guess, if he pushes it, St.Patrick’s Day would do for an excuse.
“Huh.It suits you, but so did the pink.I like it.”He smiles as he brings me a fresh mug of coffee and a small pitcher of cream.“The website is fantastic, by the way.”Aidan pulls a chair around next to me and places his glass of whiskey down on a coaster.
“Great.So, I just wanted to check with you on a couple of details before we launch it and optimize the search engines.”I slide my finger across the touchpad, waking the screen, just as the door flies open.
Virginia, Louise, and Connie come tumbling in—with Finn.
They pass through the room to a table out of sight and settle into what looks like a conversation that’s been going on for a while.I would like not to be sad, not to feel left out, but I do.They didn’t even notice me.I wrap a lock of my mood-matching hair around my finger and try to ignore the cackles of laughter and blatant flirting across the room.
He’s flirting with them.Like real flirting, gentle touches, eyes sparkling, genuine smiles.Not the cheesy shit he gives me.
“You all right, Adelaide?”Aidan’s brows are pinched, concern written across his features.
“Um, yeah.”I shake my head, clearing the errant thoughts away.“Let’s get through this and get your new site launched.”
Aidan looks back at the table full of whispers and laughter, pausing before turning back to me.“He’s a good man.A little lost maybe but a good man.”
My breath catches, and my spine stiffens.“Okay.What…what does that have to do with anything?”I ask.The edge in my voice is a little sharper than it needs to be.
“Not a thing.Just doing a good deed for the lad.”He smirks at me before nodding at someone over my shoulder.
I assume it’s the cheesy leprechaun, but I don’t need to know.
“Well, charity is good for your Karma, I guess.”The desire to finish this up and escape to home washes over me.I would love to call in sick to class tomorrow, but I know that’d just end up biting me in the ass.Hell, I’m the substitute.Who knows whom they’d call to fill in for me?
We make a few minor adjustments on his site and take care of finances, and then I’m done.Quickly and quietly, I wrap my scarf around my neck and grab my bag.I forego my jacket to escape just a little bit sooner.
“Okay, so thanks.Let me know if we need to tweak anything, make changes, whatever.”
Aidan nods his thanks, and I bolt.I’m out.
Eric is surely waiting on me.At least he’ll be excited to see me.
8
“Your body is a temple.”
“There are no services today.”
Finn
Iwasn’t really sure what to think when the lovely ladies from class asked me to lunch on Monday, but I had the time free and figured I could pump them for some information on Addie.I never expected to see her in the pub with Aidan.I might have volunteered to work for Jimmy if I had known they were going to be meeting up here.
“I think you’d make a lovely couple.”Virginia leans close, like she’s sharing a secret.
“I don’t think she’s interested,” I huff out.“She has a tendency to?—”
