“To cut you to the quick.I know,” Louise cuts me off with a knowing nod.“Have you considered maybe a different approach?”She peers at me over the top of her reading glasses.
This conversation seems to have taken quite the turn.
Hell, I didn’t even know I was looking for Addie to be interested.I thought I was just fixated on her since she seemed impervious to my obvious charms.I mean, I’ve tried all of my best moves.She just seems to dislike me more and more.
“Maybe bring a coffee to class for her tomorrow.And, of course, you’ll want to work on your cookies.”Connie grabs a pad of paper from her bag and starts writing a list or something.
“What do you mean,my cookies?Is that a euphemism for something?”I like getting a rise out of the girls, though I do need to know more about the cookie situation.
Connie passes me the top sheet of paper from her pad.“Here, just follow this exactly and bring them tomorrow with that coffee.Dark roast with?—”
“A bit of cream, yeah.”I look over Connie’s recipe for chocolate-chocolate chunk cookies as I think about what I need to grab from the market on my way home.
The closing of the front door draws my attention away from my mental shopping list.Addie is gone, Aidan’s getting the bar ready for the night, and all the girls are staring at me.I push my glasses back up my nose and run my hand through my hair as I look at each of them in turn.
“What?”
“Nothing, dear.”Virginia pats my arm again and smiles at Louise and Connie.They’re quite obviously plotting something.
They file out the door shortly after, talking about where to go for dinner.That adds to my confusion since it’s only three o’clock in the afternoon.
“Who eats dinner this early?”I ask the empty table.
Aidan, of course, can’t leave well enough alone.“Erm, your demographic is aging, yeah?”
I slouch back in my chair and throw him a glare over my shoulder.I wish I could just ask him for advice.Talk to him and be taken seriously for a change.
“Are you pouting then?Did they turn you down for lack of experience?”
Shoving back my chair, I stand and shrug into my jacket.
With my recipe safely in my pocket, I stalk toward the door before a gruff, “Oy,” stops me in my tracks.
“What?Not done?Need to pile on more shite?”I’m a bit touchy, yeah, but I have reason to be.I take a lot of crap from Aidan and Francie.
“Not piling more on, just…she’s lovely.Maybe you should tone it down and ask her out.”Aidan sets a Guinness on the bar for himself and an extra, though there’s no one else here just now.
I check the time on my phone and sigh.There’s just enough time for a pint before the doctor’s office closes.The market is right by my flat, so I should be able to get it all done tonight.
Shrugging my jacket back off, I settle at the bar.The cold pint gives me something to focus on for a bit while I compile my thoughts.
“You’re concentrating on that awfully hard.What’re you thinking?”Aidan settles against the counter behind the bar and takes a pull from his own pint.
There’s no way I’m going to tell him how his jab bothers me or why.Sure, I miss my brothers and would love for Aidan to fill that role, but there are some things I’m just not into sharing.
“When did you know with Lis?How did you know that she was worth taking out?”
“Worth taking out?If you’re interested at all, take the chance.It might turn out to be nothing, not right for either of you.But it might turn into the best decision you’ve ever made.What’s holding you back?I’ve not seen you leave with anyone in over a week.”
My head snaps up to meet his inquisitive look.“I…” He’s right.I think back to the last time I entertained one of my lovely friends.Was it Marlee?“I don’t know why you’re paying such close attention to my love life.Things on the rocks with you and Lissy again?”
Aidan levels me with a harsh glare, choosing to ignore my last statement.I set him to rights several months ago, and he’s not above giving it back to me.
Christ, why have I been leaving the pub alone?It’s not that I’m hurting for willing participants.My phone is full of numbers, and the pub is usually full of options.
“Finn, maybe it’s time to stop fucking about.Get serious about something for a change.”
“You marrying me off?I haven’t even taken her out, for fuck’s sake.What if we’re not, erm…compatible?”He’s got to be kidding me.“Just because you moved right in with Lis doesn’t mean I’m on a similar schedule.”Fucking lunacy is what this is.I push back from the bar and drain my Guinness.I’ve heard enough of his wisdom, and I grab my crap from the barstool next to me.
