Aidan texted me a very appreciative,Thanks, from both him and Lis.
Normally, my mind would head straight for the gutter, but he mentioned something the other day about a gallery showing or a photo shoot he had planned for this weekend.Between his talent and Addie’s new website, his photography seems to be taking off.
I busy myself for the first couple of hours, stocking the beer cases, wiping down the bottles of liquor, and putting the tables to rights.
Francie ambles in mid-afternoon, box of doughnuts in hand, and settles himself at the bar with a cup of coffee.“I thought Aidan was taking the kid’s morning shift,” he grumbles, rubbing at his tired eyes.
“He’s got some artsy shite to take care of, so I stepped in.”I open the box from the bakery down the street and pluck out the chocolate-glazed doughnut, popping a big chunk into my mouth.
The look of surprise on his face makes me feel good and terrible at the same time.If a simple kindness shocks Francie, then it might be time for me to make some changes.
“How was your evening with the girl?”He blows at the steam from his coffee.
“Lovely.She was absolutely lovely.”The door opens, and my words get lost in my smile.It takes over my whole face; biting it back is fruitless.
“Well, and there she is,” Francie announces, killing any doubt she might have had that we were talking about her.“Are you going to introduce me then, Finn?”he says, laughter dancing in his eyes.He can be such a prat when he wants to be.
“Addie, this is Francie.”I gesture between them, adding, “And, Francie, this is Addie.”
“Adelaide actually,” she states.
I’m not thick.I catch it every single time she corrects me, but she’s so bloody cute when she does it.Plus, I think she’s starting to like it.
“Finn, get the lady a pint.Sit down, love, and tell me how your evening was.”
Instead, I set a mug of coffee the way she likes it in front of her with a wink and smirk firmly in place.
“It was fine, good really.”
My eyes are trained on her mouth as she takes a sip of coffee and then licks a drop off the rim of the mug.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, she’s killing me.
I take a sip from my pint of Guinness as Francie asks, “And he was a gentleman?Kept his hands to himself, yeah?”The timing is unfortunate as I choke on a bit of foam, beer dribbling down my chin.
I’m stuck coughing, so I can’t even respond.
Addie, thank God, has more grace in the moment.She assures him that I was perfectly well behaved.I grab the box of doughnuts and offer one to her before grabbing another for myself.Taking a bite, I hope the doughnuts are a distraction, and they get off this topic.
She chooses the other chocolate-glazed and moans around a sizeable bite.I must be staring.I’m honestly not quite sure that I’m breathing because I heard the start of that noise last night for an entirely different reason.
“Right.I’ll just, erm…I have paperwork to do in the office,” Francie states as he slides out of his seat, chuckling.“It was a pleasure, Adelaide.”He nods and turns to face me, pinning me with all the fatherly warning he can cram into one look.“Finn.”
That look speaks volumes.He knows something.Nothing specific, but I’m thinking he has a good idea that I was less than honorable.
I wait until I’m sure he’s gone back before speaking.“Sorry about that.Francie can be a tad protective at times.He has a tendency to collect wayward youth and parent us.”
I take another generous sip from my pint, and her lips quirk up on one side.
“Careful.You don’t want to blow your load again.”
How she can deliver lines with a straight face like that is fascinating.I, on the other hand, struggle to swallow my beer yet again.
Wiping the palm of my hand down my face, I collect myself and answer with, “Maybe I do.”I hit her with the wink that’s almost automatic.
Addie looks away, dunking the doughnut in her coffee and giving me another moan.
“No, definitely, I do.”
