She’d always been a diligent student, and since graduation was getting closer, she was able to spend less time on campus.
The pub renovations were moving along, partly because the interior had been in excellent condition, leaving the contractors to focus on the bar installations, liquor shelving, a sound system, a specialized cigar lounge, and Ciar’s favorite, a high-end poker room in the back for special event nights.
Most of the original blackened beams and worn hardwood floors were intact and gorgeous. The decorating and décor were left to Raven, River, Rowan, and Bébhinn. Between the four women who ran Triskelion Territory Design, the pub was ahead of schedule. Gray’s real work at the pub would be ramping up the following week.
The chef and kitchen staff had already been hired. Gray planned to meet with Chef Teddy Dean to give final approval of the menu and to ensure that the extensive list of kitchen appliances and equipment were checked off and ordered. Some larger appliances had already been delivered and installed.
A local job agency had overseen the hiring of the majority of the waitstaff, but it was Gray’s job to set up training meetings. Her mother helped her finalize those.
For a few more days, Gray’s primary focus could stay on their new home, which was only a short walk through a posh part of town away from the pub.
Gray was obsessed with creating the perfect home for them. Even better, Ciar had given her free rein and a freer budget to see it done quickly. He was excited about their new place. Or he was a great actor. She was beginning to question a lot of things.
Hopefully, the evening would ease some of her anxiousness.
It had been a while since she and her friends had all gotten together, and the group decided to meet at Ciar’s dad and uncle’s pub to enjoy the best crab cake bites in the world and to hear some hot new Irish band debuting their talents.
She hoped Ciar would relax enough to set work and worries aside for one evening. They toured his new pub before meeting everyone. Ciar was pleased with the progress and made many suggestions for next week’s training that she planned to implement.
He refused to tell her the name of the place, which was causing quite a bit of strife between them. She needed the name to create graphics for the staff, menus, and signage. He was beyond stubborn, saying it was a “Surprise,” and he was taking care of it. Not what a person in hospitality wanted to hear.
All was well until they stepped through their home’s front door. She felt him pull away, sending a barrage of red flags through the space.
He thanked her several times for putting in so much effort, complimented her color choices, kitchen appliances, flooring, and paint, but it felt forced. The weirdest part of the walkthrough was that he seemed concerned aboutthe bedrooms. Specifically, how many guest rooms Gray had planned.
When she jokingly asked if he was planning to have overnight company as soon as they moved in, he huffed out a laugh, but it was strained.
When they were about to lock up and meet their Uber, Gray placed a hand on Ciar’s chest to stop him. “Can you tell me what’s bothering you? Please tell me.” The guilty look that flashed across his face had her extremities turning cold.
“You’ve been different for weeks, Ciar. It’s making me nervous about,” she spread her arms wide, encompassing the flat’s renovations, “all of this. The contractors will be starting here soon, and if you’ve changed your mind…”
He gathered her in his arms and held her tight. “Of course, I haven’t changed my mind. Work is stressing me, babe. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel any type of way but cared for.”
Gray wasn’t convinced. “I don’t want to scare you, but I’m all in with you. I love you, you know that. If something is going on, something big, promise to tell me.”
His arms tightened around her, scaring her further. In that moment, she was less concerned about him not confessing his feelings for her. The biggest worry was what had him so unsettled that he couldn’t or wouldn’t share it.
“You are the most important person in the world to me, Gray. Never doubt that. Trust me to sort some things out. Okay?”
As they walked hand in hand into Murphy’s, she realized he never promised to tell her anything.
It felt good to sit comfortably between her friends again and laugh and forget the shit with Ciar for a time. When he laughedat something Daniel said and glanced her way, his eyes sparkled like they used to, she felt her shoulders relax—infinitesimally but enough to take a deeper breath.
Since walking into Murphy’s, she’d made up her mind to force the truth out of him when they got home. He might not want to share what was bothering him, but he would or suffer the consequences—withholding sex and ear-twisting came to mind. Breaking up…
“Have you spoken with Ulf about the internship in Wales for next spring, Blair?” Gray asked.
Blair’s face lit up like an American Fourth of July ad. She quickly signed, but then glanced in Dagr’s direction, who’d joined them not long ago, and slowed her response as he was new to BSL. Bébhinn watched the intensity with which he watched every move of Blair’s hands and grinned, winking at Blair.
“Ulf said they had to wait to make their decision until the cutoff date for applications. As if there will be someone more qualified than me,” she signed, rolling her eyes at the rule. “I’ve already asked my instructors for distance learning next semester. They’ll want me longer than the internship intends.”
No one laughed or teased Blair for her confidence. She wasn’t wrong.
“Of course,” Gray said. “It’s smart to be proactive, for sure.”
“I told Dagr months ago that the INCS nature reserve was wasting their time with the selection process,” Bébhinn added, “but rules, I guess.”
“Speaking of upcoming events, Bébhinn, just because you work for our moms and are engaged to some wealthy snob, no offense, cousin,” Jonathan smirked at Dagr, “you still need to take your place at the O’Faolain board of directors’ table. Dan and I aren’t going to be the only young guns our dads get to yell at.”
