“We don’t talk about work and tomorrow we don’t talk about this.” Her small fingers undid the top button and then the next.
“I can work with that. What about him?”
Marie glanced back over. “He’s no longer necessary.” She gestured to one of the bar staff. “Marla, I’m heading out to the Irish bar with my colleague. My ex-date will pick up the tab.” She pushed a note into the tips jar.
Marla nodded, looking me up and down and smiling. “You upgraded your date.”
Marie shook her head. “He’s a colleague. A lawyer.”
“Shame you have the no-lawyer rule. Although you might want to break it for this one.”
I realised what it was like to be a woman in a bar with men who were eating you with their eyes. Marla was definitely imagining what I looked like naked and I wasn’t sure how good I was with that.
“We have another day tomorrow of working against each other, so that’d be a no. Catch you later.” Marie swung round, not even glancing at the ex-date.
“See you later, Irish girl!” Marla yelled as I followed her. “I’d break my no-lawyer rule for that!”
Which I supposed was a vote of confidence.
The Irish bar we ended up in was exactly like I expected an Irish bar to be like in New York. The range of whiskies was impressive, including some rare bottles that I hadn’t seen before or tried, so I ordered a double of one of those, not surprised when Marie ordered the same.
“We can argue about who pays afterwards.” She tucked another note in the tip jar. “Thanks, Jack – keep them coming!” Then she headed to one of the empty tables at the back, away from the ceilidh band that was playing.
“We have work tomorrow.” I needed to remind myself of that. I didn’t want to go into agreeing the finer details of the settlement tomorrow with a hangover.
“We do. So we’ll call time at eleven and head home then. Where are you staying?” She sipped the whisky, her eyes closing while she savoured the taste. “Good choice.”
“Thanks. I’m at the Hilton. Do you live near?” I wanted to know more about her, find out something about someone who wasn’t me, who wasn’t connected with my life.
She stretched out, reminding me of a small cat, all grace and nimbleness.
“About two minutes from here. I’ve got a loft apartment which my father hates but I love. It isn’t in the best block, which is the bit he doesn’t like. He’d rather I was somewhere more upmarket.”
“Poor little rich girl, hey?” I was playing with fire teasing her.
“Et toi, Grant Callaghan. How much do you inherit? The problems we children of old money face.” She shook her head. “I used to wish I’d been born into a normal family, that I’d had a Saturday job and needed to work through college. I hated other people being envious, especially because if they saw what my summers were like in Ireland, they’d be shocked.”
“What were those summers like?”
“Wild. Barefoot and sandy. We pretty much lived on a beach with the sand dunes and cliffs, sleeping on bunkbeds and climbing trees. Have you been to the west coast of Ireland?”
“No. I believe it’s beautiful though.” Maybe not as beautiful as she was, her blue eyes full of laughter and fun and brimming with life.
“It is. It’s my favourite place. You should take your kids there for a holiday. I can put you up in the house we have there, just near the coast. It isn’t posh or fancy, but it’s real. They’d love it.”
I nodded, not sure how I’d manage. “I’ve never been on my own with the four of them.”
“Well, there’s something you need to sort out. They’re your kids, Grant. Be their dad.” She sipped her whisky again. “I’m sorry. I’ll save the lectures.”
“I think I probably deserve those lectures.”
A shrug, timed with a new song from the band. “Dance?”
I laughed, embarrassed. “I don’t - ”
“Yes, you do. No one here cares that you’re a hot shot lawyer with more money than sense. No one’s looking at you because they’re all drunk with their own lives. Don’t make me dance alone.” She stood up and headed over to the makeshift dance floor not even looking back to see if I was following.
I didn’t dance. I didn’t do much other than wallow in my own misery and work endless hours because I didn’t need the money. I followed her anyway, watching as she smiled and laughed with people she passed, finding a spot on the dance floor, and joining in some Irish dance that made me want to fall over just watching it.
