He blushes like a smitten teenager. “It is. But technically she wasn’t mine. And this, my friend, would just be a random chance encounter.”
He looks over to the bar as a petite woman comes walking out from behind it. She is quite lovely. Long red hair, bright green eyes that look slightly too large for her face but still fit her. She stops at a table to grab some empties and then turns toward us. “Hi guys, what can I grab ya?”
She looks at us with shock clearly written on her face. “Hey doc. Glad to see you again.” She holds up her hand. “Look, it healed up perfectly. Thanks for the stitches.”
Caleb blushes but tries to play it cool. “Glad it healed so well. I bet that scar won’t even be noticeable in a year.”
“So, whatcha want to drink?” she asks him, then her gaze bounces to me. “And wait, is this the new priest, Father Grayson?”
I want to be shy but I’m someone people in the community know about. For her to know who I am is no surprise. Plus, my outfit is kind of a dead giveaway.
“I am. Such a pleasure to meet you.” I extend my hand, and she gives me a firm shake.
“Hi Father. I’m Fiona. I haven’t been to Mass but the neighborhood has been in a buzz since you got here.”
Hearing there’s a “buzz” about me is unnerving until she smooths it over. “Everyone loves you. Heard praise about how you actually make Mass enlightening and not a snooze fest like old Father Gallagher.” She laughs. “I haven’t been since I was a teenager because he would make me fall asleep. Maybe I’ll come in some Sunday and check it out.”
“We’d love to see you at Mass. It’s always great to see new faces. I actually wish more people would come back.”
She smiles. “I will definitely come then. And I’ll see how many of these regulars I can drag with me.” She motions around the bar. “So, whatcha drinking? First round is on me. For the doc who stitched me up and our newest priest.”
We order a couple of beers, not looking to get drunk.
Fiona is back with our drinks and gives Caleb a shy smile before she heads back the bar and grabs the order of another customer. Caleb is staring at her and barely blinking. Yep, he is fully smitten with her. “She’s cute and sweet. I can see why you like her.”
He turns toward me with a look I haven’t seen on his face in over the decade I’ve known him. He’s unsure of himself. And Caleb never lacks confidence. That’s what makes him an exceptional doctor. He knows he’s smart and good-looking. Did being with Trish wreck that strong side of him?
“There was a spark when we were talking at the hospital—” he says, but I tune him out when I see a man walk behind the bar. Not just any man, either, but my stalker. The man who confessed to me earlier today. The one who revealed himself to me and told me he’s been watching me. The man who’s been the only person to see me truly vulnerable.
He’s in a basic black shirt that stretches across his chest and shows off his arms—arms that are covered in tattoos and muscular—and he’s smiling and talking to Fiona.
What’s he doing here?
I take in every feature I can, absorbing all that is him. I’ll admit I thought he was good looking when I saw him in that dark alley, but it had been muddled by the darkness and fear coursing through me. When I saw him earlier, he was highlighted by all the colors of light from the stained glass. But now I’m seeing him in a lighted area. There’s zero fear running through me. No clothes covering his form. He is beautiful.
Fiona says something to him, and he turns his head in our direction. His eyes lock on mine and a smirk graces his face.
The smirk gets even broader as he walks toward us. My muscles tense. I feel as stiff as a board. He reaches us, stopping less than a foot from me.
His gaze devours me, like I’m caught in the sights of a predator before he strikes.
“Father, how kind of you to grace my establishment,” he says without blinking.
I’m once again speechless in his presence.
Why does this man have this power over me?
Caleb must sense I’m unable to speak because he jumps in to break the tension. “Hey, I’m Caleb,” he says, extending his hand for a shake. “This is Ewen. We just wanted to grab a drink and get out.”
My mystery man breaks his focus from me and glances over to Caleb. He grabs his hand and gives him a firm shake. “Nice to meet you Caleb. I’m Declan, owner of Murphy’s. And from what I just heard you were the kind doc who patched up my sister’s hand.”
Declan. What a perfect name for him—deep and strong.
Why do my inner thoughts get so loud around this man?
“Just doing my job,” Caleb says with a smile as he looks at Fiona. Yep, he’s totally smitten. Is she into the nefarious things her brother is, though? And why does he appear so normal and calm? How is he not freaking out about me seeing him?
Declan turns his attention back toward me. “Whatever you order, it’s on me. Have to welcome our newest priest with kindness.”
