Page 61 of Beneath the Quiet

I push the forbidden thoughts about Aidan to the back of my mind and focus on my friend instead.

“Hey, you.” I smile at Roísin and hug her. “You look amazing.” I take in her pleated pink skirt matched with a black T-shirt with flowy script that says Knitting Is Sexy. Her hair is slicked back with a wide yellow hairband, the ends of her hair curling slightly behind her ear.

“What a perfect answer. Thank you.” Her eyes dance with mirth. “You look a little flushed. Are you okay?”

I see where she’s going and shake my head. “I’m fine.” I move closer to the bar so I can still keep an eye on my table.

She opens her mouth but before she gets a sound out, I hear Aidan calling.

“Mae!”

Roísin’s brows shoot up. “Does he mean you?” “

“I…I don’t know,” I murmur.

I glance back at Aidan. He stares back at me, mouthing Sorry, and then looks down at his glass. I can’t think straight. He did mean me, didn’t he? Only…no one’s ever called me that before, and he didn’t say it the same way as when he calls me Detective. He said it in a way that makes my heart react with flutters and dips that only confuse me more.

No longer teasing me but as if there’s a shared intimacy between us even when there isn’t.

“Are you sure nothing’s going on between the two of you?”

I’m absolutely not sure about anything when it concerns Aidan.

But I don’t tell her that.

I shake my head. “Of course nothing’s going on. He’s a friend, and that’s it.”

“Hmm…if you say so.”

“I do. So,” I turn back to her and try to change the subject, “what’s up?”

She pulls out two pieces of paper from a manila envelope and holds them up in front of me, dangling them between her fingers.

“Which one is your favourite?”

I look between them and frown at the yellow circles with pink, swirling script underneath them. The Cloonmara Self-Love Club? “Um, aren’t they identical?”

“No!” She lowers her hands and stares at me. “Can’t you see the difference?”

I study them closer, and this time, I see that they’re not entirely the same. The variation in the design is subtle but still leaves a different vibe.

I point to her right hand. “I think I prefer the one with the sunflower instead of the daisy.”

She doesn’t look entirely convinced. “You’re absolutely sure?”

I grin. “Yes, I’m sure.”

She nods once and tucks them both safely back into the envelope. “Great. That one’s my favourite, too.”

I lean a hip on the bar. “What’s this club about?”

“What it says it is.” She leans over the bar and raises her hand to get Holly’s attention. “It’s about taking care of yourself, both mentally and physically. To not give in to pressure from others and learn how to say no if you feel overwhelmed or overstimulated.” She runs a hand through her short hair. “I think we need a women’s club in the village and maybe meet up every month or something like that. We can have our meetings in the Community Centre, and I’ll prepare sandwiches or snacks that people can purchase at a discount.” She taps her finger on her mouth. “I haven’t worked out all the details yet.”

“Sounds to me like you have. You’re quite the entrepreneur, aren’t you?” I flash a smile at her.

She beams at me. “Thank you. I just want the village to continue to grow as a community, and not just for the sake of the tourists.”

I nod, thinking through her idea. “I really like it.”