Bryan’s giant hand circled the air around us then landed on my shoulder—a heavy, meaningful weight. He gave me a little shake to emphasize his point.
Of course, arsehole wankers was both an accurate description of our teammates and a term of endearment. And the rest of his words were true as well. Lucy Fitzpatrick was off limits in the same way Eilish was off limits to those barbarians.
You don’t fuck with family, literally or figuratively. It was against the rules of decent behavior. Then again, I’d purposefully set out to break the rules with Lucy—which, by the way, had backfired quite spectacularly. And I’d never been a poster boy for decency.
I’d always maintained that decency was entirely overrated.
Now frowning and looking decidedly affected, Lucy tore her eyes from mine, her gaze falling to the street. She appeared to be confused, if not overwhelmed by her thoughts. I wanted to go to her.
I straightened from the wall and almost did, but Bryan’s hand held me in place. “No, no, no.” He shook his head, stepping in front of me and pointing a finger in my face. He was one of the few members of our team nearly my size. “No fecking way.”
“Move.”
His grip tightened. “Nope. It’s for your own good, mate. You’re a bloody fuckwit, but you’re a great flanker.”
“Am I to call you Mother Leech now?” I taunted, knowing he of all people would despise the moniker. Tracking Lucy’s movements over Bryan’s head, I watched as she rejoined the wives and girlfriends. I noticed a man in their company. Broderick.
I liked Broderick.
More importantly, Broderick seemed to like me. He harbored no ridiculous prejudices against me, such as my well-deserved title of grand manipulator and malefactor.
“You can call me whatever you like, Cassidy. Just as long as you continue playing nice with Ronan and keep your hands off his sister.”
I wondered how many more pints were required to render Bryan Leech unconscious. I suspected more than several. We rugby players, as a rule, were infuriatingly capable while in our cups.
Lucy was now splitting furtively anxious glances between her brother and me. My gut tightened. Seeing true distress in her expression and how she held herself rigid. Misery—at causing her a moment of anguish—deflated any design I had on a stolen shag.
Two months ago, I might have relished causing anyone associated with Ronan Fitzpatrick any level of discomfort. But now . . .
My attention moved back to Bryan’s grim expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, removing his hand from my shoulder. “It’s getting late. I’d better be off.”
He blinked at me. Confusion and suspicion wrinkled his forehead. “What’s your game, Cassidy? You can’t be giving up so easily, it’s not in your nature.”
“Exactly,” I agreed, though not just with the last statement. I wasn’t giving up, and giving up wasn’t in my nature. Rather, for once, I wanted to be decent, or at least give the appearance of it.
For Lucy.
Allowing myself one final, lingering look of her, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and turned my back on the revelry, slipping away without offering words of congratulations or parting well wishes. I didn’t quite have it in me to be insincere. Insincerity was taxing once you’d breathed the refreshing air of artless candor.
It was a cold night and I zipped my jacket against it. The memory of my week with Lucy had kept me warm for nearly a month. I doubted my actions this evening, no matter how noble, would achieve a similar effect.
***
“I don’t understand why you can’t get one of your women to accompany you to this wedding.” Eilish peered at me through the reflection of the shop mirror. “Don’t you have throngs? I believe I read one article that claimed they fling themselves at you by the dozen.”
“I can’t recall anyone ever flinging themselves—as it were—in my general direction, let alone twelve women at once.” I scratched my chin, examining my cousin’s choice of dress and deciding it was too short.
“That seems like something one would remember with some clarity.”
I ignored her teasing. “Although once, I did have a lady fall down a flight of stairs and land at my feet.”
“But did she fling herself?”
“No. It was more of a stumble. And an ambulance was called. But I did visit her to sign the cast. By the way, that dress is too short.”
Eilish lifted a red eyebrow at me and glanced down at herself. “Sean, you’re being ridiculous. It’s past my knees.”