Sean glared at him. I turned around, raising my eyebrow at his audacity, and Bryan suddenly became aware of my presence.
“Ooops, sorry, Lucy.” He sound both contrite and drunk. “My mouth gets the better of me when I’ve had a few. You know how it is.”
I shook my head at him and laughed it off. “Indeed I do.”
Bryan’s attention went to Eilish, his eyes fixating on her bare shoulders, where her dress draped seductively over her flawless pale skin. “Hello,” he said, voice deep. “And you are?”
“I’m Eilish Cassidy,” she replied with a smile, her tone polished yet friendly, completely unaware of Bryan’s heated appraisal. “And you’re Bryan Leech. Sean’s my cousin. I grew up following the game, so I know all the players’ names by heart.”
“Do you now,” said Bryan with intrigue, but it wasn’t a question. “What else do you know by heart?”
Sean suddenly closed his arm around Eilish’s shoulders to lead her away. “And that’s our cue to leave,” he said, shooting Bryan a look that could kill.
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing just as Sean moved his gaze to me. He narrowed his eyes in mock disapproval, making my heart skip a few beats. Because if he was teasing me then he probably wasn’t angry. Right?
Right?
RIGHT?!
. . . I hoped so.
I watched the two of them mingle into the crowd while I stood next to Bryan. Meanwhile, Bryan had completely missed Sean’s stare of dismemberment and watched the young Ms. Cassidy with unveiled lust.
“Don’t even think about it. Ronan might not have cut Sean’s balls off for being with me, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sean will cut off yours if you so much as lay a hand on Eilish. He thinks of her as a little sister.”
Bryan shot me a wry look and grinned mischievously. “You should stop talking now. You’re only making the challenge more appealing.” He paused and let his eyes wander to Eilish again. “Forbidden fruits are always the sweetest.”
I patted him on the back before heading to the bathroom. “It’s your funeral, buddy.”
I speed-walked the distance because I now suffered from a bladder emergency. But I didn’t care. Sean had approached me. He hadn’t seemed at all upset, and had introduced me to his beloved cousin. Things were definitely looking up.
Well, they were looking up until I left the toilet. The first person I saw when I returned was my mother. The relief I felt was quickly squashed when she linked her arm through mine, hijacked my trajectory toward Sean and Eilish, and began determinedly leading me to a table of well-dressed men.
“Let’s go talk to these gentlemen, Lucy,” she said. “I have it on good authority that they’re all single.”
“I’m really not in the mood, Mam.”
“Oh hush. You’re never in the mood. An eligible bachelor isn’t simply going to fall into your lap, you know. You have to work hard for one.”
“I see. Shall I deck myself out in figure-hugging minidresses and trawl all those fancy bars in town where businessmen go after work in the hopes of securing a wealthy husband?”
Mam pulled her arm from mine, upset now. “Why do you always have to talk to me like I’m stupid? I’m not stupid, Lucy. I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“Happy and settled. I want to know you’ve found a man who will keep you safe.”
“I don’t need a man to keep me safe. And anyway, how do you know I’m not already seeing anyone?”
Her eyes lit up, her hurt feelings instantly forgotten. “Are you seeing someone? Is it Broderick? He’s quite the dish.”
“I know exactly how much of a dish you think Broderick is, Mam. You proved that by flirting with him all through Annie’s hen party.”
“Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m dead. I like to flirt. So sue me.”
“Yes, I know that. And you can flirt with whoever you want, just not my best friend.”
“So you are seeing him?” Mam asked hopefully.
“Pardon me,” a deep male voice interrupted as a warm arm wrapped around my middle, drawing me completely away from my mother. “With your permission, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, I’d like some time with my lady before the evening ends. Excuse us.”
Mam’s jaw practically dropped to the floor as she stared at Sean, who was currently standing behind me, holding me to him possessively. He dipped his mouth to my neck and placed a spine-tingling kiss there. Mam didn’t breathe a word, just continued looking between the two of us in disbelief, like she didn’t know whether to object or jump for joy.
Sean twirled me around, and God, he looked amazing in his tux. His hair was lightly tousled and his cologne was woodsy and fresh. I wanted to sink into his embrace and just savor the feel and smell of him.
Last night felt like a lifetime ago.
The band had just started playing a cover of “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure.
Sean stared into my eyes, his lips curving in a seductive smile as he asked, “Care to dance?”
Chapter Twenty-Two