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“Hey…Claire,” he humored me by drawling, while he cracked open a can of fizzy orange and took a sip.
“Are you seeing anyone at the moment?”
“Seeing anyone?”
“Yeah.” I nodded eagerly. “Like a girlfriend or something.”
“Oh god,” Shan choked out before practically diving for her mug.
Patrick stared blankly at me for a long beat before arching a brow. “What are you up to, Baby Biggs?”
“Ignore her,” Lizzie growled, and then forcefully kicked me under the table. “She didn’t take her meds this morning.”
“Actually, I did,” I shot back, and then added, “I take a daily multivitamin,” for clarification.
“Pity it wasn’t Valium,” Lizzie grumbled. “Or a very strong tranquilizer.”
“So do I,” Shannon offered up. “Take multivitamins, that is. Although, I take, like, three different ones. Edel buys a ton of health products for me and the boys.” Smiling sheepishly, she added, “I guess I was lacking in a few vitamins.”
It was beautiful to see, to finally know that my friend was receiving the maternal love she always deserved. Because in all honesty, no one deserved a better life than Shannon Lynch and her brothers.
“Not anymore,” Lizzie replied protectively, giving our friend a reassuring smile. Yeah, it was safe to say that our entire friendship group was more than a little protective of her. “You’re kicking ass now, Shan.”
“Yeah.” Her cheeks flamed with heat. “I am.”
“So, who’s the other drink for?” Lizzie asked then, pointing to the spare can of fizzy orange on the table. “Or are you parched with the thirst?”
Patrick opened his mouth to respond when the café door flew open.
“Gibsie!” Shannon said with a huge smile on her face, while Lizzie bit out the word, “Thor,” like it was poison on her tongue.
“About time,” Patrick said, tapping on his watch. “What happened to I’ll park up and follow you right in?”
“Don’t blame me, lad. The traffic is fucking mental in this town,” Gerard declared, taking up the whole room with his larger-than-life presence. “I’ve been circling around for a parking spot since I left you.”
He was wearing faded blue jeans and a white T-shirt that was molded to his body, emphasizing those impressive biceps he’d spent most of his teenage years accumulating.
“Pity you didn’t circle off the face of the earth,” Lizzie caught my attention by saying, and I internally groaned. Here we go again.
“Don’t even start with me, Viper,” Gerard warned, strolling over to our table. “I’ve had a very pressing day, and I’m in no form for your antics.”
“Asshole, you wouldn’t know the meaning of a pressing day,” she countered. “Although, you could make my day a lot better by disappearing.”
“Is that right?” Gerard replied, eyes wide and tone dripping with sarcasm. “Well, in that case, I better pull up a chair and get comfy.”
Lizzie narrowed her eyes at him. “Drop dead.”
“You first,” Gerard shot back before reaching over to ruffle Shannon’s hair affectionately. “Keep that head up, little Shannon.” He offered her a reassuring wink. “Everything’s grand.”
“Hi, Gibs,” Shannon replied, clearly embarrassed by Lizzie’s outburst.
It wasn’t a nice place to be when she erupted on him, but it didn’t make me feel embarrassed anymore.
Just tired.
Looking uncertainly between the pair of them, Shannon glanced from Lizzie to Gerard before asking, “Are…you okay?”
“I’m always okay,” he replied warmly, and then he turned his megawatt smile on me, causing every bone in my body to turn to jelly. “Claire-Bear.”
