“What’s up, O’Connor?” Bran went in for a hug. James was one of his closest friends, and Patrick’s as well. They’d gone to high school and then college together. James and his sister, Jo, took over the family business, O’Connor Hospitality, LLC. They opened and managed restaurants all over the world.
“Hey Bran, Pat was just filling me in on the Byrne sisters. He thought I might hit it off with Raven— after business is concluded, of course.”
Bran’s whole body went stiff. What in the absolute fuck was Pat thinking? No, Bran hadn’t spoken to him about Raven, but still... what the hell? Both James and his brother burst out laughing.
“Holy shit, Bran, you should see your face! I owe you twenty bucks, Pat.”
Bran realized his mistake immediately. It had been so long since he’d taken an interest in a woman, he’d obviously forgotten how to play it cool.
“Fine. You caught me out. I do, in fact, find Raven fascinating, but did Pat tell you about how he stammered and blushed when he tried to talk to River?”
“Okay fuckface, I didn’t blush. I... couldn’t think of what to say, and I... mumbled,” Patrick finished weakly.
“So, is the third sister as pretty as your two?” James asked.
“They aren’t ours by a long shot. We literally just laid eyes on them, but they make an impression. And you know Pat has no plans to stop being a playboy, but yes, Rowan is just as beautiful,” Bran admitted. At this point, his father stood and headed toward the patio doors.
“I’m going to make sure Jerry stocked everything at the pond for tomorrow.”
Since Patrick spontaneously invited guests for the weekend, they all decided to put off the big cookout until everyone arrived Saturday. Tonight, they’d play pool or cards and catch up. However, something was going on with Dad, Bran thought. After this weekend, he thought, they needed to spend some time together.
To take attention off his dad’s odd behavior, Bran asked James, “Whatever happened to Jane, by the way? I thought she was going to be the one for you.”
James’ face shuttered. He was attempting, unsuccessfully, to hide his feelings. Dad was right then. Something happened to put that ill-disguised look of pain on his friend’s face. He glanced at Patrick, and he gave a slight nod, acknowledging he’d noticed.
“It didn’t work out,” was James’ answer.
Bran placed a hand on James’ shoulder, “I’m sorry to hear it. If there is ever anything you need to talk out, Pat and I are always here for you.”
Patrick agreed. “You should have told us, James. We aren’t so busy we don’t have time to listen.”
James was fighting some deep hurt, apparent from his rapidly blinking eyes. After a moment, he said, “I might need to, but not tonight. Okay?”
Patrick and Bran said, “Of course,” and “I’ll be here,” at the same time. For now, the issue was dropped in favor of whiskey and pool.
“The girls are whiskey drinkers, by the way.” That lightened the mood as hoped.
“Damn. You O’Faolains know how to pick them.”
A person would thinkRaven and her sisters were on some exotic safari in Africa instead of a narrow road somewhere in Muskogee County, less than an hour from Eufaula.
Necks were craning this way and that, oohs and aahs for a patch, not a field, but asmallpatch of blooming daisies.
Look, the sky is so blue.
Roll the windows down. The air feels amazing.
Aren’t the trees huge?
Much to her chagrin, Raven was no better. At least for River and her, this weekend was a double whammy. An exciting new jobandthe rush of seeing Bran and Patrick. This James might be a possible match for Rowan, though. Her youngest sister made a noncommittal noise when it was mentioned last night.
Raven wanted to rally the troops one more time before they entered the compound. “Remember, girls, first and foremost, we are here to work. The meeting with James O’Connor starts in an hour, at ten. For all the notice we were given, I still believe we came up with a few good starter ideas. Let’s make the most of that time because it sounds like we’ve been invited to one hell of a cookout this afternoon.”
“And” River couldn’t help but add, “our second, but just as important goal, is to get out there and experience some shit!”
Three fists hit the air with resounding Yesses!
Security cameras must have picked them up because the ginormous, black gate they rolled to a stop in front of was already opening. These people live on another level— or, how Okies say it, ‘a whole ’nother level.’
