Page 42 of Always Be My Pumpkin

19

‘Tell. Me. Everything.’ Sarah props her elbows on the table as I take a seat on the bench across from her. We’re in our usual spot in the Corner Bar, and I glance over my shoulder, although I’m not sure why I bother. Between the dim yellow lighting and all the cosy nooks and crannies, you could hide an army of spies in this place.

‘Relax, there’s not another sinner apart from Audrey. Nobody comes in here this early on a Thursday. Here, I got you a sparkling water.’ She hands me my glass. ‘Now, come on, spill.’

‘I told you already. We kissed. That’s it.’

I take a sip of my iced water and smile as I wait for her reaction. There’s no way Sarah will let me leave it at that. She was away all weekend, and she’s been in Dublin for work since Monday, so all we had was a quick phone call on Sunday evening. She’s been messaging all week with reminders to meet her after work on Thursday for the lowdown, and I know she won’t let me out of here until I give her a blow-by-blow account.

‘You told me sweet feck all.’ She tosses her hands up. ‘And I’m sorry I didn’t call you back but work has been bananas. I only got home this afternoon.’ She lifts her glass and clinks it against mine. ‘And I wanted to see your face when you describe to me in detail what happened. Now, tell me everything. Where were his hands? Tongue, no tongue?’

I close my eyes, and I swear I feel the warmth of Flynn’s breath on my face, his hand at my neck, thumb tracing my bottom lip. The squeeze of his fingers on the curve of my hip.

‘Oh my God!’ Sarah’s staring at me open-mouthed when I open my eyes again.

‘Hmm,’ I say weakly.

‘Your face.’ She stares at me. ‘I’d offer to get you a brandy but you look more like you could do with a dose of smelling salts.’

‘I’m fine, honestly,’ I manage, though my voice comes out breathless, and if Sarah makes me relive that kiss again, she’s going to find me in a puddle on the floor. ‘I, um, haven’t eaten properly today, that’s all.’

‘Yeah, right. I knew it. I knew he’d be a good kisser.’

‘What? How can you tell something like that?’ I fake frown, but I can’t hold back my smile, because yeah, I think I always knew too.

‘Because Flynn’s the sort of guy who pays attention to stuff. He always was, especially when it came to you.’

I sigh, and Sarah narrows her eyes. ‘Are you two an item now? Is he staying? Has he decided about the shop?’ She clamps her hand over her mouth as her face drains of colour. ‘Feck. Forget I said that. I shouldn’t have said that. Pat will kill me. Or fire me, at least.’

‘It’s okay. I already know. Flynn told me.’

She heaves a sigh of relief.

‘But I didn’t realise you knew.’

Sarah specialises in property law, but I didn’t know she was working on Pat’s.

She winces. ‘I’m sorry, Pat’s my client. I couldn’t break his confidence.’ She looks like she’s struggling with how much she can say. ‘I still can’t, even though I really wish I could. But things should be sorted soon.’ She crosses her fingers and smiles wryly. ‘You know, I could strangle Pat sometimes, he’s such a messer.’ She rolls her eyes. ‘A loveable messer, but a messer all the same.’

‘What do you mean?’

She grins. ‘Who do you think spread all those rumours in the first place?’

My jaw drops and she goes on. ‘You know what this village is like. Well, some people in this village. They object to everything. Pat decided it would be a good idea to give them a chance to consider a few alternatives before he shares his actual plans.’

I throw my eyes up because Sarah’s right, Pat is such a messer and this sounds exactly the sort of thing he’d do. ‘But a plastics factory?’ My voice rises in horror at the thought of it. ‘Surely, he didn’t expect us to fall for that.’

Sarah arches her brows. ‘I heard the Stringers made placards. And they’re planning a protest march. And didn’t Jamie gatecrash your meeting to share the news?’

‘Jamie knew well it was never going to happen.’ My skin pricks with irritation at the thought of him. ‘He just wanted to play the hero in front of the whole village.’

‘And in front of you,’ Sarah says quietly.

I press my face into my palms. ‘Everyone must think I’m such a bitch. First, I laugh at him, then I kiss Flynn right in front of his face.’

‘Gracie.’ She stares at me. ‘He slept with another woman. In your bed. And then told you it was your fault. I think you’ve a long way to go before you’re even, or anyone can call you a bitch.’

I take another gulp of my water. ‘That’s not what I’m trying to do. It’s not about getting even.’ But what am I doing? I’m not sure what I’m at, apart from making a mess of everything still.