Page 62 of An Irish Hope

“I’m kind of waiting for someone.” When was Grady getting here?

He sent him a text. No response.

He drummed his fingers on the wooden table, the nicks and grooves feeling a little like his heart. Weathered, worn, stained, sticky. Yet still strong.

A shadow blocked the light, and he glanced up. His heart tensed. “You.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Aisling’s heart tensed as Andy looked up. He did not look happy. But why would he when that woman was the exact same one he’d just been arguing with a few minutes ago?

She turned back to the bar, offered the barmaid a small smile.

“An ex?”

Did the barmaid refer to Aisling’s status or the angry looking woman talking to Andy now? “I don’t even know,” she admitted. An ex friend, maybe?

The barmaid nodded, and collected a small bowl and opened a fresh bag of peanuts and poured them into the bowl. Shoved it at her. “Here you go. While you decide if you want to go speak to him.”

“Oh, I don’t want to. I’m actually here on a blind date.”

“Really? Maybe I’m the one who’s blind because I don’t see anyone else.”

“Ha ha.” She snatched a few peanuts, crunched them loudly. Just as well the barmaid was in a generous mood because her jokes were terrible. “No, he’s supposed to meet me here soon. Well, a few minutes ago, now, actually. I’m sure he’s just hit some traffic or something.”

“What’s his name?”

“Drew.”

“Want me to put a call out? See if he’s here somewhere?”

“Not yet, thanks. I’d rather give it a few minutes.”

“Give it a few minutes and see if the ex gets the message and goes away, huh?”

She peeked back. Sure enough Andy was still with the woman, even if he was staring at his phone with a frown.

She swivelled back to the bar. She didn’t want to be caught staring.

“Want to order any food?”

She glanced at the time. Her date was already ten minutes late, and she kind of had been relying on this as her dinner tonight. “Maybe a bowl of curry chips.”

The hot chips drizzled with a delicious-smelling mild curry were soon served and she ate one, keeping her back to where Andy sat. She didn’t want to speak with him. And naturally, he had to be here of all places. It was the perfect ending to an already imperfect day at school, when she’d tried—and failed—to remember the classroom outline on her first real teaching experience.

She shivered. Ugh. Why had she thought teaching was what she was meant to do with her life? The fact that Andy was there just felt like the maraschino cherry on top of the cow-pat cake of her day.

Lord, what are You doing to me? It’s hard enough that he ignores me at school, but why do I have to see him here as well?

She propped her head in her hands, ordered another Bulmers. She didn’t want him to see her. He probably thought she was stalking him already, working at his school. Not that she’d known he’d be there.

She sighed, ate another chip, as her thoughts continued to wander. She resisted the urge to look back. That way weakness lay. And she was trying to be stronger. To trust God. Not put her faith in man. Or a man.

Emotion had to be blinked away. She must be so tired to be thinking like this.

“Well, would you look at that,” the barmaid said softly.

“Look at what?”