Page 58 of Temporarily in Love

“What? My daughter has been sleeping at your place since practically the first night she got here.”

I felt my face get hot with embarrassment. Okay, true, but I didn’t want her parents to think about all the sex we were having.

She laughed in my face. “Oh, honey, I don’t care about that. You two are adults, but maybe...”

“Maybe, what?”

“Maybe you finally found your way back to each other.”

“I wish that was the case, but she’s got a life to go back to.”

Kelly pursed her lips and put the pies on the dining room table. I went to get the plates and brought them over to the table. Kelly walked into the living room, and I heard her yelling at everyone else for dessert.

When she came back in, she gave my arm a little squeeze. “Think about it, honey. You’re meant for each other. I know it.”

I thought about it all throughout dessert. While I was the lone one who ate apple pie and the rest of the family was content with classic pumpkin. Lila’s mom didn’t have to do that for me, but it was nice she had been so kind.

I thought about what she said when I kissed Lila on the doorstep, like I used to when we were teenagers.

“You okay?” Lila asked.

I nodded.

“Sorry, I’d come with you, but Cora wants to do a sleepover with Auntie Lila,” she said with a roll of her eyes, but secretly she loved being the fun aunt.

I brushed her hair behind her ear. “S’okay, love. I’ve held you hostage enough. Spend time with your family.”

“You’re so good to me. I’ll see you later. This week will be busy with planning the party,” Lila said.

“I know. I’m here if you need me.”

“You’re the best, Dec. Goodnight.”

I gave her one last lingering kiss, and then I walked home.

I thought about stopping at my brother’s to talk to him, but he would have said I told you so. I was deeply in love with Lila Sullivan, and I knew she was going to break my heart again. Even if she bought her parents' bar, I didn’t think she would stay. I hadn’t been enough for her back then and wouldn’t be enough now. No matter what her parents thought. What Lila and I had was only for this moment, and when she finally left, it would be over again. I just hoped my heart could handle it this time.

Chapter Seventeen

LILA

Planning a last-minute Grand Re-Opening was a lot of work. I felt like I only got to sneak in a couple of hours of time with Declan this week as we rushed around to get everything ready for the event.

Brian’s brother Finn played fiddle in a Celtic band, so they would be our live entertainment. Finn and Killian were like night and day, and they hated each other, so that was interesting to deal with. I was glad I only had one sister. If there were three other Kelseys, we might have tried to kill each other. Brian joked that was why they had a reputation for being the ‘Fighting Murphys.’

I felt bad I barely got to see Declan this week since I was organizing the event and helping pick up the slack. I’d make it up to him next week, especially since next weekend was Halloween. I had to come up with a sexy costume for the party at the brewery and make sure he knew how much I appreciated him. I wondered why that even mattered. We were just fucking. He wasn’t my boyfriend.

Brian rushed into the back office, where I was counting the drawer and making sure we weren’t under. He looked like he had been pulling out his hair. The dinner rush was about to start, and I had been at the bar all day picking up the slack while Brian was dealing with deliveries.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

His jaw ticked in annoyance. “Fucking Killian called out.”

Shit. I wasn’t much of a bartender. I could handle getting someone a beer, but mixed drinks, not so much. You would be surprised how many people came to an Irish bar and ordered a Manhattan.

“I pulled Sarah to the bar since she’s bartended before, but can you take some tables?”

“Let me finish counting this,” I said.