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~Maeve~
Someone is licking my toes.
I turn in the bed and pull off my sleeping mask, open one eye, and stare down into big brown eyes.
“Murphy.” I sigh and squint at the clock. “It’s only nine in the morning, you know.”
Murphy lets out a whine and rests his chin on the bed.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You want breakfast.”
I yawn and sit up, stretching before stepping into my soft slippers.
Murphy is my eldest brother’s big yellow dog. When Kane and his wife, Anastasia, are out of town, one of the siblings keeps the dog.
Kane and Anastasia are in San Francisco this week for a museum opening featuring some of my big brother’s work. I’m damn proud of him.
And, I’m happy to have Murphy around. He’s good company.
“But you get me up too early when I’ve closed down the pub the night before.” I scratch his ears and lead him to the kitchen.
I open the back door so he can run out and do his business while I scoop him some food and get to work on coffee for myself.
I enjoy working evenings at O’Callaghan’s for my brother, Keegan. The pub’s been in our family since I was little—when my parents moved to America from Ireland and opened the bar here on our little island. Keegan bought it from Ma and Da a handful of years ago so the parents could retire and split their time between Washington and our little Irish village near Galway.
Helping out is fun, and I’m happy to do it. Especially when something unexpected happens like last night. I don’t think I’ve ever flirted that much with a customer. I know for a fact that I’ve never given my phone number out to anyone. I kept asking myself all night what in the world I was thinking, but then I’d swing by the stranger, and he’d smile in that ridiculously sexy way, and I had zero regrets.
None.
So, yeah, the pub can be lots of fun.
But, Jesus, it’s hard to have two completely different sets of responsibilities.
I might moonlight as a waitress, but my first love is real estate. I’ve been selling homes on the island for several years. I like showing properties and helping people find the places they want to call home.
And it’s a good thing that Murphy woke me because I have an appointment with a new client at ten-thirty. I’m showing him three homes today, all on the water.
This client must have quite a bit of money. Which doesn’t hurt my feelings because that means the commission will be a good one.
I like my little house, but I’ve been saving up for my dream home. It just came on the market, and this new client could be my ticket to that purchase if I find the house for him, and the commission is high enough.
I open the door for the dog, and as he eats, I sip my coffee and nibble on some toast, then make my way upstairs to get ready for the day.
My real estate clothes are far different from my pub attire. In the evenings, I’m in jeans and T-shirts, my hair tied up, and I usually leave looking disheveled, covered in something, and smelling like beer and French fries.
But during the day, for showings and closings, I’m in a shift dress, heels, and my hair is down around my shoulders, the curls tamed as much as they can be.
I apply my makeup with a light hand, wanting to be cool and professional. When I’m all ready to go, I smile down at Murphy who’s been watching every move I make.
“I think we’re ready to go. You’re going to go hang out with Shawn and Lexi today, okay?”
Murphy’s mouth drops open in a doggie grin.
“Let’s go.”
We make our way out to the car, and I drive over to the house on the cliffs that I sold to Shawn a couple of years ago, not long before he met his wife, Lexi. My brother and Lexi are both writers and work from home, so Murphy can hang out with them while I’m busy.
“Good morning,” Shawn says as he steps outside to meet us. “And hello to you, boy.”
He rubs Murphy’s side and watches me with those steady green eyes.
Out of all of us siblings, Shawn is the quiet one. The most logical.
And, sometimes, he sees too damn much.
“You look tired.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “That’s a nice way of saying I look like shit.”
“If I thought you looked like shit, I’d say so. Didn’t sleep well?”
“Do I ever?” I shrug. “Insomnia is a bitch. I closed the pub last night and sat up doing some research for a new client until about five. Murphy here woke me at nine, but it’s good he did because I’m meeting said client in a few minutes.”
“Do you work tonight?”
