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I also swing over and give my da a big hug and then assure Keegan that I’ll be back for the start of my shift.
I need a shower and something to eat. I have some leftover stew in my fridge that will do because I’m not going in to work early to order something from the kitchen.
I’m looking forward to a long, hot soak in the shower when I turn onto my street, but then I scowl when I see Cameron’s truck parked at my curb, and the man himself sitting on my steps.
I park and get out of the car, propping my hands on my hips as I approach him.
“I don’t have time for you right now.” My voice is harder than intended, but that’s okay. I’m mad at this jerk, too. “You’ll have to come back another day.”
“I’ll settle for this day,” he retorts and stands. “And I have something for you in the backyard.”
“Look, I’m not ready for you to try to suck up to me. I just want to take a shower and eat something so I can clear my head for work later. I’m mad at you and Kane and Joey all over again, and it’s damn exhausting, Cam.”
“I know.”
“And if I dwell on it, I’ll want to hit something, and it’s just best if you go home.”
“I know that, too. But I’m not going home. Come on.”
He takes my hand and leads me around the house, through the gate, and into my backyard.
“Why are the men in my life so damn hell-bent on making me do shit I don’t want to do?”
“You’re going to want to do this. Here, wear these.” He passes me some clear safety glasses, then points to a garbage can set up on the patio and a box next to it. “There are two-dozen cheap glasses in that box. How about you smash them?”
I frown up at him. “Do you need a doctor?”
“I’m serious. Here, I’ll go first.” He walks over, chooses a glass, and smashes it into the garbage can, making it shatter. “Feels damn good when you’re frustrated.”
I join him, choose a glass, and let it fall into the can.
“That was pathetic. You have to smash it like you mean it. Like you’re aiming for Joey’s face.”
He presses a new glass into my hand, and I rear back, then throw it down with all my might.
“You son of a bitch, Joey.”
The glass shatters, and I have to admit, it did feel really good.
“See?” he says with a grin. “The whole box is for you. Go for it. Destroy it. Be mad.”
I reach for another, and then another. I cuss out Joey and Kane and Cameron and break glass, and it’s possibly the best therapy I’ve had in a long time.
When I’m done, my chest heaves, my muscles sing, and Cam’s grinning at me like a loon.
“Better?” he asks.
“A little, yeah. That was better than flowers and chocolate.”
“I have chocolate on the porch,” he says and cautiously reaches for my hand. “I was covering all my bases.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this Bill guy?”
He sighs and brushes a lock of my hair off my cheek. “Over the past couple of years, you haven’t really wanted to have conversations with me. Mostly, you snapped at me.”
I close my eyes and rest my forehead on his chest. “Yeah, well, you could have told me.”
“Sure, I can see it now. Hey, Mags. Go to hell, Cam. Sure, but by the way, we hired a PI to look into your asshole of a late husband. Okay, great, thanks.”
I laugh and then playfully push him away. “Whatever, smartass. Where’s my chocolate?”
“I’m hoping you’ll share.”
“Not a chance.”
I don’t know why the pub was so busy on a Sunday night, but we were hopping all day. I haven’t bustled about so much since tourist season.
My feet aren’t used to it. I need a hot shower and some tea before I fall face-first into bed for a good, solid eight hours.
I wave at Keegan, who always comes outside with us girls when we leave so he can watch us get into our cars safely. It’s not a bad neighborhood—there are no bad areas on the island—but you never know what might happen outside of a bar after closing time. Keegan waits until I start my car because it’s been iffy lately, but on the third try, it turns over. My brother waves back, and I pull out of the small parking lot behind O’Callaghan’s Pub.
I decide as I turn right that I’m glad it was a busy day. Today would have been my ninth wedding anniversary to Joey, and with everything else that’s been going on lately where he’s concerned, he’s been invading my thoughts too much.
“God, you’re stupid. Just take the car to the garage.”
“I work at night and sleep during the day, so if you could make the arrangements, that would help.”
