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Chapter 2
Sophie
As I walk into our apartment block, I feel eyes on me again, but I can’t see anyone watching me. I have been having this feeling ever since I moved to Dublin city a few years ago. I think I’ve read too many mafia romance books, Lauren always tells me I have when I mention this feeling. We live on the second floor in the apartment block on the corner. We have a beautiful view looking out the front of our apartment of Phoenix Park. It is stunning in the summer watching the sun go down on our little balcony with a drink in one hand and a book in the other.
There is one lily left on the front door mat, with my name on a tag and nothing else. I get random flowers left sometimes. Lauren thinks someone in the building is hitting on me. I think she is crazy, but I don’t know any other reason for it either. I just pick it up and leave it on the table.
I’m in charge of dinner tonight so we are having spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread on the side. Don’t be telling my mother I am not having my spuds tonight or she will lose it. We are meant to eat spuds every day, it’s a part of being Irish. But I love pasta, and all the carbs. I think I was Italian in another life. I put on my music to get in the mood for cooking.
Chase Rice comes straight on. Oh my, what a singer, and what a sight for my eyes. I smile at the memory of how I had dragged Lauren to see him live in Belfast. She isn’t a country music fan but was happy to go up North and see theNorn Ironlads. That was a fun weekend. I got loads of pictures for my bookstagram that weekend. We saw the Big Fish, went to the top of the Dome in Victoria Square, got to have a pint in the Harp Bar, and saw Samson and Goliath, the big yellow cranes at Titanic Quarter. Lauren even tried Buckfast that weekend and she hasn’t looked back since. Me, it took me a while to come round to Buckfast, but I still prefer Gordon’s pink gin. I love how songs bring back so many great memories and dancing round the kitchen just makes everything in life better.
I have dinner just ready to plate up as Lauren walks through the door. I am pouring us both a big glass of Gordon’s pink gin and Fanta lemon. Lauren walks into the kitchen and takes a big gulp of it. I am always surprised how she doesn’t choke drinking that much.
“You ok, chick? Hard day at the office?” I say as I pull out the garlic bread.
“Eh, yeah. Dad just being Dad. He’s working me so hard, but I am learning so much, so I shouldn’t complain. Dad is letting me help him with this big case. I shouldn’t tell ya, but you won’t tell anyone, anyway. Dermot O’Neill, he owns HubSpot, a computer Software Company, or something like that, but his wife is divorcing him as she caught him in bed with his business partner, who is a man!” she says all in one breath. I am stunned. This is big news for Lauren. It will really help to show her dad she is capable, but also, I think it’s horrible for the soon-to-be-ex-wife. I wouldn’t like to be her. I jump up and hug Lauren,
“Congrats, babe! Let's celebrate. How about after dinner we catch an Uber, have a few drinks at Temple Bar and then see where the night takes us. They might have a live band on?”
“Sounds super!” Lauren says as she pulls a seat out to eat dinner.
“Oh my, Sophie, you make the best spag boll ever!” she moans out around a mouth full of food. I love cooking and making people happy with what I dish up. I can only cook two things well: spaghetti Bolognese, and pasta bake. Yep, more carbs, and not a spud in sight. Don’t tell Mammy.
Lauren asks, “How was your day? Were the patients fun today again?”
I finish munching on my garlic bread before I say, “At work I had a patient who had been in pain for six weeks and decides today is the day they need to be seen, now they call at eleven o’clock when they know we close at one. So yes, the patients were amazing today, as usual.” I have a giggle. Lauren knows how I like to go on about my patients, but deep down I do feel for them.
“I also went to McCarthy’s for lunch, and erm, knocked into the most handsome man ever to walk on this earth.” I blush. Lauren’s mouth drops wide-open, her mouth is still full of pasta, worse than watching the bush tucker trails onI’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here. As she keeps staring at me, I continue to tell her, “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking, so busy trying to find where I left off in my book and walked straight into his chest. It was made of steel, and I fell on my butt. I lost my cuppa, and my book flew out of my hand. Now, thankfully the tea didn’t touch the book or me. I was so worried about the book. I wouldn’t have been able to cope if there—”
“Oh my God, Sophie! I don’t care about the damn book, tell me more about that chest of steel!” Lauren totally interrupts me as she squeals. Whoops I got side-tracked again with my books, but they are my babies.
“Sorry,” I say, but not meaning it as I shrug my shoulders and continue, again.
“Ok, he was so tall, like he has to be at least seven feet tall. Dark hair. A beard, but not too long, it was kind of stylish. Big blue eyes. Couldn’t help but get lost in them. Big hands, you know what they say about big hands.” I giggle out. “Oh, and tattoos on his arms, like swirls or Celtic. I am not sure but very muscly arms, the type to keep you still or warm, maybe safe. His name is Cahill.” I finish and take another mouthful of dinner. I can see Lauren is thinking. I’m sure she’s imagining what I described, and to be honest, I don’t think I am doing him any justice because he is hotter in the flesh. Not to worry, I won’t see him again, even after what he creepily said to me. Dublin is a big city and I stay in mainly to read, so it’s cool. While Lauren is still quiet, I tell her what he told me, which I do in a mocking tone of his voice, which makes Lauren spit out her gin from laughing at me. When she finally recovers, she agrees with me that it’s a little creepy, but nothing to worry about as Dublin is a big city and it’s not like we exchanged numbers or snap chat code, so we are safe from the sexy, creepy Cahill.
We finish up dinner and get the dishes done, then head to our rooms to get ready for tonight. Lauren is wearing a short, high neck black dress, it’s sleeveless and low at the back. It clings to her killer curves and shows off her long blonde hair. She finishes it off with simple rose gold shimmer stilettos, she steals my rose gold drop earrings to finish off her look completely. Dark eye make-up, her hair is curled but looks like surfer waves, as if there wasn’t much effort put into her hair and a simple nude lipstick. Oh my, she is stunning, like a princess in real life.
I can't help but feel like I am nothing compared to Lauren, I have no curves, just straight up and down like a bean pole. And I’m not even tall. I’m wearing a deep red skater dress with three quarter sleeves, on the shoulders it has chain epaulettes in silver, black peep toe stilettos, and my toes are painted nude. My hair is pinned to my right side, with a slight curl in it. My right ear has a simple diamond stud, and my left ear has a droplet of diamonds. They aren’t real diamonds, but I like to pretend they could be. My eyes are smoky, thanks to Lauren’s skill, and I am wearing deep red lipstick. Now we look the part to hit the bar and to have a few cocktails. Before we get ready to leave, I ask Lauren to grab an Uber while I call my mam.
Ever since I moved to Dublin a few years ago, every time I go out on the town, without fail my mam decides to call and check everything is ok. Even if I called her earlier in the day. Now I call her before I go out to check in, and let her know I’m going out, so she doesn’t worry when I don’t answer, or only text her back.
She doesn’t answer straight away, which is normal. I leave a voicemail and follow up with a text too. She’s probably with Wendy at bingo or at her knit ‘n’ natter. It keeps her busy, and she gets to see others, so I don’t mind at all. I just want my mam happy. She has done loads for me since she raised me on her own. I used to ask about my father when I was younger, but I never got a straight answer, so I gave up. I don’t need him anyway.
As I finish on the phone, Lauren is holding the front door open for me so we can make our way downstairs to meet the Uber. We don’t have to wait too long as they arrive quickly. It is less than a ten-minute drive, but it would take us about an hour to walk and that is in trainers, not heels, so Uber it is. We bundle into the car and don’t really talk much, just sit scrolling on our phones. Once we get to Temple Bar, Lauren has already paid and rated the Uber driver.
It’s only coming up to nine o’clock so it’s too early to hit the clubs, but Temple Bar is buzzing. It’s Friday night, and everyone has finished work, so they come here for the craic and music. We get inside and find a little booth. Lauren goes to the bar, and I do a quick scan of the other patrons. I always feel like someone is watching me but when I’m out drinking, I feel it more. I can’t see anyone paying attention to me, everyone looks like they’re having a great time, it’s just one of those feelings I keep having. I told Lauren when it first started to happen, but she thought I was crazy and needed more to drink, so I don’t tell her anymore, I can’t cope with the big hangovers.
Lauren walks back with a sway of her hips. She must have got talking to someone. When she makes it to the booth, I can see a twinkle in her eye.
“What have you done, Lauren?” I ask with a roll of my eyes.
“Nothing!” Lauren exclaims. I give her the side eye and then she confesses, “Ok, I got talking to Jack at the bar. He is gorgeous, not as hot as chest of steel Cahill from the coffee shop, but still gorgeous, and he has a mate, Marc.” I get it. She likes Jack and I am to be the good friend and keep Marc company until he gets bored of me or too drunk to talk. Yep, that’s my perfect Friday night plans,not. But she did do well at work this week, so I can suffer for her for a little while. “Yeah, Lauren, sure, invite them over,” I say with a supportive smile.
“You’re the best ever, babe,” Lauren squeals as she hugs me before she waves to Jack, I think. Two lads start walking over and neither are too bad on the eye. Jack goes straight to Lauren’s side of the booth and Marc walks over to mine. “May I join you? I’m Marc, by the way. Nice to meet ya, lass,” Marc shouts over the noise of the bar. I nod and he sits down next me to.
“I’m Sophie, nice to meet ya. So, what ya do for a living?” I ask, trying to be interested in his life, and needing to get the conversation started somehow as Lauren is giggling and all over Jack.
Marc and I are talking away, he loves to go to the gym, Starbucks for iced coffee, and works as admin at the hospital, but does personal training on the side. I think he has told me ten times how many women he has trained, and how good they all look thanks to him. His ego is so big I am surprised I can sit beside him. I don’t mind a confident man, but not one who brags about other females while they are talking to a woman.
