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I look at her skeptically, and Sophie looks nervous. We both take a t-shirt each and then burst out laughing. A navy blue t-shirt with white writing saying we are a part of the Muff Diving Club. Liam falls off the chair in stitches at this. Even Jones has a massive smile, and Sophie is now happy.
“These are great. Thank you, Sophie,” Ruairi says to her.
“When do I get mine?” Liam pipes in. “Wait till I tell the boys what she bought you both!” Liam has his phone out snapping pictures of the t-shirts, I can only assume to send round the lads. Ruairi is now modeling his for Liam. I sit back and watch how everyone is relaxing a little. We needed this and only my girl could be able to make this happen.
Once breakfast is over, I head to the office to catch up on paperwork for the restaurant. There is a wee knock on the door. It can only be Sophie, the men are more forceful, or Ruairi just walks in.
“Come in,” I say, and my angel enters. “What can I do for ya?”
She takes a breath. “Just hear me out. I haven’t done anything public, yet, but I have a page ready to go for the casino, like the restaurant, only we need to make it live. I thought it might help bring in more money, more people, and you can do events at it to encourage people, to show it’s not all about losing money but you can have fun too. Maybe we could host stag and hen nights. I am not sure about strippers but that’s up to you men to discuss. You could hold poker nights, cocktail nights, blackjack nights, anything really to get people through the doors and spend money. We can get the bar staff to do some cocktail courses and change the uniform to give it more a classy feel and not sleazy. Not that I am saying your casino is sleazy, I haven’t been to make a judgment but just thinking out loud. Ok, I am going to shut my mouth before I dig my own grave any further.” Then she flops down in the chair in front of me. I just stare at her. She has some really good points.
I pick up my phone, hitting the speed dial I need, “Ruairi, can you come here a second?”
Sophie’s eyes are like saucers. Ruairi manages the casino more than me. It’s up to him and what he thinks.
Ruairi walks in. “What?”
“Sophie has suggested some ideas for the casino, now I don’t have much to do with the casino, so I thought you could have a look through her proposal and see what you think. You have it all there, Sophie?”
“Yep, all done. I printed it out.” She hands it over to Ruairi.
“Would you like to go help Jones set up for dinner and we will be done in ten?” I ask her sweetly.
Sophie jumps out of the chair likes it’s on fire and rushes out the door. I don’t know why she is so nervous. They are great ideas and would help to launder more money and make us look legit. We can still keep the back rooms for when we need them, but people will hopefully see we aren’t the gangsters like from the sixties. We just want to make money and live a peaceful life as much as we can. Once she leaves I get back to the computer while Ruairi looks over her plans.
“Wow. She has some amazing ideas, and she is good with the social media. I think this could be a game changer for us. I’m sure we could work something out with strippers. Like just hire them for events like stag and hen nights. Don’t need strippers full time. We could be more legit and less illegal. I know we will never get out of it totally but I’m sure you don’t want to always be looking over your shoulder. We all wanna settle down one day. And I am getting too old to keep busting people for not paying back when they should. Might have to let the weans do it,” Ruairi said laughing.
“Maybe over the next few days you both could sit and talk it out. She is a good girl. She wants to help. And this might become her job if I can convince her to stay with me.”
“Stay? You were being serious last night. You going to wife her up, Cahill? You deserve happiness. This life is lonely and brings loads of crap to the door.”
Ruairi smiles and claps me on the back as we both head out of my office to the dining room. He lifts his plates and heads back to his room. He must still be working on stuff.
We are having shepherd’s pie tonight. I can smell the lamb as I walk in. Sophie is sitting at the table waiting for me. Her hands are clasped in front of her, and her head is bowed. Is she praying? That’s the first time I have seen her do that. Maybe yesterday messed her up more than she is letting on.
“You ok, Sophie?” she jumps back.
“Yep. Just saying a wee prayer. I want to try to do much as I can to keep us all safe. I hope you don’t mind I lit candles too.”
What the fuck is she doing? “No problem at all, doll,” I say with a smile. I don’t think it’s God she needs to talk to, I am sure I’m going to hell.
“Shepherd’s pie tonight. One of my favorite dishes.”
“I know. Jones told me. We meant to make it yesterday but…”
“Don’t worry, we are having it now.”
We eat away in silence for a little then she asks, “Why did you have blood on you last night?”
“Liam and I had a car accident, so I got scrapped, nothing more.” Now it’s me praying, I hope she buys my story.
“Lies but ok. I will accept your answer and when you trust me you can tell me.”
I did not see that coming. I told her last night that I wanted to marry her, and she thinks I don’t trust her. I am trying to keep her safe, someone wants her, but I don’t know who, yet. I don’t reply because I honestly don’t know how to. We stay silent and just eat, both lost in our own thoughts. Sophie finishes and she gets up, grabs her plate and walks off into the kitchen and keeps on walking. I jog to catch her.
“Where do you think you are going, doll?” I growl.
“Away from you. You don’t trust me. And I want to be left alone to read.” She snaps back and twirls out of my arms.
