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“Single malt.” He hummed. “The best. The older the better if you have about five grand to spare.”
I had no idea what I had on my card but if it meant currying favor with the in-laws , I’d spend every cent I had.
“Okay, I’ll head to—”
“Bagpipes, take her to Vinny’s.”
“Will do, Eoghan.”
“Thanks for the rec,” I murmured, encompassing Bagpipes in that with a smile he sniffed at. “What about your mom?”
“She’s more difficult. The slippers, definitely. She’ll like that. Even if she doesn’t like you, she’ll appreciate that you’re saying she’s welcome at your place all the time.”
I winced. “Does she come over a lot?”
“No. I thought she would,” Inessa answered. “But I think the drive is too much for her.”
“She’s been in a funny headspace the past few months,” Eoghan agreed. “I don’t really know what she’d like. Even if it means sucking up to her, maybe that’s the way to go—lilies. Inessa’s right. She does—oh. Wait. Bagpipes, that chocolatier on 11th.”
“Girani’s?”
“Yeah. That one. Is it still open?”
“Just.” He cleared his throat, which, because men were dumb, instantly made me realize that some kind of business was going down either in that area or with the owner of the chocolatier.
“Ma used to love that place. She doesn’t get to go so often anymore. Maybe you can buy her some chocolates from there.”
“Chocolates it is,” I said, smiling because now that was settled, I felt a lot more comfortable about tonight. He’d thrown this meeting at me, but it was more of a battle than anything else. And showing up to a war without a weapon, even if it was just a gift meant to disarm, was stupidity itself. “Inessa, what slippers did you buy them?”
“Louis Vuitton. I’ll message you with their sizes.”
I hummed. “Okay. Right, I’ll see you both tomorrow at church then. Sorry about canceling later.”
“No worries. I know what these O’Donnellys are like, remember?” she teased, which had Eoghan responding in a way that made her giggle again.
Relieved that the post-depilatory disaster hadn’t put a dampener on things, I murmured, “You’ll have to show me the ropes.”
“I will, definitely.” Her laughter faded. “Sorry about telling Eoghan, sis. I really didn’t mean to.”
It was worth it just for her to call me that. “Don’t worry—”
“You shouldn’t keep secrets from your husbands,” Eoghan interrupted, but he sounded like he was on the brink of sleep again.
Bagpipes snorted. “You’re newlyweds. The longer you’re married, the more you hope they’ll keep shit secret.”
Grinning, I just said, “Bye,malyshka. See you tomorrow.”
“Speak later, Cammie,” she replied as I cut the call.
“You wanna go to the chocolate place first or the bodega?” he groused.
“Whichever’s closest.”
And that was how I spent most of my morning. Buying gifts for my in-laws and hooking myself up with a new phone so I could return the burner to Bagpipes.
Once it was set up, I sent out my new number to the only people who really mattered to me, Inessa, Victoria, and Brennan. It took way longer than I hoped, but as the hours passed, the city just got busier. I was lucky to get back to the apartment by three.
Knowing he’d given me until four, I was in a rush as I grabbed the gifts, left Bagpipes to his own devices, and ran to the elevator.
