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He rolls his eyes. “Sounds like Liam. I’d say he’s a know-it-all, but he does know a hell of a lot.”
“Why did he leave school?”
“He was accused of plagiarizing, and instead of trying to prove his innocence he quit school in protest.”
“Talk about cutting off your nose...”
His expression is somber as he nods. “Spite and pride are proving to be his downfall.”
“It’s kind of messed up that he was wrongly accused. Itwasa false accusation, right?”
”I’m sure it was. Liam is too high on himself to hand in someone else’s work...Probably because he’d judge it as inferior.”
I laugh at that one just as my father rounds the corner into the tack room. “I was hoping I’d catch you here.”
“Hey, Dad. Did you take a half day or something?”
“Good to see you, Danny.” He turns back to me after shaking hands. “Something like that. Mom isn’t home and I’m starving. Want to grab a burger with me at The Grill?”
“Sounds good.”
“Tell my nephew to mind his manners, Gypsy Girl.”
“Liam is working today?” He nods and winks as I breathe deep to steady myself. Tell him to mind his manners? I do my best to shake off the nerves and excitement when I answer, “And risk getting my head bitten off? I think I’ll pass.”
Chapter Nine
LIAM
“Hi, I’m Liam and I’ll be your server. Can I start you with anything to drink?”
The man at the table is smiling like he just heard a really funny joke, while his companion is literally hiding her face behind the menu. Whatever. I’m over it. These people are weird.
“I’ll have a Bud, thanks.” When the woman doesn’t say anything, I ask, “Just water for you?”
If it’s not vodka then it’s pretty much always water, because why spend money, or God forbid calories, on a beverage if it’s not going to get you wasted?
“Um, yeah, water is fine,” odd little lady mutters while continuing to study the mid-afternoon pub menu that has all of four choices.
When I drop the man’s drink, I’m pleasantly surprised when he tells me he doesn’t want the glass. A normal, domestic beerandhe doesn’t need a chilled, frosted pilsner glass? Who is this guy?
“Have you had a chance to decide?”
The guy hands me his menu when he says, “Cheeseburger, medium...Thanks.” He casts his eyes on the girl, and when she doesn’t pipe up, he looks to stall. “Are you Danny Murphy’s nephew?”
I answer that I am, and from the corner of my eye I can see the girl lowering the menu just enough so that she can glare at the man.What the hell isshedoing here?
“Um, hi.”
I nod at Tiny and then gesture to the menu. For some reason I’m surprised to see her here, even though she obviously belongs to this country club. I take another quick look between her and the guy, deciding this is a daddy taking his little princess out for a meal kind of thing.
She looks about as uncomfortable as I feel, standing here like a jackass while I wait for her to demonstrate that she is, in fact, capable of speech.
Yes, I know her name is Sarah. I overheard her boyfriend calling out to her as she was leaving the stables one afternoon. He came driving up in his shiny European luxury sedan, hopped out when she walked by his car without taking notice of him, and then called out, “Earth to Sarah,” as he waved his arms. He laughed when she finally snapped out of it, and I was smiling too. The few times I’ve been around her she does seem to be lost in her own head.
Her name is Sarah but I call her Tiny. Maybe I call her something different because Sarah ishisname for her, and I cannot stand that prick.
And she is tiny for sure. I had to do a double take the first time I saw her in the stable with Uncle Danny. I thought she was a kid, but then quickly determined that aside from her height, there was nothing childlike about her.
