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Oh, Yvonne, stop that right now.
Besides, even if he was single, he was no longer confined to our little community back in Dublin, where the only person to crush on was his friendly older neighbour. Now he lived in a bustling metropolis where there were beautiful, eligible women hanging around every corner.
“Well, let’s get going, shall we?” Ev said, breaking the quiet and I tore my eyes away from Conor.
“We have a taxi waiting outside,” Dylan replied.
A little less than half an hour later we found ourselves in an Irish pub that was so over the top kitschy it made me feel a little homesick. There was lots of green décor and shamrocks everywhere. Like being stuck in an eternal Paddy’s Day.
Conversation flowed as we drank pints of Guinness and ate some surprisingly decent pub grub. My skin prickled with awareness every time Conor’s eyes fell on me, and it must’ve been the alcohol because I could’ve sworn there was a flicker of interest there.
No. I was just seeing what my loneliness and two year dry spell wanted me to see.
I seriously needed to sober up and get my head on straight. He didn’t see me like he used to. How could he? Sure, I wasn’t bad looking in my day, but it was no longer my day. I could count on one hand the number of times someone flirted with me in the past year and I worked in a nightclub. It should’ve been a lot more frequent than that. My bartenders were flirted with constantly. Ev had only been at the club for a few weeks and flirtations from punters were a nightly occurrence.
Then again, it wasn’t like I was out working the bar. I spent most of my time holed up in my office.
Speaking of Ev, she and Dylan were chatting away on the other side of the table. I could see how they were already slipping back into that comfort zone with one another. The spark was certainly still alive between them. My heart ached as I watched them, because I never had that kind of connection with anyone. Those two were magnetized. Even people sitting on the other side of the pub could see it.
Clearing my thoughts, I turned to Conor and tried to make pleasant conversation. “So, how are your parents these days? And your younger sister? Bethany was her name, right?”
Conor smiled, twisting his body to mine as he rested his arm along the top of the booth. I could feel his heat when he replied, “My parents are doing well. Dad retired last year so they’ve had more time for leisure which is good. Bethany is almost finished her nursing degree and will be applying for jobs soon.”
“A nurse, wow. That’s amazing. She was such a cute kid. I remember she used to play hopscotch outside the flats. It’s crazy to imagine she’s all grown up.” Conor was all grown up, too, but I knew it would be weird to mention that.
I cleared my throat. “And are your parents still living in the Villas?”
Conor shook his head. “I managed to convince them to let me pay for a nicer place a few years ago. There was a lot of debate with my father but he eventually came around. Being COO at Dylan’s company means I can afford to help them out more than I ever imagined.”
That was right. Ev mentioned something about Conor being the Chief Operating Officer at Dylan’s perfume company. I wasn’t entirely sure what the job entailed but I knew it meant Conor was Dylan’s second in command. It was nice to know they’d remained close friends even after all these years and now worked together.
“It must be exciting to be a COO. I knew you’d do something big with your life. You and Dylan, both. You were such smart kids. I was always so impressed with your little group.”
“Or maybe I was just lucky to have a head for business while also being best friends with an olfactory genius,” Conor said, giving a self-deprecating chuckle.
I shook my head. “You were always meant for great things.”
“Well, I could say the same for you. Evelyn mentioned you’re the manager atFEST. That must be one of the most popular clubs in the city. I’ve never walked by without there being a line down the street.”
“You’ve walked by?” I asked, eyes widening. “Have you ever been inside?”
He smiled sheepishly and it told me there was still a hint of the boy there, even if he’d grown into a confident, self-assured man. “Not sure I’m cool enough to get intoFEST,” he said.
I gave him a soft swipe on the arm, my tone chiding, “Don’t be silly. I’ll give your name to my door staff any time you like and they’ll let you right in. You and Dylan should stop by some night.” I paused before continuing, “Unless you have a girlfriend or a wife at home who wouldn’t approve of you going out to clubs.”
Smooth, Yvonne. Real smooth.
Conor’s mouth curved ever so slightly as he took a sip from his pint then replied, “No wife or girlfriend, sadly. My ex, Marianne, and I broke up about a year ago. I’ve been burying myself in work ever since.”
“Ah, well, I’m sorry to hear that. I know a thing or two about burying yourself in work, though I love my job so it’s kind of my first choice anyway.” I laughed.
“So, no boyfriend?” Conor asked and I felt like he was trying extra hard to sound casual. Or maybe it was my imagination.
I shook my head. “Not at present.”
His eyes found mine and there was something in them I couldn’t decipher. Then Ev’s voice broke through the moment when she said, “Yvonne, want to come with me to the bathroom?”
“Sure,” I replied, because locking eyes with Conor was giving me a serious case of stomach butterflies. It was only when I stood that the alcohol truly hit me and I wobbled a little on my feet as I endeavoured to climb from the booth. Conor’s warm hand found my elbow, steadying me, and I shot him a look of thanks while the butterflies in my stomach doubled. What was I playing at? I didn’t have designs on Conor. This was a friendly night out with two old acquaintances. I needed to get a hold of myself. The trouble was, I’d hit that perfect level of tipsy giddiness and I couldn’t seem to wipe the grin off my face.
