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“He decided to flatten Siobhan’s flower bed with a bit of tap dancing. The boy can hardly walk, but I kid you not, his arms were ramrod straight down his sides. He’s got natural talent.”
I burst out laughing, but it’s caught in my throat as the door opens.
No, no, no, no…
But no matter how many ‘no’s’ I say, in walks the ginger fairy. She stops seeing I’ve got company.
“Oh, hello? Sorry, am I interrupting? Do you want me to come back later?”
“Absolutely not,” Sean insists, the fucker. “Aidan, why don’t you introduce us?”
Reluctantly, I gesture between them. “Uh, this is my brother Sean. And this is Caitlin.”
“Very nice to meet you, Caitlin.” Sean takes her slender hand in his. I grit my teeth.
“Oh, hi, Mr Byrne. We’ve met before.”
“Have we?”
“Yes.” Caitlin’s smile is so sweet and innocent as she delivers the words that will for sure ruin me. “I’m Finbar’s daughter.”
“Come again?”
She laughs – a carefree sound that normally makes my chest swell. But not today. “I’m Finbar’s daughter. Finbar Keenan, as in Keenan Jewellers.”
Sean’s mouth forms a perfect O. He turns to me. If his eyes were any wider, they’d pop out. “Finbar’s daughter.Right, is that so?”
“Yes, Aidan is kindly mentoring me this summer,” she replies and nods, her unruly curls dancing around her head, unaware of the damage caused. Then her face falls and her hands twist together in front of her tummy. “We’re showcasing the designs we’ve been working on at the jewellery fair in the RDS on Wednesday. I’msonervous about it. You should come – it would help seeing a friendly face.”
Her nervousness is cute, and I’ve got great plans for how to take her mind off things tomorrow night, the night before the fair. But while thinking of these plans normally brings on a surge of excitement, now all I want is Sean out of the office.
“I might, you know. I haven’t been in RDS since Siobhandragged me to a wedding fair ten years ago. So I might do just that.” His words are drawn out and his grin way too Cheshire-like when he continues. “Tell me, Caitlin. How old are you now?”
“I’m eighteen.”
“Eighteen,” he repeats and nods while trying his darndest not to be too obvious checking her out. I curl my fingers into fists while staving off the urge to gouge his eyes out. “You sure have grown up since I saw you last.”
“Well, we’d better get going for lunch, Sean.” I clamp my hand on his shoulder and push him towards the door. “I’ll see you later, Caitlin.”
“Enjoy your lunch!”
“Nice to meet you, Caitlin – ouch!” My brother winces as I dig my digits into his shoulder.
Out in the corridor, I growl between my teeth, “Not a word!”
I don’t let go of Sean until we’re down the stairs and outside on the narrow lane.
He steps away from me and wobbles, as if drunk. “Shit, Aidan.Shit!”
I run my palms over my face. “I know, but…”
“You’re fucking Finbar’s daughter?”
“Keep your voice down!” I hiss, glancing over my shoulder, remembering how well the sounds from the street travels into the shop.
“You’re having sex with that pretty young thing? An eighteen-year-old?” Sean whisper yells, way too much excitement shining in his eyes.
“Um…”
