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First, there was that business with Johnny. Alfie was supposed to be watching his ICU room that night, but he pawned it off on a newbie, instead. Then he’d disappeared for two days. The fact that he’d strategically avoided explaining where he’d been hadn’t escaped my notice. And now, this latest bit, ending up with a bullet in his leg in the North End when he should’ve been in Southie with Teag.
His only explanation? A weak-arse story about a girl and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Alfie was jumpy, distracted. That easy-going smile was forced, now, murky excuses and his phone never out of reach.
Things were adding up, and I did not like the outcome.
“You look like someone walked over your grave.” Cassidy walked into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. After our forced cooperation patching Alfie up, our relationship had improved from hostile to icy.
I scratched at my chin and reminded myself to shave before tonight. “Sloane has declared a family dinner, tonight. Presence is mandatory.”
Cassidy hummed but said nothing.
“I know, I tried to get us out of it. Trust me, it’s the last thing I want, too.” I crossed my arms defensively. “Look. I know we have our issues, but could we put that on hold for tonight? I really don’t want them pushing their noses in our business, and I’m really not up for a lecture from Sloane if she catches wind that there’s trouble between us.”
I knew by the measured way she sipped her coffee that I’d made my point. As much as she must chafe at the thought of agreeing with me over anything, I knew she wouldn’t want to give her father the satisfaction of seeing how miserable she was.
“Okay. We’ll put aside our differences for tonight and put on a show. After all,” she said with a sarcastic smile, “it’s what we do best.”
“Jesus, Connor.” Sloane looked me over from head to toe. “You look like shit.”
I grunted. I felt like shit. My whole body ached, and it was ungodly hot in here. I had to stand over by the balcony just to catch a breeze in the hopes I wouldn’t sweat through the new suit Sloane had forced me into wearing. That was okay, though. All I had to do was get through this dinner in one piece, and then I could curl up in bed and not come out for a month…or at least until my phone rang again.
“Gee, Sloane, you really know how to make a guy feel on top of his game.”
“I don’t know where you’ve been for the last few weeks, but you sure as fuck haven’t been on top of your game. Haven’t been for weeks.”
“It’s been a bit busy, love.”
Sloane shrugged, but she looked pointedly over to where Cassidy was standing, talking with some woman I didn’t know. The “family dinner” of Sloane’s had turned into a full-blown gathering, everyone chafing under the lockdown. Nearly three dozen people had turned up at Callum’s place, all dressed to the nines and eager for a night to let loose after the stress everyone had been under.
A waiter passed with a tray of hors d’oeuvres, but I smiled politely and waved him off. My stomach was churning, and I was just trying to make it through dinner, not that I thought I’d be able to eat a bite of it. Just the smell of food right now made me want to throw up. Uncomfortably, I pulled at the collar of the ridiculous tux I was wearing and set down my untouched drink.
“Cassidy looks good,” Sloane carefully observed. “She looks…happy.”
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t have to, the tightening of my jaw did it for me.
“Are you okay, Connor?”
“I’m fine.”
“Only ‘cause I’ve known you ever since we were in diapers. Now, you’re not exactly a ray of sunshine on an average day, but lately…”
“Lately, what?”
“I can tell when something’s bothering you, Connor, and I don’t think this has anything to do with Moretti. Or Alfie. You seem distracted.”
Sloane was giving me an opening without coming right out and saying it. I pinched the bridge of my nose, not really wanting to talk about it, but some explicable thing loosened that stubborn hold on my jaw. Christ, she reminded me so much of Aiden when she was like this. “I don’t know, Sloane. Everything was going so well in Maine, and now it’s like I can’t do anything right.”
Sloane’s eyes lit with satisfaction like she’d known it all along. “Did you try talking to her?”
“Yeah, and it always ends in a fight.”
She nodded. “It’s an…interesting situation, what you two have going on. And Cassidy, she’s not your average girl. Not the ones you boys are used to dealing with, anyhow.”
I rolled my eyes. “And this is supposed to help me how?”
“What was it that you did in Maine? What won her over the first time? Just do that again. Re-create the moment. Sometimes a girl just needs to be reminded why she fell for you in the first place.”
