Ro snorts loudly. “Oh, god no! You won’t catch me at a play. But I’ve heard yer fella here wax poetic about you and yer frocks, so I can only assume they’re quality!”
“For fuck’s sake, Ro,” Teagan murmurs. “I saw it, and I’m not ashamed to say it was one of the best I’ve seen.”
Ro rolls his eyes dramatically and fake whispers, “Lickarse.”
“So, uh, who all is here tonight?” Teagan asks, craning his neck to look around the pub with hopeful eyes.
Eamon and I give each other a knowing glance.
“If you’re looking for Layla, she’s over in the corner booth with Charlie and Amelia.” I wink at him.
“Yeah?” His eyes light up like a Christmas tree.
“You’re bloody away in the head, aren’t you?” Ro exclaims. “Pining after her like some sort of lost puppy.”
“Who has a lost puppy?” Alicia asks as she comes bouncing out of the kitchen with a bucket of ice.
Her long black hair is pulled back in two French braids, and her lips are painted bright red. She’s wearing a cropped black V-neck sweater with skin-tight leather leggings.
“Hey, Norie!” She says, setting the bucket on top of the bar. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you how much I loved Beauty and the Beast! I saw it on opening night. I can’t get over Belle’s gown!”
“Thank you!” I gush. “You look amazing, by the way!”
“I’d say,” Ro lets out a low whistle. “But she’s always a fine thing, am I right? Hiya, Alicia.”
“Rowan,” she greets him coldly before turning on her heel towards the kitchen. “I’m going to get back to work, but let’s do lunch next week, Norie! Congrats again!”
We all turn to stare at Ro with wide eyes.
“What did you do?” Eamon glares at his friend.
“Why do you assume I did something?” he cries indignantly.
Even I scoff at that. I don’t know him that well, but I know him well enough to know that he’s a troublemaker.
“Because youalwaysdo something, you buck eejit. You’re always mucking about with her, but clearly, you’ve done something to set her off.”
Ro runs a hand through his ginger locks and frowns. “Listen, I’d rather not get into it here, okay? We’re supposed to be celebrating the lovely Norah anyway. Catch me tomorrow, and I’ll fill you in, alright?”
Eamon nods. “Fine. But don’t try to get out of it.”
“Yeah, grand,” he agrees before following Teagan toward the corner booth.
“Well, that was interesting,” I mutter, turning to Eamon.
“It was, yeah,” he agrees. “I hope he didn’t do anything that warrants a kick to the bollox. Though I’m sure Alicia would have handled that on her own.”
I step into him, wrapping my arms around his torso. “You’re right about that. Now, can we go home? It’s late, and I do believe you said something about making this up to me…with gusto?”
A low growl rumbles through his chest before he leans down and nips my earlobe. I shiver in anticipation of what’s to come.
“I did, didn’t I?” he whispers against my neck. The feel of his lips brushing my skin sends sparks straight through me. “Go say your goodbyes, Acushla.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Norah
“I can’t believe I’m going to be in a magazine. How did this even happen?”
