The nerve of this bitch.Channeling my inner Myra, I say, “Oh, I’m sorry. Eamon and Rosie requested no more visitors today. But I’ll be sure to tell them you stopped by. It was apleasuremeeting you.”
Rhiannan clenches her fists at her side and glares at me before turning and storming through the sliding doors leading to the parking lot. I blow out a shaky breath and decide that I don’t want coffee after all.
“Miss,” the lady at the desk says softly, startling me.
I’d forgotten she was there. I smile sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.”
The lady, Orla, according to her name tag, laughs, “Quite the opposite actually. You handled that well. This isn’t the first time that young lady has come in trying to see Miss Kennedy. As she isn’t family, we can’t allow her up there without a family member escorting her. She didn’t react in a friendly manner the last time either, so thank you for taking the brunt of it.”
My brow furrows in confusion. “She still came back even though she knows she can’t go up? Why?”
“I think she’s hoping she’ll find someone different at the desk and try to talk her way up. Silly lass. I’ve worked at this desk for the last twenty years. It’s unlikely anyone but myself will be present,” Orla says, rolling her eyes.
“That’s ridiculous,” I reply. “I’m sorry you’ve had to endure that. I feellike I might have overstepped a little, but I can’t imagine Eamon would be happy to have her waltz up there unannounced.”
“Between you and me, you’re much prettier anyway,” Orla winks. “‘Course, when I was a young wan, my hair was the same red as yours, so I might be a wee bit biased.”
I grin at the silver-haired woman and say, “Well then I have something to look forward to in the future! Hopefully, my hair looks like yours!”
“Ach, you flatter me,” she coos, waving a hand. “Have that fella of yours stop at the desk on his way out so I can see the young man that snagged such a catch. I imagine he’s quite the looker.”
I nod my head vigorously in agreement. “He is definitely that! I’ll make sure to stop by with him when we leave.”
Saying goodbye to Orla, I make my way back to Caity’s room hoping Rosie and Eamon won’t be upset at me for turning Rhiannan away. I was mostly looking out for them, but selfishly, I don’t think I could have handled being in the same room as the two of them right now. With Eamon’s behavior earlier and Rhiannan’s beauty, I’m already feeling insecure. It’s hard not to when you’re standing next to the woman your boyfriend had planned on marrying and she looks like a supermodel. I’m still mulling it over when I walk back into the room.
“Did you not find any coffee?” Eamon’s deep voice asks, shaking me from my thoughts.
“What? Oh, I didn’t make it that far,” I pause before continuing. “I, uh, ran into Rhiannan at the reception desk in the lobby…”
Eamon goes wholly still. “She was here? Did you talk to her?”
“I overheard her asking to visit Caity. Thinking she might have been a friend, I introduced myself.”
I tell them everything in full, feeling slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry if that was out of line. I should have called up here first.”
Rosie laughs delightedly. “No, love. You did the right thing. Had it been just me up here, I probably would have allowed it, but with Eamon here, I doubt that would have been a pleasant visit. The day she and Declan moved to a new neighborhood was a day I’ll always cherish.”
Eamon’s head whips towards his mother. “They moved out? When?”
Rosie waves a hand, “Ach, it was a couple of years ago. I didn’t bring it up because I didn’t think you’d want to hear anything about them.”
Eamon just nods, then clears his throat nervously, “I suppose I’ll have to have a conversation with her at some point while I’m here.”
“Why?” I ask incredulously. “If you don’t want to see her, you’re not obligated to talk to her.”
He sighs heavily and rakes his fingers through his hair, refusing to meet my eyes. Rosie, sensing the tension in the air, decides that she’d like some tea after all. Once the door closes behind her, he leans back in the chair, extending his legs out in front of him.
“I know you won’t like it,” he says, “but now that she knows I’m here, she’s just going to keep coming around until I talk to her. I’d like to get it over with sooner rather than later.”
I shake my head angrily and plant my hands on my hips. “It’s not about me liking it or not, Eamon. How do you know she’ll keep coming around? And why do you have to talk to her?”
“I just know how she is. After we ended things, she kept trying to get me to take her back. She didn’t relent until I moved. And then…” He hesitates, not meeting my eyes.
“And then what?” I demand, fearing I’m not going to like the answer.
“It’s not a big deal. I didn’t say anything to you because I didn’t want you to worry,” he starts.
I feel a sinking sensation in my stomach. “Worry about what?”
