“You don’t believe that,” I call him on his bullshite.
He spews some other excuses, then has the audacity to sound annoyed with Norah for leaving him high and dry. My eyes roll so far back into my head, I’m afraid they might stay that way.
Layla pads into the bedroom and I stretch my arm out to her. She comes to stand between my legs, but I pull her down to sit on my lap, then scoff at my mate on the line. “You think she really wanted to spend all that time in a car with you after you basically sent her packing? And then to say goodbye at the airport?”
When Eamon asks if he’s bolloxed things, I don’t hold back, telling him that he really has. Pulling Layla a little tighter to me, I ask him, “So, what are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know, Teag. I really hurt her.”
“Aye,” I agree. “Does your Mum want you to stay in Ireland to help her take care of Caity?”
“I don’t know,” he mumbles.
“Hold on.” I sit up straighter, pressing a kiss to Layla’s shoulder as I do. “You told Norah to leave so you could take care of yer Mum and sister, but didn’t even have that discussion with yer Mum?”
My accent thickens with each word as I process the mess my mate has gotten himself into.
“It’s a given though, isn’t it?” Eamon asks. “My Da’s not here to do it, I am.”
“Christ’s sake, man. Go talk to your Mum, then figure out how to make things right with your lass.”
He sighs heavily. “Right. Yeah, I will.”
“Talk soon, mate.” It’s not a question of will or won’t. I’ll be badgering him until the eejit fixes this.
“Yeah. Bye.”
I drop my phone on the bed beside me and press my forehead against Layla’s chest. She stayed quiet while I reamed Eamon, letting me know she was there by wrapping an arm around my neck. She smells so fecking good and looking down, I want nothing more than to bury my face in her tits…or between her gorgeous thick thighs. My cock twitches against her leg and she huffs a little laugh.
“Sorry.” I look up at her apologetically. “Not the time, right?”
“Probably not right now,” she says, placing a quick kiss on my mouth. “What did Eamon say?”
“Basically he made decisions not just for Norah, but his Mum and sister too. He didn’t discuss it with anyone, just decided he’s going to stay on in Ireland to take care of his family. There’s a lot of guilt eating at him for not being there, especially since his Da is no longer alive.”
Layla winces. “It sounds like his mind isn’t in the right place. The stress from his sister, mixed with being back home after so long, has to be weighing heavy. That doesn’t excuse what he did to Norah though.” She shakes her head slightly. “Not at all.”
“No, she’s a good lass. She’s goodforhim.”
“Andhe’sgood forher,” Layla adds.
We sit there quietly, both of us lost in our thoughts for a minute before she says, “I think we need to head back to Wilmington. I’m going to go to the airport with Charlie to pick up Norah.”
Nodding, I heave a sigh. As much as I’d love to stay here, and horde Layla to myself, she’s right. Her friend will need her more than I do right now.
“Aye, Lovely. I’ll start packing.”
There’s a beat of silence before Layla says that we shouldn’t tell anyone about us.
My head jerks in her direction, causing me to drop the armful of clothes I just collected onto the bed. My first reaction is to become indignant. “Sorry, lass, but are you ashamed of me?”
“No, of course not! Why would you think that?”
“Why else wouldn’t you want people to know that we’re together?”
Layla closes her eyes, inhaling deeply like I’m some petulant child, as she mutters something in Spanish under her breath.
“Well?” I’m anxious now.
