CHAPTER 4
Pressure can make a truthful person into a liar, though I’m not sure whether I’m either. The line between truth and lies blurred the instant I woke up in the hospital.
I make sure to sound convincing as I tell Kieran that I was traveling alone in Ireland for the summer when I got mugged and robbed in Limerick.
“They knocked me around and took everything—my purse, my bag. My dignity.”
“You do scream ‘tourist’ in that sweatshirt.”
“I told you it was a gift.”
He assesses me from head to toe. I can’t tell if there’s sympathy in his eyes or skepticism. My story gets more complicated from here, but I stick to it—a woman saw the mugging. She made me come to the hospital to make sure I didn’t have a concussion.
“Which I don’t,” I emphasize, knowing that if Kieran thinks something is wrong with me, he’s bound to say no. “But now, I have nothing.” This little nugget of honesty pushes me forward, a reminder of how much I need this.
I tell him that I couldn’t give my insurance information because I’m on my parents’ plan, and they’d know something happened to me. It would cause them to totally freak out (this part isn’t so much of a lie, either). Now I owe the hospital money, but since all mine was stolen, I can’t pay.
“But I will,” I ensure him. “As soon as I figure out how exactly.”
“Are you asking me to pay your bill because—”
“No,” I say emphatically. “I need something else.”
Kieran takes in all that I’ve said. My story is strange, but the parts seem to fit together.
“Why come to Ireland?” Another good question that lacks a good response.
“Does it really matter why I came here? I did. And now I’m stuck.”
“Why not just call your parents?”
“Because I can’t,” I blurt out. “This trip was supposed to prove to them that I can make it on my own. I didn’t do so well my first year of college, and they’re threatening to make me move home. I can’t fail. My freedom depends on this trip.” The lies trip off my tongue. “I thought Limerick was a safe bet. It’s supposed to be the friendliest city in Ireland. I figured it was the safest place.”
“And then you got mugged.”
“Well, you guys are lying about leprechauns.”
Kieran holds up his hands in defense. “Now don’t go judging the whole of the country on some arse.”
“All I need is a few weeks and a place to stay,” I say. “To get myself together.”
“Is that all?” he mocks.
“In the grand scheme of things, it’s nothing. I’ll stay out of your way. I’ll practically be invisible.”
“Who says I have a place you can stay?”
“You must know of some place,” I plead.
Kieran sits tight lipped. Uncertainty creeps up on me. I can’t let my mind drift from my goal. That won’t help me. I need Kieran.
He finally speaks. “Call your parents. It’s the sensible thing to do.”
“This coming from the guy who dared me to eat pig and cow parts.”
“I never said I was sensible.”
“Look.” I keep my eyes locked on Kieran, pretending I have the energy for this, though I’m losing steam. “I need to do this. My life depends on it. It’s just a few weeks, maybe less. You said you came here today to help people. I’m people.”
Forget the luxury of truth. Forget the deceit of lies. This is survival. Without this, I’m lost beyond words. Floundering. Falling.
I reach across the table and grab his hands. Kieran can keep me steady. He can keep me from crashing.
“Please.” I can’t keep eye contact for fear I’ll be disappointed. I wish I could do this on my own, but I can’t. “Please. From one human being to another. Please help me.”
The silence between us lasts so long that if I wasn’t holding Kieran’s hands, I’d wonder if he was still sitting across from me.
Finally, I hear him say, “You’re asking me to take you in for a few weeks, so your parents won’t think you’re a failure.”
I peek out of one eye. “Technically, I’m daring you.”
He shakes his head, mumbles something to himself that I can’t hear, and says, “I might know of a place you can stay.” I perk up, and we both realize simultaneously that I’m still holding his hands. He pulls away. “I have an extra room. But only for a few weeks.”
I exhale for what feels like the first time in minutes. “I’ll take anything.”
He stands up, leaving the book on the table. “Let’s go.”
“You’re not going to take it with you?” I ask.
“I have a feeling my life will be entertaining enough for a while.” He shakes his head and then readjusts his hat. “You’re gonna get me in trouble, Jane Middleton.”
“You look like someone who isn’t afraid of a little mischief, Kieran O’Connell.”
He holds out his hand for me to shake, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight. “Consider this dare accepted.”