From Your Heart by Shannyn Schroeder (25)

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by Shannyn Schroeder.

 

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Deirdre Murphy stepped out of the international terminal at O’Hare Airport, into the blustery wind of Chicago. She disliked the crowds and held no love for the cold, but as soon as she stepped to the curb, she felt freedom. It had been months since she’d left this city to return home to Ireland, but something about this place put her at ease. Or maybe it was simply escaping her family and the responsibilities she’d left behind.

She scanned the curb for her cousin Maggie and, for the life of her, couldn’t remember what Maggie’s car looked like. Suddenly, loud honking preceded a pickup truck whipping into a spot in front of her. Deirdre looked up and saw Maggie’s smiling face.

Deirdre grabbed her suitcases and her shoulder bag, but before she got to the curb, Maggie was flying at her and wrapping her arms around her. If her hands hadn’t been full, Deirdre would’ve returned the embrace. Maybe.

“I’m so glad you’re back! And just in time for St. Paddy’s Day.” Her cousin chuckled. “You thought you were coming to hang out, but I had ulterior motives in getting you here. You can work at the bar with us. It’s a blast.”

Deirdre clenched her jaw. Working at O’Leary’s Pub was the last thing she wanted to do. Her entire life had been about her own family’s pub, and that was the single most important reason she’d wanted to leave home.

Maggie pulled away, but nudged her shoulder. “Really. It’s fun. And it’s only one day. You’ll make a crap ton of money in tips just for having the accent.” She paused and lowered her voice. “I know you don’t want to be there all the time.”

In fact, Maggie did know. She was the only person Deirdre had confided in. Maggie grabbed a suitcase and shoved it on the backseat of the truck.

“Whose truck is this?”

“Shane’s. My car is having issues, so I dropped him off at work so I could use his truck.”

Deirdre watched Maggie as she spoke about her boyfriend. She was so happy that it was evident in her entire body. Deirdre wondered if she looked the same when she spoke about Rory. She doubted it. Something was off between them, now more than ever.

After they were buckled up, Maggie reached across the seat. “Well? Let me see.”

“What?” Deirdre asked, her stomach plummeting because she knew exactly what Maggie wanted to see.

“Your Christmas present.” She paused. “Shit. He didn’t propose, did he?”

Deirdre shook her head. “On the upside, I’m here.” She forced a smile. “He bought me the plane ticket.”

A flash of Christmas night came to her. Rory had watched her open the present, and she’d swallowed her disappointment when she’d realized it wasn’t an engagement ring.

He’d held her hand. I’ve never seen you as happy as you were in Chicago. Your face lit up my computer screen. Go back and have a good time.

“What is it?” Maggie’s question pulled her from the past.

“I don’t know. I’m thrilled to be here, but things between me and Rory . . . something’s not right.”

Maggie pulled out into traffic, then asked, “Is he cheating on you?”

Deirdre shrugged. She never would’ve considered it, but then Maggie put her thoughts into words.

“I mean, I don’t really know him well, but what guy sends his girlfriend halfway around the world?”

Deirdre bit her lip. “Rory’s not like that. We’ve been friends since we were tots. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”

“Not to be a bitch, but one way to keep you in the dark is to send you thousands of miles away.”

Deirdre laughed. “Saying you don’t want to be a bitch doesn’t make it so.”

Maggie feigned offense.

“I can’t imagine Rory would be able to have a girl on the side without my family or his knowing. And they certainly wouldn’t keep it from me.”

Maggie had gotten on the highway, and the rush of traffic and the crazy crisscrossing of the pavement mesmerized Deirdre. She loved so much about this city. “It doesn’t really matter why he sent me here. I’m here and I’m going to enjoy myself.”

“More than last time, I hope.”

“What do you mean? I had fun last fall.”

“Girl, you did little more than work and go to church with my mom.” Her hand flew up. “Not that we all don’t appreciate you taking on that task.”

Deirdre laughed again. “I don’t mind. It seems to make Aunt Eileen happy to have someone attend with her.”

While not as devout as her family believed, Deirdre liked the familiarity and rhythm of mass. It gave her peace that she didn’t find at home.

They exited the highway and began winding down residential streets. Deirdre was content to watch the scenery, but as usual, Maggie continued the conversation.

“Okay, since there was no engagement, give me the scoop. Are you still a virgin?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Come on, if Rory had proposed, we both know your panties would’ve dropped as soon as the ring slipped on your finger.”

Deirdre felt her cheeks heat. She didn’t have a sister of her own, and she’d never talk so openly with her brothers. As uncomfortable as the conversation made her, she realized that she’d missed Maggie and her brazen nature.

Plus, she was right. Deirdre had only been saving herself for marriage because it seemed like something Rory wanted.

“What’s that Beyoncé song? He should’ve put a ring on it?” She laughed with her cousin even though she didn’t feel the levity her remark should’ve caused.

Before she knew it, they were in front of the O’Leary house and Deirdre was filled with longing once again. She loved that although the O’Learys ran their own pub, they had a real house. Deirdre’s family lived above their pub, so there was no escaping it. Ever.

They hauled her luggage into the house, and Eileen came from the kitchen to greet them. “I have tea on. I thought you could use some after the trip.”

Deirdre nodded. “Thank you. It sounds lovely.”

“I’ll take your bags upstairs. The room is the same. No one has used it since you left.”

“Let me help.” Deirdre hefted one of her bags. As they headed up the stairs, she asked, “So Aunt Eileen is really all right with you living with Shane?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?”

“I just thought . . . I don’t know. My mom is so excited at the simple thought of marriage.”

“Come on. Your mom isn’t that old-fashioned. I’m sure if you and Rory wanted to live together, she’d be okay with it.” She tossed the suitcase on the bed and then plopped beside it.

Deirdre unzipped the case and flipped the lid. Maybe her mom wouldn’t care. Rory always seemed to think it would be an issue. Just like he wanted to wait to have sex. Now he’d sent her back to Chicago.

That unsettled feeling returned.

“Leave this for later. Let’s go have tea and catch up.”

“Don’t you have to get Shane?”

“Not till later. We have plenty of time.”

Back in the kitchen, Aunt Eileen was filling the teapot. A plate of cookies sat beside it on a tray. The same way her mom served tea at home.

Without turning, Eileen said, “I’ll have you know that I spoke with the McDonoughs. They’d love to have you back at the bakery.”

Maggie snickered.

“What?”

“I just think it’s ridiculous that the McDonoughs have owned that bakery for probably longer than I’ve been alive, but they leave the name Blackstone’s.”

“Blackstone’s is an institution.” Eileen’s voice stiffened.

Deirdre wasn’t sure if she was being serious.

“If I owned a bakery that was that good, you better believe I’d have my name plastered all over it. I’d want people to know it was me.”

Deirdre didn’t understand that. She’d be happy in the background. It was enough to create something that people would enjoy, even if they had no idea who had done it.

Eileen lifted the tray. Deirdre rushed forward. “Let me.”

They moved to the dining room table. She found comfort in the routine of having tea and cookies. As different as life was in Chicago, she liked knowing that family traditions were consistent.

* * *

Tommy’s phone rang as he finished giving his client after-care instructions. He said good-bye to the client and answered the phone. “Hey, Jimmy, what’s up?”

“I need you to get Norah’s birthday cake from Blackstone’s.”

“Why me?”

“Because Sean isn’t answering and Norah shouldn’t have to get her own cake. It’s all paid for. Just pick it up.”

He hadn’t gone to Blackstone’s since Cupcake had gone back to Ireland. He’d never gotten the chance to ask her out, and going to the bakery would just be a reminder of his failure. “Get Kevin to pick it up.”

“Not gonna happen. Stop being a dick and get the cake for our sister.”

He was being a dick, but he didn’t need Jimmy to point it out. He also needed to get over it. There were other girls. He’d barely had a conversation with Deirdre, even at the urging of Moira, who was Deirdre’s cousin and Jimmy’s fiancée. “Fine.”

He disconnected and caught Kai staring at him. Tommy thought that his boss would’ve lightened up since getting together with Norah. Some things, unfortunately, didn’t change. “Yeah, Kai, I took a personal call, but I was done with my client.” Then a thought hit him. “You want to pick up Norah’s birthday cake?”

“Why the hell would I want to do that?”

“She’s your girlfriend.”

“She’s your sister. And it’s your family that wants to do dinner. Besides, I have to go pick her up.”

Tommy sighed. Back to getting over himself. He waited a little while, hoping for a walk-in client, but only one came in and Puck, the other tattoo artist, beat him to the counter.

“I’m out of here,” Tommy called to Kai. “See you at the house.”

Outside, a blast of cold wind slapped at him. He couldn’t wait for spring. He wasn’t as bad as his brother Sean, who couldn’t wait for warm weather so he could ride his motorcycle. For Tommy, it was just being outside, hanging with people. During the winter, everyone tended to disappear and hibernate. Loneliness always hit him over the winter.

Which was why he missed having a girlfriend. A steady girl kept the loneliness at bay. And the regular sex didn’t hurt, either. He drove to the bakery and found a parking spot in front. It was near closing and the business was empty.

He walked through the door and a sweet scent filled the air. The place hadn’t changed much over the years. The fake cakes they had on display were different, changing with the times, showing popular themes, but the classics remained on a high shelf near the ceiling.

One of his earliest memories was coming here with his dad and Jimmy to pick out his birthday cake. His dad had hoisted him up on his shoulders and told him to pick any cake design he wanted. He couldn’t have been more than four or five. It wasn’t long after his mom had been killed, but the memory was such a happy one. He didn’t remember feeling sad.

That realization made him feel crappy.

No one came from the back, so he called out, “Hello? I’m here to pick up a cake.”

From the back room, with her head down, she came toward him.

“Cupcake,” he whispered.

She moved to the counter opposite him and turned her back to dig through a stack of order slips. Her reddish-brown hair trailed down her back in a ponytail. Without any greeting, she asked, “Name?”

“O’ Malley.”

She spun with the pink slips in her hand. Her light blue eyes were wide, and the sprinkling of freckles across her nose reminded him how cute she was.

“You’re back,” he said.

“Another cake for O’Malley?”

He lifted a shoulder. “There are five of us.”

“It’s good to know you’re not eating all this cake. I was beginning to think you had a wicked sweet tooth.”

“Uh, your cousin Moira told me you went back to Ireland.”

The papers in her hands crinkled, and a blush swept across her cheeks. “I did.”

“Are you staying long?”

“I’m not sure.” She focused on the slips, flipping through them, looking for his order.

When she found it, she pulled it from the stack and looked up. She waved it at him with a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

She disappeared to the back room, and Tommy sucked in a deep breath. This was it. He had another chance. All he had to do was open his mouth.

Why hadn’t Moira said anything? She knew he had a thing for her cousin. Maybe she was the one who’d put Jimmy up to making him get the cake. That definitely sounded like a Moira move. But to get Jimmy involved, that took skill. Moira was obviously better than he’d given her credit for.

Deirdre returned carrying a box. She slid it on the counter between them and lifted the lid. “Here you go.”

He barely glanced at it. No one would care if something was misspelled. His gaze locked on hers as she lowered the lid.

“Would you like to go out sometime?”

She stared at him for so long, he began to wonder if he’d really spoken aloud.

“Uh . . . I have a boyfriend.”

“Oh.” The disappointment hit him hard. Again, he had to question why Moira wouldn’t tell him. This was the kind of pertinent information you gave a guy before he made a fool of himself.

“Your order is all paid for.” She nudged the box forward so he’d take the hint.

He scrambled for what to say to ease the tension. “Maybe you’d like to go out and do some sightseeing. As friends. You’re new to Chicago, and I could show you around.”

“Maybe.” Her eyes shifted away. It seemed no matter what he said, he made her nervous.

“Are staying with the O’Learys again?”

“Yes.”

“I’m right across the street. Stop by any time.”

She nodded and he took the cake from the counter. Not quite the answer he was looking for, but at least she hadn’t totally shot him down. She didn’t seem completely uninterested.

But boyfriend?

Were they doing a long-distance thing? Tommy wondered about her relationship. This was her second trip to Chicago in under a year.

Maybe there wasn’t a boyfriend and she was trying to be nice.

Shit. He hated when that happened.

He set the cake on the passenger seat and looked back through the front window of the bakery. Deirdre stood behind the counter, staring at his car. It was dark enough out that he didn’t think she could still see him, but he smiled anyway.

Boyfriend or not, she was interested.