Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“I wouldn’t have had to borrow it if ye hadn’t taken mine out of the trunk before we left for the trip, ye donkey. Mine was at least cleaner than this one. And ye’re talking about embarrassing Jessie? Cop on to yerself. Ye’re wearing a cape, fer feck’s sake.”
“How dare you!” Mr. Tom replied in a frenzied whisper. “I’d expect something like that from the Dicks, but from you? I expect better.”
“I haven’t a notion as to why.” They reached the door, and she passed through.
“Oh, ma’am…uhhm.” The boy pointed at her cooler. “You don’t need to bring that in. We are well stocked.”
She paused and stared him. “Are ya now. Ye have poitín, do ya?”
“Wh-what?” he stammered.
“Poitín. The Irish equivalent of American backwoods moonshine. Highly illegal stuff. I met a lad last night who’d just come back from Donegal. Smuggled the stuff in. I traded him a flask of the basajaunak brew, which can curl yer arse hair, for a bottle of this stuff. It’s lovely, actually. Flavored with blackberry. Much tastier than the basajaunak brew, but not nearly so potent. A nice sipping beverage, methinks. I’ll give ya a taste if ye’d like? But no, ye are not well stocked. Try again.”
She continued, clunking the cooler off the doorframe and then swinging it a little too much and hitting the back of Aurora’s legs. Aurora half turned, everything about her posture giving a not-so-idle threat.
“Nice try, gorgeous,” Niamh told her. “Ye’re much too pretty to be taken seriously. Go flirt with married men and make all the wives jealous.”
Her expression changed, the shift barely perceptible, and her eyes started to sparkle.
“I just might,” she said with a little sass in her tone.
Their movement into the house, which looked like any old house to Niamh, with a front sitting room full of people staring at them and lowish ceilings, slowed and then stopped. Niamh edged out from behind Aurora as an older woman approached Jessie and Austin. Her gray-white hair was pulled up in a half-do of some sort with the ends curled under. Her flowered dress was god-awful, tied at the middle and hanging down past her knees, with a few strands of pearls around her neck.
She seemed to think quite a lot of herself, given the way she strutted up with her nose held high and a look of bored distaste on her face.
Niamh set down the cooler with a thump, pulled off the lid, and took out a beer. She’d need a glass for that poitín because it had been put into a grape schloer bottle, and this wasn’t the time for people to think she was minding her manners with a non-alcoholic drink. She had an image to project to these people.
She replaced the lid and sat down on the cooler, popping the beer as she did so. Broken Sue joined her by the wall, staring hostilely at everyone looking Niamh’s way. He’d heard about the dinner between Jessie and her ex—they all had—and hadn’t taken the news well. He was here to make his distaste known. Niamh couldn’t wait to watch.
“Jacinta, hello.” The woman looked at Austin Steele, who was looking very dapper this evening in a navy-blue blazer with faux-leather navy lapels, a crisp bow tie to match, and a pressed shirt underneath. He even had a little navy and white pocket square to accent the look—he bordered on being overdressed, but his messy hair and five o’clock shadow softened the look. He could do masculine in his sleep, but now he also came off as posh, rich, and stylish—perfect for this party of eejits.
“Lottie, hello.” Jessie wrapped her arm around Austin’s. Lottie’s gaze zipped down to the new ring.
Niamh had to hand it to Austin Steele—she’d had no idea how much of a transformation a little piece of jewelry could have on Jessie. Normally, she didn’t advertise her claim of Austin Steele—even though she’d most certainly defend it—but she was flashing that ring around like a billboard. Or a bullhorn. She hovered around Austin Steele like their mating was fresh. Like she couldn’t believe her luck and wanted everyone in the entire world to know about it.
Basically, what Austin Steele always did with his posture and the intensity of his magic and power.
It probably should’ve occurred to all of them that Janes did mating differently. Now they had the proof. Good for Austin Steele to think of it right before it really counted.
Well…counted for Jessie. This party didn’t mean shite for the rest of them.
“Lottie, this is my fiancé, Austin. Austin, this is Matt’s mother and the host of this fabulous party. Her name is Charlotte, but she goes by Lottie.”
“Austin, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Lottie didn’t smile as she held out her hand.
Austin Steele shook it, matching the expression. “Nice to meet you. Jessie has spoken of you.”