Incidental Happenstance (9 page)

            “I see you’ve met the crazy Irishman,” she giggled.

            “Crazy, yes,” Paddy agreed. “That’s why I got to make sure ta take me medicine,” he replied with a healthy dose of brogue, lifting his mug into the air to toast again with Dylan. “I’ve met your young man here, too. He seems like a passable fellow,” he winked in Dylan’s direction. “I’ll have to see how he holds his liquor before I pass final judgment, however! Join me, Master Dylan, won’t you, for a wee shot of the nectar of the gods?”

            Dylan looked over his shoulder as Paddy led him to the bar, and shrugged at Tiaren’t you joining us?”

            She smiled, and it lit up her entire face. At that moment, he saw something in her eyes that he wanted to see again and again, because it was so pure and honest. “Wouldn’t miss it,” she answered happily, stepping between the boys and linking her arms through theirs. “Are you pulling out the good stuff? None of that watered down crap you usually serve up.”

            “Now, now, I won’t be takin’ any of your lip, lassy,” he teased as he bent down and planted a big kiss on her cheek. “But I am downright beside myself to see that you’ve got it back!”

            He reached into a lower cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Tullamore Dew. “He brought that one back with him from his last trip to Ireland,” she whispered to Dylan. “You must have made quite an impression; he doesn’t pull that out for just anyone.”       

            “You’re the one who made the impression,” he whispered back, “I’m just along for the ride.”

            He smiled again, and accepted the drink in a pewter shot glass. They raised their shots in the air and Paddy gave the toast, “May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door. Slainte!” They downed their drinks in traditional Irish style, in one quick swallow, and slammed the glasses down on the bar top. “Now you’re official, young man. Welcome to
Paddy’s
!”  He gave Dylan a serious slap on the back, and shook his hand enthusiastically.

            “Wow, that’s good!” Dylan enthused, picking up the shot glass again and tipping it over his mouth in case a few drops had collected at the bottom of the glass.

            “It’s me all-time favorite, and our traditional Irish friendship drink here at
Paddy’s,
” he said, pouring him a second shot. “Better sip that one though,” he warned, “it’s powerful stuff!”

            Dylan heeded his advice, and took the second one slowly, knowing that it was the man’s special bottle, and suspecting that he’d gladly continue to share as long as Dylan continued to drink. He seemed like an honestly good guy, Dylan thought, and probably generous to a fault. Maybe he’d pick him up a fresh bottle when he was in Ireland this summer, he pondered, and then stopped himself. What was he thinking? He felt welcome here; no doubt about it; but it wasn’t like he was ever going to be a regular. Still, they were obviously good people. He could always get the address of the place and send him a bottle or two, just to say thanks for making him feel welcome.

            Just as he registered the thought, Tia’s friends started wandering over in groups and Dylan was engulfed in a dizzying sea of names and faces as she made introductions. There were warm open smiles, handshakes and hugs, and many offers to buy him a pint. It seemed they all wanted him and Tia to join them at their tables and by the time he’d gotten through meeting them all, he felt like a welcome part of the group. This was turning out to be a pretty damn fine night, and he was really glad that Paddy had asked him to stay. Everyone had kind words to say to and about Tia, and they were all thanking him for bringing her tonight. Although it had been a complete accident on his part, he was still glad he had a hand in it. Her face had gone from pretty to beautiful the moment they’d walked in, and he was pleased to have played a small s turn making it happen. 

            Dylan asked Paddy over the bar, “Do you have more of that Dew stuff? The regular kind?”

            “Well of course I do, it’s an Irish pub, isn’t it?”

            “And you said that it was the traditional Irish friendship drink here, right?”

            “Indeed it is,” he agreed, “but for new friends such as yourself, I’m proud to share a wee bit more of me special blend!”           

            Dylan put his palm over his shot glass before Paddy could pour more into it. “I appreciate that, Paddy, and appreciate the welcome I’ve gotten here even more. I’m obviously an outsider; I didn’t know Nick; but this is a great bunch of people here, and I’m so glad Tia has people like you in her life. I’d like to buy a round for the house.” He watched Paddy open his mouth and look around the room. There had to be sixty or more people drifting about, and it was an expensive proposition.

            “Well, that’s a mighty generous offer, Dylan,” he said, “but that’s a lot of shots we’re talkin’ about here. You go offerin’ that up, and I don’t see anyone who’s going to take a pass.”

            “I hope they don’t,” Dylan replied. “Do you have enough? What do you think we’d need, five or six bottles?”

            “Again,” he said with a sly smile, “I’d like to point out to ye that it’s an Irish pub. We always have plenty of whiskey on hand. But are you sure you want to do that?”

            “Positive,” he said, adding, “but it’s just between you and me who’s buying, OK? Just pass them out and make a toast—say they’re on the house.”

            He nodded, smiling, and headed for the back room of the pub. Dylan had barely turned back to the bar when Paddy leaped onto the stage and spoke into the mike.

            “My dear friends!” he exclaimed, the crowd quieting immediately and turning toward him. “It’s not often that a person with any smarts offers to help ye along the way to your drinkin’, but I just know this guy’s got smarts, cause he came here with Tia! And her new friend—
our
new friend Master Dylan, is buying a round of Tully for the house!”

           
Oh shit
, Dylan thought, but then everyone rose to their feet and held up glasses in his direction and yelled, “Slainte!” to which he had no choice but to smile and raise his own glass.

            Siobhan immediately started pouring into a line of shot glasses set up along the length of the bar and Paddy returned with more bottles, efficiently placing the shots on large trays that were quickly distributed. Once everyone had a drink in their hands, they looked to Dylan to make the toast. Hesitantly, he stepped up to the mike, while Tia smiled encouragingly. Dylan was making one hell of an impression and she couldn’t be happier—she was again amazed at what a great guy he was.

            “I, ah, know I just met you all tonight, but even though I’m an intruder on your private celebration, you’ve made me feel incredibly welcome and for that, I thank you. But this night is for Nick, and although I never knew him, I know he must have been a hellova guy to have all of you for friends. So, here’s to Nick.”

            “TO NICK!” the group answered back before tossing their shots and slamming their glasses onto their tables in unison.

            Tia was visibly moved as she made her way over to Dylan. “That was an incredibly nice thing you just did,” she choked.

            “Well, it wasn’t exactly the way I planned it—I told Paddy to say they were on the house; I just wanted to buy a drink for your friends. They seem really cool.”

            “They are.” She dropped her eyes, and pulled Dylan off to the side to get a little bit of privacy. “Listen, Dylan,” she said. “I know this is not at all what you had in mind when you said you wanted a little anonymity.”

            “Definitely not what I expected, that’s for sure,” he agreed.

            She sighed. “There’s so much I could explain to you, but I don’t even know if I should. I’ve got a long sad story, and you didn’t sign up for any of this.” Dylan looked at her, confused, but he let her continue. “If you want to leave before you get tangled in a crazy web, I would understand.”

            “Do you want me to leave?” he asked, letting the decision be hers.

            “No. I
definitely
don’t want you to leave. But…”

            “Then I’m staying,” he said. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time, and I still don’t know anything about you. I’d like to hear your story.”

            Tia smiled thinly. “You might be sorry you asked after you’ve heard it, but maybe we could find a quiet table and…”

            They were interrupted by a line of people coming up to shake Dylan’s hand and thank him for the drinks. She made introductions again, and Dylan was again dizzied by the array of names and faces passing before him. Finally, the guy who’d made the first toast to Tia made his way over and wrapped her in a protective embrace.

            “I’m so glad you’re here, sweetheart,” he said to her. “Are you going to introduce me to your guest?” Tia smiled and squeezed him back.

            “Sean, this is Dylan. Dylan, Sean. Typical obnoxious Irishman, but generally a great guy.”

            The two men shook hands. “Nice to meet you,” Dylan said.

            “That was a straight up thing you did there. A round for the house! Very cool. Thanks, man.”

            “My pleasure,” Dylan said, “Although I didn’t want Paddy to make a federal case of it. I just wanted him to pass them around.”

            Sean smiled, “Yeah, well that’s Uncle Paddy for you. Even if the shots had been on him, he’d try to give someone else the credit. The man’s just way too humble, if you ask me.”

            “Paddy’s your uncle?” Dylan asked.

        d   “Yeah, and Nick was my cousin.”

            Dylan held his hand out again to shake Sean’s. “Wow, I’m really sorry about your loss,” he said sincerely.

            “We all are,” he said, looking at Tia. “Thanks. But hey, we’re not here to feel sorry for ourselves tonight—he’d hate it if we did that.”

            Dylan nodded. “I understand.”

            “Hey, you throw darts at all?” Sean continued. “A couple of us are getting up a game, and I could use a partner. You in? The next drink’s on me.”

            He threw a look at Tia who shrugged and tossed one back that said, “
You’re on your own
.” Dylan contemplated the offer for just a moment, his lips turning down and his head nodding slightly. This was turning into an even better night than he thought it could be. All of a sudden he was just one of the guys, and he relished the thought of just blending in. “How could I say no to that?” he replied, and smiled at her. “We’ll have that talk a little later?” he said as he walked off to join the guys gathered around the dartboard, dropping quarters onto the top of the machine. Tia nodded, thrilled that there was going to be a ‘later,’ and went and joined a table full of girls, where she was quickly handed another Guinness.

            The other two dart players greeted him like an old friend, and extended their enthusiastic thanks for his round as well. It wasn’t what he intended, but now each of them was pledging to buy his next drink. He met Dave and Tim, and they settled up into two teams and started a game of 501. Dylan was nervous—not about playing darts; when you spent a good chunk of your life on the road, you found ways to entertain yourself. They had a little electronic dart board they always kept on the bus, and he could throw with the best of them. He worried about where the conversation with the guys would lead. He figured they’d be curious about him, and was working on a story that wouldn’t be a lie, but wouldn’t be the whole truth, either. For Tia’s sake, he didn’t want to say they’d just met a few hours ago at little dump, or that she was only here accidentally because of him and had had no intention of coming here tonight. It was obvious that they were glad she showed up, and even more obvious that she was where she needed to be.  Selfishly, he was hoping to learn a little bit more about her from her friends, but he didn’t want it to look like he didn’t know anything, which was pretty close to the truth. 

            Aside from that, it felt weird being so comfortable in the company of others. He looked across the room and saw Tia sitting with a group of girls. She looked so comfortable and happy here. He was glad they came.

            “So, Dylan, I haven’t seen you around before. Do you live around here?” Sean asked casually.

           
Here we go
, Dylan thought.
Showtime
. “I’m actually here on business,” he said. “My main base is in Colorado, but I come to Chicago as often as I can. I love this city.”

            “Colorado, huh? What part?”

            “I’m about an hour and a half outside of Denver.”

            “I love Colorado,” Sean said. “I get out there at least once a year, to ski or hike. It’s gorgeous place.”

            “I agree. You ever ski Copper Mountain?”

            “Oh man, that’s my favorite place to go! Vail is so overrated,” Sean said.

            “And overpriced,” Dylan agreed.

            “You ski there a lot?” Sean asked.

            “Every chance I get.”

            “Maybe I’ve seen you there before or something—you look kind of familiar to me.”

            “That’s a possibility,” Dylan said, adding, “I thought the same thing about you.” He pushed the glasses up and tipped his head down to get more shadow on his face. Being recognized would put an unwanted twist on the evening; that was certain. He raised his glass and drank, to further hide his features. Thankfully, Sean seemed to accept a possible chance encounter on the mountain, and moved on.