Irish Dreams (4 page)

“Maggie, did you hear me?”

A deep crease formed between her brows. This spineless tool intimidated her. Ethan clenched his fists, wedging himself between them. “Doesn’t seem she wants to talk with you.”

“Oh Christ, Maggie,” Rick snapped. “Are we going to make a scene over this? I flew several thousand miles. Least you can do is hear me out.”

“Ethan.” Brushing her hand down his arm, Maggie tugged him back. “It’s okay. Give me some time with him. I’ll only be a minute.”

Ethan didn’t like it, but he claimed nothing over her. “Okay. I’ll be here if you need anything.”

They disappeared through the crowd. Bryan came up beside him and thrust a drink toward him. “Whiskey. Don’t tell me you’re already losing to competition.”

“Losing what?” He took the drink. “Unfortunately, I’m still a married man,” Ethan said.

“Hardly. Maybe you’re right though. Dating mightn’t be the wisest choice right now.”

“Miriam and I have been separated nearly two years now. I think that’s break enough.”

“I meant long-term relationships, not sex.”

“Aye, I hear you there.” Far too much time had passed since he’d been intimate with a woman, and being near Maggie didn’t help any. He sipped some whiskey as she led the man called Rick out onto the terrace.

“Who the hell was he anyway?”

Ethan shrugged. “Not sure. Some Yank named Rick. I don’t think Maggie was too keen on speaking with him either.”

“Ah, damn it.” Bryan downed his drink. “Let me find Elsie.”

What did his friend know that he wasn’t telling him? “Wait.” Ethan reached out and grasped Bryan’s arm. “What aren’t you saying? Why go looking for Elsie now?”

Bryan bowed his head and hooked one hand around the back of his neck. “You’re now getting your freedom. I don’t want you in the middle of another mess.”

What mess, and how would he end up in the middle? “Why don’t we start with who this Rick is?”

Taking a deep breath, Bryan said, “Rick Paxton is Maggie’s ex-fiance.”

Maggie. Engaged. Not a surprise, yet the possessiveness wrenching his gut bothered him. She was a beautiful, interesting woman. “Why ex-fiance?”

“Not completely sure. Elsie detests him. My guess is the bastard did something stupid. Either way the idiot won’t get away with anything further in my home.”

“Hey.” Elsie came up and kissed Bryan’s cheek. “This is supposed to be a party. You guys look beyond serious.” She glanced around. “Where’s Maggie?”

“Talking to some guy named Rick,” Ethan said.

“What?” She took a step back, then gave Bryan a gentle shove mid-chest. “You know better. Where is she?”

“Why is he her ex-fiance, Elsie?” The sudden need for an answer burned in Ethan’s chest.

“Because Rick is an ass who cheated on her with a co-worker and never treated her right.” She met Bryan’s gaze then faced him again. “Reason enough? Now where is Maggie?”

“I’ll get her.” Ethan headed to the terrace, pushing past people with inexplicable urgency. The large ballroom suffocated with guests. Reaching the terrace doors, he pushed one open only to have the air sucked from his lungs.

Rick grasped Maggie’s shoulders as his mouth melded with hers. Her dark lashes fanned out against her pale skin. The kiss seemed to last an eternity. As he pulled away, Maggie’s eyes remained closed. “I’ll meet you tomorrow, okay?” Rick asked.

She nodded, standing motionless as he kissed her cheek. “I love you,” he said, then met Ethan’s stare and winked. “Take care of her for me.”

Rick left down the terrace steps. Maggie lifted her eyelids, gasping as she looked at him. In dusk’s light, her honey-colored eyes glistened. Her lips parted, swollen from their kiss. Lip gloss smudged her chin, and he hated he hadn’t been the one to have caused it. Like a deer in headlights, her stance said she was poised for escape. Her chest rose and fell with each breath.

“Elsie is looking for you.” Not a lie, but not what he felt like saying, either. He didn’t trust himself to speak further. Fisting his hands, he turned into the ballroom and left her standing alone on the terrace. A dull ache pulsed inside him. Just another woman. And tomorrow he would be a free man. A suddenly empty, lifeless excuse.

“Is she okay?” Elsie ran up beside him.

“She’s waiting outside.” He moved past her.

“Hold on a sec.” Bryan stepped in front of him and held up one of his hands between them. “Where you going? What happened out there?”

“Nothing. I’ve got a lot on my plate tomorrow.”

“A load of crap if I ever heard one,” Bryan said.

Shit. Only Bryan would push him. “Not tonight. We’ll talk, but not tonight.”

His friend studied him for several moments then moved out of his way. “Call me.”

“I will.”

“It wasn’t like this with Miriam, you know. Even in the beginning.”

“I know.” Ethan walked toward the front door. Outside, he pulled off the stifling bow tie and jacket then gulped in cool evening air.

* * * *

“Mags, what are you doing out here?” Elsie rushed toward the terrace railing and scanned the lawn below.

“He’s gone.” Ethan must have mentioned Rick.

Crossing her arms, Elsie leaned with her back against the railing. “What was he doing here, first of all?”

Meeting her friend’s pale blue eyes, a sob caught in Maggie’s throat. Rick had told her he loved her and admitted he was an ass. Days ago, she’d yearned for those words. Now everything seemed wrong.

“Oh, baby.” Elsie stepped close and hugged her. “I’m sorry. What did he do? I can send Bryan or Ethan off to kill him. Rick is such a wimp I doubt it would take two of them.”

Maggie giggled through tears. A ridiculous thought. She couldn’t imagine what Ethan assumed after seeing her kiss Rick. Either way, she’d bet he wouldn’t come running to her rescue. Didn’t matter. He was a married man. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. “I’ve messed up my makeup.”

“Don’t worry about your makeup. I can fix it.”

“Rick confessed his love and admitted he was an ass.”

Elsie huffed. “What an understatement.”

“He wants me back.”

“Oh, Maggie.” Elsie pulled away. “Please tell me you haven’t agreed to get back with him.”

“I haven’t. I am going to meet him tomorrow for dinner when you and Bryan go talk with the priest.”

“Why? Guy’s a jerk.”

Rick had behaved like a jerk but if she did the same, neither walked away stronger. “I don’t know. I feel if I don’t take the time, I’m no better than he is. Make sense?”

“I guess, in some warped supernatural world.”

Maggie laughed. Elsie always made her feel better. “Ever the drama queen.” She blinked several times. “Does my face look presentable?”

“You look fine.”

“Thanks.” She smoothed her hands over her dress. “Did you see Ethan on your way out here? I need to apologize.”

“Yeah, but he looked like he was heading out. Why do you need to apologize?”

Would Ethan have left because of her? “I don’t know. Rick cut our dance short and when Ethan came outside…we were kissing.”

“You kissed Rick?”

“He kissed me.” A poor excuse.

“Yeah. Last I checked, a kiss takes two,” Elsie said.

She couldn’t deny it. “I know. I wanted to see if it would feel the same.”

“Did it?”

She shook her head. She didn’t dare admit she’d imagined Rick was Ethan during their kiss. It was like the day in Ethan’s cottage, his fresh masculine scent flooding her senses. Their kiss had felt sensual, passionate. The reality of Rick had ruined everything.

“A good thing, right?” Elsie’s gaze held hope, and Maggie couldn’t fault her.

What was she thinking? This was her best friend’s pre-wedding celebration. Enough playing the fool. “Yes, a good thing,” she lied.

Chapter 5

“Thank you for meeting me here.” Rick put a hand over Maggie’s on the table and smiled. “It means a lot.”

“I’m glad.” Maggie forced her lips upward even as she let her gaze drift. As luck would have it, Rick picked the exact same restaurant in which Ethan and the brunette from the other day–whom she assumed to be his wife–dined. The pair sat at a table diagonal from them, tucked into an intimate corner of the dining room. Maggie’s stomach tightened as Ethan laughed at something his wife said. He appeared the indulgent, happy husband. Make that gorgeous husband, as his eyes seemed to shine brighter this night. Either way, he looked happy and that left her feeling strangely bittersweet. Would a man ever be that happy with her? Given the size of the nearby towns, she shouldn’t have been surprised to see them. Still, it did seem a cruel twist of fate.

“Would you two like a bottle of wine with your dinner?” A waiter approached their table.

“Yes, Chianti would be nice,” said Rick. “You’d like that, darling, wouldn’t you? Bring it.”

As usual, he hadn’t waited for her to answer. Dressed in a navy blazer, a crisp white shirt, khakis and a pale yellow sweater vest, Rick looked the part of the distinguished gentleman. How deceiving. She only now admitted she’d rarely seen him wear the same outfit more than once in all the years she’d known him. He’d always had a passion for clothes but looking back, it was more than that. He was a professor, not an editor for
Vogue.
Quite simply, he was a handsome, vain man.

The waiter watched her. “A glass for you, miss?”

“Of course a glass. You don’t expect her to drink directly from the bottle, do you?” Rick rolled his eyes in exaggeration. “Now get on with it.”

The waiter left with a nod.

“Idiot. You don’t deal with this stupidity back home.”

Was he kidding? How come she’d never noticed Rick’s selfishness before? Perhaps for the same reason she’d chosen to ignore all his other flaws, she’d pushed it aside. Four years with him and he still didn’t acknowledge she loved Riesling. She’d always preferred sweeter white wines.

The gorgeous brunette sitting with Ethan gave a light laugh and threw her head back. The back of her dress dipped down in a revealing display of flawless skin. A tailored cut that hugged an enviable waist. She lifted a glass of champagne for a toast. “Cheers to freedom.”

Freedom? What did she mean?

Ethan sipped his champagne with a smile which didn’t quite reach the breadth of his face. Or maybe Maggie’d imagined it. He looked up and caught her watching. His eyes were intense emerald pools as he studied her.

She rubbed her arms, warding off a chill. Despite her sweater and long skirt, she might as well have been nude before him.

“Your friend from the other night?” Rick asked.

“Ethan is the best man at Elsie’s wedding.”

“And the woman? She’s a looker.”

“I assume she’s his wife.”

The waiter returned with the Chianti. “Have you two decided on what you want?”

Going through the motions, Maggie opened the menu. The words blurred. “What do you recommend?”

“Pot pie is a simple dish but it’s delicious here,” the waiter replied.

“No thanks.” Rick picked up the menu and scanned it. “How about steaks? Any good here?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Fine, two filets. I’ll have mine medium rare. She’ll have hers well done. Oh, and a side of mashed potatoes.”

Maggie’s limbs trembled as she dug her nails into the palms of her hands. “Medium.”

“What, darling?”

“I want my steak medium.” She wasn’t his darling, either.

“That’s new.” He nodded at the waiter. “You heard the lady.”

“Yes, sir,” the waiter said, and hurried away.

“Since when do you like your steaks medium?” Rick asked.

She’d always liked her steaks pinkish. She snatched a cloth napkin off her lap and placed it on the table. “Since forever. I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what?” Rick reached across the table and grabbed her arm. “Hey, where are you going?”

Tugging her arm back, Maggie slipped her purse strap over her shoulder. “I never should have come here.”

“It’s Ethan isn’t it? I saw how you looked at him. You’ve slept with him, haven’t you? To think you were busy chastising me about my supposed transgressions when you were out behaving like a slut.”

“Supposed?” How could Rick embarrass her like this? She shook her head. She shouldn’t have expected anything different. “I caught you in bed together.” Maggie rose. Other patrons went quiet. “I’m sorry,” she said to no one in particular and pushed aside her chair.

Ethan sat, hands resting flat on the table, his jaw tightened below a hardened gaze. If he thought poorly of her yesterday, tonight surely put a cherry on top. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered any more.

“Excuse me,” she said. Her breath frozen in her throat, she pushed past tables of couples and families, leaving the restaurant’s warmth. Wetness streamed down her face and she ran into the street. How could she have been so stupid? Ducking into a narrow alcove, she let hiccups and sobs rack her body. She’d put up with him too long, something inexplicable. One hand on her hip, she leaned against a building wall and released shuddery breaths. A waste of time. As her breathing evened out, she wiped her eyes, gulped in cool night air. “No more.”