'I never meant to give Mary Kate any-'
''Encouragement' might be the word you're after. Your tongue's tied today, boy, and that's not the usual case, for you've a slick one. Here now, I've a cinnamon bun left from breakfast. I'll warm it for you and you'll tell me what's the matter.'
'You make me miss my mother, Mrs. O'Toole.'
'I'll stand in her stead, as she would in mine.' She bustled around the kitchen, knowing it would put him at ease. 'Is Brenna giving you headaches, then?'
'I'm used to that-I don't mind it so much. I think I give them back to her in fair measure. I, ah, I'm thinking Mr. O'Toole told you of our discussion a couple weeks back.'
She sent him a look designed to wither a man. 'If you're meaning on the day he came home drunk, that he didn't. I gathered well enough he'd got the whiskey from you, as he hasn't a world of choices where he could walk off, drink his belly full, and walk back again in so short a time.'
'He didn't speak to you of it.'
'Closed up like a clam.'
'Well, you see, he was angry, and rightfully so, until I told him how things were.'
'And how are things, Shawn?' Mollie set down the pot, waited.
'I'm in love with Brenna, Mrs. O'Toole, and I want to marry her.'
She stood still a moment, then laid her cheek on top of his head. 'Of course you are, and of course you do. Don't mind me. I've got to sniffle a bit.'
'I'll be good to her.'
'Oh, there's no doubt in my mind of that.' Dabbing at her eyes, she turned to get out the warmed bun. 'You'll be good for her, too, and she for you.'
'The other part of it is, I've been working her around, so to speak, so she'd come to the idea herself. You know how she is when she's got her teeth into a notion.'
'Clamps down until she gets what she's after or it isn't worth having anymore. I always said you were a bright lad, Shawn.'
'Thousands wouldn't,' he said easily. 'I thought I could wait, you see. I'm not one who needs to hurry as a rule. But it seems I can't wait for this. I bought land today.'
She wasn't half as surprised as he thought she was, and nearly twice as pleased. 'Goodness, boy, you can move fast enough when you've a mind to.'
'She'll have her house as she wants it. I'm not fussy about such matters.'
Mollie opened her mouth, closed it again. Men, she knew very well, always said such things and believed them as well. Then they drove a woman to distraction picking at the details. But that was for Shawn and Brenna to find out for themselves. 'She's always had a mind to build her own,' she said at length.
'I know it, and why shouldn't she? She's a talent for such things, and a liking for the work. Myself, I've no driving urge to pick up a hammer or saw. But I make a good living, and I'll have a better one yet when the theater goes in. There won't be a worry about putting a roof overhead, or keeping one there.'
'Shawn, are you asking for my permission to ask Brenna to marry you?'
'For your blessing. It matters to me as much as it will to her.'
'I'll give you my blessing.' She took his hands in hers. 'And for all I love her, my sympathy as well. She'll run you ragged.'
'I need a favor.' Brenna burst into the pub through the back just as Aidan was taking the chairs down. Timing was everything here, she thought as she fought to catch her breath. Shawn would be coming in any minute.
'Well, now, you look full of surprise and secrets.' He tucked a chair under a table. 'What's the favor?'
'First off, I can't tell you the secret.' Automatically she began to tip down chairs herself. 'I have to ask you to do the favor blind.'
He got a good look at her then-the flushed face, the wildly glowing eyes, the foolish smile. He recalled a very similar look on his wife's face at a certain moment. 'Oh, Lord, Brenna, never say you're breeding.'
'Breeding?' The chair nearly slipped out of her hands. 'No, no!' And though she laughed it off, she found it interesting to discover she wouldn't have minded it. 'It's nothing like that. Aidan, is there any way you could arrange for Shawn to have the evening off?'
'The whole of it?'
She heard the pain in his tone, sympathized. 'I know it's a lot to be asking, and at the last instant as well. But it's important. I'll work this weekend for no pay to make up for it. I'll go down and talk to Mrs. Duffy myself to see that she'll fill in.'
'Why the devil doesn't Shawn ask for time himself instead of sending you in to look at me with those big eyes?'
'He doesn't know.' She moved closer, running a hand down his arm. 'Another part of the favor is that you don't tell him I asked. Could you just send him home somehow at the beginning of shift?'
'He'll certainly wonder why, won't he?'
'I haven't had time to think it all out.' She whirled away, paced, but couldn't clear her head. 'Oh, you'll think of something, Aidan. Please.'
'It's a matter of the heart, I suppose. And you're using mine against my good business sense.' He let out a windy sigh. 'I'll work it out for you.'
'Oh, you're the best and the finest.' She leaped into his arms to plant a hard, noisy kiss on his mouth.
'Look at this, will you? If she's not after one brother she's after another.' With a lazy yawn, Darcy sauntered in. 'That's a married man, I'll have you know, you sneaky slut.'
'I've got one for you as well.' Before Darcy could evade, Brenna rushed over and gave her the same treatment.
'Sweet Mary, now she's after the girls, too.' But Darcy's sleepy chuckle faded away. She gripped Brenna's arms. 'Brenna, are you pregnant?'
'Oh, for heaven's sake. No. Can't a body be happy without a baby in the belly? I've got to go, he'll be coming in. You don't tell him I was here. Please. I'm grabbing a bottle of the French bubbly you keep in the back. Put it on my account, would you?'
She dashed out the way she'd dashed in and left Darcy rubbing her mouth. 'And what was all that about?'
'I haven't a clue. But she's something up her sleeve, and Shawn's not to know.'
'Secrets. I could get it out of her in five minutes.'
'No doubt you could,' Aidan agreed. 'But let's let her have her surprise.'
'I've already had mine.' Darcy went behind the bar for her change apron. 'She's in love with him.'
'Does that trouble you?'
'No, but for the fact that the Gallaghers are tumbling like ripe fruit from a tree.'
Aidan moved behind the bar with her to check the till. 'Afraid it's catching, darling?'
'I would be, was I not immune to such weaknesses.' She heard the back door open again. 'And speaking of clueless, there's himself now.' Filled with affection and sentiment, Darcy headed for the kitchen to torment her brother.
'What do you mean I can go?' Up to his elbows in potatoes, Shawn turned his head to stare at Aidan. 'Go where?'
'On your way. Kathy Duffy'll be right along.'
'Well- why?'
'To cover for you.' Aidan had thought of a way, and saw no reason not to have a little fun at his brother's expense while he was about it. 'You have the evening off as you asked. Though it's damned inconvenient.'
Shawn shoved peelings into the garbage. 'I never asked for the evening off.'
'Well, it must've been your evil twin, then, or I've just had a brainstorm.' Fixing a scowl on his face, Aidan pulled open the refrigerator and plucked out a bottle of water. 'I told you two days past when you asked that I'd work it out.'
'But I- you've been dreaming. I've ten pounds of potatoes here to deal with. Why would I be making stovies if I was planning on having the evening free?'
'That's a question I can't answer, but I've Kathy Duffy coming in, and there's no need for both of you
