“I did not.”
Moira’s hand flashed up in his face. “I’m not going to argue with you about something that happened years ago. I’m just saying that you need to leave her be.”
Then she flounced off, leaving Kevin to order and drink a beer alone. He waved the bartender over and got his drink. When he turned to the crowd again, a tall man had an arm slipped around Kathy’s shoulders. So even without Moira’s crazy warning, Kathy would be off-limits. His days of sleeping with a woman regardless of her relationship status were long over.
The more he thought about Moira’s words, the more they gnawed at him. He and Kathy had been scorching for a while.
Memories came flooding back. They’d been good together and then she disappeared. Totally ghosted him.
He hadn’t broken up with her. Or done anything to break her heart.
All of his residual anger surfaced and he swallowed it down as he guzzled his beer. He had no idea what Kathy had told Moira, but if there was a victim here, it was him.
It wasn’t like he’d never been dumped, but it usually came with some form of fuck off. They’d been having a great time. They were good together in bed and out. Kathy hadn’t said good-bye or anything. He’d called and gone to her apartment, but she never answered. She’d sent a clear message without saying a word. That bothered him more than he’d like to admit. But he had no problem moving on to the next warm woman who’d been willing to join him.
At least that’s what he told himself as he finished his drink.
* * *
Kathy laughed with Maggie, Moira’s little sister. She hadn’t seen Maggie in a long time because Maggie had taken off and lived in Ireland for over a year. Ray was bored out of his mind at this party because he knew next to no one, except Moira and Jimmy, but he was being a good sport about it.
Moira came up beside Maggie and took hold of one of Maggie’s hands and one of Kathy’s “We need to talk. Come with me.” She began tugging at both of them.
Kathy pulled to a stop and looked up at Ray. “Will you be okay?”
“I’m fine as long as Moira doesn’t keep you too long. You still owe me a dance.” He kissed her cheek.
Moira resumed her pulling.
“What the heck is the rush?” Maggie asked.
“You’ll see.”
When they got to the back hallway of the bar near the bathrooms, Maggie said, “If you’re gonna puke, I don’t think you need both of us. Kathy can handle holding your hair.”
“Ha-ha. I’m not sick. I’m not even all that drunk.”
Kathy snickered. Moira might not be drunk, but she was far from sober. They got to the office, and Moira toed the door open and pulled them through. Finally she released their hands and pushed them forward, closing the door behind them. Kathy looked around to figure out what was going on.
Near the desk, Jimmy stood with Liam, his best friend and one of Moira’s brothers, and his own brother Kevin. Kathy froze as she took in the sight of him. Of course he would be here. She’d known that, done her best to mentally prepare for seeing him.
Unfortunately, no amount of preparation could ready her. It had been four years, but seeing him put her whole body on alert. There might as well have been a flashing red sign above his head. Danger!
While Moira talked with Liam, Kathy took a moment to regain control over herself and better assess the situation. Kevin looked good in jeans that were worn but neat. His sweater stretched across his biceps and chest just enough to allow her to notice he was still fit. Why couldn’t he have a beer gut and suffer from male pattern baldness? Her gaze drank him in all the way up to a full head of dark hair, styled, but not overly so—like it was ready for fingers to run through it.
Everyone stood huddled around the desk. Kathy edged forward wondering what Moira was up to because the woman was always up to something.
“So here’s the deal. Jimmy and I have been talking a lot about the wedding.”
“Correction,” Jimmy said. “She’s been talking. I’ve been a sounding board.”
Moira walked around the group to stand next to her fiancé. She rose up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “That’s one of the many things I love about you.” Then she turned to the rest of them while holding Jimmy’s hand. “The thing is, we have to figure out the wedding party and we really don’t want anyone to be upset or hurt because you’re all so important to us.”
Kathy smiled. She knew exactly where this was going.
Apparently, so did Maggie, who stepped forward and said, “I bow out.”
“What?” all the guys said in unison.
Men. So clueless.
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Kathy should be your maid of honor. I appreciate you thinking of me, but your friend should do this. I’ve been gone for most of this romance. She was the one holding your hand when Jimmy was being an ass.”
“Hey,” Jimmy protested.
Moira patted his arm.
Kathy touched Maggie’s shoulder. “You’re her sister. I can’t get in the way of that.”
Maggie shrugged. With one brow lifted, and an evil grin on her face, she said, “Too bad. You do it or she won’t have a maid of honor.”
“Harsh,” Kevin said.
His voice still held the light quality she remembered. Like he was ready to burst out in laughter at any moment. She’d always liked that about him. Being in the same room wasn’t quite as hard as she’d thought. At least there were others to act as a buffer.
Maggie hugged Moira and then hugged Kathy. “Do right by her,” she said to Kathy.
Kathy’s stomach was still tight. She felt like an intruder in what should be a family moment.
“Ha!” Moira yelled. “And you thought I was going to have a hard time. Your turn,” she
