But am I ready to date a guy with a child?
“Stop jumping ahead of yourself.” It’s not like we’re dating, or even in a relationship.
I look in the mirror one last time, pleased with how my hair and makeup look, and head down the stairs. I just reach the living room when the doorbell rings. Kian, my oldest brother, answers it before I have a chance to.
“Come in, Jesse.”
Damn he’s hot in those faded jeans and long sleeved t-shirt. I’m glad I decided to go casual too. Though, I am wearing a skirt and cute top.
“Where’re you two headed?” Kian asks, following Jesse into the living room.
I roll my eyes. The one thing I don’t miss about being at home is having an overprotective brother. Thank goodness it’s only Kian. If all five of them were here, they’d send Jesse running for the hills.
“Sullivan’s.” Jesse looks at me. “Unless there’s somewhere else you’d rather to go.”
“Sullivan’s is fine.” It’s the first place we went together and I love that pub. I was practically raised there and it always felt like home.
“Hey, Jesse,” Alexia says as she comes from the kitchen.
“All finished up for break?” Jesse asks.
“Yeah.” She chuckles. “I could do with the time away from Baxter.”
“We all could.”
From what I understand, Baxter only accepts troubled teens with incredible talents. My brother Kian attended, not that I’ve ever understood how he got in. He’s about the least talented person I know.
“I’ve got more paintings from the kids, if there’s room in the gallery,” Alexia says, stopping beside Kian.
“Sure is.” Jesse nods with a slight smile. “Sold a few more this week, and a couple pots.”
“The paintings are from the students?” I thought all of that work was Jesse’s.
“And some sculptures,” he answers proudly.
It’s great that he’s letting the kids sell their stuff in his gallery. That’s really cool.
“What they make goes into a trust for their futures,” Jesse explains.
“If you’re going to be around Saturday, we’ll drop them off,” Alexia offers.
“Sure, come by around eleven.” He turns to me. “Shall we?”
We step outside but I don’t see a car.
“I hope you don’t mind walking. I thought it was a waste to drive four blocks.”
“Not at all. It’s a beautiful night.”
We turn the corner and I glance up. Larry’s standing in the window, holding Cam and glaring down at me. The hair stands up on the back of my neck again. I don’t like that girl and can’t explain why.
I guess it doesn’t matter. If she’s good with Cam, that’s what’s important.
All the tables are full when we step inside and Jesse escorts me to two empty stools at the bar. “Mind if we sit here until a table opens up?”
I don’t care if we sit here the entire time. But, as this does qualify as a date, sitting at the bar isn’t exactly intimate.
I barely sit when a shot glass is slammed down in front of me and Seamus, the owner, is pouring Tullamore Dew into it. My eyes meet his twinkling blue ones.
“Ya promised ta celebrate yar twenty-first here.”
“I would have if I hadn’t had three exams the next day.”
“Are ya sure dat’s it? Ya weren’t partying at school?”
“Do you think I’d want to celebrate my twenty-first anywhere else?” I’d been looking forward to having my first official adult drink at Sullivan’s. Unfortunately, that day fell on a Tuesday with exams on Wednesday. I was a little pissed that day. I wanted to be here.
“Well, it’s better late dan never.” He pours some into his own shot glass and raises a toast. We clink the glass and toss back the shot.
I had no idea Deirdre had a birthday since Thanksgiving. Not that a few months are that big of a deal as far as her actual age goes, but I’m more comfortable now that I know she’s legal age, even if she was already an adult. Deirdre doesn’t seem so much younger all of a sudden.
She leans in close to Seamus. “I’ll let you in on a secret.”
“Ya?”
“This is my very first drink as an adult. I saved it for here.”
“It better be yar first drink ever.” He’s wagging a finger at her.
Deirdre just sits back and grins, not confirming or denying.
I have to laugh. “Pour her another, and one for me and you,” I tell Seamus. “This is a celebration.”
He grins and puts another shot glass on the bar. “I knew I liked ya.”
We toss them back. The whiskey’s smooth, and my favorite. It’s just too expensive for my wallet. But tonight is an exception.
I turn to Deirdre. “Another?”
“Oh, no.” She’s waving her hand away. “I need to eat something first.”
“After, then.”
“Yes. After.” She laughs.
A couple is getting up from the table in front of the windows and Seamus nods. “Get it while ya can.”
I stand and wait for Deirdre then escort her over. This is perfect. We can look out at the square and we’re further away from the larger tables with families.
The waitress comes and takes our orders. Seamus has the best burgers in probably the State of New York, but I just had one so I order a tenderloin instead. She gets a burger and we order a basket of fresh cut fries to share. Deirdre opts for a Coke and I do the same. We just had shots on an empty stomach and I don’t want to get drunk any more than she
