Hold Me Close

Chapter 1-3

Two days later, Shane walked into O’Leary’s Pub. Unlike Maggie, he’d been to the bar since her r**e. He’d worked there for a few months after, but he’d felt like such a failure that he couldn’t continue. He just hoped Ryan wouldn’t hold it against him.

He didn’t recognize the woman behind the bar; it wasn’t Mary, who’d been the manager for years. He waited to get her attention. “Is Ryan here?”

“Yep. He’s in his office. Want me to get him?”

“No. I know the way. We’re friends.” Calling Ryan a friend was a bit of a stretch, but it kept things simple. He walked through the main bar, where a few people were eating lunch. Just past the back room, he entered the dark hallway that led to the office and the bathrooms. As he raised his hand to knock on the office door, he eyed the metal door at the end of the hall. It led to the alley and the back stairs to the apartments above the bar. The apartment where Maggie had been r***d.

He couldn’t afford to think about that right now. He knocked and waited for Ryan to call out.

“Come in.”

Shane opened the door and strode through before closing it behind him. “Hey, Ryan.”

At the sound of his voice, Ryan’s head shot up from where he’d been staring at his computer screen. For a moment, Shane thought Ryan didn’t remember him, but they’d seen each other briefly at Christmas.

“Shane? What are you doing here?”

He walked forward and pointed to the chair in front of the desk. Ryan nodded and Shane sat. “I need to talk to you about Maggie. Have you talked to her yet?”

“I saw her the other night, caught up about the usual stuff. Why?”

He let out a little sigh, grateful that Maggie had kept her word and waited to talk to Ryan. The question now became whether he should tell Ryan what Maggie’s plans were or if he should just ask for a job. He scrubbed a hand over his head.

“I’m going to tell you something about Maggie, but you can’t say anything to her. She plans to talk to you, but…shit. I’d like my job back.”

“You want to be a bouncer again? I thought you were working with your dad.”

“I am. I’d like to work nights.”

“I don’t have a spot right now. What does that have to do with Maggie?”

Damn. He had no idea how to keep Maggie’s secret and still get what he wanted. “Maggie is going to ask you to hire her. To work here.”

Ryan froze. “What? Why?”

Shane shoved out of the chair. “I don’t really understand. Something about facing her fears and getting her life back.” He spoke to the wall instead of facing Ryan. “I want my job back so I can be here for her.”

Ryan didn’t respond. Shane turned back and looked at Maggie’s brother. The news he’d delivered seemed to age the man. For as much guilt as Shane carried because of what had happened to Maggie, he knew Ryan felt it deeper. Maggie was his baby sister, and it had happened in his bar.

“I’ll have to hire her, won’t I?”

“I don’t think she’ll take no for an answer. You know Maggie. When she gets an idea in her head…”

“f**k. There has to be a way to talk her out of this.” Ryan rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t have an opening for a bouncer.”

Shane dug in his pocket and pulled out a twenty. “Then I’d like to buy a couple of O’Leary’s T-shirts. I’ll be here every night she works. I’d prefer if she believes I’m working instead of watching her.”

“You’re serious. You’re going to give up all of your free time to pretend to work for me? For free?”

“She thinks this will be easy. I don’t want her doing it alone.”

“Put your money away. I’ll give you the shirts. If I have an opening, the spot’s yours.”

Shane shoved the bill back into his pocket. “One more thing.”

Ryan’s eyebrows rose.

“Do you have any apartments free upstairs?”

“One. Why?”

“Crap. Maggie’s going to want it.”

Ryan paled. The man looked like he might throw up.

Shane’s heart stuttered. “f**k. Please tell me it’s not the one she had before.”

“No.”

Maybe it would’ve been better if it had been. No way would she ask for that apartment. “What is it then?”

Ryan scrubbed his face with both hands, looking wearier than a man in his thirties. “I’m going to tell you something, but you can’t say anything to Maggie. I haven’t told her yet.”

More secrets? He wasn’t built for this. He nodded.

“Just after the holidays, a letter came to my mom’s house to notify Maggie that Todd is getting out of jail.”

“What?”

“He served his time.”

“Why the hell haven’t you told her? It’s been months.”

“She was still worried about our mom. And she was in Ireland. He wouldn’t be able to touch her there. Since she’s been back, I haven’t found the right time.” His face was pinched, like he knew he’d screwed up.

“You need to find the time, right or not.”

“What the hell is she thinking?” Ryan asked. “Why here?”

“I’ll let her explain it to you. I tried to convince her that we should get a place together as roommates, but she wasn’t interested.” Shane sank back into the chair, feeling as nauseated as Ryan looked. “I’m afraid for her,” he admitted quietly. “Especially now that I know Todd is getting out.”

“You’re looking for a new apartment?”

Shane nodded.

“I have another apartment. It hasn’t been remodeled yet. I got sidetracked with having a baby. If you don’t mind living on a job site, it’s yours.”

“How much work does it need?”

“It’s gutted. The bathroom is mostly done.”

“How much for rent?”

“You do the remaining work while you’re living there, you can have it free. We’ll revisit rent when you finish. Besides, I’ll feel better with you here in case Todd contacts her. This would be the first place he’d look.”

Shane thought about it. How much time would he have to handle a remodel between working with his dad and pretending to work at the bar? But he’d be close to Maggie. Nothing else mattered. “Deal.” He extended his hand to Ryan. They shook, and Shane stood to leave. His lunch hour was almost over and his dad would be looking for him.

As he opened the door to leave, Shane turned back. “This is just between us, right? The reason for me being here. You know she’ll go apeshit if she knows.”

“Yeah, I know. When will you move in?”

“In a day or two. I should be here before she moves in.”

Ryan rose and came around the desk. “If you have a couple of minutes, I’ll grab the keys for you now. Then you can move in whenever you want.”

Shane checked the time. “Sure.” While Ryan opened a drawer in a long credenza, Shane sent a text to his dad letting him know he’d be back soon.

Ryan pulled out a ring of keys and flipped through them. He found the right ones and handed them to Shane.

“Thanks,” Shane said as he pocketed the key.

“Thank you. For everything. It means a lot that you look out for her.”

Shane nodded and left. Of course he looked out for Maggie. He’d failed her once. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her again.