Through Your Eyes

Chapter 1-2

“I’m not sure.” She focused on the slips, flipping through them, looking for his order.

When she found it, she pulled it from the stack and looked up. She waved it at him with a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

She disappeared to the back room, and Tommy sucked in a deep breath. This was it. He had another chance. All he had to do was open his mouth.

Why hadn’t Moira said anything? She knew he had a thing for her cousin. Maybe she was the one who’d put Jimmy up to making him get the cake. That definitely sounded like a Moira move. But to get Jimmy involved, that took skill. Moira was better than he’d given her credit for.

Deirdre returned carrying a box. She slid it on the counter between them and lifted the lid. “Here you go.”

He barely glanced at it. No one would care if something was misspelled. His gaze locked on hers as she lowered the lid.

“Would you like to go out sometime?”

She stared at him so long, he began to wonder if he'd spoken aloud.

“Uh . . . I have a boyfriend.”

“Oh.” The disappointment hit him hard. Again, he had to question why Moira wouldn’t tell him. This was the kind of pertinent information you gave a guy before he made a fool of himself.

“Your order is all paid for.” She nudged the box forward so he’d take the hint.

He scrambled for what to say to ease the tension. “Maybe you’d like to go out and do some sightseeing. As friends. You’re new to Chicago, and I could show you around.”

“Maybe.” Her eyes shifted away. It seemed no matter what he said, he made her nervous.

“Are staying with the O’Learys again?”

“Yes.”

“I’m right across the street. Stop by any time.”

She nodded and he took the cake from the counter. Not quite the answer he was looking for, but at least she hadn’t totally shot him down. She didn’t seem completely uninterested.

But boyfriend?

Were they doing a long-distance thing? Tommy wondered about her relationship. This was her second trip to Chicago in under a year.

Maybe there wasn’t a boyfriend and she was trying to be nice.

Shit. He hated when that happened.

He set the cake on the passenger seat and looked back through the front window of the bakery. Deirdre stood behind the counter, staring at his car. It was dark enough out that he didn’t think she could still see him, but he smiled anyway.

Boyfriend or not, she was interested.

Deirdre stood on the corner and waited for the bus. She should’ve asked the O’Malley boy for a lift. He was going to the same place, but after he’d asked her out, she didn’t think she could. She didn’t even know his first name, but he seemed to know quite a bit about her.

She stomped her feet and burrowed deeper into her coat. Well, Eileen’s coat, because she hadn’t packed one. She’d hoped Maggie would have one she could borrow, but Maggie had only skimpy, little things that barely wrapped around her. Deirdre didn’t see the point. She wanted to be warm.

Thinking about warmth made her think about how long she’d stay in Chicago. Her mom had brought her for a visit one summer when she was little and she’d loved it, but with the exception of last fall, she hadn’t been back at all. Her family didn’t take holidays. After all, who would run the pub?

She practically growled. She didn’t need to think about the pub. Not for now, anyway. She thought again of the stories Maggie had told her about the fun things to do during the summer in the city. Festivals and parties, and her cousin Liam ran a food truck. He’d told her about one that sold only cupcakes.

She couldn’t imagine doing nothing but driving a truck and baking cupcakes. No waiting on tables and slapping the hands of drunks. No smile plastered on her face for the duration of the night.

The bus pulled up to the curb, and she let the silly dream float away like the black exhaust from the bus. The pub was part of her family. Her parents expected her to take as much part in it as her brothers did. Then maybe they could relax on holiday and visit family themselves.

In the meantime, she’d enjoy her trip to Chicago. The bus rumbled down the street and she watched the sights blur by. She wanted to absorb every bit of adventure and culture as she could because this would probably be her last trip for a long time.

She wasn’t an adventurous soul, but she wanted to be.

She’d always done everything that was expected of her, from going to Mass every Sunday to working at the pub, to getting good marks in school, to having Rory as a boyfriend. She knew she wouldn’t walk away from the family business. Her parents had worked hard their whole lives to provide for her and her brothers.

The least she could do was take over so they could enjoy the rest of their lives. The bus neared her stop and she stood, practicing keeping her balance as the vehicle bounced down the street.

Aunt Eileen’s heart attack the previous year had scared Deirdre’s mom enough that she’d pressured her husband to commit to retirement. Deirdre knew her dad didn’t want to. He loved being at the pub, but he’d do anything for his wife. Deirdre smiled.

She wanted that kind of love. She and Rory didn’t have it yet, but she thought they could get there one day. Walking down the block to the O’Leary house, she was excited to be able to enjoy the quiet. She’d never lived in a house so silent. All of the O’Leary siblings had moved out, leaving Eileen alone.

Deirdre unlocked the front door and peered over her shoulder before walking in. Noise from across the street caught her attention. The O’Malley house had visitors. Not surprising, since they had a birthday cake.

“Hey!” someone called.

Deirdre narrowed her eyes and realized that it was her cousin Moira. She jogged across the street toward Deirdre.

“How are you? Sorry I haven’t stopped in to say hi yet.”

“It’s fine. I wasn’t expecting a special welcome.”

“I’m glad you’re back.” She pulled Deirdre into a hug.

Deirdre wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to the physical nature of her American cousins.

“We’re having a party across the street. Want to come?”

“No, thank you.” That would definitely send the wrong message to the O’Malley she’d turned down earlier.

“It’s nothing fancy. Pizza and cake for Norah’s birthday. No one will care.”

“No, really. I just came from work.”

“Okay. Maybe next time.” She turned to leave. “We need to get together for a girls’ night. You and me and Maggie. Maybe Norah will come too. You and Maggie are only a few years older than she is.”

“Sounds fun.” Deirdre turned the knob on the door. “Moira?”

Her cousin spun at the bottom of the steps.

“Who’s the O’Malley boy with the dark hair?”

“They all have dark hair. I need more than that.”

“Tall, thin—” She was about to comment on his tattoos, but Moira suddenly waved a hand.

“I don’t know why I asked. You’re talking about Tommy. Any of the others would’ve introduced themselves. Why?”

“He picked up the cake for tonight and he asked me out.”

Moira’s face brightened with a huge smile and she rushed back up the steps. “Yes! What happened?”

Deirdre shook her head. “I turned him down, of course. I’m dating Rory.”

Moira tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “Hmm. I thought maybe you guys called it quits.”

“Why?”

She waved her hand again, dismissing whatever she planned to say. “Nothing. No worries. I’ll call you to plan a night out.”

Deirdre watched her leave. Inside the living room, she hung her coat in the closet and thought about Moira’s excitement. Why would she be happy that Tommy had asked her out? And more importantly, why would she think she and Rory had ended their relationship?

For as long as Deirdre could remember, everyone had talked about what a perfect couple she and Rory made. Everyone expected them to have a long, happy life together.

Unfortunately, every day she was away from home, she began to question that. Never before had she been tempted to go out with another man. Of course, part of that was lack of opportunity and experience. But she never dreamed of other boys, other than schoolgirl crushes on celebrities.

Rory was always supposed to be the one.

But as she changed for bed that night, she couldn’t help but steal a glance out the window to the house across the street. She checked the time. Far too late for her to call Rory. He would be at the pub, and they’d be busy.

She’d wait until morning and call him then. He would be at the pub again, of course. It was one of the many reasons her family loved him. But in the afternoon, it was easier for him to sneak off.

So instead of calling her boyfriend, she sat in bed with her laptop and streamed silly television shows.

For days, Deirdre and Rory had played tag with their phones and computers. She wanted to see his smiling face, hear his calming voice. She stood in her temporary room, getting ready for her girls’ night out with Moira and Maggie. Moira had said she’d invited Norah O’Malley as well. Moira seemed to be quite the matchmaker, trying to find friends for Deirdre.

Deirdre ran a hand nervously over the folded clothes in her drawer. She had no idea what to wear out. Back home, jeans and a T-shirt would suffice. She texted Moira to see if she would need anything fancier.

While she waited for a response, the mobile rang in her hand. Rory.

“Well, you certainly took your time ringing me.”

“Don’t talk like that, love. You know how busy it is here. Tell me about how much fun you’re having.”

His smooth voice came across the line clearly, but she could hear the noise of the pub in the background.

“I’m working at the bakery again. I’m learning a lot.” She paused. “Not that it’ll do me any good working at the pub, but at least I enjoy it.”

“Please tell me you’re doing more than working. You could’ve stayed at home to do that.”

She couldn’t lie to him, but she’d done little more than work. “I’m going out with Maggie and Moira tonight.”

“Excellent. Get good and pissed, and have a ball.”

“I don’t plan on overdrinking. What if a sexy man wants to take me dancing?” It was a silly question, and she didn’t know why she was trying to toy with Rory. Part of her wanted—no, needed—some reassurance.

“Then you dance.”

Not the response she’d been expecting.

“Won’t you be jealous to know I’m in another man’s arms?” she asked, almost teasingly.

“I want you to be happy, Deirdre.”

There was a commotion on his end.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, love. I have to go. Something’s happening in the pub.”

“Wait—what did you—?“

She didn’t get a chance to ask him what he’d meant by telling her to be happy, but no matter how she tried to interpret it, it wasn’t good.

Was he breaking up with her?

She sank to the bed, staring at her phone. What was happening to her life? The phone buzzed in her hand. Moira texted to say she could wear whatever she wanted. She dressed in a daze, and as she packed her purse, another text came through. This one from Rory.

Sorry I had to run. Have fun with your cousins. Talk soon.

Voices carried up the stairs from the dining room. Her cousins must be ready to go. Deirdre gathered her things and headed downstairs.

Maggie looked at her and asked, “Is everything okay?”

“I think?”

Moira looped an arm around her and said, “Let’s go talk over drinks. I find it’s always easiest to bare your soul when you have some liquor in you.”

Aunt Eileen sat at the table, flipping through a magazine. “Be good now, girls. I won’t be having you get Deirdre in trouble.”

Moira rolled her eyes. “We’ll be fine, Mom. Have a good night.”

“Always rushing out of here.”

“We’re going out this weekend for dresses. You get me to yourself for the whole day.” She bent and kissed her mom’s cheek.

They went outside, and at the curb, a car sat running. “Jimmy’s driving us. He insisted that he drop us off. It’s like he doesn’t even trust us to not drink and drive.”

“Who are you kidding?” Maggie said. “He’s controlling. And he doesn’t trust you. What does he call you?” She snapped her fingers. “A menace!”

Moira shoved her sister. “He overreacts.” Over her shoulder, she said, “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Norah to come with us.”

Deirdre shrugged.

They all piled into Jimmy’s car, with Moira taking the front seat beside her fiancé.

“Where to, ladies?”

Maggie poked Deirdre’s side. “This is Norah, Jimmy’s little sister. Norah, this is our cousin Deirdre.”

“Hey,” the girl said with a small wave. “From Ireland, right?”

Deirdre nodded.

Moira turned in her seat. “Where do you guys want to go?”

“Before you decide, keep in mind I won’t be able to pick you up. Pick somewhere safe where it’ll be easy to get a cab,” Jimmy said.

Moira rolled her eyes again. Deirdre wondered how such a marriage would work.

“Tommy’s playing hockey tonight. He can get us,” Norah said. “In fact, if you guys don’t mind, we can just go to McGinty’s. The team always goes there after practice. Tommy won’t have a choice but to drive us home.”

“I like the way you think,” Moira said.

“I don’t know,” Jimmy added. “I’ve been to McGinty’s.”

“It’s fine. Kai will be there along with the rest of the team. Can’t get much safer.”

“They don’t have doormen.” Jimmy pulled away from the curb.

Norah laughed. “I think the bartender has a bat under the bar. Plus, the hockey players are their best customers. I’ve been there tons of times and I’ve never had a problem.”

“Sean playing tonight?”

Norah shook her head. “He’s doing something with Emma.”

Jimmy didn’t comment but continued on the way. Moira filled the time by peppering Deirdre with questions about the family back home. Before Deirdre knew it, Jimmy was parking beside a bar.

“Here you go, ladies. Stay out of trouble.”

Maggie shoved the door open and climbed out. Moira leaned over to kiss Jimmy, so Deirdre scooted out to give them some privacy. She followed Maggie and Norah into the bar.

And “bar” was the best way to describe it. It was a regular tavern—no theme that she could discern. Thank goodness it wasn’t a pub. She’d been doing everything she could to avoid stepping foot in one. Unfortunately, next week, she was expected not only to be at O’Leary’s but to put on her best smile and work.

Norah led the way to the back of the bar, near a jukebox. Maggie sat at a table while Norah put money in and chose some music. Deirdre joined Maggie, and moments later, Moira flew in.

Once they were settled with drinks, Moira’s gaze bore into her. “Now spill. What’s going on?”

“What?”

“You were not happy when we got to the house, and Maggie said you were bummed about Christmas with Rory.” Moira paused, looked at Norah, and said, “Rory is her boyfriend back home. She thought he was going to propose at Christmas.”

“Oooh . . . I love girl gossip. It’s the best thing to have come from Jimmy’s relationship with Moira.”

“There’s no gossip.” Deirdre took a big gulp of her pint. “He didn’t propose.”

“And?” Moira prompted.

“And tonight when we spoke, he made it seem like it would be okay if I dated someone else.”

“What?” Maggie asked.

Deirdre lifted a shoulder. “I teased about finding some man to dance with, and he told me to have fun.”

“Oh, that’s not good.” Norah shook her head. “No man tells you to have a good time with someone else unless he already is.”

“No. Rory’s not like that. We’ve just hit a rough patch is all.”

Both Moira and Maggie stared at her. If she wasn’t mistaken, pity filled their eyes. Suddenly, drinking too much sounded good even if she didn’t find another man.