Beers, Lies and Alibis (Warblers Point Series Book 2) (26 page)

“I swear to God, Booker. Has she said something to you?”

“No, but I can tell she’s upset. She hasn’t been her normal self. Granted, I haven’t talked to her in a while, but last time I did, she was depressed. I think she misses you.”

“Well, why the fuck is she keeping us apart?” Finn exclaimed.

“You hurt her, man.”

“She hurt me!” Finn practically shouted. “But I was able to get over that.”

“Uh, am I interrupting something?” Fiona asked from the kitchen door.

Booker stood up and greeted Fiona with a warm kiss on the lips. “Hey baby, what are you doing here?”

“I brought all you hard-working men some lunch. Should I leave you two alone?”

Finn got up, refilled his beer and said, “No, we we’re done here.” Then he took off toward the guys out back.
 

“What was that about?”
 

“He was asking about Blaire.”

“Oh.” Fiona wrapped her arms around Booker’s neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I missed you.” Fiona kissed him lightly on the lips. He was seriously such a lucky son of a bitch to have Fiona in his life.
 

“I missed you. How’s your mom?”

“Crazy as usual. Come on, let’s get those O’Leary men fed.”
 

Grabbing Booker’s hand, Fiona led him outside to where her brothers were standing around drinking beers from a cooler that Fiona must have brought for all of them. They were joking around with someone that Booker couldn’t make out because the sun was shining right behind the person’s head.

“Aye, tis fair game lads,” came the Irish voice of none other than Murphy Ryan. Booker didn’t even have to look at the man to know it was him.
 

Booker tensed as they got closer. Booker hated Murphy, which was a rare occurrence, since Murphy was such a likable fuck. Booker just couldn’t stand the fact that he once had his hands all over his girl and he was once the family favorite for Fiona to marry, but Booker had changed that idea a couple of months ago when he walked into the small town of Warblers Point.
 

“So Keara, how long will you be in town?” asked Liam.

Keara? Booker whipped his head around to see Keara, the Victoria’s Secret model saunter up with two beers in her hand. She handed one to Murphy, who wrapped his arm around her. Even though Booker’s nerves were at an all-time high from seeing his little travel buddy, he instantly relaxed when he saw her sidle up next to Murphy. God was throwing Booker a giant bone and he was grateful.
 

“Not sure yet. We’ll see.”

“Oh, Fiona, Booker, meet Keara,” said Liam as they walked up to each other.
 

Fiona scanned Keara up and down before politely shaking her hand then nodded at Murphy. The interaction was pretty awkward, but Booker didn’t want to read too much into it, since he had his own little secret. Hopefully, Keara wouldn’t say anything.
 

“Keara is Murphy’s cousin,” Bradon added. “So, she’s up for grabs boys.”

Cousin? The bone Booker thought God had tossed him was instantly plucked away. She was Murphy’s cousin? They looked like they had a pretty tight relationship too, which could only mean Keara probably talked about her flight out to Warblers Point with Murphy. Which meant she probably told Murphy all about what happened between her and Booker and, by the smirk on Murphy’s face, Booker was busted.
 

***

Fiona could feel Murphy staring daggers at her. Talk about uncomfortable, the tension between everyone once Booker showed up had increased to unbearable amount. Keara kept looking Booker up and down and Booker was avoiding her gaze any way he could. Something was off and Fiona didn’t like it.
 

“How are ya doin’, lassie?” Murphy asked.

“Fine, thanks.” Fiona directed her attention to Keara because she didn’t want Booker picking up on anything going on between her and Murphy. Not that there was anything, but she was awkward as hell and the moment she saw Murphy, all she could think about was how close they came to kissing and possibly…going further.
 

“When did you get into town?” Fiona asked Keara.

“Didn’t ye boy tall ya?” Murphy nodded toward Booker. Fiona looked up at Booker who had guilt running through his eyes. “Keara was the reason why Booker missed his flight in the first place, ain’t that right Book?” Murphy said with a smirk.

“What’s he talking about?” Fiona asked.
 

“We can talk about this later, babe.”

“It was my fault, technically,” cut in Keara. “He just loves spilling his drinks all over my shirts, at least that’s how we met the first time.”

“First time?” Fiona asked. Booker’s face pained as Keara continued.
 

“Yeah, at the coffee shop. I still have his jacket he gave me to cover up, apparently it’s indecent to just wear a bra in public, but hey, it’s California, who’s judging?”

“We sure as hell aren’t,” Bradon said, as he looked Keara up and down.
 

“So Keara is who you travelled with to get here?” Fiona asked.
 

“Can you believe she’s a Victoria’s Secret model? I mean damn Murph, how come you’ve been hiding her all this time?” Bradon said.
 

Carefully Booker turned to look Fiona in the eyes as he said, “Yes, she was the person traveling with me.”

 
“Don’t worry, Fiona; he was a perfect gentlemen when we had to share a bed. It was awkward at first, but we figured it out. I’m just grateful he didn’t act like every other man in the world when I slept naked. I feel like any other man would have tried to sneak a peek or at least cop a feel, but not Booker. You’ve got a good man, Fiona.”

The rest of Keara’s words were blocked out the minute Fiona heard her say sleep naked. Fiona was seeing red. How could he do that to her?

Not wanting to make a scene, Fiona nodded and smiled and then handed out sandwiches to everyone. She wanted to shove the extra sandwich she had for Keara all over the bitch’s face, but instead, she politely handed it over while sizing up the girl.
 

Instantly, Fiona felt inferior. The girl was gorgeous, she looked nothing like Murphy except for her chestnut brown hair, but then again, cousins usually didn’t look like each other. How could Booker not be attracted to her? She had bright blue eyes and a body that literally was created for modeling.
 

Tears started to form in the back of Fiona’s eyes. Not wanting to show her insecurities, she excused herself to the bathroom, so she could get away from everyone for a little bit, especially Keara.
 

Once Fiona was in the confines of the small green and gold bathroom in the main house, Fiona sat down on the cushion covered toilet seat and cried into her hands. Out of all the people Booker had to get stuck with in a snowstorm, he had to get stuck with a lingerie model, the one person Fiona actually thought belonged with Booker. It was heartbreaking to think about what they must have done when they were stuck in the snow. Did she make him laugh? Did she show off her body? Did she try to come on to him?

Fiona, all of a sudden, felt ill, when images of Keara and Booker together ran through her head.
 

“Baby,” Booker knocked on the door. “Are you in there?”

Fiona didn’t answer because she knew he would help himself in anyway.
 

Right on cue, Booker pushed open the door and poked his head through the opening. The moment he saw Fiona crying, he let himself in the bathroom and closed the door.
 

He was kneeling before her in two seconds flat, rubbing her thighs with the palms of his hands.
 

“Baby, it’s not what you think.”

“What am I supposed to think, Booker? You shared a bed with a naked lingerie model and never told me. How the hell do you think I’m supposed to take that? Did you touch her?”

Booker winced causing Fiona to pull away from him. “Oh my God. Did you touch her Booker?”

“Before you take things out of context, let me explain.”

Fiona stood up and backed away from him. He tried to grab her, but she wouldn’t let him. “Don’t touch me. Don’t you dare touch me!”

“Fiona, stop. Nothing happened.”

“But you touched her.”

“Yes, but I thought she was you,” Booker said quickly.

“What does that even mean? Were you drunk? How did you think she was me when I was in fucking Warblers Point not sharing a hotel bed with you?”

Booker ran his hands over his face in frustration. “It was in the morning. In my sleep, I thought she was you; I just had my arm around her. That’s it, nothing else.”

“You had your arm around her naked body?”

“Yes…”

“Why was she naked in the first place and why did you allow her to be naked? Did you see her naked? Did you actually see her body?”

“Fiona, it doesn’t matter…”

“That’s a yes then.” Fiona paced the tiny bathroom as she thought about what Booker was telling her. “I can’t believe this. Here I am in Warblers Point praying over my father so he comes out of a coma and my boyfriend is running around with lingerie models and watching them prance in front of him naked.”

“That’s not how it was at all and you know I would have done anything possible to be with you when you first left. Don’t take this out of context.”

“Do you want her Booker? Did you want to fuck her?”

“No!” Booker shouted. “I want you. Didn’t I prove that the other night?”

Fiona gasped. “Is that why you had sex with me? To prove to yourself that I’m good enough for you?”

“No, I said sex with you because I love you. I’m in love with you, Fiona.”

“Funny, because people who are in love with other people usually don’t go sleeping around with naked women.”

“I didn’t sleep with her!”

“Whatever, Booker,” Fiona started to leave, but Booker stopped her.
 

“You can’t just leave. What about you and Murphy?”

Fiona stilled at the mention of Murphy’s name. How did Booker know? Fiona didn’t tell anyone about her close encounter except for Finn and Finn would never tell Booker, would he?

“What about Murphy?” Fiona asked, not wanting to give anything away.
 

“I saw the way you two looked at each other. Something is going on between you two. Was he what you wanted to talk to me about the other night? What you promised to talk to me about, but never did?”

“What do you think?”
 

Booker stepped back for a second at Fiona’s harsh words. His face melted as the realization crossed his mind that she might have actually done something with Murphy. He looked absolutely devastated.
 

“Did you…did you do anything with him?” Booker whispered.

At that very moment Fiona thought about how she was hurting, how thoughts of Keara and Booker were running through her mind like wild horses and all she wanted to do was hurt Booker the way he hurt her.
 

She just shrugged her shoulders and walked out the bathroom door, leaving him to his own imagination. She knew she didn’t do anything to harm their relationship. Yes, she came close, but she never actually did anything, but he didn’t know that.
 

***

After the whole debacle between Murphy, Booker, Keara, and Fiona, Finn decided that he needed to get away from the drama for a little bit and go pay a visit to his dad. He hadn’t been around to visit lately, since he had been helping out at The Sleeping Potato and taking care of the pub plus, if he had to admit it to himself, he didn’t like visiting. The thought of his dad never coming out of a coma always weighed heavily on Finn’s chest and he didn’t want to think that it was a possibility he would never be able to talk to his dad again.
 

Pulling himself together so his mom wasn’t affected by his sour thoughts, Finn headed inside the most colorful and lucky room in the hospital. His mom might be crazy, but she was also dedicated.
 

When he walked in, he saw that his mom was playing cards with his dad. Typical Mary Margaret.
 

“Finn, how nice to see ya today. Ya da keeps beatin’ me in poker. Can ya believe the luck? I’m about to take me lucky apron back just so I can win a hand.”

Finn kissed his mom on the cheek and then looked at her cards. “Looks like you might get him this time.” She was carrying three queens in her hand.
 

“Nah, ye da has a full house; it’s all over.” She threw her cards on the table and then looked up at Finn. “What are ya doin’ here boy?”

“I thought I would give you a bit of a break. I’m sure the old man is starting to get on your nerves.”

Mary Margaret looked over at Carlin and squeezed his hands. “He would never,” she said softly. “But I will give ya two boys some time to ye’selves.” She patted Finn on the cheek before she took off. “Clean up those cards. We don’t want the hospital staff thinking we’re slobs.”