Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (74 page)

“Wait, Ethan!” Rachel yells after him as he
heads to his office.

“What’s going on?” Scotts asks.

“Olivia is on her way here, Scott. He has to
get her out of here before she shows up.”

Scott looks at his watch. “Ok, let’s give
him a minute.”

“No! He needs to do it NOW! She’ll be here
any minute.”

“Okay! All right! I’ll go and let him know.”
As he moves to the other side of the room his voice fades and she
barely makes out something about… not being in this mess if they
had listened to him in the first place.

Rachel frowns, she knows her husband is
right and she’s so thankful for his patience. Growing up she often
felt socially inept, but then that’s bound to happen under her
circumstances. There were never any adult role models who cared
enough about her to observe and learn from. At times, it feels like
her moral compass just can’t seem to lock onto magnetic north. She
was fortunate to meet Olivia. Moving to her small hometown for work
was a blessing. It put her directly within the loving arms of the
James family. Olivia’s parents loved Rachel as one of their own,
taking her in, supporting and guiding her. She almost started to
feel normal, but she didn’t get enough time with them. It was
extremely painful for her when they were killed, she felt as if
they were her parents as well.

Assuming that the horn blast means he isn’t
coming to the door, she walks out to meet him. It feels odd when he
doesn’t get out of the car to open her door, but it doesn’t
surprise her.

“You look beautiful tonight.” He takes a
long look as she slides in and pulls her door closed.

She smiles. “Thank you, Noah.”

They say very little on the short drive to
the restaurant and he picks up on her tension. When he parks, he
turns off the engine and turns to look at her. “Are you ok?”

“I have to tell you that I’m having second
thoughts.” She nervously picks at her fingernails, avoiding his
eyes.

“We talked about this last night. Everything
will be fine.” He tries to re-assure her.

Anxiety pulses through her veins. “I’m so
sorry. I can’t ask you to do this.” She panics as she undoes her
seat belt and reaches for the door handle. Swinging it open, she
starts to get out. “I’ll call a cab to take me home.”

“Wait!” Grabbing her arm, he stops her. “If
you’re not going to go in, then I’ll take you home. You’re not
calling a cab.”

“Thank you, Noah.” Relief rushes over her
quickly.

“But I have a confession to make first.”

She pulls her leg back inside the car and
closes the door. “What?” Turning to look at him, she sees something
dark and troubling in his eyes.

“Tonight is not only about letting O’Connell
know that you’re not going to stay at home and cry while he’s out
with other women.”

She narrows her eyes as he seems to struggle
with whether to continue or not.

“You know that Ethan and I don’t get along
very well.”

“Yes, which is why this is an even worse
idea.”

“That’s why I suggested we do it. I can’t
think of any better way to get even with him for that shot he took
at me during the game, than to show up with you here tonight. It
will kill him and I like the idea of it.”

She turns to look at him. “Are you nuts? You
know he’s going to hit you again, right?”

Noah smiles. “You let me worry about him,
baby. Nobody messes with me or my girl.”

“Noah!” She scolds. “I made it very clear
last night, nothing will ever happen between us. We are always
going to be just friends.”

“I know, but you’ll always be my girl.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, she flips down the
visor to check her make up in the mirror. “I’m going straight to
hell.” She shakes her head, disapproving of her own decision. “Ok,
let’s get this over with.”

Glancing up at Noah when he stops to opens
the restaurant door for her, she swallows hard and blows out a
nervous breath.

“Are you ready?”

“Here goes nothing.” Wondering who it could
be that he’s out with, she tries to shake off the nerves.

Leaning down, Noah speaks quietly into her
ear. “Stick with me, baby. I know exactly how to make him
squirm.”

Feeling impatient, Hannah asks the waitress
in the bar if she could show her to their table. Rachel desperately
tries to get Cindy’s attention to wave her off but she isn’t paying
attention. When Ethan finally shoots out of his office, he sees
them make their way into the restaurant on their way to the table.
He tries to get to them as quickly as he can but it’s too late,
even at his quick sprint they are already at the booth by the time
he reaches them. “Hannah.” He calls, wanting to discourage her from
sitting.

Poison shoots through Olivia’s veins as she
hears his voice call out that name. She had no idea who he was
seeing tonight, but she was absolutely not prepared for that. Noah
recognizes Hannah immediately. Quickly stepping up behind Olivia,
he wraps his arms around her middle, giving her a reassuring
squeeze. Her body tenses against him and he’s pretty sure that
she’s holding her breath. Pressing his lips to the top of her head,
he holds them there. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I know how much
that must hurt.”

When she finally finds the strength to look
over, Ethan is standing frozen in the aisle staring at her and
Noah, his hands fisted at his sides. Her gaze locked to his she
swallows hard and tries to remember to breathe. It feels like
somebody has just dropped an elephant on her chest. Hannah, as
usual, looks spectacular, immediately making Olivia feel even more
inadequate. Noah rocks her gently in his arms trying to soothe her,
dropping his mouth to her ear he whispers. “Breathe, baby. If
that’s the kind of girl he’s looking for, then you are way out of
his league. He doesn’t deserve you.”

Scott taps Rachel on the shoulder and
directs her attention to the door. Rachel looks at Olivia and then
at Noah and then over to Ethan. “Oh shit! We’re in big trouble.”
They helplessly watch the scene unfold from the bar. “Fuck” Scott
says, “This is going to get ugly. Where the hell are McCabe and
Brant?” Taking his phone out of his pocket, he sends a few quick
text messages.

Olivia takes a very deep breath, lets it out
slowly, and then forces herself to give Ethan a smile and a small
wave to say hello. Nodding slightly, he watches Noah with his arms
around her and his mouth in her ear. Hannah has made herself
comfortable in the booth, while Ethan glares at Noah with murder in
his eyes, trying to talk himself out of walking over and killing
him.

“Ethan?” She looks to see what he’s staring
at and when she sees Olivia, a slow, wicked grin forms on her lips.
Ethan sits, resigning to the fact that he’s now on an official date
with Hannah and that bastard Noah Thompson has his hands all over
the woman he loves.

As Noah and Olivia are shown to a table in
the same section, the hostess looks very confused as she glances
over at Ethan with another girl. Suddenly it’s too much and Olivia
can’t fight back the tears that are welling up in her eyes. “Noah,
I can’t do this. I can’t stand to see him with her.” She tries to
pull away to leave but Noah takes hold of her arm, halting her in
mid stride. “Hey. Relax. We’re just going to have dinner. It will
be fine, trust me.”

To make things worse, they are seated at a
table directly across from them with a perfect view of everything
going on. Hannah stares at her and wiggles over as closely as she
can to Ethan, thrusting her humongous breasts at him. Olivia tries
not to make eye contact but she can’t help it. When she does Hannah
playfully feeds him the skewered cherry from her drink, making sure
that Olivia knows that he’s with her tonight.

Olivia can’t believe her eyes. Why Hannah?
She wishes it was anybody but her. Well, actually that’s not true.
She wouldn’t be too happy to see Stacey either. Olivia feels her
heart squeeze and tries to pull herself together, but a single tear
escapes and trickles down her cheek. Noah frowns as he brushes it
away with the pad of his thumb. “Don’t let him see you cry.”

Dinner drags on forever, drawing out
Olivia’s torture. When the DJ starts to play music, the bar starts
to become busier and provides a bit of a distraction. Feeling
Ethan’s eyes on her, she looks up to meet the heat of his stare.
She feels a little bit of satisfaction in that he doesn’t look like
he’s having a good time at all.

Rachel catches her attention and nods in the
direction of the restroom. “Excuse me for a minute.” She leaves
Noah for a welcome conversation with her best friend. Ethan’s eyes
follow her across the room and then flash back to Noah, who is
leaning back against the booth with a great sense of victory and an
evil smirk.

Hannah excuses herself and leaves the room.
Noah watches as her boobs sway back and forth like heavy pendulums
as she struggles to walk in her stylish stilettos. He chuckles and
shakes his head and then looks back at Ethan. “Nice!” He says
sarcastically. “She looks just like YOUR type.”

Ethan clenches his jaw and his muscles
tighten, he would like nothing better than to flatten him right
here and now, but he made a promise to Olivia. Another plan then.
Getting to his feet, he heads over to the waitress station.
Punching in his password, he spends a few moments on the computer
billing system then makes his way back to the booth, grinning in a
mischievous way.

Once inside the bathroom, Rachel can’t wait
to get a few things off her chest. “What the hell are you thinking
bringing him here?” She almost yells.

“Why wouldn’t I bring him here?” Olivia is
feeling more than a little annoyed at the question.

“Let me see… ummm… because Ethan is going to
kill him. Does that sound like a good reason?”

Olivia gets mad. “Stop it, Rachel. Ethan
obviously doesn’t care whom I’m here with. He has his own
date.”

“Yes, he does.” Hannah says, standing just
inside the doorway. “And honey, it’s about time you realize once
and for all that you could never make a man like Ethan O’Connell
happy.”

Here we go again! Olivia folds her arms in
front of her and waits for the humiliation.

“Excuse me?” Rachel says disgusted. “I
wasn’t talking to you.”

“No, but you and your friend, were talking
about me.” She gives Olivia the once over. “Honey, you shouldn’t be
surprised that he stopped asking you out. I offered you the number
for my personal trainer months ago. You should have taken it.”

Rachel gasps and her jaw drops as her head
snaps in Olivia’s direction. “Is she the reason you haven’t been
eating?” Her expression quickly changes to anger. Olivia doesn’t
have to answer, it’s written all over her face. “What a Bitch!”
Rachel is about to throw down.

“Oh, please.” Hannah says with ridicule as
she turns to address Olivia. “Even if you did ditch that extra…
what? 40lbs? How long do you think you could keep him happy? I’m
thinking a few months tops, before he gets bored and starts looking
for a woman that’s much more interesting.”

Rachel starts towards her but Olivia grabs
her. “Just let it go, Rach. She’s right.”

“To hell with that, she’s NOT right. Ethan
is in love with you, always has been. He’s only here with her
tonight because you’re too freaking stubborn to admit you feel the
same way.”

Hannah laughs. “That’s hilarious! Ethan in
love with her?”

Rachel lurches forward but Olivia holds
tighter. “You better walk back to your table right now, or they’re
going to have to take you out of here in an ambulance.”

“Rachel, honey? Is everything okay in
there?” Scott stands with his foot on the edge of the door, holding
it open just enough so he can hear her answer.

“Not really, Scott.”

“Well, sweetheart… everybody out here by the
pool tables can hear you.”

Rachel takes a deep breath and Olivia
finally lets go of her arm. “OK, we’re coming out now.” Her tone
becomes calmer. Hannah gleams as they walk past her. “Off you go
ladies, back to the trailer park.”

They’re almost at the door when Olivia looks
back at her wishing she had something to say. As usual, dealing
with Hannah has left her feeling insecure and self-conscious,
stripped bare to a painful level of vulnerability.

Hannah has to get one last jab in.
“Honestly, honey, at least your friend has trapped some poor sucker
already. If you’re not going to lose some weight then at least stop
buying your clothes at the second hand store. Or is that where
you’re looking for men to date now?”

Rachel turns, fully prepared to put an end
to it, but Scott grabs her from one side and Olivia pushes her from
the other, until she’s all the way out the door. Storming through
the restaurant, she heads straight towards Ethan. Scott turns to
Olivia. “Are you ok?”

She nods her head. She’s really not but she
needs him to deal with Rachel.

“Ok good, because I think O’Connell is in
danger. I better catch up to her.”

“Go!” Olivia says encouraging him to
intervene.

Scott takes off at a quick jog and Olivia
looks up to see Cindy standing a few feet away with a few shots of
tequila. Walking over, she picks them up, one in each hand and
downs them. “Please add those to Mr. O’Connell’s bill tonight,
Cindy.” Emptying both glasses, she puts them rim down on the
tray.

Cindy crinkles her noise and sighs as she
turns to go back to the bar to refill her order. “Ok, but I have to
tell you I’m starting to miss my old job. It was nice and quiet and
boring. I have never seen this much drama in my life until I
started here.”

Olivia feels bad now. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it’s ok. They can wait a few minutes
for new ones. Are you ok?”

Olivia continues to walk with Cindy back to
the bar and lets out a big sigh.