He pulled out a chair for Meg. She smiled up at him as she sat. A waitress came over when he sat down.
“Do you have Guinness on tap?” Meg said.
The waitress nodded.
“I’ll have one,” Meg said. “It won’t be as good as the one in Ireland but it will have to do.”
Donal didn’t know what she was talking about, but he put up two fingers to the waitress. He might as well try something from his homeland. She left them.
“So what do you do? I never asked you,” Meg said.
Thankfully a twist of fate had provided him with an answer. “Security. I’m a bodyguard.”
He had the man’s card who he had helped that day. The man was interested in hiring him. Might be worthwhile.
“That makes sense. You are a large man. I would imagine you intimidate a lot of people.”
“I don’t often have to throw a punch,” Donal said.
Meg smiled at him. “Except for that one short guy in the bar with beer courage. He’d want to take you down.”
He’d spent his life protecting fairies and he probably knew every way to get out of a situation. He could even talk his way out of a fight. But not with a goblin and the females were even fiercer than the males. A short guy with whatever beer courage was wouldn’t be hard to take down.
“Aye.”
The waitress came back with their beers. Meg touched her glass to his. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
He sipped and immediately liked the dark brew in his hand. It did speak to him of his homeland. Something about the richness of it made him think of the richness of the culture of Ireland.
“Not as good as home, I bet,” Meg said.
“It’ll do.”
“Have you been in America long?”
“No. Only a few weeks,” he said. “Are you from Philadelphia originally?”
“Sort of. I was born in Ireland, but was adopted as a baby by an American couple.”
“Are your parents still alive?”
A darkness crossed her face and Donal wished he hadn’t said anything.
“No, they died in a car crash a few years ago.”
Donal wondered if that was on purpose. Had the goblins gotten to her parents to make her defenseless? If so, why was that goblin just now in her life? Had they not be able to find her? He didn’t know how often fairies were born these days or if Meg was a full-blooded fairy. He would have been able to pick her out of a crowd. She smelled of meadows. He doubted any of the humans around could catch her scent.
That was probably just as well. Too bad the goblin had scented Meg.
“That’s sad. My parents are gone also.”
She cocked her head and he could see something happening behind those blue eyes. Was she making a connection with him? They had some things in common for sure. He shouldn’t have agreed to this date with her. His job was to remain as her guard. He shouldn’t have gotten so close.
“Why do you suddenly look panicked?” she said.
He had been made of stone, but he wasn’t anymore. His panic at her getting close to him must have shown on his face. “Uh. I just remembered that I was supposed to meet someone.” He pulled out a wad of cash and left it on the table as he rose. “I’m sorry to cut this short. Good evening Meg.”
***
The next morning, Meg was still wondering what mistake she’d made. What had she said that sent Donal running out of the bar?
She ended up taking the day off and now she was doing things that she normally had to attend to on weekends. Picking up dry cleaning and shopping for underwear were so much more pleasant when everyone else was at work.
Since she lived by the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, students streamed past her with backpacks and cups of coffee. Ah, to be young again.
Her first stop was to the supermarket for some food. With her canvas bags in hand, she entered the doors of the local supermarket, but something made her look behind her. She had the feeling someone was watching her.
She didn’t see anyone, except a young man who seemed out of place. And he looked like Donal. She blinked, but he was gone.
“He’s just on my mind.”
She gathered ingredients for the next few days of meals then stood in the checkout line. Maybe the shortest checkout line she been in since she began working full time. A man stood across the street. It had to be Donal. She waved, but he didn’t wave back. Instead he walked away. Odd.
When she was done checking out, she didn’t see him at all. What was he up to? After his odd behavior last night, she wondered about him. He’d seemed so nice, but he hadn’t given her his number.
Her phone rang. “Hey, Fi.”
With her bags over her shoulder, Meg began to walk home. She stilled looked around for Donal.
“How did your date go?”
“It wasn’t a date.” She hadn’t wanted to think of it that way, but maybe it had been. “Besides, I thought it was going well, then he rushed out. I thought we were connecting, but I guess we weren’t.”
“He’s a child.”
“Ugh. Aren’t they all? He seemed so nice, Fi. He was a gentleman and interested in me and what I did and had to say. So rare. It must have been an act.”
“Well, forget about him.”
“Well, I wish I could. I keep seeing him everywhere.”
“Seriously?” Fiona said.
“Well, I think it’s him, but he doesn’t come up to talk to me. Or it isn’t him.”
“He really got under your skin.”
Meg sighed. “He did. I felt as if I’d known him my whole life.”
“Yikes, Meg. You just met him!”
“I know and I never make a connection that easily.”
“So what are you going to do?”
She leaned up against the outside of the supermarket, suddenly tired. “There isn’t anything I can do. I don’t have his phone number.”
“Really? Wow. Then you have to cyber stalk him. See if you can find him on Instagram or Snapchat,” Fiona said.
Meg had thought of that. “To what end?”
“To find out if he’s married. Then you’ll have closure and can get him out of your brain.”
Fiona had a good point. “It would feel better if I knew something.”
“Go home and do it. You know the way.”
They’d done this before with each other’s dates. Fiona was right. She had to know or he’d haunt her thoughts until she was obsessed. For a woman who could be so forthright in her working life, she didn’t want to be a wimp in her personal life “Okay I’ll do it.”
“Call me tonight and report back. I’m holding you accountable for this.”
“Got it.”
Meg disconnected then looked over her shoulder. No one paid any attention to her as she reached her apartment building.
***
Donal’s phone rang, the one that his new job had given him, just after Meg turned off her bedroom light. She was in for the night as far as he could tell so he could relax for a little bit.
“Donal,” he said into the device.
“It’s Jeremy. I have a job.”
“Where?”
“At Wild Woolens. They are revamping their security. Meet Chet at the office and he’ll walk you through what he does.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“I might be able to get you on the payroll this month.”
“I’m okay with how things are for now,” Donal said.
If he could just get paid in cash, he could stay hidden until the goblin made her move. The problem with going to Wild Woolens was two-fold, but Donal wasn’t about to turn down a job.
“If you say so. I guess I better not look too closely if you want to stay off the radar that much,” Jeremy said.
Donal just chuckled. “Your call.”
“Just tell me honestly. Have you escaped from prison?”
Not in the real sense. He’d paid for someone else’s crime. “No, sir.
”
“Are you wanted by the law?”
“No, sir,” Donal said.
Jeremy sighed. “Okay. I won’t ask. As long as you haven’t broken the law I’ll keep you on. You have an edge to you that the others don’t.”
“Thank you.”
Chapter Seven
Tex had found a suit at a homeless shelter that also had a shower and he now accompanied Donal to his job. Donal wasn’t sure that there was a spot for Tex at Jenkins Security, but he was going to try.
Tex fidgeted next to him on the bus. “Do I look okay?”
“You look fine. That haircut I gave you is okay. You can get a better one, but some of the guys have long hair. Don’t worry, Tex. You’ll be fine.”
Tex nodded then stared out the window. Meg had gotten on the bus that came before this one, but Donal couldn’t leave Tex. He just crossed his fingers that Meg would be okay. He doubted the goblin would attack her in front of other people.
“Your boss is Jeremy?” Tex said.
“Yes. He’s a good guy.”
Tex nodded.
They reached the stop. Tex followed Donal into the building. Donal had mentioned to Jeremy that he was bringing in Tex, but Jeremy hadn’t made any promises.
Donal’s boss was in his office. He rose when Donal and Tex entered.
“This is the person I told you about,” Donal said.
He introduced them to each other.
“Have a seat, Tex,” Jeremy said. His gaze went to Donal. “You can get started on that assignment.”
“Right away,” Donal said, hoping by the end of the day his friend would have a job.
***
Meg looked up to see Donal. He was dressed in black and had a visitor badge on. She hadn’t talked to him since he left the bar two nights ago. She didn’t have his number so she couldn’t call him. He hadn’t been on the bus.
He stood in the doorway to her office rubbing the back of his neck. “I owe you an apology.”
She pondered if she should let him off easily. She’d really liked him and now she wasn’t sure what was up with him. “At the least.”
He smiled and his eyes twinkled in that way that made her melt. Why did he do that so easily? She wasn’t a pushover. She didn’t fall at men’s feet. They fell at her feet, but she didn’t get the impression that Donal would do that.
“There is no excuse for my behavior so I won’t make one. I’ll just promise not to do it again.”
She cocked her head, thinking over his words. “Okay. Forgiven.”
He smiled became broader.
“Did you come here just to apologize?”
“I wish I could say so, but my company is revamping your security so I’m on the job. I would have stopped in any way or waited for you at the bus stop.”
She nodded, liking that he had been thinking about her. “You free for lunch?”
“Aye.”
She closed her laptop. “I can go now.”
“I’m free now.”
She rose and he shifted away so she could go out the door first. “There’s a park with a hot dog cart past the next building. Is that okay?”
“Lead the way.”
She led him out of her building and to the next building over. She ordered them hot dogs and attempted to pay for them.
“I’ve got this,” he said.
“No. I invited you out.”
Donal shook his head. “No. I’m paying.”
He pulled out a wad of cash, again, and handed it to the hot dog vender. Meg led him to a nearby picnic table. Putting her hot dog down, she studied him contemplating if she should ask him something.
“I want your advice,” she said finally.
He leaned on the table his lunch only half eaten. “Okay.”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said. That I shouldn’t quit my job.”
He put up his hand. “That was none of my business.”
“Well, that’s true, but I thought about what you said. I also encountered my new boss.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah and I’m not happy with her. I’ve been thinking about finding dirt on her. I’m competitive and I’m political. I can get her fired. I’m sure there is dirt on her. Something in me isn’t letting me.”
Donal smiled. “What about showing how much better at your job you are than she is at hers. Using positive things instead of negative things?”
She hadn’t thought of that. She’d done all the right things to get to this spot and was pissed off that she wasn’t going further. That was the only reason she chose to look into finding dirt on her boss. She could do it, but did she want to? Did she want that position that badly or that way?
She rubbed a hand down her face then took a bite of her hotdog. When she swallowed it, she answered him. “Your way feels better. It speaks to something in my soul.”
He opened his mouth then closed it.
“What were you going to say?”
“Nothing. I just think you are stronger than you give yourself credit for,” Donal said. “I think you can do anything you set your mind to do. Why not set it towards something positive?”
“Better for my karma.”
“Karma?”
Meg waved a hand. “Good will then.”
“Something like that.”
She looked at her watch. “I’ve got to go back.”
Donal rose. “I can walk you.”
She smiled up at him. For some reason she had the sense that nothing bad could happen to her with him around. Before they parted ways in the lobby, he put a hand on her arm. “I’d like to see you again tonight. I promise I won’t run out.”
“Okay. Same place and time?”
“Sure.”
***
Donal knew it was a mistake as soon as the words were out of his mouth, but for some reason, he couldn’t take them back. So here he sat, waiting for Meg in Clancy’s again.
She appeared in the bar then her smile appeared when her gaze met his. She was glad to see him. What had he done? In his day, he knew his fairy. He knew he was guarding, but he’d kept his distance because he was also protecting the fairy lands.
This was a new concept for him and he was afraid of what was going to happen. In this city, he found it harder to keep track of her. He’d been on the fence about contacting her, but now he wondered if he’d done the right thing.
He was happy to see her. His heart beat a little faster when she leaned in to hug him. That crossed a line for him, but he would broach the subject later. She didn’t know he was her protector.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” he said when she sat.
“Did you order me a drink?” she said.
As if on cue, the waitress put a Guinness in front of her. She smiled up at the waitress then at Donal. That smile was magnificent. It made her eyes sparkle. She sipped it looking at him over the glass.
“Why so serious?” she said. “Bad day?”
“No. I just need to talk to you about something. It might explain my odd behavior.”
“I like you Donal. I just wanted you to know that before you said anything.”
She leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest. Her foot twitched on the ground.
“You’re adopted right?”
“Yes.” Her eyes widened as she leaned on the table. “Are we siblings?”
Not possible. He couldn’t help but grin at her horrified look. They hadn’t even kissed. “No. We aren’t.”
“You’re sure? I have a sense that we have a connection. Like I’ve known you my whole life,” she said.
He suddenly found himself wanting to kiss those pouting lips.
Hold on! That was a problem.
“We are not siblings, but I can explain our connection.”
She rested her elbows on the table. “Go ahead.”
“I need you to have an open mind.”
“Okay.”
He took a deep breath. “When you want something good, do
es it come your way?”
“Well, not my boss’ job, but until then, yes, I guess so. I’ve never wished for anything unrealistic. I didn’t want a pony when I was a kid,” she said.
She took another sip of her beer, studying him.
“Do you know anything about your birth parents?”
She put down her pint of beer. “Only that they were Irish and they might have been killed.”
“Have you tried to trace them?” he said.
He leaned his elbows on the table, mirroring her posture. She leaned back, her eyes getting a little more wary. He’d have to tread carefully in this conversation. He didn’t know what people believed in this day and age. At a disadvantage not knowing that, he was going into this conversation blind. Not a good stance tactically and it chafed at him.
“The adoption was closed. I can’t get the information. I can’t even get anything on the internet.” She frowned. “When my adoptive parents were killed I searched. There wasn’t any paperwork among their things. I didn’t even know the adoption agency. It was like it happened secretly.”
Not surprising. He figured they’d covered their tracks to protect her. Nor did they tell her what her origins were. Her adopted parents may not have known for another layer of insulation. He would have done the same thing to protect her.
He nodded. “I see.” He made another tactical decision. She wasn’t ready yet to know she was a fairy. “Have you felt special? Kind of on the outside of things?”
Her mouth fell open a little. Her elegant brow furrowed. “Just outside my friends.”
“Certain friends?”
The ones who had been at her house? They must have been fairies, too. That’s why she’d bonded with them. He hadn’t been close enough to notice and because they weren’t his fairies to protect he couldn’t sense them. Fairies did tend to stay with their own kind.
“Yes. What are you getting at? Is this something because I’m Irish?”
“Sort of.”
He’d have to tell her eventually because of the goblin. He couldn’t defeat it without her help. He hadn’t been confronted with a goblin since long before he’d been turned to stone. His father had told the three of them a story of his lone fight with one. They were vicious, but the combination of fairy and gargoyle was unstoppable.
Her power would give him the strength to defeat of the goblin.
When Garogyles Love Trilogy Page 5
