Irish on the Rocks

by Magan Vernon

  Once Seamus rounded the corner and it was just the four of us Murphys standing in front of the room, I turned to Connor and Fallon. “What the hell do you think you two are doing?”

  “Helping you out. You need an assistant and she needs a job.” Connor frowned.

  “I agree. Though I hope I can get to Seamus’s place before she gets that email so I can see the look on her face,” Sean said with a laugh and was gone before we could say anything else.

  I sighed, raking my hands through my hair before glaring at Connor and Fallon. “You two can’t offer an interview to a girl you don’t even know anything about. HR has to go through a process.”

  Connor smirked. “Someone with editing experience could pass a few tests then be up in your office for an interview in no time. Unless there’s a reason you wouldn’t want to hire her. Have a past tryst that you don’t want Sean to know about?”

  I straightened and cleared my throat. “Nothing ever happened like that with Grace and me. She’s one of Sean’s best mates. That’s all.”

  “Okay. I believe you,” Connor said, raising his hands. “But if there is something, might be worth persuing. The board wouldn’t question a marriage between a Walsh and a Murphy, that’s for sure.”

  I laughed slightly, shaking my head at the ridiculousness of it all. “Why don’t I head to the jewelry store now? I’ll pick up a ring and ask her to help fulfill the heir clause. Six months with me can’t be too bad if she can get a reasonable divorce settlement.”

  For a while I actually thought Connor and Fallon had that agreement, and maybe they still did. Though the way he smiled at her when I said that did seem like it had been discussed.

  Connor shrugged. “I’m not telling you to do anything. You need an assistant. She needs a job. What’s the harm in having her fill out the application? I’m not saying marry her. But maybe be open to something. For the company.”

  My jaw ticked. He knew exactly the words to say to me. That all of this was for Murphy’s. It wasn’t about some office romance. Just a marriage for the company.

  “Should I help Aileen schedule something? I’m sure she’d be happy to get back to the accounting department,” Fallon piped up, the grin spreading across her face as she pulled out her phone.

  Her eyes widened after she typed in a few things. “Damn. I was just being nice, but one search on this Grace girl and, I have to say, she’s impressive.”

  I frowned, taking Fallon’s phone. “Let me see what you’re looking at.”

  Staring back at me was a professionally styled photo of Grace and those red lips. I scrolled past her face quickly before the others noticed me staring at those gorgeous brown eyes. Moving down the web page for “Grace Evans: Freelance Editor,” I found her school and former job information. As well as references and quotes from authors with best-selling titles behind their names. I always knew she was bright, but I didn’t expect this much. Maybe it couldn’t hurt to call her in for an interview if she did indeed fill out the form.

  After all, I didn’t need to piss off any board members. It wouldn’t be so bad having someone help me take on more of my own scheduling before she moved on to a new position.

  And if I could get the chance to make up for my arsery, then even better.

  I sighed. “If she does go through the application process, I’ll call her former employers and set up an interview with Fallon. Would that make you two happy?”

  Connor laughed. “For now.”

  Chapter Three

  Grace

  I should have been focusing on the current manuscript that was staring at me from the computer screen. The author had low-balled me, but I needed the money until I found a full-time job and a flat I could afford.

  But there was something else about reading the fictional woman’s budding romance that had me thinking about my lack of a love life.

  When Jack and I talked at the gala, and dare I say flirted, something new sparked in me. All of those feelings I’d only read about in books bubbled to the surface. But it was short-lived. And I, of course, made an arse of myself, making the brooding man hate me more than he already did.

  All of those years not seeing the oldest Murphy brother should have made me forget about his arsehole ways. The cocky bugger who wouldn’t give anyone, including me, the time of day even though I was only three years younger. Hell, he would have probably laughed if I had tried to make a move the last time I saw him when I was sulking in the back of his swanky car.

  But Saturday night he looked at me differently. That stupid little dimple popping on his cheek and he talked to me so warmly.

  Then of course I had to go and ruin the little moment we had. Like always.

  Mum had been mortified when she had heard the sordid details. Grandfather had said he would smooth things over at the Murphy board meeting today.

  Frustrated, I decided to head to a little café down the road. Maybe a croissant and a cappuccino would get me back on track to finish this editing job. I also wouldn’t have the added distraction of my dog begging for attention or Mum asking me questions when I was in the middle of a heated scene.

  When the waiter had left the table after I placed my order, I pulled my phone out of my bag.

  I figured checking my email for jobs and a little mindless web surfing couldn’t hurt while I waited for my food. I mainly used all of my social media accounts for freelance jobs, so everything I pulled up was bookish and some friends from uni or boarding school.

  This included Sean who had posted a photo from his brother Connor’s wedding.

  I couldn’t admit, even to myself, that it wasn’t the happy couple in the wedding photos that caught my eye. Jack Murphy’s smolder practically blazed through the screen as he stood next to his brother.

  He wore a suit tailored for his broad shoulders and tapered waist. Always clean shaven with a perfect hairstyle. The man never had a hair out of place, while I currently sat out in public wearing cropped yoga pants and a What would Jane Austen do T-shirt.

  It would have been fine if I was going to yoga or the gym. But here I sat stuffing my face with croissant number two and thinking about what Jack was doing right then.

  Bollocks.

  I’ll admit I thought about what would have happened if I hadn’t made a complete fool of myself. One night with Jack Murphy would either be the ego boost I needed or the man would laugh as soon as he got me to his probably uber-fancy flat and saw me in my Wonder Woman knickers.

  That is, if we would have even made it that far. It would have only been a matter of time before I had done something to mess it up. My parents’ crazy divorce was always in the back of my mind, keeping me from any kind of romantic relationship.

  Sure, the romance novels I edited had these grand love stories and I believed, yes, love and matrimony were great things. They just weren’t for me.

  I had seen what happened when love left a relationship. When, after being with someone for twenty-five years and having a child together, you just decide you want something different and fight tooth and nail to leave and take everything with you.

  Watching my mum crumble, realizing that she had nothing after all of that fighting and more lawyer bills on top of it, crushed every notion I had of getting married.

  She was the one who suggested we moved and help Grandmum and Granddad in Dublin. Not that I was sure they actually needed any extra with all of their hired hands. But I agreed, and together we would look to rebuild something in Ireland. As soon as we packed our bags for Dublin, I vowed, then and there, that I would never be in my mum’s situation.

  “Ma’am, your cappuccino,” the waiter said, knocking me out of my own thoughts.

  “Thank you,” I said and closed out of social media, pulled out my laptop, and tried to focus on work.

  Even as I drank and ate, my thoughts still drifted to Jack.

  There was always a little bit of a crush brewing inside of me for him. Even when I was just a little girl and first saw him, he was a gorg
eous lad.

  He’d aged even better. I’d seen some of the guys from his graduating class around social media. A lot were balding or rocking a dad bod without the kids.

  Jack still had a full head of brown hair and what he was hiding under his suit, I was sure wasn’t disappointing.

  Quickly, I shook my thoughts away from what kind of boxers the man would wear. If I was lucky, I’d never see him, or his probably fancy, silky man knickers, again.

  He was a busy man, after all. He had a company to run and I probably wouldn’t be invited to another gala as Sean’s date again. It was all just as well, though. I didn’t think I could face Jack again.

  After paying for my meal, and finishing a few chapters of edits, I grabbed my laptop bag and headed back to my grandparents where Grandmum was outside, picking weeds from the Delphiniums. Jane Pawsten barked at her heels and attacked each weed she threw on the ground.

  “Grandmum, should you be bending over like that?” I asked, setting my bag down near the porch before crouching next to her and helping pick out a few of the lower weeds in the garden she couldn’t reach.

  She smiled. “Probably not, but the dog and I needed some fresh air. And between you and me and the fence post, those gardeners don’t know what they’re doing when it comes to my summer blooms. These are for the diligent worker.”

  She looked over her shoulder. “And Janey likes chasing the slugs out, so it’s a win-win for both of us.”

  I laughed, watching the little dog attack one of the dead leaves like it was a ferocious creature. She barked and hopped on it a few times before she trotted over to me, nipping my hand until I gave her ears a good scratch.

  Not only was my little dog vocal, but if one didn’t listen to her, she’d find the first thing she could and chew it to a pulp. I’d gone through more pairs of shoes with her than I had in my entire life. I didn’t think a ten-pound dog could do that much damage, but my favorite pair of black pumps said otherwise.

  “I think you’re starting to take a shine to Grandmum. Better not leave you alone with her too much or you’ll have a new favorite person,” I said.

  She barked in response. Her little furry face was in need of a good grooming; her black beard looked more like Old Man Winter rather than the cropped look I preferred. But a groomer required money and someone like the woman in Notting Hill back home who could handle Jane’s personality. I could have asked Grandmum and Granddad for a loan, but I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to pay them back. And truth be told, the only thing I was sure of was that I needed to find a job that provided for myself and my dog. Other than that, I had no idea what the hell I was going to do.

  “Has she eaten anything besides the weeds today?” I asked, looking at Grandmum whose red face barely showed underneath her large straw sunhat.

  She sat back on her heels, rubbing her chin in thought. “I do remember the chef bringing us both eggs this morning. And I think we did have lunch. I had a sandwich, though I don’t think Jane had that.”

  I shook my head. “You’re getting very spoiled, little dog.”

  Grandmum nodded, petting Jane’s ears. “It’s nice to have her spunky personality around. Keeps me young.”

  “If she’s ever a handful, you’ll tell me? I can always take her with me when I go to the café or maybe even find a doggy daycare…”

  I trailed, wondering how much longer I’d be able to afford the café trips or even a daycare if I didn’t have a steady income.

  Grandmum’s hand went to mine, squeezing gently. “You don’t have to worry about her, mi cailín, you need to take care of yourself.”

  “I’m doing all right,” I muttered, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. I knew I couldn’t hide anything from Grandmum. She was clairvoyant like that.

  “You’d be doing better if you got out of this house once in a while.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “I was just gone all afternoon.”

  She waved her free hand. “I’m not talking about working down the street or one night out with that bearded boy, Sean. I’m saying, you need to find you a man. Like that Jack Murphy. You know the one you threw a drink on. He’s a looker, if I do say so myself.”

  Heat rose to my cheeks and it wasn’t just because of the summer sun. “Grandmum, first off, I spilled a drink. I didn’t throw it on him. And secondly, I don’t think there’s any way a man like that would want to hang out with me.”

  She shook her head. “Jack’s a fine boy. Maybe a little arrogant, but he does have a good heart. He’ll come around and know your little slipup with a drink was nothing.”

  “I’m sure he’s all of those things Grandmum, but really, I don’t think I’ll be seeing him again. Besides, I don’t need a man to make me happy or get me out of the house.” I tried to sit straighter. My bank account and lack of a life outside of my dog said I could use a date and a job, but it didn’t need to involve me seeing Jack again.

  She blew out a low whistle. “Now I know you modern girls have your toys that I’ve seen advertised online, but that can’t substitute the real thing. And as far as I know those battery-operated things can’t talk back. Though once I did see a documentary…”

  I waved my hand, cutting her off before she started getting into anything deeper that would have me gagging from hearing the words from her lips.

  “You know, I probably should get inside and feed Jane,” I said, quickly standing.

  Grandmum nodded, pointing a crooked finger at me. “Okay, but don’t forget what I said.”

  I was afraid that her little “talk” was going to be burned in my memory forever.

  Quickly, I scooped Jane Pawsten in my arms and grabbed my bag before we headed inside.

  “Well that was interesting, Janey,” I cooed, scratching behind her tiny perked up ears.

  Her pink tongue darted out, licking at my hands with little puppy kisses.

  “She’s been barking since you left. So Grandmum volunteered to take her outside. Were they both okay out there? I’ll make sure to send a maid out for her with some lemonade.” Mum’s shrill voice shuddered through me before she found the first poor house worker she could, making little overzealous suggestions at how she should serve the lemonade and what else Grandmum would need outside.

  Mum meant well, but she had a tendency to go a little overboard with her helpfulness.

  “I hope she doesn’t give the maid relationship advice,” I muttered, walking toward the large kitchen.

  Opening one of the cupboards, I grabbed Jane’s kibble, pouring it into a bowl and setting it beside her water bowl. The little dog happily buried her Wookie face in the dry brown food, crunching it so loud I swore it echoed off the walls.

  “You were gone an awfully long time. Meeting anyone today?” Mum asked, raising her eyebrows.

  I didn’t even know she’d followed me until her voice rang in my ears.

  Her too? Did everyone think I needed to be setup? Didn’t they know what could happen at the end of a marriage if it didn’t work out? Surely Mum knew better after all she went through. “I was working at the café. I left a note and told Grandmum before I left.”

  I wasn’t a child anymore, but living with my mum and grandparents again made me realize just how much I was lacking.

  I made a mental note to do another search for jobs later tonight. Maybe even search out in Cork if needed. Sure, the commute would be rough, but maybe it would build experience for a few months and then I could move onto something else.

  “Work.” She scoffed. “One hundred euros in a week isn’t work, Gracie.”

  And your job as an overbearing mum of an adult pays what?

  I smiled with a curt nod, even though I wanted to say something smart back. It wasn’t fair, though. Mum knew she had nothing and probably didn’t want her daughter to end up in the same position. But that didn’t mean I had to sit and listen to her belittle me.

  Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I aimlessly opened my email. I had it in my head I was going t
o pretend I had something to reply to. Then my eyes bulged when I saw a note from Jack Murphy c/o Fallon Murphy.

  “Bloody hell,” I muttered.

  “What? Something wrong? Something on the face chat?”

  I ignored Mum’s comment and didn’t bother correcting her. Instead, I opened the email, wondering what the hell he had to say via Fallon Murphy.

  Wasn’t that the name of Connor’s wife? Not that I was stalking his social media instead of working, but Granddad did say something about the new wife being Jack’s former employee. Never knew it was actually the assistant. though.

  I found myself smiling, thinking how that had probably ruffled his feathers. But my expression changed when I actually got to the heart of the email.

  Ms. Grace Evans,

  We have an opening for an executive assistant position at Murphy’s Pub Headquarters in Dublin. We were impressed by your background and would like to invite you to apply in our online system and then possibly sit down with you to talk a little more about the position.

  Please let me know when you have gone through the application process and we can see about setting up an interview.

  Looking forward to seeing you,

  Jack Murphy

  c/o Fallon Murphy E.A.455

  Why in the hell would I get an email like this from Jack or his assistant? His executive assistant who was also his sister-in-law? How the bloody hell did he even know I needed a job? Sean wouldn’t have told him. Maybe…

  Unless…

  “Is Granddad here?” I asked Mum, not looking up from my phone and walking toward the dining room.

  “Yes, he’s in his study. Is everything okay, Gracie?” Mum asked, following closely behind me. “Sean stopped by earlier looking for you as well, smiling like he had a secret. Is there something I’m missing? Does this have to do with what happened at the gala? I may have had a talk with Grandfather, but didn’t know if he said anything to Jack. Think he’s interested in you?”

  I ignored Mum, even though her words piqued my interest. We would have to have a talk about her and Grandfather meddling later. I opened the door at the end of the hall.