Shamrocks and Secrets

by Cayce Poponea

  I watched my father walk Shannon down the aisle. Huge tears rested just on the edge of his eyelids as he kissed her cheek, and then placed her hand in Dillion's. It was then I noticed Patrick sitting on the second row. His eyes locked with mine, I love you silently spoken, and a wink to seal it.

  As I looked around the church, I smiled as I remembered Charlotte’s scolding that I hadn’t attended mass in a very long time, while Patrick and his family were faithful mass attendees. That had changed for me as well; I was now sitting on Patrick’s left every time we attended together.

  Father Murphy had done an amazing job, and as I watched my sister turn to face her guests, I could only smile as I thought it wouldn’t be much longer until it was my turn.

  As we posed for picture after picture, I couldn’t stop looking at Patrick, who sat patiently across the courtyard. I remembered the first time I saw him in a tux, how he carried himself, how he had owned the room.

  Once the final photo was taken, Dillion asked to have a few minutes alone with Shannon before the reception. I made use of the time by crossing the yard and launching myself into Patrick’s awaiting arms.

  “Mmm, you do know that it’s tradition for the maid of honor and the best man to hook up later?”

  I chuckled as I pulled back. “Is that so? Well, that’s a tradition I’ll be breaking. Did you see the best man?”

  Travis was Dillion’s older brother and his best man. Last night at the rehearsal dinner. he had told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was very interested in me. Patrick of course had made it known to everyone that I was not available. Not that I would have gone for Travis, he was just…gross.

  “Good thing, I’d be breaking him otherwise,” Patrick’s husky voice vibrated in my ear.

  “I think after last night, the entire city knows we’re together.”

  He openly smiled at that.

  “Christi, this dress is absolutely beautiful on you.” His fingers danced across the top of the delicate flowers that were stitched on the side of my right breast. “It’ll be even more beautiful on the floor of our condo later,” he whispered as his teeth came down sharply on my earlobe.

  I dug my nails into the material of his tux and closed my eyes as I pressed my torso into his chest. “You have no idea how dangerously close to losing control I am right now,” My voice shook with want.

  “Your office is three blocks away; I think you left the coffee machine on this morning.” His husky voice suggested in my ear.

  “I think you’re right, that could be very dangerous.”

  The lights in my office were off when we stumbled through the door. We didn’t waste time in correcting that as my back was slammed into the wall behind my desk.

  “Babe, my sister will kill me if I ruin this dress before the reception.”

  Patrick sucked in a huge breath as he lifted me onto my desk, scattering all the papers that lay in his way. “These won’t matter then.” I gasped when he ripped my panties off my body. “Babe, I can’t be gentle, I need…need you right fucking now,” he hissed, his words rushed and spoken between clenched teeth.

  “Who said you had to be?”

  The next thing I knew, my back was against my filing cabinet and I could feel the cold metal against my bare shoulder. Patrick’s cock was suddenly buried so deeply that I cried out in surprise. His thrusts were hard and he was bouncing me against the filing cabinet, but I just couldn't make myself care. I wanted this, I wanted him. I didn’t need gentle right now, I needed pure raw fucking. Patrick certainly didn’t disappoint.

  “Oh, yes, Baby! Come on, Christi, fucking come!” He demanded as his hips continued to pound into mine.

  I could feel that wonderful tidal wave building and just when I thought he would come before me, he shifted his hips and began thrusting at a different angle.

  I cried into his ear as I came hard.

  “Wow, I’m never going to look at my office the same,” I said between pants.

  “Oh, yeah? Mine is next.”

  Waiting to go into the reception, Travis took the opportunity to try,one last time, to make certain I knew I had options. I took one look at Tonto and Brandon who stood in the corner. Tonto had a hold of him in less than a second.

  “You were warned, Sir.”

  I watched as Tonto took Travis outside and Brandon wrapped my hand around his arm, “I always knew I was the best man.” We both chuckled. Dillion looked at Brandon and only shook his head as he kissed my sister on the forehead.

  As the DJ announced my name followed by Brandon’s, I was shocked that the news had traveled so fast. I looked around the room to find Patrick talking away on his phone. He didn’t look angry, although he was pulling at his hair. You would have thought there wouldn’t be any left after the way I went at it only minutes ago.

  Brandon made me laugh as he began to twirl me around the dance floor. The crowd cheered and I was laughing so hard I nearly lost my breath.

  Once Shannon and Dillion were announced, Patrick wasted no time in claiming my hand. Brandon’s dancing was nothing compared to my Patrick.

  “Please tell me Travis will be able to give his best man speech.”

  “No, I’ll be delivering that one.”

  “Oh, Patrick, you didn’t kill him, did you?”

  “No, croi milis.”

  Patrick had started calling me sweetheart in Gaelic since returning from Ireland. Honestly, I loved it.

  “Don’t you sweetheart me! I’ll be pissed if you ruin this wedding.”

  “He’s being attended to as we speak.”

  No more was said about Travis and Patrick stood graciously and announced that he was feeling under the weather. With a gleam in his eye, he gave the most amazing speech I had ever heard. I just couldn’t wait for this man to be my husband.

  “I was so proud of you tonight,” Patrick whispered into my ear as we lay in bed later that night.

  “I just did the reception.”

  “No, I was talking about your...”

  “Morgan,” her name left my lips with disdain.

  “Yes, her. I can’t imagine what it was like for you and your sisters. All the little things that Mothers do for their daughters.”

  I burrowed deeper into his chest.

  “I meant what I said; I would kill you if you tried to separate me from my kids.”

  Patrick actually chuckled, “You’d be in line behind my Ma. She loves you and she’d kill me if I did anything stupid like that.”

  We both smiled wide. He was right, she would.

  As I closed my eyes, I began to go over the events of the wedding. So much had happened, yet Shannon was none the wiser.

  My last thought, before I let the darkness take me was who was driving that black car?

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “Christi, clear your schedule for three weeks from tomorrow for your engagement party.”

  With Shannon far away on her honeymoon, I had plenty of time available. I still smiled at Nora as she flipped through her desk calendar and began writing with fury. Nora wanted to handle everything about our engagement party. I wanted to make her happy, so I didn’t argue.

  Nora had wanted me to meet with a friend of the family who owned a prestigious event planning company. I had never worked personally with Makenna Gilbert, but I had heard she was very good at what she did. Up until the Connor-Donnelly wedding, she had done purely corporate events.

  I had only seen her across the room as Charlotte handled the actual meetings. I knew she was beautiful and commanded a room, but that was all I knew.

  “Is Patrick going to meet us at Makenna’s office?”

  Nora had spoken to Makenna the second I said yes to Patrick’s proposal. Makenna had assured her that if she had something else scheduled on the day of my wedding, she would reschedule.

  “He said he’d try, but he did have a meeting he couldn’t get out of.” Patrick had been very busy since the wedding and I had barely seen him. I already knew that he would tell
me to pick out what I wanted. However, I wanted him to have a say in things as well.

  “Have we decided on colors yet?”

  That was probably the easiest answer I had today. I wanted to have the Malloy family plaid, like the yellow sash and blue plaid kilt that the gentleman wore in the picture that once hung in Patrick’s old office.

  “Yes, the Malloy family colors.”

  You would have thought I had just handed her the golden ticket, her eyes instantly became bright and I watched as a single tear fell down her cheek.

  “Nora?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Lass, I just expected you to want something trendy.”

  Nora dried her tears as we made our way to the waiting car.

  “Good morning, Angus,” I spoke as I sat in the back seat of the Mercedes.

  “Beautiful morning, Mrs. Malloy, Ms. O'Rourke,” was his nodded reply.

  Angus had grown on me. There was just something about him that was very comforting to me. He never smiled, but he was always polite and always a step ahead.

  The drive to Ms. Gilbert’s office wasn’t far, but with the morning traffic, it was a time-consuming trip. We arrived to find Makenna’s office was housed in a high-rise building just off Michigan Avenue. Once inside the lobby, I was shocked to find how cold and sterile it was decorated. No pictures on the wall or comfortable chairs to sit in. It reminded me of an emergency room waiting area.

  In the corner of the room sat a desk with a dark-haired girl nestled behind it. Once we approached, she raised her eyes from her computer screen to Nora’s face. I recognized her immediately as the young girl who had run down Patrick’s stairs that night at the strip club.

  Michelle looked great, it seemed rehab had done her some good. Her face was fuller and she had a genuine smile on her face.

  “Mrs. Malloy, good morning. Let me get Ms. Gilbert for you.”

  The young girl was up and out of her seat before I could even blink.

  From the door that she so quickly disappeared into came a very beautiful blonde. Her light blue dress clung to her like a second skin and she looked like she had just stepped off a Milan runway. She cleared the space between us very quickly yet remarkably gracefully. She immediately engulfed Nora into a tight hug.

  “Oh, Nora! I’m so excited for you. Two children in the same year!”

  Nora and Makenna began to exchange the customary pleasantries as she ushered us into her office.

  The decor in Makenna’s office wasn’t much better. A single desk and two hard plastic chairs were about the only things there. Not once did she offer us anything to drink, not that I would have accepted, but it was customarily polite to offer.

  The longer I looked at her, the more I just didn’t feel right. I couldn’t put my finger on anything specific, but I just knew I had seen her before.

  “Oh, Makenna , I nearly forgot to introduce you to my new daughter. Makenna, Christi. Christi, Makenna .”

  I extended my hand out to her, and just as she brought her hand up, that was when it happened. It was the motion of her hand that caused my mind to flash back to that night in the parking lot. This was the over-processed, hooker wanna-be with Patrick that had flipped me off.

  “I’ve wanted to meet the person who’s taken our Patrick off the market.”

  Our Patrick? Bitch, please…

  The sound of Nora’s cell ringing stopped me from saying what I really wanted to.

  “Lass, I’m sorry, but this is Thomas and I have to take it.”

  She gracefully rose from her plastic chair and left the office.

  “You’re not at all what I expected,” Makenna’s facade dropped and the demeaning tone in her voice did nothing but piss me off.

  “Funny, you’re meeting all of my expectations,” I sneered back at her.

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” She threw back at me.

  “Don’t think for one minute that I don’t remember you,” I spoke as I leaned in her direction.

  “Whatever. I’ve never…”

  “Gino’s parking lot, you got out of the car with Patrick and decided he was paying too much attention to me and decided to flip me off. Ring any bells?” I spat, giving her the bitch brow.

  She could only glare back at me.

  “See, it wasn’t that you did that just to me, my four-year-old niece was in that car and she could have seen you…”

  “Who gives a fuck about your niece? You do realize he’s only marrying you because he and your father have a contract?”

  I didn’t believe her for a second. Makenna was no better than Sophia. They would say whatever they had to in order to hurt people.

  “Well, that and the fact I can fuck his brains out.”

  I could tell by the look on her face that I had hit a nerve. She and Patrick had obviously never been together, but that clearly wasn’t by her choice.

  “You wouldn’t know anything about that, fucking him I mean.”

  She didn’t get the opportunity to respond as Nora came back into the room. She wasn’t alone, she had Thomas and Patrick on each side of her.

  I rose from my seat as I crossed the room to greet Thomas. With a quick hello and a kiss to the cheek, I turned my attention to Patrick as he pulled me into his arms.

  “Chaill me` dathuil tu`.” (I missed you, handsome)

  “Chaill me` dathhil tu` croi fresinin milis.” (I missed you, too, sweetheart)

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Makenna had not one clue what was just said. She may have had an Irish name, but she didn’t speak a word of Gaelic.

  “Oh, Thomas, remember when we were like that?”

  “What are you talking about, my love? We’re still like that. I love you very much, my Nora.”

  As I peeked at Thomas and Nora staring at each other, I questioned if Patrick looked at me like that. Directing my attention up to his beautiful face, I had my answer…oh, hell yes.

  “I was just discussing with Christi the plans for your upcoming wedding, Patrick,” Makenna purred, batting her lashes. Seriously?

  “Oh, and what did you decide?” Nora questioned, her face still glowing.

  “Yes, Makenna, what did we decide?”

  I had already made up my mind about her planning my wedding. The second I knew it was the same trashy woman from the parking lot, I knew.

  “Well…” she muttered uncomfortably, “She has, um…” Keep digging. “I thought…”

  Patrick’s arms were still wrapped around my waist and he was softly moving his thumbs in a circular motion on my hips. I couldn’t take her stupidity anymore. She had no idea how to handle a situation like this. She could spew venom, but that was about it.

  “Makenna, allow me,” I said interrupting her rambling.

  The look on her face was of relief, but that was about to change.

  “You see, Nora, Makenna here has somewhat of a history with my Patrick,” I said removing myself from his very talented fingers and then encouraging him to sit in my chair. “She showed her true colors one night when they were out together.”

  I looked to Patrick’s face, he was confused.

  “I had been eating dinner with my father and my niece when I saw Makenna, standing in what would be described as ‘prostitute’ attire.” I looked directly at Nora as I continued, “Makenna here, didn’t know me from Adam, and when she decided that Patrick was looking at me too long, she flipped me off. Thankfully, my niece didn’t see the gesture.”

  The look on Nora’s face was one of concern.

  “Now, I have pretty tough skin when it comes to those things, I simply thought she wanted me to know her IQ.”

  Thomas let out a snort of laughter, Nora shooting him a look, leaning into his arm, a smile beginning to form.

  “However, as a professional, I would’ve never acted toward any of my clients as she has toward me while you, Nora, were out of the room just now.”

  Nora looked to Makenna and then to Patrick.

  “Patrick, Make
nna simply cannot believe you’re marrying someone like me. And informed me that you are only doing it out of a contractual obligation between our fathers.”

  Before Nora or Patrick could question, I dealt my final blow.

  “I realize that Makenna is a friend of the family, but if you want me to marry you, Patrick, it’ll have to be planned by someone who doesn’t want to climb up your dick, cutting my throat on the way.”

  You could have heard a pin drop in that room.

  “But…we had a deal,” Makenna’s voice now sounded desperate.

  I turned back to face her, “What deal?” I demanded. No one spoke, as Makenna looked desperately at Patrick. “I said, what deal?” My voice a little louder.

  “Makenna owes the family quite a bit of money and this was how we arranged for her to pay it back,” Thomas finally answered.

  It had nothing to do with me and I could've care less who she owed money to. She was not getting anywhere near my wedding. I pulled my phone from my purse and dialed Charlotte’s number.

  It rang three times before she answered. “Sick of Makenna already?” She chuckled into the phone.

  “Cut the shit, Charlotte, I need a name.”

  “A…all right,” she responded startled.

  “I want someone who’s new to the business, who’ll be more interested in the planning of my wedding than bedding my husband,” I looked directly into Makenna’s ashen face. “Oh, yes, and I need her to be Irish. The wedding will be mostly in Gaelic and I don’t want her confused.”

  “Wow, I’m having a proud moment here. You’re cutting her where it matters. Excuse me, I’m feeling verklempt.”

  I ignored Charlotte’s sarcasm; I was mad and I wanted to stay that way.

  “Maggie Callahan. She’s been trying to get her business rolling, but she’s still wet behind the ears.”

  I looked at Nora as I responded, “It's a good thing I’m registering for towels then.”

  Charlotte gave me the number and I made a point of calling while I was still sitting in Makenna’s office. I wanted Makenna to know she had messed with the wrong woman when she pulled her little stunt.

  Maggie was available immediately and lucky for me, so was Patrick. I said a quick goodbye complete with a ‘go to hell’ smirk to Makenna, and out the door we went.