Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“Where is everyone?” I whispered.
Lucas sighed. “Folks haven’t been coming in much lately. A lot of people have been hit hard in the community and money is tight. Benny’s worried he may have to close the pub if things keep going the way they are.”
“Oh no! That’s terrible. It looks like it’s been around for a long time.”
“Yeah, it sucks for him and his family,” Lucas said with a nod. “It’s been open since the late eighteen-hundreds.”
A handsome guy in his late 20s or early 30s glanced up from whatever he was reading. He had blondish red hair and eyes so blue I could see them from where we were standing.
“How’s it going, Benny?” Lucas asked.
A wide smile grew across his face, and I swore his eyes lit up, especially when he looked at me.
“Grand!”
A younger woman with the same smile as Benny walked out from a back area. It must be his sister Kelley Lucas had mentioned. She looked at Lucas and grinned, but her smile faltered slightly when she saw me. Our eyes met and she quickly grinned again. It was all so fast that if I hadn’t been paying attention, I would have missed it.
“Hey, Kelley. How are you today?” Lucas asked.
“I’m suckin’ diesel.”
My smile faltered and I turned to give Lucas a questioning look. He laughed and said, “Yeah, that one took me a while to figure out. It basically means she’s doing good. Or grand. At least, I think that’s what it means.”
Giggling, I slipped onto a barstool as Lucas introduced me. “Benny, Kelley, this is my fiancée, Hollie Craft.”
Benny reached for my hand, his smile growing into a full-on grin. “It’s nice to finally meet ya, Hollie. Lucas here has been talking about ya non-stop.”
I returned his gesture with a smile of my own. “It’s so nice to meet you both.”
Kelley shook my hand and asked, “Did ya just arrive?”
Nodding, I replied, “I did and I’m starving. Lucas said you have the best food in town.”
Kelley and Benny both beamed. “That we do,” Kelley said. “Only because it’s me ma who’s doing the cooking.”
Benny helped his sister into her coat as he said, “We’ve got Irish stew and bangers and mash.”
“Irish stew for me,” Lucas quickly said.
“Bangers and Mash?” I asked, one brow raised. “That sounds…interesting and oddly sexual.”
Kelley let out a bark of laughter while Benny pointed to me and looked over at Lucas. “I like her.”
“So do I,” Lucas stated, kissing me on the cheek.
“It’s sausage with mashed potatoes and an onion gravy. Side of peas as well,” Benny said with a twinkle in his eyes.
My stomach took that moment to growl. “That sounds amazing. I’ll have that.”
Knocking on the bar, Benny nodded. “I’ll go get it for ya.”
After he walked into what I was assuming was the kitchen, Kelley let out a sigh and glanced around the pub.
“How are things going?” Lucas asked.
She shrugged. “Hardly anyone showed up last night, which isn’t good. We’ve only been open an hour or so. I’m hoping the lunch crowd will pick up at least. I’ve got to run; picking up me Ma for an outing.”
“See you around, Kelley,” Lucas said as she glanced over at me once more.
“It was nice to meet ya.”
“You as well,” I replied with a smile.
Once Kelley had left, I turned to Lucas. “She doesn’t like me.”
His eyes went wide. “Why do you say that?”
“It was painfully obvious, Lucas. How could you not see it?”
With a one-shoulder shrug, he said, “I think you’re tired and hungry. She likes you; why wouldn’t she like you?”
“What did you tell them about me?”
“That you were my fiancée. That we’ve known each other for as long as I can remember and that you were joining me here.”
I lifted a brow. “Did you mention I was a witch?”
He laughed. “As crazy as this may sound, I don’t normally go around telling people I’m marrying a witch.”
Glancing back at the door, I exhaled. “Well, she either doesn’t like me because she likes you, or she doesn’t like me for some other reason.”
“Hollie, you’re being paranoid.”
“Alright, here’s your lunch. Pint for ya both?” Benny asked.
“I’ll take one,” Lucas said.
“Just a water for me, please,” I replied with a soft smile.
Benny seemed taken aback. “No pint? You’re in Ireland, Hollie.”
Laughing, I nodded. “And as much as it kills me not to taste the Guinness, I can’t.”
Screwing his face up in disgust, Benny asked, “Ya don’t drink?”
Lucas and I exchanged looks before I gave him a slight nod.
“Hollie’s pregnant,” he said.
Benny’s entire face lit up. “That’s wonderful news!”
Lucas’s smile was so big I couldn’t help but giggle. “I just found out. I mean, Hollie told me a little while ago.”
Benny reached for Lucas’s hand and shook it. “It’s about time we heard some good news in this place.”
The door to the pub opened and I turned to see an older man slowly making his way in. He glanced over at the three of us and lifted his hand. “Me pint, Benny, before the missus finds out I’m here.”