Page 110 of Redeeming 6

“I doubt it,” he replied honestly. “It’s my first time.”

Another splatter of grease flew at his face, causing him to yelp like a wounded dog.

“Give me that thing before you hurt yourself,” I ordered, taking the spatula from him. “Fucking private-school boys.” Mopping up the splatters with a nearby tea towel, I slung it over my shoulder and worked to salvage the meat disintegrating on the pan. “Used to having everything done for ye.”

“Shit, Kav, I was wrong.” Gibsie chuckled, hovering over my shoulder like a child waiting for a slice of birthday cake to be cut. “This fucker right here is the daddy.”

“Give me some plates,” I instructed, annoyed by how close he was—literally breathing on me. “And some personal space.”

“On it.” He chuckled good-naturedly.

What a strange bastard.

“Do me a favor,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Kavanagh. “Go and check on my sister, will ya?”

He was instantly alert now, hangover forgotten. “Shannon?”

“Yeah.” Nodding, I took the plate that Gibsie was holding out for me and started to pile the rashers on it. “She’s out in the car.”

“Why would you leave her in the car?” he demanded. “It’s freezing outside.”

“Because she wouldn’t come in for me,” I replied calmly. “You can try to get her to come inside yourself if you want, but she’s not budging.”

He didn’t answer me.

Because he was too busy diving for the door.

I smirked.

“Lad,” Gibsie snickered, nudging my shoulder with his. “I think my best friend is a small bit obsessed with your sister.”

“What did I tell ya about personal space?” I snapped, and then waited for him to take a safe step back before cracking an egg into the pan. “But yeah, I reckon my sister is a small bit obsessed with your best friend, too.”

“Aw, shucks,” he mused, eyes dancing with mischief. “Isn’t young love fun?”

“Hmm,” was all I muttered in response.

“Yeah, well, word of warning, Joey the hurler.” He chuckled. “If shit gets serious between them, which I have a feeling it already is, then your shy baby sister’s world is about to turn on its axis.”

I didn’t like the sound of that.

Not one fucking bit.

“Explain.”

“Kav doesn’t ride waves unless he’s sure of the tide.”

“Okay. Explain in plain English.”

“Alright.” Gibsie grinned. “Kav clearly wants your sister. Your sister clearly wants Kav. Maybe there’s a little more than just wanting each other going on here. Who knows? Either way, he’s someone whose intentions you take seriously.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” Gibsie confirmed. “Everything about Kav’s world is serious, stable, and selected since birth. His future is set in stone, and his plans are cemented in front of him without an inch of moving space. So, if he’s moving shit around to make space for her, if he’s even considering putting her slap-bang in the middle of those plans, then it’s not an accident. He’s about as spontaneous as a dustpan and brush, lad. So, if he decides to go there with your sister, you can be sure that he’ll have put together an entire thesis of the pros and cons of making such a move beforehand. Johnny’s careful, lad, and he’s stable, and when he makes a decision, it’s done intentionally and with permanence in mind.”

I listened to what he was telling me and had a feeling that, in Gibsie’s own fucked-up way, he was trying to let me know that I could trust his friend not to hurt my sister, and that no harm would come to Shannon when she was with Johnny.

“And this is the same fella you thought you could get to smoke a joint,” I joked, tone laced with amusement. “This serious-thinking, predictable, unspontaneous giant of a lad is the one you and Biggs thought ye could loosen up?”

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