Page 29 of Her Irish Boss

Selena slidthe bag of groceries onto the kitchen table, smiling at Katie as she brought in another load. “You didn't have to help me, but thanks.”

Katie shrugged. “I have nothing else to do. I went on a second date with that Army hat guy I met the other night at the bar. I really must have had some beer-goggles on. Definitely cuter with a hat.” She began to unload the bags.

Mimi shuffled into the kitchen. “Hello, Katie,” she said. Selena never picked up as deep of an accent as her grandmother held. Growing up in the middle of downtown Atlanta failed to produce that deep drawl known in other parts of the state.

“Hello, Ms. Estella.” Katie held up a rented DVD and a pint of ice cream. “Are you up for girl's night?”

“What movie is that?” she asked.

“The newest James Bond.”

Mimi laughed, a rich deep sound that Selena remembered from when she was little. Her mom and Mimi would sit around the kitchen table, smoking cigarettes and laughing about something. Even though her mom had problems with men and was a pretty lousy role model, Selena never remembered being unhappy. That didn't come until she recognized how the world worked. And she realized that which side of the tracks you were raised does matter to some people.

Growing up in a trailer held a certain stigma.

Selena looked around her cramped, old apartment. She kept it clean, if not neat and put away. It was the best she could do at the moment.

“My favorite James is Sean Connery.”

“James? Are you on a first-name basis?” Katie asked with a laugh.

Mimi winked. “Absolutely, honey.”

Selena finished putting away the groceries before joining them in the living room. Three bowls of ice cream and the newest James Bond film with two women she loved.It made the ache deep down for Brogan less prominent because it was always there, a half-second from entering into her mind and distracting her, making her wonder how to push him past his rules.

He'd asked her if she was seeing anyone. That wasn't a green flag that he was straight-out interested in her. She knew better than to infer that. But the way he'd said it, with a nervous hitch in his voice, made her wonder. He never got personal with his employees. Asking her if she had a boyfriend was averypersonal question.

“Ms. Estella, did Selena tell you how her boss came to her rescue the other night?” Katie ignored Selena's head shake. She didn't want to upset her grandmother with a bad story.

“It was nothing.”

“No,” Mimi said, also ignoring Selena. “What happened?”

“There was this horrible customer that said something to Selena, and our boss kicked him out. Personally, I think he has a thing for Selena.”

Mimi's eyebrows pulled down tight, making her normally lightly wrinkled face contort. “Her boss? Isn't he the one you both complained about was too demanding and a dictator?”

“The same one.” Katie took a big bite of ice cream, blowing Selena an air kiss. “Apparently, he's not quite so bossy to Selena as to the rest of us.”

“Oh, he's just as bossy. Believe me.” Bossy in that he gets to dictate the speed of their flirty “non” relationship that's currently driving her crazy.

Mimi watched Selena for a moment. “You can always find another job, honey.”

“No. I like this job. He's fine.”

Katie laughed again. “You know he's a football field distance beyondfine. More like a total hottie. But I'm beyond drooling for him.”

“Yeah. You're just drooling over Cathal.”

Mimi held up her hand. “Who's Cathal?”

“Brogan's youngest brother. He owns the pub as well,” Selena said.

“I love how you say his name.” Katie clasped her hands together. “Brogan. Oh, my hot boss,Brogan!”

Selena tried to be mad at Katie, but she couldn't. For the past six months, she'd been her best friend. She'd helped Katie through two major break-ups, and Katie helped Selena stay sane. And Mimi loved Katie. Loved how open and funny she was about life. Nothing could shock her grandmother.

Mimi scrapped the bottom of her ice cream bowl and set it on the small table beside her. “Selena, you should tell him how you feel.”

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