Page 49 of Her Irish Boss

“I'll take sad. Text me that she's alright.”

Cathal nodded once. “I will. Do you think she could plan an event like that? You said yourself she's smart.”

He took a breath and pulled out the chair opposite hisbrother and sat. “She is smart. I don't know if she'd do it, though. I could ask her. But what kind of event?”

“I'd say stick to our strongest qualities.”

“Fighting?”

Cathal's quick smile eased some of the tension between them. “Better. I don't know why we don't make Rian do something. He just had an interview withFood and Winemagazine. He's slated to be featured at their festival in Monaco this year. Let's play it up. Charge people a flat rate for food. One of his creations. Maybe a flat rate for a specialty drink.”

It might work. “We won't raise the full amount, probably.”

“There are other banks out there. We never sent that paperwork back to Jacob. I'll reach out to others first thing Monday.” He drummed his fingers on the table.

“What is it?” The pensive look didn't suit Cathal's face.

Cathal pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Who's going to tell Rian?”

Going out had been a mistake.Katie didn't take her to only one bar. She took her to five. Five bars from ten to almost one in the morning. Her feet ached, like usual, and she was over-wearing a strapless bra. Again, she'd tried to go out in something less revealing, but Katie refused to be her friend. Said she'd never find a guy who wanted a girl in a pair of jeans and flip flops.

Hell, she'd snagged Brogan that way.

But Katie was out to prove a point. Ever since becoming single, Katie had replaced the pain with the fleeting excitement of meeting new people. Flirting. Kissing. Selena understood the sensation. She'd done the same thing afterbreaking up with Jacob. But that'd been a long time ago. And Katie was still in her early twenties. Something switched in Selena's brain last year when she took over caring for Mimi. Maturity, maybe?

Katie stood near the bathrooms with a girl, whispering, giggling, and making out, while Selena sat at the bar with a Diet Coke that tasted flat. She might love her friend, but this might, officially, be the last time she goes out with Katie.

“Well, this is my lucky night.”

Simmons.

Shit.

“Is this seat taken?”

“Yes.” She snapped out the words, trying to be tough.

Simmons sat down anyway. His hand immediately patted her knee, and she stood up. “Leave me alone.”

The bartender, a cute, tall woman with red hair, immediately pounded on the wood top of the bar. “You okay?”

“We were just getting reacquainted,” Simmons said, his eyes lingering on Selena's chest.

“I was just leaving.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “You don't have your Irish bodyguards around to threaten me. But I'll have the last laugh. You know I made the owner raise the offer on the bar, right? They barely squeezed enough together for the first offer. No way they can add another five hundred thousand to it.”

Five hundred thousand. The number didn't seem real. Brogan didn't have enough sitting around without having to go to the bank. She could always appeal to Jacob for them, but Brogan wouldn't want her near him again. Not on behalf of the pub.

“Did you need something to drink?” The bartender knocked on the bar again. “You.”

“Ketle One. Straight up.” He reached out to touch Selena's hip, but she moved two seats down.

“No touching at my bar,” the bartender snapped. “She doesn't want you around, so I suggest you move along.”

Selena's phone buzzed. Cathal of all people.

Came out looking for you. Which bar are you posted up?

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