Page 84 of Her Irish Boss

“Asleep in my bed.” Rian seemed amused. “A fact that peeved him to put it mildly. He took a cab after downing most of a bottle of that rare Jameson whiskey. For a man his size, you'd think he could hold his liquor a little better.”

“The sot,” Cathal mumbled.

Selena walked across the almost empty condo. Calling him a minimalist was the best description. White marble floors. Black furniture. Chrome kitchen.

She sat on a stool at the counter while Rian plated her eggs. She didn't know what to expect, but from such a renowned chef, her eggs looked plain.

“Did he say anything?” She didn't know what he might say. He'd already declared his business more important thanher. Her nose began to tingle, signaling the threat of more tears. Sometimes it sucked to be a woman.

“He said plenty. After forcing us to listen to a few rounds ofWhiskey in a Jar.I swear that man can't sing to save his life.” Cathal sat down beside her. “He's hurting pretty badly about now, I suspect.” He set his arm around her shoulders. “You have to know he didn't mean what he said.”

She wanted to, really, but it hit too close to home. She wasn't worth it. He'd said the words be it he knew what she'd meant when she quit or not. He made her worst nightmare come to life.

“He thought them. The fact he would have said them or not doesn't change.” She looked at Cathal. “If you didn't think he meant them, then why did you hit him?”

“Oh, he deserved the hit for saying it, be it he made up shit at the moment or not. You scared the daylights out of him when he thought you were breaking things off. Could you not see that? He can school his features, throw on a mask that lets him boss everyone around. But when you said that to him—” Cathal shook his head and took a long drink of water.

Rian leaned on the counter. His eyes weren't blue like his brothers’. They were an interesting shade of hazel, blue-green. “What Cathal and I both noticed last night was the last time Brogan let that much emotion breakthrough was when Ma passed. You have his heart, Selena, be it the man knows his own mind or not.”

She pushed the eggs around on her plate. “So, you both think I should forgive him? Pretend he didn't mean it when he told me I wasn't worth more than his business to him?”

“Hell no!” Cathal shook his head. “That man needs to come to you. He has some serious groveling to do to get his head out of his own arse. He will.”

Her lips twitched, wanting to smile, which seemed wrong. “I think the saying is to get his foot out of his mouth.”

“No. The man can't see daylight he's so concerned about himself.”

“I think he's concerned for you. And Rian. He feels this huge responsibility to make sure you are both successful.” And she'd never do anything to jeopardize it. That's why she'd quit. Because she wanted Brogan more than that job.

And he'd chosen his job.

His brothers.

He'd chosen his brothers over her. She squeezed her eyes shut. Why didn't she see that last night? Brogan hadn't chosen the restaurant or even himself. She looked at the two men staring at her. She twisted the cap of her water bottle off. “I know he misunderstood what I meant, but I think he meant what he said.”

“No—” They both spoke at the same time.

She held up her hand. “He said that some things were more important. To him, you two are his world. He might have lashed out with how he said it, but the meaning was true. In that one moment, forced to make a decision, he chose you both over me.”

They looked at each other as it dawned on them, too. Rian shook his head. “I'm sorry. We would have never put that choice to him. We keep telling him he doesn't have to take care of us, but he won't listen.”

The pain lessened. Granted, she wasn't happy at what he'd said, but she understood it. Because she knew what was in his heart. He'd been the provider for so long. That was a hard habit to break.

“I don't blame him.”

Cathal opened his mouth to speak, but she covered his hand with her own.

“No. I've been involved with your brother for what, a month give or take? A month. I love him, although I've never had the opportunity to tell him. But, when it comes down to it, it's been a month. In Brogan's thinking, when he thought he had to choose between running the business the way he thought best and taking care of you both, or me, he chose you. I wouldn't want to be with a man that'd turn his back on his family after seeing a woman for a month.”

Rian ran a hand over his face. “You're a jewel, Selena. I swear, if Brogan screws this up with you, I'll kill him myself. You have to be the sweetest woman I've had the pleasure of meeting, aside from my own Ma. You deserve someone far better than my brother, but if you'll have him, I'll know he's taken care of.”

She'd found a family she didn't even realize she'd craved. She leaned over and hugged Cathal before rising and hugging Rian.

“I'm afraid I'm not that sweet. I still owe him some serious payback for hiding me in the bathroom.”

21

Brogan waited outside Selena's apartment. They were scheduled to move her granny at eight. It was nearly seven now. He'd been awake since three, running over in his mind what he'd say to her. His brothers had been quiet about any thoughts Selena had shared the day before when they'd driven her home from Rian's condo.

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