Page 12 of On The Rocks

I shook my head frustratedly.

“I’m almost nervous to tell you this, but as of this morning, I’m the proud owner of the gym,” he told me quietly.

I grinned proudly. “Why are you nervous? You’ve wanted that gym for two years and worked hard for it. Just because I’m having a hard time with the bar, I can still be happy for you.”

Donny sat back in his chair. “Callum. Marry her.”

My gut sank.

For a moment, I’d forgotten the utter shitshow I had to deal with. “Don’t think I’ve gotta choice, Donny.”

He dipped his chin and asked, “Have you spoken to Mam?”

“No fucking way. She just lost Dad. If I bother her with this, she’ll worry herself into an early grave, too. There’s no way to raise the money I need. I’ll have to call Paddy and discuss terms; it’s either that or I lose everything.”

“I like Maeve,” Donny declared. “She’s a cool chick. She’s no supermodel, but she’s cute and funny without knowing she’s cute and funny. I’d take her over Paddy’s other two bitch girls any day, and at least Maeve’s smart and interesting. Just go into it being honest and make sure so nobody gets hurt. It’ll give us time to raise the money you need. Once you’ve paid Patrick back, you can lose the wife, but you can still keep the bar.”

Slowly, I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Just don’t fuck the girl around, Cal,” Donny ordered. “She doesn’t have it easy living at Paddy’s. At least getting her outta there and bringing her home will get her away from Orla and those bitch girls. I reckon if you treat her right, she’ll agree to anything you ask.”

My eyebrows pulled together. “What the fuck are you going on about?”

Donny frowned. “Orla treats her like a poor relation. Paddy’s good to her, but that just seems to make Orla bitchier. All those years when he boasted about his smart Maeve must’ve struck a chord and made the other girls more jealous. Dad used to tell me how she’d cry to him and Mam for hours about how unhappy she was when they visited New York. Ma told me they asked Patrick if they could bring her home here and officially adopt her years ago, but he said no. He loves her, but his decision to keep her there didn’t help her with those bitches.”

“Why didn’t she fight back?” I asked. “I know what those girls can be like, but Maeve’s her own woman. She could’ve left.”

Donny looked at me as if he didn’t know me. “You haven’t walked in her shoes, asshole. She lost her parents when she was young. Maybe she’s holding onto whatever family she can, even if it is dysfunctional.” His eyes crinkled at the edges as he squinted at me. “It’s not like you to be so down on somebody without even knowing them. Maeve’s got a good heart; she’s just a bit lost and in her own head.”

“Got a good heart?” I repeated. “Really? So tell me something. Why the fuck is she agreeing to this? She can’t be that good of a person if she’s happy to marry a guy who’s being coerced.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Donny warned me.

I shook my head disbelievingly. “There’s no conclusions to jump to. I’m being forced to marry her. There’s no nice or easy way of putting it. I apologize if it offends your delicate sensibilities, but it’s true.”

Donny glared at me. “You sound like a dick, Callum. Get off your high horse for once in your life. If you don’t wanna marry Maeve, tell Paddy no. I’ll fucking marry her if he lets me. I’ll save your fucking bar without blaming every person in the universe except the one man you should blame... our Dad.”

“Show Da some respect,” I spat.

“I will when you show some fuckin’ human kindness,” he bandied back. “Da fucked you over, Callum, and instead of laying the blame where it belongs, athisfeet, you’re blaming a woman who’s probably being manipulated too. You’re a goddamned clown sometimes.”

I shot up from my chair so fast that it went flying back over the wooden floor. “Don’t talk about Da like that.”

“Why not?” Donny threw back, shooting to his feet. “He dogged your ass, didn’t he?”

“Get the fuck out, Donny,” I snarled. “Before I do something I’ll regret.”

“Whatcha gonna do, brother? Punch me? I’ll punch ya back. I’m not some drunken snot you can push around.”

“You’re a fuckin’ eejit, is what you are,” I bellowed, leaning toward him.

“Call Paddy,” he ordered. “Tell him you’re too pussy assed to marry Maeve, then tell him I’ll do it. At least with me, she’ll get a man who’ll be respectful to her.”

“Fuck off, Donny,” I growled, my hands clenching into fists.

“I will, after you call Paddy,” he taunted. “I’ll bail your whiny ass out.”

“You’d need to stop fucking women long enough to walk down the aisle,” I retorted.

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