Page 61 of Tee’d Up For Trouble

Geraldine, still holding Poppy like a trophy, glared after him. “You’d better, Seamus O’Shea, or I’ll be calling the garda next time!”

The door swung shut behind him, and I let out a long breath, leaning against the bar.

Jax picked up a bottle of whiskey and poured some into a glass. “Saoirse?”

She came down from the table, looking around as if another snake would emerge any second.

She came to the bar, took the glass from Jax, and downed the liquid like a shot. She gasped as it probably burned her esophagus. “Damn Seamus.”

“That was…something.” Jax’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Another day in paradise.” I picked up my rag and wiped the counter like the last twenty minutes hadn’t just happened.

Jax chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Darlin’, I don’t know how you do it.”

“I have a very high tolerance for eejits.” I gave him a pointed look.

He grinned, raising the glass of whiskey he’d poured for himself. “Cheers to that, then.” He leaned against the bar and looked at me. “And here I thought small towns were supposed to be boring.”

That’s probably what all those developers thought—that we were boring and useless. So why not just raze everything and put up a parking lot or some fancy bar where the drinks cost a fortune and have ridiculous names likeSex on the Beach?

“Hey.” He lifted my chin.

I shook my head and tried to clear my head of sad and bitter thoughts. “Stick around,” I said through a constricted throat. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“I plan to, darlin’ Dee.”

CHAPTER23

Jax

Ididn’t want to leave.

It was as simple—and as complicated—as that.

I’d now been in Ballybeg for over four and a half weeks. And in that time, somehow, this tiny, muddy, windswept village had worked its way under my skin. The pub, the people, and the long walks through fields that seemed untouched by time were things I didn’t think I’d enjoy, but I did. I was a city boy. I didn’t spend time in the countryside where a body couldn’t find a Michelin-star restaurant and a good bottle of Burgundy—but I didn’t miss any of that, not with Ronan fattening me up, but thanks to Mickey, I was in better shape than I’d ever been.

I thought I’d miss being able to get on the green, but I didn’t.

Was I done with golfing? Already? I knew players reached a point where they felt they were ready to retire—but I was too young for that, wasn’t I?

Or maybe it was Dee. She was the reason I didn’t miss things; she filled me up and sated me.

But real life was knocking on my door, loud and insistent, and I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“I have to go.” I held her close to me.

We’d just made love, and as always, I felt like I’d won a championship. This feeling of victory every time she gave herself to me was intoxicating.

She nuzzled my chest. “I know.” She waited a moment. “When?”

“In a couple of days. I have a meeting with one of my sponsors in London.” Nike was bringing their CEO to London, so I couldn’t just not show up.

Her shoulders stiffened just slightly, but then she relaxed around me. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Did you cheat on your ex-girlfriend?”

---