Page 20 of At First Smile
He nods and leads us up the steep climb.
“What’s your bar’s name?” I ask, stepping onto the rocky plateau.
“Axel’s.”
“Sounds like a NASCAR bar. My stepdad would love it.”
“You have a stepdad?”
“Charlie. He’s stepdad number four.”
Charlie is a nice guy. Though it’s a tad awkward that he rambles on about all things automobile and NASCAR with me. I’m all for treating the visually impaired like everyone else, but read the room. I don’t drive and could care less about pistons and horsepower. Still, I’d rather listen to him drone on about that, than be pestered by my mother about my romantic life.
“Your mam has been married five times?”
“Yeah. My mom doesn’t like to be alone.”
“My mam’s the opposite.”
“She never remarried?”
My arm raises with the shrug of his shoulders. “Never even dated. We thought she was waiting until we were older. Finn’s a hopeless romantic and tried setting our mam up on some blind dates, but she wasn’t keen.”
“What’s not to be keen about blind dates? All mine are blind,” I cut in, a wry grin forms on my face.
“Smartass.” His throaty laugh twines around us.
“Is she happy?”
“My mam?” He halts, twisting his face to me.
I nod.
“She says she is. Mam has her work. Her students. Her weekly book club meetings. Her friends.”
“She also has you boys.” I squeeze his arm. “So, Finn is a romantic. What does he do?”
“He got a degree in English like my mam. He’s a professor at the same university and writes.”
“What about Gillian?”
“He’s not a romantic,” Rowan deadpans.
I laugh and roll my eyes. “I take it Gillian’s not your favorite brother.”
“He’s the oldest.” His face shifts forward and resumes our hike.
Note to self, he didnotargue my statement.
“Gillian’s a chef. He owns a traditional Irish pub in our hometown.”
“Wow. A professor and two businessmen. Your mom must be bursting with pride.”
He grunts.
“What’s Gillian’s pub called?” I step over a rock.
“Fiona’s. He named it for our mam.”
