Page 28 of Stick to the Plan
Nic fishes the remote out and hits play. “Mine’s up first.”
The title screen flares to life on the latest independent film which got a dozen awards. Not my usual pick, but the message around society’s reliance on technology is genuinely insightful without being overly preachy. I occasionally steal a glance at Colin, expecting him to be bored, but he watches the whole movie without even glancing at his phone.
Next up is Colin’s choice - a British spoof of action movies I’ve never seen. Before the movie is half over, we’re all holding our stomachs in laughter. Tears stream freely down our faces. As the credits roll, a timer buzzes in the kitchen. Time for dinner.
We stream into the kitchen, gathering empty bowls and glasses on the way. Colin dishes up servings, which we carry into the dining room with a bottle of wine. Rich and savory flavors tint the air. The bowl before me holds some kind of stew with beef, carrots, potatoes, and a square of flaky pastry dough nestled on top. Anna and Nic have already dug in with enthusiasm before I finish inspecting my plate.
“Oh my god. Anna, I think you have some competition.” Nic spoons up some more with an earthy moan.
“Maybe now you won’t be after me to feed you all the time!” Anna sticks her tongue out at Nic before turning to Colin. “This is seriously delicious, though. What did you use in the broth? Worcestershire? Apple cider Vinegar?” Always the foodie, that one.
“That is a McLeary family secret. Won’t be that easy to get it out of me.” He winks at me.
I take up a spoonful. The broth is thick and creamy, meat tender, carrots and potatoes soft but still have a bite. Closing my eyes, I give in to a building sigh of contentment.
Feeling eyes on me, I peek to see Colin staring at me, eyes dark and jaw muscles clenched. I blush and duck my head as I smile. “It’s perfect. I can see why it’s a family recipe.”
Colin’s eyes soften, and his smile spreads at my compliment. “It has always been my favorite meal, so Ma made it fairly regularly. When I went to university, I begged her to teach me how to make it. All I needed was a crock pot and a toaster.”
“What did you go to school for?” The question comes from Anna.
“Mechanical Engineering. I grew up in a farming community, but the machines always fascinated me more than the crops and I wanted to build them.”
“So if you wanted to build things, why are you, a VP, on extended loan to some small firm?” Leave it to Nic to go for the jugular. I shoot her a look, trying to signal for her to cool it.
“When I started working for Innovative Solutions, it was still a ver’a small company in Dublin. The owner took a shine to me and took me under his wing. I’m a hard worker. As the company expanded, he promoted me up. He’s also been sharing more duties with me as he’s gotten older.”
“What about the extended stay here, though? Isn’t your family missing you?” Now Anna takes up the inappropriate question torch from Nic. I turn my glare on her.
“When my father passed, my eldest sister and her husband took over his barley farm. They live there, in my childhood home, with their two kids and tend to the crops. My other sister owns a shop in the city and stays pretty busy during the tourist season. Ma says she’s retired but helps both my sisters when she’s not spoiling the little ones. As long as I’m back for Christmas, she’ll be happy.”
The rest of the meal continues with enjoyable banter. Nic and Anna get into a heated debate about the independent film and the symbolism behind the ending. Colin jumps in occasionally to agree or disagree with a point made. Being long used to these debates, I just pull out my phone and look up an interview with the director. His explanation of the ending disagrees with both Anna and Nic, which gives us all a laugh.
After the plates are practically licked clean, Anna and Nic clear the table and get dessert prepped. They shoo Colin and I back into the living room. Finding Riley already curled up in one corner of the couch, I sit closer to the middle than before. Turning my head to Colin, I find him watching me with a smile.
Nervously, I tuck a couple of stray hairs behind my ear before meeting his eyes. “I haven’t thanked you for being so flexible this weekend. I’m sure none of this was what you had in mind after a long week in the office.”
Colin’s smile widens until that single dimple peeks out. “A weekend of entertainment with three beautiful, intelligent women is definitely not what I had planned. It’s better.” He leans across the short distance separating us and taps my shoulder with his. “It was grand to see you relax and smile.”
My breath catches at his nearness. My brain screams at me to lean back, move the damn dog, and retreat to my corner. One look in his green eyes and I’m frozen. Their depths hold warmth and affection. What have I done to earn that look? Before this weekend I had kept him at a firm distance. I gnaw at my lip as guilt gnaws at my stomach.
Leaning into him a bit more, I lower my voice to a near whisper. “I also want to apologize. I realize I may not have been as welcoming to you as I could have been.”
Colin’s grin relaxes and takes on a more tender feeling, his eyes softening as he keeps looking into mine. “You have shared your meals and your home with me. You’ve been a perfect hostess.”
“Food and a bed are one thing. I haven’t exactly been friendly though. The situation was awkward, and I didn’t make it less so.” I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my stomach as I decide to open up. Just a little. “About a year ago, I hit a rocky patch after trusting the wrong person. Since then, I’ve kept things a little close to the vest. I’m sorry if I’ve made your time here more difficult than it needed to be.”
He releases his breath on a little sigh. I close my eyes as his breath fans my cheeks. I feel his blunt finger ghost across my temple to tuck hair behind my ear again. His fingers continue their gentle path until he cups my jaw. With a sharp breath at the contact, I press into his hand as my lids gradually open to meet his again.
“Brianna, don’t apologize. It was a fecking awkward situation. If that gobshite Stone had put me in a hotel like he was supposed to, would you have treated me any differently? Please don’t upset yourself.”
I search his eyes, not sure what I am looking for in their emerald depths. My eyes drift to his partially open lips and back up to his eyes. Colin leans the last two inches towards me, my name a caress on his lips. I tilt my head back and my eyes drift closed, waiting to feel his lips on mine again.
The sound of a pan dropping in the kitchen scares me. I jump back with a slight squeal, turning back to the blank TV screen. With a chuckle, Colin also turns ahead, but leaves his arm draped over the back of the couch behind me.
Anna and Nic return from the kitchen with a round of refreshed drinks and more popcorn. Next up is Anna’s choice, a comic book action film. Lots of explosions, gory fights, and half-naked men with six packs. Every time the lead actor takes his shirt off, Nic whoops from her seat - and Anna throws popcorn at her.
During a shockingly bloody battle scene, I jerk when an opponent’s head flies at the camera. Feeling a hand squeezing mine, I glance to my left. Without taking his eyes off the action, Colin has brought his arm down to grab my hand. When I fail to take my hand away, he threads his fingers through mine with a satisfied smirk on his lips..
