Page 27 of Just Say Yes
I waited for him to elaborate but he didn’t so I pulled the handle up on my suitcase and belted my coat back around my waist.
‘Right. Goodnight, then.’
‘I’ll see you in.’
I remembered back to what he’d said the night of the restaurant meal about always ensuring his sisters got home safe and tempered my reply. ‘Thank you, but I’m sure I’ll be OK walking from here to the door.’
Lorcan shut the boot of the car and took a step towards me. I could feel the warmth of his body despite the chill evening air. He tilted his head down as I looked up, meeting his eyes, cool as the air around us. ‘I said,’ his voice low and with a rough edge of tiredness to it, ‘I’ll see you in.’ His body was almost touching mine, his eyes lingering on me a second longer as he leant towards me a little more. I felt my heart speed up despite my brain yelling at it to fall back into line. That hint of smile tempted his lips as he moved closer again. ‘I’ll take this.’ His words brushed my ear as he took the handle of my suitcase, turned and, forgoing the wheels, carried it towards the pub.
I let out a breath, angry with myself and at him – but mostly myself. If we managed to survive the weekend without me pushing him off one of those steep, brooding cliffs I’d seen catching the moonlight as we approached the village, it would be a miracle. I turned on my heel and followed him towards my abode for the weekend.
Lorcan pushed open the heavy door and the noise we’d heard earlier almost bowled me over. It was a total cacophony of laughter, music and chat. The pub was completely jammed and I hesitated for a moment at the door.
‘In you go,’ Lorcan said, holding the door for me to go first. ‘They won’t bite.’
I twisted my head to look at him and gave him a glare before moving forward, very slowly through the pub towards the bar. Once I’d managed that particular hurdle, trying to get the attention of someone to attend to me was the next. I glanced over my shoulder but Lorcan was further back in the pub, laughing with a small group of people, his whole demeanour entirely changed now that he was out of my company. I turned back to the bar and made another attempt to check in. Finally, I got someone’s attention.
‘Hello. I’ve got a room booked here for the next three nights.’
‘No, sorry, love. We’re full.’
‘No.’ I waved my hand and began to try explaining again, having to practically shout to get myself heard above the very lively Friday-night crowd. It hadn’t seemed like a very big village as we’d driven through it, but from the looks of it absolutely everyone who lived in it was here tonight.
‘I have a room booked already.’
‘Here?’
‘Yes, here. Tonight. Three nights.’ I held up my fingers for emphasis.
‘Ah now. Why didn’t you say so?’
I smiled patiently and waited as the man reached below the bar and pulled out a ledger that he put down onto the surface with a heavy thump.
‘And what would your name be?’
‘Madeline Hart.’
The man ran a meaty finger down one page, then flicked back to the previous one and did the same again, before returning to the first page.
‘Nope. No booking under that name. Sorry.’
A shiver of insecurity ran through me before I caught it. I’d dealt with worse problems than this before. It was obviously an error. ‘I’m sorry, but there must be. Please would you mind checking again?’
He shrugged his shoulders genially and did as I asked, coming up with the same answer.
‘I can give you the name of a few hotels. They’re all a bit of a drive from here. I’m guessing you have a car?’
‘No, I don’t have a car. I got a lift. And I know for certain the room was booked for me. There must be some mistake.’
‘Not that I can see. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.’ His manner was still friendly and I was trying my best to see this from his point of view. But I’d also had an incredibly shit day and really just wanted to have a wash and go to bed.
‘I don’t know what to tell you, love. I wish I could help.’
‘But it must—'
‘I booked the room, Gerald. Maybe Brighid put it under my name.’
‘Aah, Lorcan, lad,’ the man said, extending his hand over the bar to shake Lorcan’s. ‘Good to see you again. Let me just have a look. Oh, yes, here we are. One double room as requested.’ His eyes darted between me and Lorcan. ‘Sorry about the confusion there, miss.’
