Page 44 of A Merry Irish Christmas
‘The pub’s very casual, and you look great.’ He also smelled great, she noticed, as they moved to the hall and pulled on coats before heading out the door.
They chatted companionably as they walked the short distance to the pub. Mary sensed Evan’s nerves and noticed his slight hesitation before they stepped inside. The cosy, warmly lit interior was a welcome contrast to the cold and darkness outside. A log fire blazed in the big fireplace, a tall Christmas tree stood in one corner, and the ceiling and bar were strung with hundreds of twinkling fairy lights, bathing everything in a warm glow. Thechink of glasses and the low murmur of conversation filled the air.
Mary waved at Patrick, the landlord, standing behind the bar as they entered. She quickly spotted Aifric waving her over from a sofa in front of the fire, where she was sitting with Owen and his girlfriend Katie. As she led Evan over to join them, she was stopped several times by friends and neighbours greeting her with hugs and welcoming her home.
‘Wow, I needn’t have worried,’ Evan whispered in her ear. ‘You’re more famous here than I am.’
‘Mary! Great to see you.’ Owen stood as they reached her friends and wrapped her in a warm embrace. When she’d said hi to everyone, she introduced Evan to them all and they greeted him warmly.
‘What’ll you have?’ she asked him, unbuttoning her coat.
‘Sit, I’ll get it,’ Owen said, standing. ‘It’s my shout.’
Evan earned an approving look from Owen when he asked for a pint of Guinness.
‘I’ll have a glass of red, please,’ Mary said, as they sat on the sofa opposite.
‘I’m on red too.’ Aifric nodded to a bottle open on the table. ‘We can share. Just get her a glass,’ she said to Owen.
‘So, Aifric – am I saying that right?’ Evan asked.
‘Yes, that’s right – like Africa, just without the last A.’
‘But I’m guessing it’s not spelt how it sounds?’
‘Actually, it’s not too convoluted as Irish names go. It’s A-I-F-R-I-C.’
‘So close! But if I’d seen it written down first, I’d probably have called you Ay-fric.’
‘Yeah, that’s what most of our American customers go for.’
‘I hear you two are coming for the swim tomorrow,’ Owensaid, returning with the drinks and placing them on the table. He put a noxious-looking multicoloured cocktail in front of Katie.
‘Yes,’ Mary said, pouring herself a glass of wine. ‘I thought I’d get to duck out this year without Abbie browbeating me into it. But when it came down to it, I realised I actually want to.’
‘Besides which, I’d snitch on you to Abbie,’ Aifric said.
‘Well, there’s that too.’
‘I, uh… need something to wear,’ Evan said to Owen. ‘Believe it or not, I didn’t think to pack any swimwear for Christmas in Ireland.’
‘No problem.’ Owen gave him a quick once-over. ‘I’ll get you kitted out. I’ll bring some stuff over to Mary’s later and you can take your pick.’
‘Pity you didn’t bring it with you,’ Katie said to Owen. ‘He could have tried it on here and given us all a fashion show.’ She gave Evan a playful smile and he shifted uncomfortably.
She should have known she couldn’t trust Katie to play it cool. She was such a jerk, flirting with Evan right in front of her boyfriend. She’d always been like that with Ryan too, blatantly coming on to him even when he and Abbie were together. What on earth did Owen see in her?
‘It’s a pity we won’t have Abbie with us this year,’ Owen said.
‘Yeah, she’ll be sorry to miss it.’
‘It won’t be the same without her,’ Owen said wistfully, his eyes softening. Mary’s heart went out to him. It was common knowledge – to everyone except Abbie, who seemed oblivious – that Owen had held a torch for her since they were teens.
‘I’m sure she’ll be gutted,’ Katie said sarcastically. ‘Living it up in New York when she could be freezing her arse off in the Atlantic.’
‘You know Abbie,’ Aifric said. ‘She’s not a big-city girl. Sheactuallywouldrather be diving into the Atlantic than shopping in Macy’s.’
‘Yeah. Weirdo,’ Katie said under her breath. ‘No offence, Mary!’ she added with a tinkling laugh. ‘But what a waste of excitement! I’d kill to go to New York for Christmas. You must be missing it yourself – all the buzz and the bright lights.’
