you not be disturbed,” her dad said with a wink.
“I thank you. Breakfast smells delicious,” Fin said.
“I told Aunt Katie you like pancakes, eggs, and bacon ‘cause she wanted to make you something special. But she only has turkey bacon. I like it better.”
“That’s fine. Thanks, Katie.”
“We…I mean…I hope you like it,” Katie stammered.
“It’ll be a treat. I haven’t had the like since Rose, Fergus, and Maureen last visited Cork. Fergus cooks a mean breakfast,” Fin said as he sat down.
Katie smiled but ducked her head and faced the stove again. Tremors rocked her when she looked at Fin for too long. Her feelings had been in little boxes, all arranged neatly on a shelf, like the books in her bookcase. Fin caused them to fall off, the contents mixing and spilling willy-nilly.
Fin ate six pancakes, eggs, two strips of bacon, fruit, and drank two cups of coffee. A silly glow warmed Katie at his appreciation of her cooking and how he followed her with his eyes when she got Rose a cup of juice or refilled his coffee mug. She didn’t say anything, but she usually wasn’t talkative and Fin was uncharacteristically silent. Besides, her dad and Rose had conversation enough to entertain an audience of more than two.
“So, did you want to talk about the job now?” her dad said to Fin as Katie cleared the table.
“Sure, though I’d like to shower and change first, if you don’t mind,” Fin said. Katie’s warmth wasn’t the pleasant kind anymore.
“As long as we’re to the pub by eleven thirty, it’s fine. I’ll take the paper in the living room. We can talk in there when you’re ready.”
Katie smacked away her inner angry voice. She had already decided to stay for the rest of the week, until Rose went back to the Dunbars’. Once Rose settled in there, then Katie’d find somewhere to move and get a job.
“Aunt Katie?” Rose said as she sat drawing pictures at the table.
“Yes?” Katie said.
“Do I have to go back to Grandma Mary’s? I like it here with you and Uncle Fin. And I don’t want to get diabetes.”
“My girl, you can’t, I promise. Grandma Mary only has to take a little pill now and be careful about eating and taking good care of herself. Besides, Uncle Fin and I will probably both be moving soon.”
“Together? Will I get a cousin?”
“No.” Katie’s cheeks burned. “Not together. And no cousins. I’m not getting married.”
“Aww. But Grandpa said…”
“I’m not marrying Michael. I’m sorry. I know you wanted to be flower girl.”
“It’s okay. I’ll wait for the prince to ask you.”
“What prince?”
Before Rose could answer, her dad and Fin walked in.
“Rose, go up and play with your dolls until I call you,” Katie’s dad said. Rose skipped out. He and Fin sat with Katie at the table.
“Fin wants me to talk to you before he accepts my proposal, Katie.”
“What proposal?” Katie gripped the edge of the table with her fingers.
“After a trial period, Fin will become a partner in the pub. Wonderful, isn’t it? Now, if you’d marry Michael and give me some more grandkids, everything would be perfect,” Katie’s dad said, rubbing his hands together.
“Katie, I--” Fin said.
“Perfect for you maybe. I’m not marrying Michael and I can’t believe you won’t let your own daughter manage your business, but you’ll hand it right over to Fin.”
“Girl, you best--”
“No! I’m not a girl anymore.” Katie paused, stared down, and drew in a deep breath before she glared again at her father. “You know what? It’s fine. I was planning to move out and find a new job anyway, so it doesn’t matter. All the best to you, Fin. I hope you’ll both be happy.” Katie pushed herself away from the table.
“Katie, listen, if this is a problem for you, I won’t do it.” Fin rose, leaning toward
“I thank you. Breakfast smells delicious,” Fin said.
“I told Aunt Katie you like pancakes, eggs, and bacon ‘cause she wanted to make you something special. But she only has turkey bacon. I like it better.”
“That’s fine. Thanks, Katie.”
“We…I mean…I hope you like it,” Katie stammered.
“It’ll be a treat. I haven’t had the like since Rose, Fergus, and Maureen last visited Cork. Fergus cooks a mean breakfast,” Fin said as he sat down.
Katie smiled but ducked her head and faced the stove again. Tremors rocked her when she looked at Fin for too long. Her feelings had been in little boxes, all arranged neatly on a shelf, like the books in her bookcase. Fin caused them to fall off, the contents mixing and spilling willy-nilly.
Fin ate six pancakes, eggs, two strips of bacon, fruit, and drank two cups of coffee. A silly glow warmed Katie at his appreciation of her cooking and how he followed her with his eyes when she got Rose a cup of juice or refilled his coffee mug. She didn’t say anything, but she usually wasn’t talkative and Fin was uncharacteristically silent. Besides, her dad and Rose had conversation enough to entertain an audience of more than two.
“So, did you want to talk about the job now?” her dad said to Fin as Katie cleared the table.
“Sure, though I’d like to shower and change first, if you don’t mind,” Fin said. Katie’s warmth wasn’t the pleasant kind anymore.
“As long as we’re to the pub by eleven thirty, it’s fine. I’ll take the paper in the living room. We can talk in there when you’re ready.”
Katie smacked away her inner angry voice. She had already decided to stay for the rest of the week, until Rose went back to the Dunbars’. Once Rose settled in there, then Katie’d find somewhere to move and get a job.
“Aunt Katie?” Rose said as she sat drawing pictures at the table.
“Yes?” Katie said.
“Do I have to go back to Grandma Mary’s? I like it here with you and Uncle Fin. And I don’t want to get diabetes.”
“My girl, you can’t, I promise. Grandma Mary only has to take a little pill now and be careful about eating and taking good care of herself. Besides, Uncle Fin and I will probably both be moving soon.”
“Together? Will I get a cousin?”
“No.” Katie’s cheeks burned. “Not together. And no cousins. I’m not getting married.”
“Aww. But Grandpa said…”
“I’m not marrying Michael. I’m sorry. I know you wanted to be flower girl.”
“It’s okay. I’ll wait for the prince to ask you.”
“What prince?”
Before Rose could answer, her dad and Fin walked in.
“Rose, go up and play with your dolls until I call you,” Katie’s dad said. Rose skipped out. He and Fin sat with Katie at the table.
“Fin wants me to talk to you before he accepts my proposal, Katie.”
“What proposal?” Katie gripped the edge of the table with her fingers.
“After a trial period, Fin will become a partner in the pub. Wonderful, isn’t it? Now, if you’d marry Michael and give me some more grandkids, everything would be perfect,” Katie’s dad said, rubbing his hands together.
“Katie, I--” Fin said.
“Perfect for you maybe. I’m not marrying Michael and I can’t believe you won’t let your own daughter manage your business, but you’ll hand it right over to Fin.”
“Girl, you best--”
“No! I’m not a girl anymore.” Katie paused, stared down, and drew in a deep breath before she glared again at her father. “You know what? It’s fine. I was planning to move out and find a new job anyway, so it doesn’t matter. All the best to you, Fin. I hope you’ll both be happy.” Katie pushed herself away from the table.
“Katie, listen, if this is a problem for you, I won’t do it.” Fin rose, leaning toward
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