39
“Vivien Grace!” Ash shouts. “Get your tongue out of my brother’s mouth and your arse over here now!”
I rip my lips from Dillon’s and scramble to my feet.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
That shouldn’t have happened, and I’m glad Ash rode to the rescue before the kiss turned more heated.
“Running scared, Hollywood?” Dillon asks, lifting one knee as he smirks in my direction.
“That never happened,” I coolly reply, like my heart isn’t about to sprout wings and erupt from my chest. “We were stoned, and it was barely a kiss anyway.” His lips had only just collided with mine when Ash staged her timely intervention.
Scrubbing a hand over his prickly jaw, he pins me with a cocky look. “If you say so.”
“Ahh. I’m going.” I stomp off toward his sister, flustered and angry with myself, hating how his dark chuckle follows me through the orchard.
“What in the ever-loving fuck was that?” Ash asks, looping her arm through mine and dragging me away.
“Oh God.” I massage my throbbing temples. “I have no clue. It looked worse than it was, and there were no tongues involved.”
“I didn’t know whether I should interrupt or not,” she admits, steering me toward the house.
“I’m glad you did before it turned into a full-on make-out session. Ugh.” I rub a hand across my tingly lips. “God only knows where those lips have been.” Ash cracks up laughing, and I thump her on the arm. “It’s not funny.” I tug on her jacket as we reach the door, stopping her from entering. “By the way, I’m stoned, and you’re driving home.”
“No problem, but you need to have some apple tart first. Mom took out the fancy china.” She grins, yanking me into the house, my lips still tingling from that barely there kiss.
* * *
Shoving my purse at Ash, I squeal, racing across the terminal in Dublin Airport and flinging myself into Audrey’s arms. We hug it out for ages, forcing other passengers to walk around us, but I don’t care. I’ve missed my bestie. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too. I missed your bony ass.”
“I’m feeling left out,” Ash says, pouting as I shuck out of Audrey’s embrace. “And you’re causing a traffic jam,” she adds, pointing toward the crowd now streaming through the doors into the terminal.
I make quick introductions, and then we hightail it out of there.
Ninety minutes later, the three of us—plus Cat—are huddled in a corner booth of a swanky bar just off St. Stephen’s Green. While I’m keen to show my bestie the traditional pubs we usually frequent, I thought she’d appreciate a classier, more modern bar to start off our mini pub crawl. We can’t get too trashed today. Jet lag will kick Audrey in the ass soon, plus tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day. We’ll need our stamina for the nonstop party that lasts all day, if Ash is to be believed. “I can’t believe the sun is shining,” Audrey says, moaning appreciatively as she tastes her first sip of the pink gin cocktail I recommended. “Viv hasn’t stopped bitching and whining about the cold and the rain.”
I bump her shoulder. “Hey. I haven’t complainedthatmuch.”
She bats her lashes at me. “Do you know you?”
I laugh, slurping my cocktail through a straw. “That’s been the hardest adjustment. I guess I’m a Cali girl through and through.”
“I still can’t believe you dated he who shan’t be named,” Cat says, staring off into space with a slightly dreamy look on her face that irritates me.
After Sunday, I decided to bring Cat, Jamie, and Conor into my confidence. They’re the main crowd we hang around with, and it didn’t seem right anymore not to tell them. The guys couldn’t have cared less, especially Conor who pretty much keeps to himself. Cat was shocked, only because she seems to share Ash’sRydeville Eliteobsession. She’s been a little off with me since, but I’m hoping it’s only temporary.
I didn’t give her a blow-by-blow account of the shit Reeve put me through, but she knows enough to wipe that swoony expression off her face.
“He’s been keeping his nose clean,” Audrey says. “Reeveron speculation is still rampant, but he’s keeping his distance from her. I saw this post he put up the other day. It was clearly about you. He—”
“I don’t want to know, Rey,” I semi-lie. “I’m finally starting to feel less heartsore, and I’d rather not be reminded of all that crap. Ireland’s been good to me in that way.”
Sympathy skates across her face. “I’m sorry. I won’t say another word.”
“Did Viv tell you she kissed my brother last Sunday?” Ash just drops it into the conversation with a faux innocent expression on her face. I was a little worried she might have an issue with this thing—whatever it is—between me and Dillon, but she seems to be cool with it.