“No, no, Imma say nothin’ else. I swear.” He held up his hand and spoke with the biggest grin he’d ever seen on his grandfather’s face. Emmy raised her brow and glanced from Pops to Brennan. The tiniest smile flashed over her face before she cleared her throat.
“I see… Well, I’ll do my best since it’s for my girl Errin,” Emmy said.
“I’m proud of ye, Brennan, me boy. Now, ye make sure ye hang onto hurricane Errin, ye hear? Let her sweep ye off yer feet and swirl ye around. Let her take ye to places yer never been, make ye feel things ye never felt before. Enjoy the fresh wind on yer face, take it all in and breathe…” Pops spoke as he spread his arms and took a big breath himself while closing his eyes for emphasis.
Emmy giggled above the stove as she cracked another egg on the edge of the frying pan. “Pops, never knew you to be such a hopeless romantic.”
“Yer not in yer right mind if yer not romantic, lass. Nothin’ hopeless ‘bout that.”
Sean Jr. entered the kitchen and laughed at his father’s words. “I think my sister Shauni already has her work cut out to fend all those boys away from Emmy and her four sisters without them girls going all romantic.”
Pops laughed, “Aye, yer forgettin’ Emmy’s brother Ryan. He’ll fend them boys away all right.”
“My mom wants a zillion grandbabies of her own ever since she’s seen our cousin Keenan with his little Tommy,” Emmy said. “I hate to burst her bubble, but I kinda need a man for that. Well, at least for the impregnation part.”
Brennan snorted as he shook his head. Emmy shuffled the sausage in the pan and after the toast popped up, she picked it out of the toaster and put it on a clean plate. After setting all items in place, she handed the plate over to Brennan.
“I hope you’ll let her eat this time,” she said witha wink.
“What am I missing here?” Sean Jr. asked.
Brennan had no intention at all to talk about Errin with his dad, of all people. So he ignored his question. But the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree as Sean Jr. kept on pushing, “Well?”
“I think another one of ye boyo’s found himself a good Irish lass, son,” Pops said with pride shining through his words.
“Ah. Another one bites the dust then, eh? Who is it? And am I soon to expect some grandchildren too?” Sean Jr. tried to nudge Brennan’s shoulder with his knuckles, but he sidestepped his father just in time.
Sean Jr. cleared his throat and addressed Pops to change the subject. “I gave Errin the application forms, and she already filled them in. Errin and Lucky will be a perfect match for sure. Good thinking—”
“What the hell ye talkin’ ‘bout?” Brennan bristled as he turned to his father.
Pops stepped in between them and Emmy turned off the stove, keeping a close eye on the three Mills men.
“What got yer panties in a twist, son?” Sean Jr. boomed at Brennan.
“Don’t call me that. You know I hate it when you act all fatherly all of the sudden.” Brennan took a step closer with his chest puffed out. Sean Jr. winced but wasn’t thrown by his son’s words. Brennan stopped walking when Pops held his hand up, hurt marring his old wrinkled eyes.
“Boyo, take a deep breath. It’s not Sean Jr.’s fault. I told Errin she could work for us.”
Brennan took a step back and eyed his grandfather. He swallowed whatever curse came surfacing and blinked a few times. He glanced over at Emmy, but she shrugged behind the stove.
His eyes met his grandfather’s, who nodded before adding, “I talked to her this mornin’. The lass needs a job, we have an opening—so she’s goin’ to work for us.”
“Ye don’t even know if she can work in a pub!” Brennan raised his voice but winced at Pop’s stern look.
“Sorry, Pops,” he said.
His grandfather hummed and said, “Nothin’ wrong with Bunny workin’ for us, boyo. Keep yer lass close, I say.”
“Whoa, you were talking ‘bout Errin earlier?” Sean Jr. said.
“Yes,Dad,” Brennan said as he still couldn’t let go of a lot of anger toward his father.
“For goodness' sake, cut it out, Brennan,” Pops said. “Yer thirty-seven. Time to let the past sit in the past and let go of all this damn anger.”
Brennan barreled out of the kitchen without replying to his grandfather and ran up the stairs to his apartment two steps at a time. This couldn’t be happening. Just his luck that the moment he’d let his guard down and experienced Errin on a deeper level, she would end up working for him.
He wasn’t following his father’s footsteps in screwing his co-workers at Lucky. No way.