Grinning, Tiggy hits the button, staring at the iPad.
“You can go get your reward now,” I smirk, Tiggy’s cheeks turning pink as she meets my gaze. I can see the excitement there. I have no doubt Seamus delivers in bed. Good for her.
“Bye, Mellie. It was nice to meet you.”
“Bye.”
She scampers back through the door into the back area. Christ. I can’t blame her. If I knew Niall was waiting back there to have sex with me, I’d be naked before I walked through that door.
Chapter Twelve
MELLIE
Tiggy pokes around on her iPad, jabbing the screen with unnecessary force. I look over in surprise. After a week of Tiggy being here every day, I’ve gotten to know her.
After his wild stag night and what Niall told me, I didn’t think Seamus cared much for the woman he was marrying, but he clearly has some affection for her because she’s been here every freaking day.
I was so determined to hate Tiggy. She took Niall away from me. But the woman is so freakingnice. She’s made me like her. Tiggy used to be a social worker, so I was surprised when Fiona decided she liked her too.
Fiona doesn’t talk much about her past, but I know she doesn’t like social workers. I think she might have had one or two bad ones on her case while growing up. I think she had a hard time growing up. It’s why she can commiserate with me about my mother and stepfather.
Tiggy doesn’t seem to share my opinion that her husband cares about her. She’s perched on a bar stool with her broken hand propped up while checking off the inventory sheet with her left. I fall into my bartender fixing the world’s problems attitude easily.
I roll my eyes at her, waving the cloth I’m using to wipe down the tumblers I’m stacking.
“I’m telling you, Tiggy, Seamus doesn’t kiss his women. He sure as shit doesn’t eat them out. Everyone knows Seamus Fitzpatrick doesn’t give in bed. He takes what he wants and bails.”
Isn’t that the truth? I’ve had to listen to many,manywomen lamenting that very fact here at the bar over the year I have worked here. I have no sympathy for any of them. Everyone knows Seamus’s reputation. You want to fall in bed with him, you suck up the consequences and don’t freaking come whining to me.
There is a strained silence, and a rapid tapping starts. I glance up from my glass to where Tiggy is staring at me intently, her pen beating a staccato against her stock sheet, a question in her eyes.
Really? God no. Seamus is a wicked good-looking man, he really is, but there’s only one Irishman that my vagina flutters for, and his emerald eyes don’t wander over every woman in sight.
Then again, as I’mtryingto tell Tiggy, neither do Seamus’s eyes these days. I roll my eyes at her again, scrunching my nose in disgust. Ew.
“Ugh, God no.” I shudder dramatically to add effect. “I can’t say I have ever felt the urge to be a notch on Seamus Fitzpatrick’s bedpost.”
She relaxes immediately. I get it. It would suck to know your friend had screwed your husband, even if it was before you knew either of them.
“Good to know,” Niall rumbles from Tiggy’s right.
My eyes snap over to his as he reaches across the bar, snagging a bottle of whiskey. My lips part as I struggle not to lick them under the heat of his gaze.
He doesn’t say anything more, but I can see everything he doesn’t say in his eyes. There’s relief that I don’t want Seamus and a hint of possessiveness that has me shivering slightly.
I’m not entirely sure why he doesn’t act on whatever is between us, but he clearly wants to. Infuriating man.
He's gone with one last scorching look, and Tiggy blushes, fanning herself vigorously.
“Phew, that was steamy,” she teases me.
I stare at her, deadpan. Right now, I hate her a little bit. She gets all of Niall’s attention these days, and now she’s intruded on our private moment.
She’s a nice woman, and I would like to call her a friend, but she needs to butt the hell out of whatever Niall and I have. It’s none of her business. I barely get any of him, so I have to guard the little bits I get jealously.
“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” I shrug at her, going back to wiping my glass.
She scoffs at my brushing the topic aside, which has me grinding my teeth.