“Apparently,” I retorted—our secrets defined us, after all.
But then I thought about the last time I’d seen Aoife and Jen after dinner on New Year’s Day.
Whispers and curse words when they thought I wasn’t listening.
Secrets…
I was used to the pair of them gossiping, but that had definitely felt more different than usual.
“So, do you have an in with Jen? I’ve tried talking to her but no dice.”
“I have the biggest in. Aoife. But she’s on Jen’s side.” Rubbing my chin at the thought, I murmured, “Leave it with me, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Fuck, thanks, Finn. I appreciate that. I hate seeing Savannah so hurt.”
My lips curved. “That’s when you know you love them.”
“When their hurt is your hurt?”
I hummed. “And when the tiniest fucking problem is more complicated than trying to solve world hunger but you’ll still do it if it means they’ll stop being so goddamn sad.”
Aidan blew out a breath. “Falling in love is complicated.”
“Could have told you that.”
“Why didn’t you?”
I grinned. “Because there’s nothing better in this shitty fucking world we live in than having a woman at your side who’ll go to war with you and for you. It’s a fate I’d wish on all my brothers.”
“You got your wish,” he drawled.
“Apart from with Conor.”
“He’s in love with Lodestar.”
“They ever meet?”
“No.”
“Trust Conor to fall in love with a handle.”
Aidan snorted. “I think they’re more in contact than we think.”
“Should goddamn hope so if he loves her,” I grumbled.
“You’ll talk with Aoife?”
“I will. I make no promises though.” I took a second to process what he’d told me. “Christ, Jen is really an O’Donnelly?”
“She is. I know it’s crazy.”
“Man, she was after you like flies around shit in the early days.”
He grunted. “Trust me, my mind went there.”
I laughed but said, “I’ll speak to you later.”
“Cheers, bro.”
Cutting the call, I flipped onto my message app.
Me: I think you deserve a spanking.
Aoife: Why? I haven’t done anything.
Me: It’s what you haven’t told me that’s the problem.
Aoife: It was told to me in confidence!
Me: That you know exactly what I’m talking about is where we have an issue.
Aoife: It was Jen’s secret to tell. Not mine.
Me: It pertains to the family. You know better, Aoife.
Aoife: I don’t deserve a spanking.
Me: Since when do you decide when you deserve a spanking or not?
Aoife: That’s not fair!
Me: Life isn’t fair.
Aoife: You can’t tell Jen that you know.
Me: Why not?
Aoife: Because I told her I’d keep it quiet from you.
Me: She should never have asked you to do that.
Aoife: She’s my friend, and she’s hurting. I had to protect her privacy. She has a right to talk about these things with me in confidence, just like you have that right too.
It wasn’t like I could argue with her about that, but still…
Me: This is family business, Aoife.
That was when the realization struck me. Of all the goddamn hypocritical bullshit I was spouting, this took the cake.
Before I could stick my foot in my fucking mouth even more, I closed my eyes, took a moment to figure out a way to back off from this, but she texted me:
Aoife: I know it’s family business. But it’s about a man who’s been dead for years! I didn’t see the harm in keeping things under the radar for the moment.
Me: You’re right.
Aoife: I am?
Me: You are.
Aoife: Seriously?
Me: Seriously.
Aoife: Spanking averted?
Me: Yes. Unless you want one?
Aoife: Lol.
Me: Does that mean yes?
Aoife: Of course. Ha.
Aoife: You sure you’re not mad?
I didn’t have the right to be mad.
Not when all the secrets that were piling up between us were starting to make Everest look like an ant hill.
Me: I’m not mad.
Aoife: The thought of spanking me changed your mind?
Me: Well, you know I love it when your ass burns red.
Aoife: **snorts**
Me: Can you do me a favor?
Aoife: I won’t speak up for Savannah.
Me: Please?
Aoife: What she did was trashy AF.
Me: I know it is. But Savannah’s hurting.
Aoife: So’s Jen.
Me: Aidan’s worried.
Aoife: So? Sometimes apologies aren’t enough.
And there was the rub.
She wasn’t wrong.
Sometimes, an apology was never enough, could never be enough when held up against an unforgivable act.
Because this hit too close to home, I tapped out:
Me: I gtg, sweetheart.
Aoife: Okay, my love. See you later.
Scrubbing a hand over my face, I stared at her message then tucked my phone into my pocket when dread loomed inside me.
Needing to escape my thoughts, I was on the brink of getting out of my car when my phone pinged. It wasn’t a message so I peered at the screen and saw that one of my alerts had flared.
Tapping onto the link, I smiled at the site and immediately sent it to Aoife.
Aoife: What’s this? Thought you had to go?
Me: Read it!!! You did it!!
Aoife: Did what?
Me: Your brownie is on the site of that blogger you love! That We Cream For Ice Scream blog. It’s starting!
Aoife: What?! What’s starting?
Me: Read it!
Aoife: Shit, one second. I was changing Jake’s diaper. I’m doing this all by voice.
Well, that made sense.
Me: Jake chooses his moments to take a dump.
Aoife: LOL. He sure does.
I quickly copied and pasted from the article so that Siri would read it aloud for her.
Me: If you’ve ever been to Ellie’s Bakery then you’ll know the baker, Aoife O’Grady, is known for the best sweet treats in Hell’s Kitchen.
To be honest, I’m not sure why more people aren’t raving about them. Not only are they massive, but they’re like eating nectar from the gods.
I’m wondering if it’s Hell’s Kitchen’s biggest secret, however, because I never see them raved about and I’m personally at fault there too—I just go and eat and savor and enjoy. I don’t take pictures. I just stuff my face and indulge.
Today, however, I can’t do that.
Today, I’d be doing a disservice to the drug that is this brownie.
Meet the best brownie you’ll ever eat.
And you need to go today and buy up a dozen because, I know, by tomorrow, there’ll be lines around the door for this treat and it’s so well deserved.
Aoife: OMG!!!!!!!!
When my phone rang, I laughed and picked it up. “Well done, baby!”
“Finn. Oh, my God, she loved it!”
“She did, and she was right to.” It really had been addictive. “I’m glad I get mine straight from the source because you know what else she’s right about? You’re going to have lines out the door and around the block.”