Saline Head,” she said, almost shyly.
“And you thought I was the mad one.” Santi laughed, pleased to hear her giggling along with him. How quickly it had come to pass, he thought, that a smiling Saoirse was all the sunshine he needed.
“C’mon.” He clapped his hands together and gave them a quick rub. “I meant what I said. I am completely happy to do this for you. The marriage thing. I know there’ll be times where it will be tough. Days where we probably want to see the backside of each other—but that lends the whole thing a bit more authenticity, right?”
“I happen to have a very nice backside, thank you very much.”
“I know.”
Her cheeks colored as she realized just how recently his hands had been cupping said backside. Just as quickly she feigned a shocked gasp. “You won’t be letting the cat out of the bag, will you? About the blubbing and the feelings and everything? I’ve got a tough-girl image to keep up at work.”
“No, ma’am.” He stood, clicked his heels together and gave a quick salute. “As long as you keep it close to your chest I’ve got a weak spot for...” You.
“Carnitas and zebra hides?” Saoirse suggested.
“Got it in one.” He winked.
Emergency averted. Time to get back on course. Business only. Doing the right thing by someone. Soon. Soon, he’d do the same for his brothers. But that was going to take some staring-into-the-eyes-of-the-firing-squad courage. He didn’t deserve their forgiveness. He didn’t deserve their love. You had to earn that sort of thing and his bank balance in that department was more than likely running on empty.
“Right, Murph.” He stood and gave her a brotherly shoulder hug with a play growl. “Let’s see about getting this barbecue up and running before your pals come back, otherwise it’s raw burgers and E. coli all around.”
“On it.” Saoirse hopped off her stool and headed toward the refrigerator, abruptly screeching to a halt. “Valentino?”
“Yes, Murphy?” he replied formally.
“You are a good friend.”
Friend. He saw the invisible partition being placed between them and instantly wished it gone. Friend. Didn’t seem to sit right somehow.
Well, too bad for him. He’d made his bed and now it was time to lie in it. In the spare room.
“Not everyone would make this big a commitment for nothing. Especially given...you know.” She made a kissy face and a yucky face in quick succession, gave a little decisive nod and started humming as she yanked open the fridge door and started noodling around inside for the hamburger fixings.
He was glad she couldn’t see the sad smile he knew was hitting his face about now. He wanted, more than anything, to be a good friend to Saoirse. He could just as easily see himself wanting a whole lot more. She was a singular woman who deserved to be loved. Love he couldn’t give right now. Until he started tackling the promises he’d made to himself on the blood-soaked battlefields, he was no good to anyone. No one at all.
* * *
“Right.” James eyed them as he would a jury. First Santi, from whom he received a curt nod. Then Saoirse, who had to stop herself from giggling.
“Are the waters muddy or clear on how this whole thing works?”
“Clear!” they said in unison, hands raising as if they had a body between them and were about to deliver an AED shock. Their eyes hooked at the “jinx” and they both dissolved into uncontrolled laughter.
“You’re right, babe.” James leaned over and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. “They are a cute couple. You two won’t have any problems. I see setups come through all the time and I can tell you’re the genuine article.”
Saoirse blinked a minute, trying to register his words. Santi seemed entirely unaffected by them and started peppering James with the best way to clean a barbecue grill.
The genuine article?
Saoirse looked across at Amanda, a veritable halo glowing around her she looked so happy. “You didn’t tell him?” Saoirse mouthed.
Amanda shook her head, her grin widening as she did, then tipped her head in the direction of the kitchen.
“Why didn’t you tell him this was fake?” Saoirse whispered when they reached the cool of the kitchen.
“No-brainer! I’m not getting my husband involved in something I think is shady.” Amanda looked appalled. “Besides...” she smirked “...James sees exactly what I see.”
“And what would that be? Exactly?” Saoirse’s tone was filled with a bit more attitude than she’d intended.
“A spark. Lots of them,” Amanda replied, giving the counter a swipe with a sponge as she did. “I’ve been watching you two ever since you met and, frankly, I’m surprised he hadn’t already moved in.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“No,” Amanda answered plainly. “There’s a whole lotta me thinks the lady doth protest too much going on here. C’mon, Murph. You totally have the hots for that guy and, if I’m not mistaken, he wouldn’t mind a little slice of Murphy pie either.”
Saoirse glared at her friend. It was her only line of defense. Then blushed.
“Sare-shae! You naughty little so-and-so!”
“It’s Murphy,” Saoirse hiss-whispered, making a keep-your-voice-down hand gesture.
Amanda leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed her arms. “When are you going to stop this?”
“What?” She knew what Amanda was talking about, but decided rubbing at a nonexistent stain in the deep ceramic sink was more fruitful than playing along.
“Acting like you don’t care. I’ve been trying to set you up for months and this is the first time you’ve bitten. Hook, line and sinker. And all of this pally-buddy stuff?”
“What pally-buddy stuff?” she snapped back defensively.
“Duh!” Amanda began raising a finger per point. “The spats. The arm punches. The high fives. The pretending you totally don’t secretly love it every time he gives you knuckle-rubs because it gives you a chance to take a deep, lovely inhalation of his gorgeous cinnamon man scent. I could go on but I’m running out of fingers. Suffice it to say, Murph, you’re fooling no one.”
Saoirse opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out.
“Murph...the way you behave with Santi is the equivalent of shoving a boy in the playground because what you really want to do is kiss him. Admit it.”
Saoirse squirmed under her friend’s penetrating gaze.
“Okay, fine.” She caved. “I kissed him.”
“I knew I was right!” Amanda shouted, before remembering she was meant to be speaking
