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“We’re staying. Brandon’s meeting his new girlfriend,” I said and poked Brandon good-naturedly. “I’m living the single life.”

“When are you going to bring a girlfriend?” Colm said, leaning over the top of the banquette at our table. “I’ve never seen you with the same girl twice.”

“He’s not the type to have just one woman,” Brandon said with a grin.

“That’s not right,” Colm said, shaking his head. “He had a girl once.” He met my eyes. “He was ready to marry her.”

I glanced away, not wanting to be reminded of just how close to marrying Sue I had come.

“He found a little filly he liked down in North Carolina,” Brandon said and gave me a meaningful look.

“Long distance romances don’t work,” Colm said,

wiping his hands on his apron.

“She lives in Manhattan,” Brandon said. “When he was in Topsail Beach, they were quite a thing.”

I frowned at him and shook my head. “We’re not a thing anymore,” I said quietly.

“You sure are a thing,” Brandon said. “She’s crazy about you. Leah told me. From what I can tell, you’re crazy about her.”

“Bring her here for dinner,” Colm said, nodding. “I want to meet this girl. Who is she? What does she do?”

I gave Brandon a shut-the-fuck-up look, but he seemed to be enjoying my pain.

“She’s going to work for the FBI,” Brandon said and smiled. “She’s a really beautiful girl with long red hair and big green eyes. She looks like she stepped out of a travel brochure for Ireland.”

“FBI, huh?” Colm said. He raised his eyebrows. “So she’s a smart girl. Bring her by, introduce her to your family. I’ll make a proper Irish feast for her.”

He squeezed my shoulder and nodded like it was settled.

Finally, after a bit more ribbing from my uncle and cousins, Brandon and I left the restaurant and went to the bar on the other side of the building. It was only nine, so we were early. The larger crowds didn’t come until ten. We took seats in an alcove that overlooked the dance floor, and ordered a couple of drinks from the waitress who came to take our order. I knew her from having spent a good deal of time at the club. Christa leaned over my chair and spoke to me about her father, who was a friend of Colm’s.

It was then I saw Miranda and Leah standing in the door to the club.

“Oh, God,” I said and stood, feeling numb when I realized she’d come with Leah.

Miranda stood in the doorway, staring at me. She was beautiful, her curves nicely emphasized by her little black dress and heels, her long auburn hair shining in the overhead light.

My throat choked up immediately, but this was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not. I knew I had to go and speak with her.

So I did.

I buttoned my suit jacket and stepped down off the dais and crossed the dance floor to where she stood, her hands at her side, her brow furrowed.

“Hey, Beckett,” Leah said and wagged her eyebrows. “Look who I brought along…”

I nodded at Leah but my focus was completely on Miranda. “Miranda…” I said and stopped a foot away from her. “I…” I was at a total loss of what I could possibly say to her.

“Tell me,” she said, her voice low, and breaking with emotion. “Tell me the truth. All of it.”

I glanced around. I couldn’t do it there in the club. While it wasn’t yet busy, there was music playing and patrons sat at tables surrounding the dance floor. I took her hand and pulled her back to the kitchen, and down a long hall to my uncle’s office. Surprisingly, she let me hold her hand. I had imagined her pulling away, not wanting me to even touch her.

Maybe Casey was right. Maybe there was hope after all.

Beside the office was a staffroom with a sofa and coffee table, as well as a table where the staff sat and ate meals. Currently empty, it was secluded enough that we could talk in private.

I led her to the sofa and she sat on it, her hands folded in her lap. Her face was pale, her eyes wide. I realized it took a hell of a lot of guts to confront me. I respected that. I owed her an explanation for my behavior. I had to tell her the truth and bite the bullet, take my licks like a man.