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I was helping to stock beer and looked up at hi at rin, and I couldn't help but let one loose back at him

Busted

I didn't even bother responding and went back to laying bottles in the cooler

"He's a good boy," Keefe said

"Man," I aood man"

Keefe chuckled "He'll always be a boy to irl"

I pulled my body out of the cooler, as I had to lean halfway in to reach the botto my hands on my jeans, I tell him, "He told me about his parentswhat happened to them"

Keefe's eyebrows rocketed upward "Did he now?"

I nodded "I'm amazed at hoell he's coped with it"

A sage look came over Keefe's face and he tweakedBut I' like that You just try to handle it the best way you can Be respectful of that I love that boy as if he's my own, but there's still an unsettled quality about him that drives a lot of what he does Just be aware, okay?"

I wasn't sure what he was trying to tell ht about it, I think it has everything to do with this insatiable need he has to keep Maeve on the straight and narrow But hi me to be respectful of Cillian's past has me more certain than ever I shouldn't stir the pot about Maeve

Cady's voice breaks into , I think the best thing we can do is poison her There are a ton of e can play it I bet we can even get her to come eat at The Hibernian and slip some rat poison in her food"

"What?" I say, stunned by her words

"Aha! I knew you weren't listening toabout some naked Cillian, were you?"

"Of course not I was thinking about your dad"

Mock disgust overtakes her face and her nose crinkles "Not naked, I hope"

"You're a pervert of the extraordinary variety," I tell her laughing "No, I was just thinking about soave me about Cillian the other day"

"I love ives the best advice So impart to me"

"He just warned et that Cillian's past dictates a lot of who he is, and that I shouldn't forget it"

Cady nods in agreement "So you knohat happened to his parents?"

"Yeah," I say quietly "He told me all about his childhood, and what happened later"

"He doesn't talk about it I tried to once, after the funerals, but he shut me down quick Da told me to let him be and if he wanted to talk, he would But he never has and I've let it go"

Surely, the fact that Cillian shared those painfulIt doesn't appear that he's really told anyone else these details But soe feels like a burden because it dictates a lot of the way I a my relationship with him

Glancing at et ready before Cillian arrives so I shoo Cady out the door and head to the bathroom so I can take a shower

CHAPTER 22

Cillian

God, I'ree to a double date with Maeve, but every terrible scenario I could ihcoet this whole stupid idea

When Maeve approached me, I ary of her request But she went on and on about this guy that she had hooked up with, and how much she liked hihtfinally, hther life back in order

It et some of the weird conversations we've had the last week She calls and texts constantly, which borders on overbearing because we're working together every day with the rest of the band It means that I probably talk to Maeve iven day

When we're inh, like where she's frohly inappropriate She was the last one to leave one afternoon, and ere chitchatting and, right out of the blue, she asked me what our sex life was like She wanted to know if it was as good as e had together