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Connor walked around the bar and grabbed a glass. “I respect that. It’s pretty much the McConnell way, so there’s no denying you’re one of us. You want a drink?”
“No drink; just a job.”
Connor filled the glass with water and took a sip. “You ever work in a pub before?”
“For about six months.” He had quit when Mom had gotten sick, so he could spend more time with her. Looking back, he was grateful for that time he had with her and even more grateful that he had started working and saving as soon as he was old enough to do so.
“So, you know the basics.”
“Pretty much, and I’m a fast learner, so I should quickly pick up what I don’t know.”
“Another McConnell trait.”
It was weird to hear someone tell Shane his traits were related to a bloodline he knew so little about. He’d always thought his drive to work and keep busy came from Mom who had been as stubborn as she was determined. But maybe the blood that ran through him was more significant than he ever imagined.
Mom had always said he was just like his father, but he assumed she was only trying to give Shane some sort of connection to the man who helped create him and who he’d never gotten the chance to know. Maybe Mom had been telling him the truth all along.
The thought gave him a sense of belonging, something he hadn’t felt since Mom passed. He swallowed down the unexpected emotion that thought filled him with and forced his attention back to his cousin. “When can I start?” He wasn’t going to beat around the bush. He needed a job, and if Connor wasn’t going to hire him, there was no use wasting any more time.
“How about now?”
“Now?” Shane glanced around the empty pub. “There’s no one here.”
“Not yet,” Connor said. “But at about twelve-thirty Antonio and Maria will close up Shear Heaven for an hour lunch break and stop in and order the lunch special, which is a cup of our famous white chili and a slice of our homemade Irish soda bread. Then at twelve-forty-five the Amato Construction crew will be in for burgers. Once the high school lets out, we’ll have a rush of rowdy teenagers who love their Coke and mozzarella sticks. Then it’s a constant flow of customers until Hal takes the stage at eight. Then it’s mainly drink orders and half-off appetizers until close.”
“What time you close?”
“Weekdays nine, weekends eleven… until tourist season hits Then one in the morning.”
With hours like that, it would help keep him busy. He’d take as many shifts as he could and save the money while he was currently rent free. He still wasn’t sure how long he was staying in Morgan’s Bay, though Mimi assured him the invitation was open for as long as he’d like. He had nowhere else to go, so it would make sense to stay, but he didn’t want to depend on their hospitality for too long.
The house he was staying in was a rental, which meant the longer he stayed, the longer they were losing income. Not that he imagined the income one rental would generate would even hurt them, especially when they practically owned the entire town. Olivia had been right about that. He smiled thinking about the hot mess he met on the train. Bumping into her was another reason why he wasn’t in a rush to leave just yet. He wouldn’t mind being her rebound and having a little fun. He’d give it a couple weeks and reevaluate from there.
“So, what do you say?”
He held his hand out to Connor. “Let’s do this.”
***
McConnell’s Pub had been the scene of many breakup conversations, and today was no different. Olivia sat in a booth across from her two best friends, Harper and Isla, filling them in on everything that went down the night before, including her encounter with the mysterious new McConnell.
She’d spent a good portion of her night reliving the car ride, trying to recall everything she’d said. Once the shock wore off after realizing Shane was a McConnell, she was left confused but mostly annoyed. She and Milo had gone on and on about his family; why hadn’t he stopped her? Especially when he had said he didn’t want someone else’s opinion of his family to affect his initial impression. If that were the case, then he failed miserably. There wasn’t much she and Milo didn’t say.
It wasn’t just the embarrassment, though. When his eyes met hers right before his big reveal, there’d been a spark that set her soul on fire. For that blip of a second, Daniel didn’t exist; the heartache and anger that had raged inside her subsided, giving way to a light she couldn’t ignore.
“Another McConnell, huh?” Harper said, tapping a finger stained with orange paint to her chin. She had just come from a paint party at the senior center where she’d taught the seniors how to paint a sunset.
Isla laughed. “Don’t get any ideas, Harp. I’m pretty sure Olivia has already staked her claim.”
“Daniel and I just broke up yesterday. I’m not staking claim on anyone.”
Harper nodded over Olivia’s shoulder. “Then you wouldn’t mind if I went over and talked to him?”
Olivia’s eyes widened, and she spun on her chair following the direction of Harper’s gaze. Behind the bar in all his masculine glory was Shane. His attention cut toward her, and she jolted around before they could make eye contact.
“That’s him, right?” Harper asked.
“Yup.” Olivia leaned back in her chair. “How did you know?”
