"Wow. I mean, er, hi. How are you?"
I could feel my cheeks flush. "Hi. I'm good. You?"
"I'm, uh, yeah, I'm good. You hungry?"
I nodded my head. "Starving."
"Great. Let's go." He took my hand, helping me walk down the cobblestone sidewalk to his waiting Mercedes. "Your home is lovely."
"Huh? Oh, thanks."
"I've driven past it before and never realized that you lived here."
"Yeah. It's been in the family for a few generations now."
"It's considered a historic landmark, right?"
"It is. How did you know?"
"I love old homes. I was actually thinking about purchasing one."
"You should. There is a lot of charm in them and usually hidden secrets."
"Oh?"
I nodded my head. "My great-great-great grandfather built this one and I'm still finding secret passages and wall safes."
"That's exciting."
I nodded my head. "It was very exciting as a child."
"Did you grow up here?"
"Yeah. I did. With my mother and my grandparents."
"No father?" He opened the car door for me.
I slid into the heated seat as he shut the door.
He walked around to the driver's side and climbed into his seat.
"He died. When I was very young."
"Oh, I am so sorry."
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. It was so long ago."
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"
"Well, we're not really sure."
"Oh?"
"I mean, we know what happened, just not why. Or how. Or who," I said, staring out the window.
"I'm confused," Collin said, glancing at me.
"My father was murdered."
"Shit. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I mean it happened a long time ago."
"They never caught the person who did it?"
"No. It was investigated for a while and then the police just put it into the cold case files."
"So you guys moved in with your grandparents afterwards?"
"Yeah. Grams and pappy wanted us all to live with them. There's a guest house behind the main house that would have been ours. Mom and I actually lived there until my grandparents passed away. Then she remarried and they moved to London."
"You didn't want to go?"
"I visit, but live there? No. This is home."
"Interesting."
"I'm sorry. I've been rambling about myself. What about you?"
"What about me?" he asked, turning down a street that led into the city.
"Where are your parents from?"
"Ireland."
"Okay. Cool. Where abouts?"
"You've probably never heard of it."
"Try me. I traveled a lot."
"Hmm. Lismore."
"Lismore. Let me think." I bounced my pointer finger on my chin thinking.
"Told you."
"I didn't say I didn't know. Lismore is in the southern part of the country in the county of Waterford."
"Incredible. How did you know?"
"I've been there. Well, drove through with my parents."
"I see. My parents still live there."
"I'm assuming you grew up there?" I asked as Collin turned into the parking lot of the restaurant.
"Indeed. I moved here for college, really liked it, and just stayed."
"That's great. Why fashion?"
"What?"
"Why did you get into fashion?"
"That's a funny story," he said, turning the car off.
He got out of the car and walked to mine. I grabbed his hand and stood up, tripping into his arms.
"Sorry."
He smiled down at me. "So, how I got into fashion. Sophia is actually Aunt Sophia."
"Oh. Ohhhhh. I get it."
"It wasn't an aunt nephew thing though. I went to university. Graduated. And was looking for a job to help with the Visa until I could get my citizinship."
"Okay."
"Well, I went through all of that. Started at the bottom of the ranks in the mailroom and worked my way up."
"She had you work in the mailroom?"
"Aunt Sophia doesn't believe in handouts."
"Wow. I guess not."
"I also don't call her Aunt Sophia unless we're at family functions."
"That is incredible," I said.
He laughed lightly and held the door open for me. The restaurant was small and cozy. The lights were down low and soft music drifted from the speakers mounted to the walls.
A tall brunette wearing all black smiled at us. "Hi. Welcome to Savoy."
"Hi. Reservations for O'Grady at 7."
"Wonderful, Mr. O'Grady. Please, right this way."
He reached down and grabbed my hand as we walked. My eyes widened and I glanced down.
"And here's the table. Please, enjoy your meal."
Collin let go of my hand and pulled the chair out. "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you. Such a gentleman."
"I have manners sometimes," he said quietly with a wicked smile playing at his lips.
My heart sped up a bit at the absurdity of it all.
Ella. Stop. It's Collin. Collin! No.
"Have you ever been here before?" he asked.
"Yeah. A few times. The food is great."
He nodded his head. "Do you want a bottle of their house wine?"
"Um, yeah. That sounds really great."
"It's honestly some of my favorite," he said, glancing at me over the menu.
"Any brothers or sisters?" I asked.
"Yes. Two brothers and three sisters."
"Are they still in Ireland?"
"Yeah. They are part of the 5 people who live in Lismore." He laughed lightly.
I smiled and looked back at the menu.
We spent the rest of the night eating, drinking bottle after bottle of wine and talking. I never thought I'd see Collin in such a way before.
He handed his credit card to the waitress and fumbled around in his wallet.
"Mr. O'Grady, I think you've had quite a bit to drink."
"Miss Barlow, I believe you are right." He flashed a a crooked smile as his eyes closed.
"You cannot drive home, Collin."
"No. I probably shouldn't. I live so far away. Are there hotels nearby?"
"Hotels?" I asked.
"Yeah. I can't drive home intoxicated," his slurred words heavy with his Irish accent.
"I have like ten bedrooms, Collin. Stay at my place."
"Miss Barlow," he slurred, "that is inapporpriate."
"Staying in one of my extra rooms? There is nothing inappropriate about being responsible."
"I s'pose so."
I smiled and pulled out my phone, turning it on and swipping through to my Uber app.
My phone blew up. TInder message after Tinder message.
What the hell?
I ordered our Uber and glanced through the messages.
'How's dinner?'
'Are you still out?'
'What's going on?'
'I don't understand why you're being like this.'
'Listen, you don't fucking ignore me.'
'Answer me.'
'What the fuck, Ella.'
'This is ridiculous.'
'That restaurant looks awful nice.'
'You're into red heads huh?'
I could feel my face flush and any bit of intoxication was gone.
"We have to go," I whispered.
"Huh?"
"Collin, we need to go."
"Why? What's up?"
I handed him my phone and watched as his face quickly became serious and he stood up. "How long till the Uber is here?"
"Um, the app said like five minutees."
"Let's go. We're waiting inside. I'll speak with the manager quickly."
I nodded and headed toward the door. I stood back, more towards the waitress podium and waited for Collin. A blue SUV pulled up to the front.
Is that the Uber?
I glanced down at my phone and say the app notification.
"Collin, our rides here."
He hurried over to me and grasped my hand. "Let's go."
I nodded and followed close to his body to the vehicle.
"Ella!" a deep voice called from the darkness.
"Get in." Collin more or less pushed me in and jumped in right after. "Please, go."
"Uh, okay." The driver accelerated from the parking lot and into traffic.
"Do you think he'll follow us?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"Follow you? Are you two in trouble or something?" the driver questioned.
"I don't know. I don't think so," I said, glancing out the rear window.
Collin pulled his phone out and had 911 on the screen. "I'm definitely staying with you tonight."