Aileen's Song Read Online Free PDF Page B

accompanied that comment which prompted Aileen to pose the final question. “Well, then—are we in? Shall we do it?”
    In a symbolic display of unity, four hands came together in the center of the circle they had created while they chatted. “We’re in.”
    At that moment, the doorbell rang and Siobhan and Maeve shared a mysterious, knowing look. They came together, slung their arms around each other and addressed Aileen. “Surprise!”
    “OK…” Baffled, Aileen waited, and spread her arms in question.
    “Liam and Maeve’s brother Doug are here!” Siobhan moved toward the entrance of the apartment.
    “Wh...wha…they…what?” Aileen’s pulse hitched. Her breathing went staggered.
    “They stopped by your mom and dad’s. They disassembled your bed, loaded it into Doug’s truck and…” Siobhan shrugged and smiled brightly, “here they are!”
    The doorbell rang again, adding more prickles to the nerve endings beneath Aileen’s skin. Meanwhile, Maeve caught Aileen’s hands and took her on a brief spin. “As of now, you get to live here for good! You’re officially home! They’re going to haul it in and set it up for you! Aren’t you thrilled?”
    Thrilled? The descriptive didn’t precisely cut it. Aileen didn’t think her eyes could widen any farther. She released an involuntary, gurgling sound that stilled conversation at once. At that point, use of the doorbell was surrendered in favor of urgent knocking and the unmistakable sound of Liam’s deep, low voice.
    “C’mon. Open up. We know you’re in there.”
    “It’s the big bad wolves,” Doug chimed in. “Let us in, or we’ll huff, and we’ll puff—”
    “Ah...sure…hang on a sec.” Aileen called out the stalling words—was her voice really that high and squeaky? She went on a nervous rampage, grabbing her cavernous leather purse, slipping on oversized sunglasses. She bolted for the exit as fast as she could.
    “Aileen, what’s wrong with you?” Siobhan stepped right into her path, a small but undeniable road block.
    “Siobhan, I’m a mess!” Aileen hissed the words, terrified of facing Liam in her present state. “I’m wearing ugly workout clothes, I don’t have a lick of makeup on, my hair’s a scraggly mess, I’ve spent an hour at Zumba, a few more hours with you guys sweating and wilting like a flower in a dust storm…I…I…can’t face him!”
    Siobhan stared while Maeve stepped up. The two women exchanged a wordless look before Maeve’s brows shot clear to her hairline, and she mouthed, “Wow.”
    Aileen forced herself away from their antics and ran to the door. She yanked it open, not daring to make eye contact with either man—but most especially Liam. “Hi there! Thanks so much for your help!” She waggled her fingertips, passing in a hurry, fast, bright and breezy. “Be right back, I need to get you both some gourmet coffee as a thank you present! Ask the girls—it’s already a moving-in tradition.”
    She took the stairs two at a time. She’d stop at Cuppa, ditch the sunglasses, throw on a dash of lipstick, freshen up her face a bit, release her hair and give it a thorough brushing, then she’d make her return—slightly improved in appearance—or so she hoped. Oh, yeah, and she’d get them some coffee, too. Best not forget that detail…
    When she cast a quick glance over her shoulder, Aileen registered Liam’s startled glance. Although her vision was distorted a bit by the darkness of her eye wear, there was also no mistaking the fact that both men already held cardboard insulated cups that featured the steaming coffee cup insignia of the Cuppa Café.
    Pretending she didn’t notice, Aileen stuck to plan. Inwardly she groaned, thinking of how Maeve and Siobhan had reacted to her exit.
    Wow, indeed.
     
     
     
     

4
     
    Sly and cagey, Aileen Brewer had steadfastly refused to let Liam in on any aspect of their performance tonight. Ditto for Siobhan. They wanted to drive him nuts. He was sure of