Under Your Skin Read Online Free PDF Page A

cleared his throat. “I wanted you all to come out tonight because I have something to tell you.”
    He reached over and held Moira’s hand. “I know you all know Moira since we grew up across the street from each other, and you know we’ve been dating. But I asked Moira to move in with me.”
    â€œDude, the house is a little crowded, don’t you think?” Sean said.
    â€œWe plan to buy our own house, not move in there.” He looked to their dad and waited for a comment.
    Seamus O’Malley was usually a man of few words, unless you counted cursing, so Norah didn’t expect much. But he raised his bottle of beer. “I guess a congratulations is in order then. To Jimmy and Moira.”
    Everyone raised their drinks and said congrats. After the announcement, Jimmy seemed to relax. He talked with Dad about cases he was working on and Tommy, Sean, and Kevin discussed some car thing that Norah had no interest in. She managed to feel completely out of place with her own family.
    Old resentments bubbled up. She wouldn’t feel like this if they hadn’t sent her away.
    Moira turned to her, stopping her train of thought. “So tell me about yourself.”
    â€œWhat do you want to know?” She rubbed her belly. “I’m obviously pregnant. Not married. Haven’t finished college. I don’t have a job.” She sighed. “My life is pitiful. Tell me about you and how the hell you manage to put up with my big brother.”
    Moira laughed loudly. “He’s not easy, that’s for sure. It’s like he’s missing the gene that gets people to talk. He grunts and sometimes yells, but getting information out of him is exasperating.”
    â€œNoticed that, did you?”
    â€œBut I love him. He’s a pretty amazing guy.”
    â€œYeah, he is,” Norah conceded. For all of his shortcomings, Jimmy had always taken care of her, even from a thousand miles away.
    â€œI’m a journalist. I do freelance work.”
    Jimmy leaned back to catch Norah’s attention. “She goes to parties every day and then writes about it. Tough life.”
    Moira smacked his arm.
    â€œJust kidding. She writes some amazing things about the charity work being done in the city to improve people’s lives. She’ll make you want to pull out your wallet.”
    Norah liked seeing Jimmy being playful. Over the years, he’d always been too serious.
    â€œYeah, Mouthy Moira always did have a way with words.”
    Moira shot Kevin a dirty look. Then she leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I do go to a lot of parties. It’s a pretty kick-ass job.”
    The waitress delivered their food and Moira continued to talk. “What was your major before you left school?”
    â€œNursing.”
    â€œDo you plan to go back?”
    â€œI’d love to, but I need to at least take a semester and figure out where I can transfer and not lose credits.”
    â€œIt’s a lot to handle all at once.” She waved at Norah’s plate. “Eat up. We’ll order dessert and talk some more. Maybe we’ll send the guys home and make it a girls’ night.”
    â€œYou don’t have to be my friend. I’m happy for Jimmy. Even if I hated you, as long as you made him happy, I’d suck it up.”
    â€œThat’s good to know. I want to be your friend. You’re all important to him and that makes you important to me. Maybe not Kevin, but the rest of you. Plus, you just moved back to town, so I’m guessing you don’t have many girlfriends. Jimmy’s great, but he’s not a woman.”
    Norah stared into Moira’s wide bright blue eyes. She was serious. “I think that would be great. I miss being around another girl. Thank you.”
    * * *
    As Kai rounded the corner to his mom’s hospital room, he heard, “Come on, Mrs. Ellis. You can handle this. Step off the edge of the bed.”
    Kai