“You don’t know the reasons behind that. I’ve never told you that I don’t want to meet someone and be with them for the long haul. I’ve also never said that I broke up with girls, mostly because they were too clingy, or went back to an ex-boyfriend, or thought that owning a pub was beneath them.”

“Who was that snobby bitch?” Maggie demands.

“Just because I’m in my mid-thirties and unmarried doesn’t make me a confirmed bachelor. And I would hope that before you warn a woman off me, you’d ask me about my intentions.”

“You’re right,” Maeve says, holding up her hand. “We spoke out of turn. But Keegan, Izzy is just so nice, and she’s been through a lot. We didn’t want her to get hurt.”

“You may have had her best interests at heart, but you almost cost me the best thing that’s walked into my bar in a long damn time.”

“Wait a minute.” Maggie stands and walks around the breakfast bar to stand in front of me then narrows her eyes. “You’re in love with her.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You wouldn’t be giving us a tongue-lashing if she were just another tumble, Keegan.”

“Maeve,” I say without answering Maggie, “I need you to cover Izzy’s shifts for a couple of days.”

“When?”

“Starting today.”

“Today?”

I nod. “Yeah, sorry for the short notice. Is it not a good fit for you?”

“I can make it work. But I’m so intrigued right now, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“You can begin by minding your own damn business.”

Maggie shakes her head. “I live with her.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t mind yours, Mary Margaret. You didn’t act this way with Kane and Shawn. What’s gotten into you?”

She blows out a breath and then shrugs as she picks at her muffin. “Maybe I see myself in her. She did what I didn’t have the guts to do when I married Joey. I knew marrying him was a bad idea, but I didn’t have the strength to call it off. She’s badass, and I feel a little protective of her.”

I immediately soften toward my baby sister. She went through a lot with an abusive husband and then dealing with his death not long ago.

“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, lass. And it’s glad I am that you like her and want her to be safe. I won’t intentionally hurt her.”

“I know,” Maggie says.

“Well, I’m happy for you. Where are you taking her?” Maeve asks.

“Just to the cabin. I want to spend some uninterrupted time with her, and that’s hard to do when we’re both tied to the pub.”

“That’s so romantic,” Maggie says.