“Hah. I’m like a sister to him, he says. And how I should be ashamed. Ashamed,” she repeated, firing up. “Then he tells me right out he doesn’t want me in that way. So I jumped him.”

“You . . .” Jude coughed and picked up her spoon again. She needed something to soothe the tickle in her throat. “You jumped him.”

“Aye. Planted a kiss on him that he won’t forget anytime soon. And the man didn’t exactly fight me off like his life depended on it.” She tore a slice of bread in two, shoved half in her mouth. “After I was done with that, I left him standing there, looking shell-shocked.”

“I imagine. He kissed you back?”

“Sure he kissed me back.” She tossed that off with a shrug. “Men are predictable that way. Even if a woman isn’t to their taste, they’re likely to take a sample, aren’t they?”

“Um, yes, I suppose.” Unsure of her ground, Jude went back to hmmm.

“Now I’m steering clear of him for a while,” Brenna continued, “as I can’t decide if I’m more angry or embarrassed about the matter.”

“He’s been very distracted the last few days.”

“Has he now?”

“And short-tempered.”

Brenna found her appetite coming back. “I’m delighted to hear it. I hope he suffers, the donkey’s ass.”

“If I wanted a man to suffer, I think I’d want to watch him while he did it.” Jude swallowed more soup. “But that’s just me.”

“I suppose there’s no harm in stopping by the pub after work today.” Brenna sent Jude a quick and wicked grin. “Thanks.”

“Oh, anytime.”

Brenna went through the rest of her workday whistling, her mood bright and her hands nimble. She supposed it wasn’t very charitable of her to take such pleasure in the idea of another’s unhappiness. But she was human, after all.

When she walked into Gallagher’s, she was more cheerful than she’d been in days. It was early enough to be quiet, with only a scattering of the tables occupied. Far from being worked off her feet, Darcy was standing at the bar talking to big Jack Brennan.

“You go on and sit with your friends,” she told Mick when she spotted a couple of his cronies already planted by the fire with pints. “I’ll just sit at the bar and catch up with Darcy.”

“I’ll do that, and you’ll have her bring me a pint, won’t you, darling?”

“I will.” Brenna angled left and slid onto a stool beside Jack.

“Well, now, here’s a stranger.” Aidan automatically put a pint and a glass under the taps, as he knew the preferences of his regulars. “Where is it you’ve been hiding yourself, Mary Brenna?”

“In your own home. You have a look at your baby’s room when you get there, and let me know what you think.”

“That I’ll do.”

“We left your bride sighing and sniffling over the shelves we’ve just finished.” Even as she spoke, Brenna had one eye on the kitchen door. “And how are you, Jack?”