The Dating Plan(45)

“I’m sorry,” he said when they were alone in the pretty country kitchen. “They’re fine one on one. It’s just when they get together . . .”

“I thought my family was very open, but compared to your family they are positively repressed.” She glanced up at the door. “Do you think they bought it?”

“Honestly, they wouldn’t care except that they seemed relieved I’m not going to turn out like Seamus.”

“What about Brendan?”

She heard a snort by the door. “Yeah, bro. What about Brendan?”



* * *



? ? ?

“WHO the fuck is she?” Brendan swaggered into the kitchen. “I want the truth.”

Liam’s anger rose quickly, a mix of protectiveness and irritation that their quiet moment had been interrupted. “Get out, Bren. You’re drunk.”

“Is she some hooker you picked up in the Tenderloin?” He turned to Daisy. “What’s he paying you, honey? I’ll double it if you get the hell out of here.”

Liam had Brendan up against the wall before his brain had even processed he had moved. His hand tightened around Brendan’s throat, cutting off his air. “Don’t you ever disrespect her again.”

“Why? Because it’s real? Because you finally found a woman who could put up with your shit and you’re in love?” Brendan spluttered, struggling to breath. “This is fraud, and if you insist on playing this out, I’m going to hire a stable of lawyers and destroy you and your damn wh—”

“Fiancée.” Daisy slipped her arm around Liam’s waist, gently tugging him back. He released Brendan, chest heaving as his blood pounded through his veins. Why was it always like this with his brother? Why could they never get along?

Brendan glared at Daisy. “What did he offer you? I want to know. How much does it cost to destroy a family?”

Liam’s vision sheeted red. “You bastard.” He moved forward and Daisy grabbed the back of his shirt.

“Wait.” She looked up at Brendan. “He didn’t pay me anything. Do you really want to turn this into something ugly? He’s your brother. Family is what holds us all together.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Brendan gave a bitter laugh. “You obviously don’t know my brother very well, or you would understand why I don’t believe this fake engagement in the least. He runs away from everything. His family. His friends. His commitments. There’s a reason he’s never had a serious relationship. Most women can see through the bullshit to the bastard underneath.”

“You don’t know anything about me,” Liam spat out.

Brendan grabbed one of the bottles from the table. “I know what’s going to happen. You’ll take the distillery like you took everything from me, and then you’ll abandon it and I’ll be left to clean up the mess.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“It’s the story of our lives.” Brendan’s face twisted in a snarl. “You spent all your time playing happy families somewhere else while I stayed at home, looking after Mom and dealing with all Dad’s shit.”

“You did nothing to help her.” Liam fist connected with Brendan’s face, knocking his brother back against the table. Brendan returned the punch, making contact with Liam’s nose. Blood poured down Liam’s shirt. Eyes streaming from the pain, he slammed his brother’s head into the cupboards and received a punch to the gut in return. Moments later, Liam felt hands on his shoulders, pulling him back as Brendan threw fists and knees, trying to get him down.

“Enough, you two.” Seamus shoved him toward the back door while Fitz pulled Brendan in the other direction. “Brendan. Go upstairs to your wife and get her to look after those cuts. And Liam, you’d best take Daisy home.”

Outside in the cool air, and away from his hotheaded brother, Liam sat on the front step and took a deep breath. What the hell was Brendan on about? He’d never once stood up to their father. It was Liam who had taken the punches and verbal abuse. Liam who had finally gotten their mother away.

“It sounds like your dad really messed you guys up.” Daisy sat on the front step beside him, a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Liam rested his elbows on his thighs, dropping his hands between his legs. “He started drinking after he turned his back on the distillery to start his car business. Things didn’t go well and he was too proud to ask for help. Money was tight. He didn’t want a second kid. When my mom got pregnant he couldn’t accept that they’d have to go even further in debt, so he accused her of having an affair. That made me a no-good, worthless burden on the family. It didn’t help that I was an energetic kid, always getting into trouble and breaking the rules.”

“I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been.” Daisy pulled a tissue out of her bag and dabbed at the cut on his forehead. “Kids just want to be loved.”

“I just wanted him to stop beating on my mother.” His heart was still pounding, his control fracturing with each dredged-up memory.

Her expression changed, softened. “It sounds like Brendan wanted that, too.”

She was imagining things. This was Brendan, a man who’d watched his dad beat his mom and little brother and never once tried to intervene. “I’ve got good reasons for doing what I’m doing.”