Since it's Saint Patrick's Day, it seemed fitting to post one of my Irish mugs. I have a few, although not as many as I once had. This is not one of the mugs I got in Ireland, however, it was a gift from a friend and I think of her every time I use it. I identify with that single, black sheep.
I have several Irish set or Irish themed stories. If you want to learn more about them, I suggest you check out either my Celtic Legends stories:https://www.pgforte.com/celtic-legends which are set in Ireland, although not on St Patrick's Day. Or the first three books in my Games We Play series:https://www.pgforte.com/games-we-play-series-1 (The Wild Geese).
These stories feature an Irish American family, and the third book--Two Truths and a Lie--is partially set on Saint Patrick's Day. In an Irish bar.
Actually, here's a scene from that book. In this scene, Brenda (co-owner of the bar) and Max are role-playing as Donna and Mike, two strangers who have just met.
Max choked back a laugh. Before he had a chance to answer, Kristy had come over in answer to his wave. “Can I get you something?”
“Yes, I’ll have a Guinness, please,” he told her. “And the lady…” He glanced at Brenda inquiringly, but she was already shaking her head. “No?”
“No. Kristy, can you bring us a couple of Car Bombs?”
Kristy’s eyebrows shot up. “You want what now?”
“Irish Car Bombs.”
“You’re kidding. Do you even know what you’re doing?”
“Uh…ordering drinks?”
“Stop it. You know what I’m talking about. That damn boggart’s gonna be—”
“Kristy,” Brenda snapped, cutting her friend off before she said something they’d both regret. “Let’s not go there now. Okay? And, yes, by the way, I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“Well, I don’t,” Max protested. “What’s going on? What the hell is a car bomb?”
“They’re disgusting,” Kristy assured him. “Trust me, you’re not missing anything.”
Brenda waved dismissively. “Oh, stop it. They’re not that bad. Besides they’re an Irish tradition.”
Kristy snorted in derision. “They fucking are not.”
Brenda sighed. Of course they weren’t. But Donna, who was a bit of an airhead, would probably think they were. She waggled two fingers at Kristy. “Two, please.”
“It’s your funeral,” Kristy muttered as she moved away. “I just hope your cousin never finds out.”
“What did she mean by that?” Max asked after Kristy left. “What doesn’t she want your cousin to know?”
Brenda pursed her lips. She hadn’t planned for Donna to have a cousin. And they were breaking character by talking about Luke. “I suppose she doesn’t want Luke to know what we’re drinking. Some people find the name offensive.”
“Can I assume Luke is among them?”
“Well, yes, that was her point. I’ve heard rumors that he’s thrown people out when they’ve tried to order them.”
Laughter glinting in his eyes, Max asked, “And are you by any chance trying to get me thrown out? I suppose that’s one way to ensure that your cousin doesn’t speak to me again.”
“Don’t be silly, Mike; why would I do something like that? We’ve only just met. Besides, I don’t even have a cousin.”
“Right. Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. So the Car Bombs. ‘Not that bad’ is hardly a raging endorsement. Why are we doing this? Is there an upside to them that I’m missing?”
“Well, they’re very strong, for one thing. They’re made with beer, whiskey, and Irish cream liqueur.”
“Mixed together? Jesus, I’m starting to see Kristy’s point. Are you sure it’s just the name your cousin objects to?”
“I told you. I don’t have a cousin. And, anyway, taste isn’t as much of a factor as you might think. You have to drink them fast—before they curdle. They’re not meant to be savored.”
“Mmm. Appetizing. Sounds like a good way to get drunk.”
“Why, yes, Mike. Yes, it does.”
A slow smile curved Max’s lips as understanding gradually dawned on him. “Ohhh, I get it. Why, Ms. Donovan, are you trying to get me drunk?”
“So I can take you back to my room and have my wicked way with you? It’s a distinct possibility.”
Two Truths And A LieGames We Play 3.0
https://books2read.com/2Truths1Lie
All work and no play has been the story of Brenda Donovan's life these past few months. Her concern about the future of her family's inn has her tied up in knots—and not in a good way. Between searching for a buyer for the business, and keeping secrets from her cousins, she's had no time to pursue an actual relationship. But pretending to date sexy Max Murphy, the hotel scout who's there to assess the property? That's totally doable. Especially when games, role-playing, and light bondage are included in the package. Falling in love was never supposed to be part of their deal; but now her heart's in play and all bets are off.
Max has no problem with hiding his true identity from Brenda's cousins. If that's the way she wants to play it, he's all in. But are Luke and Gwyn the only ones he's deceiving?
It's game, set, and match this time around. And when all the scores have been tallied, and everyone's secrets are finally revealed, will the cousins lose the Wild Geese Inn?
