Boston Rose

Tyler’s POV:

“Tyler, you really need to calm down and take a deep breath and start acting like a normal human being again!” my mom shouted at me for what seemed like the millionth time. Ever since we had won the Stanley Cup and Brad and myself started to go dancing in bars shirtless and all of that crap, everyone started to tell me that I needed to get my head screwed back on straight-coaches, family, friends, and teammates.

“Alright ma’,” I said with a sigh. “I’ll work on it. I love you. Bye” And then, I hung up, not wanting to get yelled at anymore. Looking around my apartment, I sighed realizing that there was nothing to do. Knowing that it was too early to go out clubbing, I decided that I would just go for a walk and try to get my head screwed on straight.

After walking for about ten minutes, my phone started to ring.

“Hello?” I said dully, not exactly in the mood to talk to anyone.

“Heeeeyyy Ty!!!” my younger sister, Candace, shouted into the phone. I had to smile. Candace was the youngest in my family and she was by far my favorite.

“Sup C, how’s it going?” I asked, really not wanting this to turn into one of our three hour discussions. Suddenly, I started to hear her cry on the other line.

“What’s wrong C? Is everything alright?” I asked, the protective older brother in me starting to come out.

“Ri-Riley broke up with me. Over the phone.” She cried, her then happy mood now gone sour. Riley, her boyfriend of the past year and a half, broke up with her. Huh. And I thought that this guy was actually a good kid too. Shows how well my judgment is.

“I’m soo sorry C, if there was anything that I could do for you, you know that I would do it.” I said, not really wanting to have this conversation when I myself was in a pissed off mood.

“I know Ty. I know.” She said dully. Not knowing what else to say, I said almost shamefully,

“Listen, I got to go. Someone on the team is calling me.” Which was actually true, someone on the team WAS calling me.

“Okay, bye Ty. Call me later. Love ya.” Candace muttered. I said that I would and that I loved her as well and then switched over to the line in which Brad was calling me on.

“What up Marchy?” I asked.

“T-SEGS!!! You wanna go clubbing with me tonight!?!” Brad shouts in that annoying voice of his that you only hear when he is drunk. I just had to laugh.

“Dude, how are you already drunk?” I exclaimed.

“Easy, I had like six beers already. Anyway, so I was thinking that I would sober up a bit and then we could go out and get WASTED!” he shouted, making me laugh even harder.

“Sorry, man, I can’t go. Maybe some other time.” I said as I thought back to the conversation that I just had with my mom.

“You’re NO fun you know that Seggy? You suck balls. Hey, maybe Looch or Horty will go with me. See ya lataaa BITCH!” And then he just hung up.

“Well, that’s Brad for ya.” I muttered to myself. After walking for a few more minutes, I was starting to get thirsty and hungry, seeing the last meal that I had was at LEAST three hours ago. Hey, I am a growing boy… I can’t help it! Once I had walked a couple more blocks in search of a good restaurant, I came face to face with this restaurant called O’Donnell’s: Irish Pub and Bar”. Seeing that it wasn’t that crowded, I walked inside and prayed to God that they had good food here. As this old lady seated me, I had no idea that my life would change forever.

Bridget’s POV:

“Ugh, another quiet day in the Pub.” I sighed as I helped my grandmother clean dishes. My grandparents came over to Boston from our home back in County Cork, Ireland about six years ago to open up a restaurant business, since there are WAY too many pubs in Ireland, that they do NOT need any more. And then, I came over about a year ago after both my parents were killed in a car crash, one that I too, should have died in.

“Oh Bridge, you should know by now that until some major sports season starts, this place will be hopping with business again.” My grandmother stated as she handed me another dish to dry.

“Well, that baseball team… the uh… Red Sox, they’re still playing!” I stated.

“Well, no one is really watching them anymore; they are starting to go downhill. Just wait until hockey and football season to start. That will draw in customers.” She reasoned. I just shrugged and continued to dry the dishes. Suddenly, the bell that was placed on the door started to ring.

“Someone’s here. Bridget, darling, would you please finish drying those as I seat the person and then I will send you out to take the orders for Jack.” Jack was the thirty year old chief who acted more like a five year old kid than his actual age. I just nodded as my grandma walked out to the front part of the small restaurant.

“Hello darling. How are you this fine day?” I heard her ask. I could not hear the customer’s answer, but I did hear her say,

“That’s good. Now, wait just a minute and Bridget will be out in a moment to wait on you.” And then, in no time, Grandma was back and saying,

“Go and take his order. And make sure that you don’t screw it up.” I blushed, thinking back to the last time that I actually waited on someone… it was a disaster. We ended up giving out a LOT of free meals that day. And I haven’t waited on anyone else since. But, that is all about to change since everyone else that worked here was on vacation or getting ready to start college.

“I’ll try my hardest not to.” I sighed as I walked out to this boy who looked my age who was sitting all alone in a booth.

“Hi there! My name is Bridget and I will be waiting on you today. Is there anything that you would like to drink?” I asked, once I got over the shock of how handsome he was. This young man had soft looking brown hair and these chocolate colored eyes that made me just want to melt.

“Um, I don’t suppose you could give me a beer, eh? Ha! Um… I will just have a water please.” He said in this really deep, sexy sounding voice. “Oh, shut it Bridget! You hardly know the boy!” I scolded to myself.

“You’re not from around here are you?” I blurted out randomly when I realized that he had had an accent. The man looked at me and smiled.

“What gave it away?”

“The accent. Oh, and the fact that you asked for a beer.” I said with a smile. This time, instead of smiling, he started to laugh this deep and hearty laugh, one that could make the earth shake.

“Yeah, I suppose that. You’re not from here either.” He stated.

“No, I guess not. Anyway, I will be right back with your water. Then, I will take your order. Alright?” I asked, not thinking about how stupid I must’ve sounded.

“Yes ma’am.” He saluted. I laughed at him and then took off to get his water.

“Well, here you are. Now, do you know what you want to eat?” I asked as I set his water in front of him. The man was staring so intently at the menu, you would have thought that he was deciding between life and death.

“No,” he said finally. “What’s good here?”

“Well, just how hungry are you?” I asked.

“Famished. I could eat a horse right now. And then proceed to go an eat cow right after it.” He stated with a little nod of his head. I gave a small laugh as I pointed to something on the menu.

“The steak here is the best. And VERY filling.” I added that last part after a second’s thought.

“Well then, I will have that. I’m Tyler by the way.” He held out his hand to me. I shook it, surprised at how rough and strong his hands were, that I didn’t even notice that he didn’t tell me his last name.

“My name is Bridget, Bridget O’Donnell.” I said with my genuine smile that I probably haven’t used since Ma and Dad died.

“I know,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. “You told me that already.”

“Oh yeah, I guess I did.”