Bronagh (7 page)

I sighed and looked at Dominic. The level of smugness on that lad's face was unreal. He thought he was so bloody cool beating a girl at a game.

"Pussy," I mumbled.

"What was that?" Dominic asked.

"I called you a pussy. A p-u-s-s-y. Pussy."

Dominic's jaw dropped. "How am I a pussy?"

I shrugged. "Your smugness is annoyin' me, you think you're all that and packet of Tayto crisps 'cause you're winnin' me at bowlin’. Let's go home and play chess, I'd fuckin'
destroy
you at chess."

Dominic pretended to be scared. "Not chess,
anything
but chess."

"You know what? I'm not dealin' with your sarcastic self today; it's my birthday bitch, I'm twenty-one. It's
my
day, not yours so screw you."

I would have loved if my hair were down so I could flip it, it was a perfect fuck you hair-flip moment.

"Ohhh, this really is an ‘it's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to’ type of day you're havin'. I'll take you in a mood with me over crying though."

I reached forward and shoved Dominic in the chest.

"I can't help it if I'm soft hearted and cry easily, okay? If I were hard-hearted, I would have never dated your stupid Yank arse."

Dominic smirked. "You aren't insulting me."

Damn it.

"I'm never comin' here with you again, I hope you know that."

Dominic shrugged. "I won't be bringin' you back here again; you suck even worse than Branna does, and she is a complete girl when it comes to sports."

Okay, that does it; I wasn't talking to him.

I gave him the finger then sat down and folded my arms across my chest. Dominic snorted then went and bowled another bloody strike. This continued for the rest of the stupid game. Dominic got a strike, spare or knocked a lot of the pins down. I, on the other hand, knocked down three or four pins during each turn. Five if I was lucky.

Dominic was right.

I sucked.

I wasn't admitting that out loud to the bastard though.

"Grumpy gills, it's your final turn."

I grumbled as I stood up. "Your score is one hundred and three, my is twenty-three... I think we both know you've won."

Dominic smirked. "Just go bowl your final turn."

I did, but I did it with an attitude.

I was about to throw my ball when a woman my age appeared next to me. She was a little taller than me with white blonde hip length hair and big blue eyes.

She was very pretty.

"Hey, I'm Jo."

I smiled. "Bronagh."

"I hope you don't mine me sayin', but you're doin' that all wrong. I couldn't help but notice your game, and since your brother won't help you, I will."

My brother.

She thought Dominic was my brother?

I mentally rolled my eyes, this happened so bloody often to me.

I got it; Dominic was incredibly hot, and I was the homely girlfriend who fit better as his sibling rather his partner.

Whatever
.

I decided to humour the girl because I needed all the help I could get. I looked over my shoulder to Dominic and smiled.

"Jo here is goin' to help me with me form because you, dear
brother
, won't."

I could see the amusement on Dominic's face as he waved me on.

I turned back to Jo and said, "Teach me, wise one."

Jo smiled and moved behind me; she reached forward and touched my hand then placed her left hand on my hip to steady me or something.

"Okay keep your body straight, draw your arm back and swing but no so hard that you knock off balance. I've watched you, and you move your whole body forward when you throw the ball. You only move your throwing arm; you keep the rest of your body straight."

Oh.

That explains why messed up so bad on my first two attempts at throwing the ball.

"Okay, so pull back... and forward... and release."

I did as Jo said, and I felt as though the entire bowling alley was watching the ball zoom down the lane.

I jumped up and down when the machine voice shouted, "STRIKE!"

I got a strike.

I fucking got one.

"Yes!" I screamed and instantly turned and hugged Jo, who hugged me back and jumped up and down with me.

I pulled back to thank her, and the weirdest thing happened.

She kissed me.

She. Kissed. Me.

"You're welcome, enjoy the rest of your game." Jo beamed the turned and walked off like she didn't just kiss me on the mouth.

I blinked a couple of times thenturned back to Dominic with my mouth open and found him laughing his head off with his phone pointed in my direction.

Was that motherfucker recording me?

"Delete it!" I growled and whipped my mouth.

Dominic quickly tapped on the screen of his phone then jumped up. "Too late. My brothers, your sister, and Alannah have now seen you get hit on and kissed by a girl."

I was red with embarrassment.

"You bastard, why would you do that?"

"Because that was the funniest shit I've ever seen in my entire life. That girl looked at your ass more than she did your face; she was literally eye fucking it."

Would the mortification ever stop?

"I'm leavin'!"

Dominic jumped up and put his arms around my body as stopped me from walking away.

"The game isn't over yet."

Really?

"I've played enough bowlin' to last me a lifetime."

"What about your present though?"

Oh, that bastard.

"I've done what you asked; I played the game... where is it?"

Dominic chuckled. "Um... it's down the end of our lane."

Come again?

"Excuse me?"

"I made you work for your other presents, what's different about this one?"

I groaned in annoyance.

"What happened to just handin' someone a present and sayin' here you go, happy birthday."

"That's boring."

I rolled my eyes. "That's one thing you aren't... this day has exhausted me, and it's only after five. What
you
think is excitin' is not
my
idea of excitin'."

Dominic sighed. "Just go get your present, I promise this one will be the most-exciting part of your day."

Oh.

"I've to walk down the lane? Will I not get in trouble?"

Dominic laughed. "No, who will say something to you?"

"Uh, the staff."

"Ryder came and put the present down the end of our lane; he told them what was going down."

I swallowed. "And they just agreed?"

Dominic shrugged. "Would you disagree with Ryder?"

"I disagree with 'em all the time."

"Bad example, you don't fear me and my brothers, but most people do. The staff won't say anything and if they do, I'll have a word."

Oh, scary man.

"Fine, let me go so I can get this done."

Dominic released me, smacked my arse and sent me on my way.

I walked to the lane and stepped onto the walking strip that the staff must use so they don't fall. I walked all the way down to where the pins were lined up and hunkered down.

"Where the fuck is me present?" I mumbled.

I bent all the way down until I was lying on my stomach and looking under the pin machine. I saw a blue and silver rope with a collar at the end of it.

A lead?

I reached for it, but my arms were too short to grab it. I carefully moved onto the slippery lane and moved closer to the pins. I reached to the side and grabbed the lead with my hand then I got to my feet.

I examined the lead with confused eyes. I looked at the collar then at the blank tag that was shaped like a doggie treat.

A dog?

"Why would he buy me a lead if we don't have a- omigod!"

I turned to Dominic.

"You got me a dog?" I screamed.

He was standing on the end of the lane and recording me again on his phone.

"I got you a dog."

Oh, my God.

I screamed in delight then jumped up and down but jumping up and down on a bowling alley lane was
not
a smart move.

Seriously, don't ever do it.

I slipped and fell back on my arse, crashing into the pins knocking them all down. I groaned and rolled out of the way just as the pin machine came down to scoop the pins away.

"That hurt," I groaned and crawled out to the path I used to walk down the lane.

I stood up, put my hand on my arse and began walking back towards Dominic. I looked up and glared at him. He was on his knees recording me, but he was laughing.

"That wasn't funny."

I noticed Dominic was crying when I reached him.

Crying with laughter.

"That was hilarious."

Bastard.

"I think I broke me arse."

Dominic stood up and gave me a tight hug. "There is never a dull moment with you, pretty girl."

I grunted. "Happy to amuse you."

Dominic pulled back and snorted. "You got a strike when you knocked all the pins down with your ass."

Typical, fucking typical.

"It was worth it; you got me a dog!"

Dominic gave my head a kiss. "I got you a dog."

"Where?"

He grinned. "At home."

"What are we still here for then? Let's go!"

"Branna?" I screamed when I opened the door to my house.

"Don't shout you will scare him."

Him.

"Branna?" I whispered as I rid myself of my cardigan and dolly shoes.

I checked the sitting room first but it was empty. Next up was the kitchen, it was empty too.

"Hey birthday girl... do I get a kiss from you too like that chick at the bowling alley?"

Okay, Ryder, Kane,
and
Alec where in the kitchen, but no puppy and my puppy was all I wanted to see.

I ignored Alec's nasty self.

"Branna?" I called out.

"She's out in the back yard-"

"Branna!" I squealed as I ran to the back down and looked through the glass door.

I spotted Branna sitting on the ground while a chubby little Siberian Husky sat next to her.

Dominic got me a Siberian Husky.

I screamed
and
I jumped up and down.

"Oh, my God!" I cried.

I pulled the slide door open just as Dominic said, "She hasn't stopped crying all day."

I was so happy with every present he got me, how could I
not
cry?

"There's mama." Branna beamed up at me.

I slowly walked over before I sunk to my knees and then lay down on my belly and rested my head on my hands.

"Hello," I whispered to the puppy as he waddled over to my face.

I laughed when he licked my nose.

"He loves you." I heard Dominic say from behind me.

"I love him too," I sniffled.

I sat up then and lifted him into my arms, holding him to my chest.

"What do you want to call him?" Dominic asked.

I lifted the puppy up and looked into his bright blue gorgeous eyes.

"How about... Tyson?"

I heard murmurs of approval then Dominic said, "I like Tyson."

Tyson.

"Your name is Tyson."

I kissed Tyson's head and then put him on the ground. I used my arms to wipe my tears from my face; I then crawled over to Branna and lifted up my necklace.

"Look."

Branna took my pendant in her hand; she looked at both sides of the heart and then burst into tears. I instantly cried right along with her and it caused mumbling from behind us.

"I'm getting bee water," Kane's voice murmured. "If she is crying like this all day the girl must be getting dehydrated."

He was so thoughtful!

I calmed myself down and hugged my sister tightly.

"He made me a cool book too," I whispered. "I'll show you it later though."

Branna smiled, wiped her eyes then nodded her head.

I looked back down to Tyson when he decided to gnaw on the end of my dress. I smiled and tugged my dress from him. I lightly tapped his nose and firmly said, "No."

I was nipping any chewing and eating of clothes in the bud immediately. I stood up then bent down and picked Tyson up into my arms.

"I love him so much!" I turned to Dominic, Ryder and Alec and held Tyson out for them to see. "Just look at him, isn't he gorgeous?"

"Beautiful."

"Fabulous."

"Stunning."

I glared at the three of them, sarcasm radiated off them in waves.

I looked to Tyson. "They are mutts so don't mind them, baby."

"
Mutts
?"

I smirked. "Mutts."

Alec glared at me. "I'm offended."

"Good."

I looked away and smiled.

"Dinner will be done soon, I've it on the past hour."

I looked to Branna. "Me and Dominic already had food... but I could eat."

I looked to Dominic who was staring at me.

Diet and exercise starts tomorrow, not today!

I rolled my eyes. "Me arse can't get any bigger, give me a break."

Alec tilted to the side and looked down to my behind. "So squat more and it will."

I laughed. "I'm not tryin' to make it bigger, it's big enough."