My Siobhan

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Shivey groaned as her phone started ringing. Figuring it was her mother, she and doing her best to ignore it. When she finally glimpsed the name flashing on the screen she groaned again, then it stopped ringing only to start again. She pulled to the curb, knowing if she didn’t answer; her mother would just keep calling.

She took several deep calming breaths before answering it. “Hello?”

“Siobhan!” her mother shouted. “Where on earth are you? You were supposed to be here at six thirty for dinner.”

Shivey did her best to answer her mother but couldn’t get a word in. “We’ll wait desert for you. I expect you to be here within the next fifteen minutes!” She hung up before her daughter was able to say a word.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Shivey tossed her phone on the passenger seat of her truck and pulled out into traffic, heading towards her parents’ home. She was not happy, but not showing up wasn’t an option. Her mother would make her life miserable if she didn’t.

As she pulled up in front of the house, Shivey took a minute to prepare herself mentally for what she was about to face. A grin crept across her face as she looked down at herself.  She’d been working late, had been on her way home from work, was still in her work-clothes. She looked sweaty and dirty, something that would drive her mother crazy. In Shivey’s defence, her mother had insisted she hurry, giving her no time to go home and change… right?

Shivey did her best not to laugh as she approached the front door. Her mother had been doing her best to marry her off since she was old enough to mate. No way was she ready to share her life, her bed, her everything with a man.

Shivey had a growing landscaping business, a business she’d started from scratch and worked damned hard to build up. There was absolutely no way she was going to give it up to mate and spit out pups so her mother could play the proud grandmother.

Shivey opened the front door, “Mom!” she called out, “I’m here. I sure hope you have something good for desert?”

Martha, Shivey’s mother came out into the foyer to greet her daughter and stopped short. “Siobhan, what on earth have you been doing? You’re a mess.” She shook her head and tried to drag her daughter towards the downstairs bathroom so she could at least try to clean up.

Shivey pulled away from her mother. “Look, you told me to rush over here and here I am. Don’t complain about how I look, I was on my way home from work.” She ignored the shocked expression on her mother’s face and headed for the dining room.

As expected there was one – no two, unsuspecting victims umm, men sitting at the dining room table. Her father was sitting at the head of the table so she made a bee-line for him, giving him a kiss. “Hi dad, who are your friends?” She nodded towards the young men now looking at her curiously.

Thomas gave his daughter a hug and kissed her in return. “Your mother invited these two young men over for dinner. Apparently you were supposed to be here for it?”

Shivey gave the men a nod of her head noting their somewhat confused expressions. “Dad I just finished work. I’ve told you,” she rolled her eyes and sighed, “I’ve lost count how many times I’ve told both of you that I’m not interested in being hooked up with some guy.”

She sat opposite the men, still looking at her father. “I need to build up my business and I can’t do that if I don’t put in the hours.”

She looked at the men again. “I’m sorry. My mother has a habit of trying to marry me off.” She sighed, “it’s not that you aren’t good looking and I’m sure you’re both really nice…”