“Buckle your safety belt,” he warned.
She did as she was told, then clutching the wheel, she slowly pressed on the accelerator. To Kellan’s surprise, the car glided smoothly forward. After only a few minutes, he had reason to suspect that she’d driven before. Though she appeared a bit tense, she knew exactly what she was doing.
They came to a crossroad north of Ballykirk and she stopped and looked at him. “Which way?”
“You’re in charge,” he said. “You choose. Who taught you how to drive? Because I don’t believe you’ve never driven before.”
“A very nice octopus taught me when I was just a tadpole.” She turned left, heading along the coast and for a moment, she drove on the wrong side of the road. But then, before he could speak, she corrected herself. “Sorry,” she murmured. “We usually drive on the other side in…the ocean.”
“You’re doing well,” he said.
“I’m going to need a car,” she said. “How much does a car cost? I’ve never bought one.”
“Varies,” he said. “But before you get a car, you need a license. You’ll have to take a test. In truth, you should have a permit now. The garda probably could stop you and—”
She slammed on the brakes and the car skidded to a stop. “That’s enough for now,” she said, putting the gearshift back into Park. Gelsey shoved the door open and hopped out. Kellan got out and they exchanged places.
“I didn’t mean you had to stop,” he said. “The garda usually doesn’t patrol these roads during the day.”
“I don’t want to cause any trouble,” she said. “I’m already in…” She paused, then pointed out the window. “Drive on.”
They continued their drive along the coast and when they passed by Castle Cnoc, Kellan slowed the car and stopped at the gate. He pointed up the driveway. “That’s one of my projects,” he said. “Just finished last month. Jordan was the project manager.”
“It’s lovely,” she said. “Do you like your job, then?”
“Sure. I’ve always loved historical properties. It’s like mixing history with architecture. New buildings just don’t have the same appeal to me.”
“I wish I knew what I was meant to do,” she murmured. “I’ve never had to choose a path for my life. It was chosen for me. How do you pick?”
“I didn’t,” he said. “It just always seemed like the right thing. You’ll figure it out.”
“I’m twenty-seven years old,” she said.
“Is that in fish years or human years?” he teased.
“Human,” she said. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m just starting my life. Like a baby taking her first steps.”
An odd expression crossed her face and Kellan could only read it as regret. He knew nothing of her past or what she was running away from. But he knew that he cared enough to give her a safe place to stay for a while. “You won’t need to buy a car,” he said. “My family has a little Fiat that we lend out to tourists who rent the cottage. It’s parked behind Danny’s smithy. You can use it for as long as you like.”
She glanced over at him, her expression shifting suddenly. “Thank you,” she said. “That’s very nice of you. But I still think I should get a car of my own.”
The smile she sent him was like a ray of sunshine, warm and bright and full of everything that he needed to survive. But Kellan got the uneasy feeling that his affection for Gelsey would come at a price. The more he got to know her, the more he needed her. So what would happen when she decided to leave?
It wasn’t a question that he’d thought about in any great depth, but now, the idea of losing her outweighed any fears he had of getting too close. “I suppose we could drive into town and see if anyone is looking for help.”
“You really think someone would hire me?”
As Kellan turned the car around and headed back to Ballykirk, he realized that Gelsey’s job hunt might provide a bit more insight into who she really was. She’d have to give a last name and if she wasn’t an Irish citizen, she’d have to give a whole lot more than that.
GELSEY HAD BEEN CURIOUS about the inhabitants of Kellan’s hometown, but she’d never expected them to be so curious about her. “Why is everyone staring at me?” she murmured as she and Kellan strolled down the main street of Ballykirk.
“Are they?” he asked.
“Yes! Haven’t you noticed? They don’t really think I’m a—”
“No,” Kellan said. “I suspect they’re just curious about what’s going on between us. Everyone in this village is in everyone else’s business. You can’t sneeze in this town without a half-dozen people offering medical advice. It’s kind of the same with romance.”
She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Of course. She and Kellan been shacked up together for two days now, eating take-out food from the pub and no doubt creating all sorts of speculation. Now that they’d emerged from their den of passion, people were bound to be curious.
“I suppose I’ll have to get used to that kind of thing,” she murmured.
“They’re just excited to have something new to gossip about. They’ll move along to a new subject soon enough.”
Gelsey forced a smile. Or maybe not. How long would it be before someone recognized her? Without the makeup and the skimpy dresses, she barely looked like the girl in the tabloids. But was Ballykirk really that isolated from the rest of the world? “I love this village,” she said. “It’s so…picturesque.”
“Ballykirk? When I was a lad I couldn’t wait to leave.”
“You did leave,” she said.
Kellan nodded. “For university. In Dublin and then a year in London.”
“Why did you come back?” Gelsey asked.
“I’m not technically back. I just finished the job at Castle Cnoc and I don’t have anything else lined up until after the new year. I usually live in Dublin.”
“I ought to have finished university,” Gelsey said. In truth, she hadn’t given it much chance. She’d been too restless to sit in a class all day, so she’d decided to go to cooking school. When she’d grown bored with that, she’d tried fashion school. Paired with her lack of real work experience, she’d been left with a rather unconventional résumé.
“They have universities where you come from?” he asked. “Oh, wait. I don’t know where you come from, do I?”
She slipped her arm through his and gave him a playful slap. “How do you think I learned to speak French?” she asked.
“You speak French?”
“Mais oui,”
Gelsey replied.
“You’re hiding all sorts of secrets, aren’t you?”
Her expression suddenly turned serious. “We all have secrets. I suspect you have a few of your own.”
“No,” he said.
“None?”
“Well, when I was fourteen, I wanted to be James Bond. I mean, the bloke was a god with the women.”
“And you weren’t?”
“No. Far from it. I’d never kissed a girl before. And then, that summer it happened and after that it was a brand-new world.”
“Tell me about it,” Gelsey said.
He glanced over at her. “I suspect you know how it goes.”
She drew in a sharp breath. Was he referring to the kiss they’d shared all those years before? Did he remember her? She’d been so young. Eleven years old and all arms and legs. And so flat-chested she was sure she’d never grow breasts.
“Sure,” Gelsey said. “It’s always very clumsy at first. But you obviously got the hang of it. In fact, you’re quite an expert now.”
She glanced into a shop window as they passed by and then stopped short. “Look,” she said, pointing to the hand-lettered sign: Help Wanted. Enquire Within. Gelsey stepped back to look at the sign hung above the door. “Maeve Dunphrey’s Potions and Lotions,” she read.
“You don’t want to go in there,” Kellan said.
“It looks nice. And she’s looking for help.”
“Trust me, there are lots of other places that would be better suited.”
“But this looks like fun. She sells soap and hand lotion and perfumes. I know about those things.”
“All right. But before you go in, you should know that she’s crazy. A complete nutter. Gone in the head. She thinks she’s a Druid priestess. She makes all sorts of potions. She almost poisoned Billy Murphy with a love potion once.”
“Really?” Gelsey reached for the door. “She sounds very interesting.”
“And I doubt that she has any money to pay you. She barely scrapes by and no one really visits her shop anymore. Those who do, buy her things just to be charitable.”
“Then she really needs my help,” Gelsey said. She pulled the door open and stepped inside. It was apparent from the outset why her shop wasn’t doing well. It was a top-to-bottom mess. Beautiful old display cases were overflowing with jars and tins and boxes of homemade beauty products. Some looked as though they’d been there for years and others were wrapped in brightly colored paper and tied with little bits of string.
“Hello.” An elderly woman dressed in a long tapestry robe appeared from the back of the shop. “Welcome.” She tipped her head and smiled, blinking at Gelsey through horn-rimmed glasses. “You must be the one they’ve been talking about. The one who came to us from the sea.”
“And you must be the priestess,” Gelsey replied.
“That I am.” Maeve motioned her forward. “Let’s have a look at you. I must say, I have been a bit curious since I first heard your story from Doc Finnerty. He comes in for my sea-salt scrub. His wife loves it for her feet. Keeps them soft.”
Maeve made a careful study of Gelsey, then nodded. “You’re quite a beauty. I expected nothing less. It’s a fortunate thing Kellan found you when he did.”
“I’d like to inquire about the job,” Gelsey said. “The sign in your window says you need help. And I think I could help you.”
“Oh, dear. That sign has been there forever. And you’re the first person who’s come in.”
“What are the job requirements?”
Maeve looked around. “I suppose organization would be crucial. As you can see, I’m not much with that. I need someone who is creative. I’ve always thought I could do a better job with my displays, but I haven’t the patience or the time.”
“I could do that for you,” Gelsey said.
“I can’t pay much and I’m not sure how long I’m going to keep the shop. I’ve wanted to sell it for a while now, and move to Galway to live with my sister. But with help, I might be able to shine the place up a bit.”
“I’m your girl,” Gelsey stated.
Maeve reached out and took her hand. “I do believe you are.”
“When would you like me to start?”
“How about next week? We’re closed on Mondays, so Tuesday morning. How is ten?”
“I’ll be here at nine,” Gelsey said. She shook Maeve’s hand, but then couldn’t control herself and threw her arms around the elderly woman. “You won’t regret this. I promise.” Embarrassed, Gelsey stepped back. “Sorry. I’m just very excited. I didn’t expect it would be this simple.”
“Yes. Well, having a mermaid in the shop might liven things up a bit.” She paused. “Oh, and one more thing.” Maeve hurried over to one of the display cases and picked up a small jar, then handed it to Gelsey. “I can see you haven’t been getting much sleep lately. Try this. It does wonders for bags under the eyes.”
“Thank you,” Gelsey said. “I will try it tonight. And I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
When she walked out of the shop, Gelsey jumped into Kellan’s arms and yelled, “I got a job!” She gave him a long, lingering kiss. When she finally drew back, she looked around to find several people staring at them. “Well, that will give the townsfolk something new to talk about,” she said.
“Yes, I suspect it will. And congratulations—I think. Can we go home now and have some lunch?”
“All right. But I want to do something more. I’ll cook for you tonight. A wonderful gourmet meal.”
“That’s not necessary,” he said.
“But I want to.” She pushed up on her toes and gave him another kiss. “This has been an amazing day. I think we need to celebrate, don’t you?” Gelsey paused. “She mentioned the mermaid thing. You don’t think she’ll fire me once she realizes I’m not a—”
“I think everyone knows already,” Kellan said. He dropped another kiss on her lips. “But that’s not going to stop them from talking about it. Twenty years from now, you’ll still be known as the mermaid girl.”
4
THE ONLY LIGHT in the cottage came from the peat fire flickering on the hearth and an oil lamp Gelsey had set on the floor. Outside, a roaring wind from the sea scoured the windows. Though they had a perfectly adequate table at which to dine, Gelsey had chosen to spread their gourmet dinner out on the floor in front of the fire, creating a much more romantic atmosphere.
As Kellan poured her another glass of wine, he studied her features, still rendered breathless by her beauty. What bit of luck had brought her into his life? He could have walked in the other direction that morning. She could have climbed up the cliff on her own and disappeared again, without the two of them getting a second chance. But something had brought them together and he couldn’t help but wonder if there were magical forces behind it all.
Kellan groaned inwardly. This was exactly how it began for his brothers. He’d listened to Riley and Danny tell their tales and he’d heard them both blather on and on about the incredible power of love. And now he was doing the same thing. Turning himself inside out over a woman he barely knew.