Kellan

8

A SMALL CROWD WAS GATHERED on the main street of Ballykirk as Kellan drove into town. “What the hell is going on here?”

Danny peered through the windscreen. “I don’t know. Isn’t that Maeve’s shop?”

Kellan had left Gelsey asleep in the cottage that morning while he and Danny drove to Bantry to pick up supplies for the pub. They’d had a late night, having waited until nearly midnight before leaving the flat above the pub and sneaking back up the hill to the cottage.

Rosie Perry, the owner of the only bed-and-breakfast in Ballykirk, had passed along a message that the photographer had taken a room and was planning to stay for at least another day or two. She’d promised to call Kellan with any news of his movements.

Kellan reached into his pocket for his mobile, then cursed beneath his breath as he noticed the battery levels were dead. “Can you see what’s going on?”

“There’s the photographer,” Danny said. “And it looks like Gelsey is there along with Dealy, Markus and Johnnie. Maeve’s there, too.”

Kellan pulled the car up to the curb and hopped out, closing the distance between him and the crowd in a few long steps. Strangely, Gelsey didn’t seem to be in any distress. She was smiling for the crowd as she spoke.

“Maybe you can get a photo of Maeve and I under the sign.” She pointed above her head and the photographer reluctantly focused on the pair of them and clicked his shutter.

“What about you and Antonio?” he said.

“Oh, that’s old news. Now, let me tell you about our new product line. It’s all natural, made from a special kind of kelp harvested off the coast of the Aran Islands. Here, get a photo of this jar. Isn’t it beautiful? Mrs. Logan has tried the facial scrub.” She drew Ardelle Logan out of the crowd. “Tell this nice gentleman what you thought.”

Ardelle Logan held the jar up for the photographer, smiling as she spoke. “It made my skin so wonderfully soft. It doesn’t smell very pretty, but it works.”

“Perhaps we can get a photo with our tourism committee too,” Gelsey suggested.

“Do you have any plans to return to Europe, Gigi? Maybe to see Antonio? Is it true that he came here looking to take you back?”

“Oh, no. I’m happy right here. Helping Maeve turn this shop into everything that it can be. Would you like to come inside? I’d love to show you around. Wait, maybe we should get a few more photos outside.”

“And what about the charges that are still pending against you? There’s been talk that after the criminal trial, the guy is going to sue you.”

The crowd around her went silent and Kellan glanced over at Danny. “Charges?”

“I-I’m sure that I’ll be cleared of any wrongdoing,” Gelsey said.

“And what if you’re not?” the photographer asked.

Kellan pushed through the crowd to Gelsey’s side. “Listen, I think you got what you came here for. It’s time to leave, mate.”

“Who are you? Are you and Gigi together? Does Antonio know about this, Gigi?”

Kellan grabbed his arm and pulled him along through the crowd. “She doesn’t want you here. Leave her alone.”

The photographer wrenched out of his grasp and began to snap pictures of Kellan. But within seconds, most of the men in the crowd surrounded them both, moving in on the photographer.

He held up his camera. “All right, all right. I get the message.” He hoisted it over his shoulder, then nervously walked through the crowd. “She’s turned into a crashing bore anyway. She was much more fun when she was drunk.” He turned back and looked at Kellan. “You’re not Quinn, are you?”

Kellan shook his head. “Rooney is the name. I run the petrol station near the docks. You’re welcome to come down and take a few snaps of my place.” He slipped his arm around Danny. “This is my brother. He helps out.”

“Do you know Kellan Quinn?”

“Oh, he doesn’t live here. He lives in Dublin,” Dealy said.

“That’s what I’ve been told,” the photographer replied.

“I’m sure he’s in the book,” Markus added. “K-E-double L-A-N. Ring him and he’ll probably let you take his picture, too.”

“Either you’re all crazy or you’re acting like you are,” the photographer said. Kellan watched as he strode down the street to his car, got inside and headed out of town.

The crowd slowly dispersed, chatting amongst themselves about the possibility of being on the cover of Hello! or the Tattler. They didn’t seem to care about the bomb the photographer had just dropped. What kind of trouble was she in? And why would it require a trial?

Before long, Gelsey was the only one standing in front of the shop. “I’m going to take the car down to the pub,” Danny said.

“Great. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.” Kellan stepped up to Gelsey, then looked over his shoulder to make sure there weren’t any other photographers lurking about. “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “He’ll be back. Don’t think he believed that story you told him. They’re much smarter than that. He’ll pay someone for more information and he’ll catch a photo of us together and he’ll have his picture and story to sell.”

“What story? We’re not doing anything wrong.”

“Gigi Woodson hiding out in Irish village with new boy toy. Do you really want to be known around the world as my boy toy?”

Kellan chuckled softly, then leaned close to drop a kiss on her lips. “I don’t know. Do I?”

“Definitely not,” she replied.

“So, now that you’re the biggest celebrity in town, I suppose you’re not going to want to go out to lunch with me, are you?”

Gelsey shook her head. “Maybe we should-”

“Why not?”

“I just think we ought to-”

“But I’m really hungry.”

Gelsey reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out an envelope, waving it in front of her face. “All right. My paycheck. Maeve gave it to me this morning. I’m pretty sure it should buy us lunch.”

“Where are you going to take me?” he asked.

“There’s only one place in town that serves lunch. It’s called the Speckled Hound. You ever been there?”

“I don’t believe I have,” Kellan said, playing along. “Lead on.”

She slipped her hand into his and they walked down the street. “How was your trip to Dublin?” she asked.

“Good,” he said. “Everything went well. It’s another job, this time just outside Waterford.”

“What about the job in France?”

“We’re still considering that,” Kellan said. “It’s a big commitment and I’m not sure Jordan wants to spend that much time away from Danny.”

“Right,” she murmured. “I guess she wouldn’t.”

“And what about you?” Kellan asked, turning to face Gelsey and pulling her to a stop. “I understand you have a little problem with the law in Italy?”

Gelsey stopped short. “Now you want to talk about that?”

“Do you?”

“Do you want the long story or the short?”

“Short,” he said.

“I accidentally hit a photographer and broke his nose. He’s filed assault charges. Antonio is my only witness. The hearing for the case is scheduled for January. If I don’t win, I might have to go to jail-for a little while.” She drew a deep breath and let it out. “There. That wasn’t so bad.”

“Is this why you’ve been so reluctant to talk about the future?”

Gelsey shrugged. “In part. There are some other things that we probably should talk about. Stupid things that I’ve done. I just didn’t want you to think less of me. And sooner or later, someone is going to tell you these things or you’re going to read about them and maybe you won’t like me as much anymore.”

“Well, I don’t think that will happen. But it might help if we didn’t have to sleep in separate beds. Hell, in separate houses. Why are we doing that?”

“I guess I’m wondering that, too,” Gelsey said. “But it’s different now. Before, I was staying with you because I was running away from my old life. Now I have a new life and I have to figure out how I want that life to be.”

“What do you need to figure out, Gels? It’s not that difficult.”

“All right. Where do we live? You have a place in Dublin, we can’t live there. The cottage belongs to your parents, we can’t stay there forever. I have a house, we could live there, but I’m not quite sure I’m ready for that.”

“I see your point,” Kellan said. “But we can spend a few nights a week at your house and a few at the cottage until we decide what to do.”

He pulled open the door to the pub and they walked inside. Gelsey saw Danny behind the bar and smiled at him, but Kellan led her to a booth on the far wall, a spot that offered them the maximum amount of privacy.

Sitting down across from her, he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. Their gazes met and for a moment, Kellan saw the fears vanish from her gaze. He was making progress in the right direction. Very slow-but positive-progress.

“Maybe we ought to start dating,” Kellan suggested. “Forget about the sex and the sleeping together. We never really started at the beginning. Maybe that’s the problem.”

“What are we going to do around Ballykirk that we haven’t already done?” Gelsey asked.

“There are plenty of things to do. We can sit down at the harbor and watch the fishing boats come it. We can walk to the library and look at the new books. The greengrocer teaches a cooking class every other Wednesday night. And there’s always Tuesday-night bingo at St. Margaret’s.”

“Bingo sounds lovely,” Gelsey said. “And I’ll drive. Now that I have my own car, I can pick you up.”

“You’re driving a forty-year-old Bentley. That thing should be in a museum, not on the road. Do you know how much that car is worth?”

“No. It was my grandmother’s. She loved that car. It was just sitting in the carriage house, so I thought I’d drive it.”

“And then there’s Nan and Riley’s wedding. I don’t have a date for that and I was hoping you’d agree to come with me.”

Gelsey smiled, then twisted her fingers through his. “I suppose I could be convinced. I don’t have any other plans for New Year’s Eve.”

“That would be a rare one for me,” Kellan said. “I never have a date for New Years.”

Danny appeared at their table, a pad and pen in his hands. “I’d assume the two of you are here for lunch? We have a lovely shepherd’s pie, bangers and boxty, and salmon patties with chips. And the regular sandwiches and salads.”

“Shepherd’s pie,” Kellan said. “And a half pint of Guinness.”

“Same for me but water,” Gelsey said.

After Danny had gone to put in their orders, Kellan asked, “How has work been?”

Gelsey pulled his hand toward her. “Good. Well, maybe not good, but it’s improving. We’ve had a lot of new customers come in. After this morning, I’m sure we’ll have more.”

“That’s good.”

“There’s going to be all sorts of talk, Kellan. It doesn’t bother me, but I don’t want you to get caught up in it.”

“It’ll be good for business. Have you thought anymore about buying the place from Maeve?”

“I have. But it’s a little difficult to make plans with everything hanging over me.”

“Then don’t let it bother you. Go ahead and make plans. Buy the shop. And if things don’t go well in Italy, then figure that out when you have to.”

“I suppose I could do that,” she murmured.

They chatted about the shop until Danny brought their food. As Kellan watched Gelsey dig into her shepherd’s pie, he nodded. “I think we should call this our first date.”

“Why is that?”

“Because a girl like you probably doesn’t kiss on the first date. I’m thinking I might get lucky on our second.”

“You had all the luck you could handle the night we met,” Gelsey teased. “I’m going to take things much more slowly this time around.” He felt her bare foot slowly creep up the inside of his calf until she rubbed his thigh.

Kellan grabbed her ankle and placed her foot squarely in his crotch. “I can see you’re the kind of girl my mother warned me about.” He rubbed her foot over the front of his jeans. “It’s a rare pleasure to meet you, Gelsey Woodson.”

CHRISTMAS WAS ONLY two days away and Maeve Dunphrey’s Potions and Lotions was experiencing what could only be considered a holiday rush. They’d had customers waiting that morning when Gelsey opened and there had been a steady flow of people in and out of the shop, picking up late gifts for friends and relatives.

Gelsey had picked up some colorful wrapping paper and ribbon in Bantry and for the last week had been wrapping every purchase that left the store. To her surprise, customers were stopping in to buy just because of the free gift wrapping.

She had hoped to find a moment to talk to Maeve. After a lot of thought and a few phone calls to her banker, she’d decided to make an offer on the shop. Kellan had been right. She needed to think beyond what would happen in January and this was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

She had a life here in Ballykirk. She had friends, a man who loved her, people who were happy to see her each day. And even after the entire town found out who she really was, it didn’t matter. They still treated her like the girl Kellan saved from the sea.

She hadn’t told Kellan about her decision yet. She’d become superstitious since the arrival of the photographer, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. But now she felt confident that no matter what happened, this was exactly where she belonged.

“I haven’t see the shop like this in, well, it’s been years,” Maeve exclaimed. “I bless the day I hired you, Gelsey. Look what you’ve done. It’s a miracle.”

“The shop just needed a bit of modernizing,” Gelsey said as she arranged a display of natural sponges in a wicker basket. “I’d like to sit down and talk with you after the holidays. I’d like to make an offer to buy the shop. I’ll give you a fair price. Enough for you and your sister to take ten cruises around the world.”

Maeve picked up a pot of beeswax lip balm and slowly turned it over in her hand. “About that,” she said. “I-I’m not so sure I want to sell anymore.”

Her words hit Gelsey like a slap in the face. “What? I don’t understand.”

“Well, everything is going so well. We’ve had so many new customers stop in and the shop has never looked better. And I’ve never really gotten on with my sister. She’s bossy and stubborn and she spends far too much time in front of the telly. We’d never be able to live together.”

“But, I thought-”

“I know. And I am sorry, dear. This is just so much fun now and I don’t want to give it up. You understand, don’t you?”

Gelsey felt the frustration bubbling inside her. She was the reason the shop was doing well, she brought the customers in, she gave them what they wanted. Without her, Maeve would have still been digging herself out from beneath dusty boxes of ten-year-old product.

“I’d still love you to work here,” Maeve continued. “The customers adore you. And of course, we’d renegotiate your pay. But, if you want my advice, dear, you’re much too clever to stay in this small town. You should be running your own place in London or Paris.”

Gelsey opened her mouth, ready to argue her point, but then she snapped it shut. “I’m going to take my break now,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm and her manner indifferent. It wouldn’t do to burn any bridges right now. Perhaps Maeve could be persuaded to change her mind.

Maeve glanced at her watch. “Go right ahead. I think I can handle things. And when you come back we’ll discuss that raise.”

Gelsey grabbed her coat and pulled it on over the cashmere sweater and skirt she’d chosen that morning, then retrieved her purse from behind the counter. She couldn’t get out of the shop fast enough, but when she reached the safety of the street, she didn’t curse or scream. Instead, tears erupted from the corners of her eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

She headed toward the pub. Her immediate reaction was to find Kellan and tell him what had happened. But as she walked, Gelsey realized that this wasn’t his problem, it was hers. She’d been the one to naively put all her efforts into improving the shop. She’d been the one to spend her own money on gift bags and wrapping paper and real grosgrain ribbon for the boxes.

She’d dusted and mopped and toted and carried until every muscle in her body ached and she’d been rewarded with happy customers and increased sales. Maeve was right-she was clever. And she did know what she was doing.

Gelsey wiped away her tears. Why was she crying? She didn’t need the job. She had plenty of money left in her trust find.

She walked past the pub and down to the waterfront. The smell of the sea was thick in the damp air. She sat down on a bench that overlooked the harbor, fixing her gaze on a fishing boat that was chugging out of port.

People went to work every day and some of them worked at jobs they barely liked. But she’d wanted to find something to make her life meaningful, something that made her proud of what she did with her day. She’d wasted so much time, and now that she’d finally decided on a future for herself, it had been snatched away from her before she’d even begun.

The tears started again and Gelsey didn’t try to stop them. She was alone. And the emotional release was the only reaction she could muster. But when she saw Dealy Carmichael and the rest of the Unholy Trinity approaching, Gelsey quickly composed herself and pasted a smile on her face.

“Good morning, lass,” Markus called. “What are you doing out here on a chilly day like today?”

“Just admiring the view,” Gelsey said, forcing a cheerful tone into her words.

“We’re working on a shopping brochure for the town,” Dealy said. “We’ll be sure to add your shop to the map.”

“Good. I’m sure Maeve will appreciate that.”

They continued past her, fishing poles in hand. Once they were out of sight, Gelsey drew a ragged breath. Closing her eyes, she tipped her head back and tried to relax.

How had she managed to fool herself yet again? She’d convinced herself that she could live happily ever after in Ballykirk. But she should have known that nothing ever worked out in her favor.

Another sob rocked her body and she covered her face with her hands, her cheeks already growing wet with tears.

“Gelsey?”

The sound of Kellan’s voice startled her and she sat up and wiped her face with her palms. “Hi. Sorry, I was just resting my eyes.”

“The boys told me you were down here,” he said, sitting down next to her. “What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“No.”

“But it’s the Friday before Christmas.”

“Just go away,” Gelsey said. “Leave me alone.”

He reached out to pull her closer, but she fought his embrace, moving to the other end of the bench.

“Would you like to tell me what this is about?”

“Maeve doesn’t want to sell the shop anymore. Now that it’s doing so well, she’s decided to stick around. Of course, she wants me to continue working there. With a lovely raise.”

“That’s good,” Kellan said.

“I don’t want to be taking orders from Maeve for the rest of my life. She knows that I’m responsible for all the new business, but it’s still her shop. I guess I’ve done my job too well.”

“I’m sure that’s true,” Kellan said. “Maeve may be a big crazy, but she’s not blind. She’d be lucky to have you.”

“I’m not going back there. I don’t want to work for Maeve. She’s a lovely woman, but I need to do something for myself.”

“Gelsey, I know you haven’t had a job in the past, so you might be a bit naive about how things work in the real world. This happens all the time. Employees are taken advantage of, are underappreciated and overworked. That’s just the way the world operates.” He finally got hold of her hand and this time Gelsey didn’t pull away. “My first job, I was amazing. I did brilliant work. But my boss took it all and passed it off as his own. In the end, his boss found out, he was sacked and I moved up into his spot. I had a choice and I decided to stay. But you can do anything you want.”

Gelsey laughed. “You say that as if it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. I liked Maeve’s shop. I knew I could make a success of that.”

“So, open up your own shop.”

“Selling what? I don’t think Ballykirk can support two shops selling kelp facial masks and sea-salt scrubs.”

“Gelsey, if you’re going to let this stop you, then you aren’t cut out to run a business.”

Gelsey snatched her hand away. “Whose side are you on?”

“This isn’t about sides. It’s about business. You can do anything you want. You just have to decide to do it.”

“I did decide and it blew up in my face.”

“I think you’re being a bit dramatic,” Kellan said.

Gelsey stood, her tears now replaced with anger. She’d at least thought that Kellan would understand, but he seemed to be taking Maeve’s part, which only added to her anger. “I have to go. I don’t want to talk about this anymore and I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Come on, Gels. Don’t get mad. This isn’t a big deal. You pick yourself up and you move on.”

“No? It’s a big deal to me. A really big deal. And if you don’t understand that, then you don’t understand me.”

“You’re mad at me?” Kellan asked. “Just because I disagree with the way you’re handling this?”

Gelsey walked by him and started back toward the shop. “Don’t even think about following me,” she shouted.

To her relief, Kellan didn’t. She managed to make it to the Bentley without having to talk to anyone. Gelsey tossed her purse inside, then got behind the wheel and started the car. The mechanic she’d hired to look at it had encouraged her to get it tuned up before driving it, but she hadn’t had time.

The engine sputtered at first, refusing to start, but after the sixth try, it roared to life. She put the car in gear, made a wide U-turn on the street in front of the shop and headed out of town.

He was right. She’d just have to find another opportunity, a better chance to make a future for herself. But would that be in Ballykirk? And would it be with Kellan?

Gelsey scolded herself. She shouldn’t have reacted the way she had. He was only trying to help. But Kellan knew what he wanted from life. It had always been easy for him. Since she’d come back to Ireland, she’d been living in a strange kind of limbo, waiting for everything to make sense.

“I don’t need him,” she murmured to herself as she steered the car along the coast road. “I can take care of myself.”

“HERE IT IS,” Kellan said. “What do you think?”

Jordan stared at the facade of the shop, nestled between the Ballykirk post office and Roddy Murphy’s Sporting Emporium, a confused expression on her face. “About what?”

“The possibilities,” he said. He pulled a key out of his pocket and pushed it into the lock on the front door, then stepped aside so Jordan could enter.

“Are you going to bid on the renovations? Who is this for?”

“A friend,” Kellan said.

Jordan sucked in a sharp breath as she caught sight of the cluttered interior. Everywhere they looked, old appliances were stacked and scattered, some in pieces. “Is this for Gelsey?”

Kellan nodded. “Yeah. You probably heard about what happened with Maeve. Gelsey quit her job there after Maeve decided she didn’t want to sell the shop.”

“I know. Nan told me. It happened yesterday and it’s all around town. People are plenty angry with Maeve, but she seems as happy as a clam with all her new business. Is Gelsey even interested in staying in Ballykirk now?”

“She was before,” Kellan said. “And I hope she hasn’t changed her mind. I’m going to do everything I can to give her a reason to stay.”

“You’re going to buy her this shop?”

“No. She’s going to buy the shop. I’m going to renovate it for her.” Kellan stood in the center of the huge ground floor. Up until a few months ago, it had housed Eddie Farrell’s appliance-repair shop. Eddie had heard about Maeve’s change of heart and had come rushing over to the pub last night with an offer of his own. “What do you think?”

Jordan walked along one wall lined with shelves that were filled with old toasters. “I don’t know what to think. It’s hard to see past the junk.”

“Eddie Farrell is ready to sell. And he won’t be changing his mind. He’s offered to include his inventory, but I’m not sure it’s worth keeping.”

“It would take a lot of work,” Jordan said. “Much more than Maeve’s place. But look at these shelves. They’re original. And these cases are beautiful.”

“I know. That’s why I need your help. We’re going to need to find more display cases and shelving units and tables. I know you’ve been all over Ireland looking for furniture for Castle Cnoc. I’m hoping you can find what we need to make this place work.”

“I already know of a few places to check.” Jordan grinned. “This is going to be a fun project. So what is she going to sell?”

“I don’t know,” Kellan said. “She’ll have to figure that out. But at least whatever she sells will be here in Ballykirk.” He turned to face Jordan. “Do you think you could make some sketches? Maybe choose some paint colors and put together some boards. I want to set something up so that when I bring Gelsey here, she’ll be able to see the potential.”

“Today?”

“No. I was hoping to show it to her on New Year’s Eve. After the wedding. I want to get some of this junk cleared out first.”

“That would be perfect,” Jordan cried. “Wow, you are a romantic, aren’t you.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. The notion was so absurd, but he’d spent a lot of time considering what approach would best appeal to Gelsey. “I’m learning.”

“Every woman appreciates romance,” Jordan said, patting him on the arm. “Even a good attempt is appreciated. When Danny and I were living at Castle Cnoc, he used to bring my coffee up to the bedroom in the morning so I could wake up slowly. All those little gestures add up and one day, it just hits you square in the face. Oh, my God, I’m in love with this man.”

“That’s the way it went?”

“I really knew it when we were dancing naked in the rain,” she said.

“Danny?”

She nodded. “Don’t you ever tell him I told you that.” Jordan went silent for a moment and then giggled. “He looked so sexy.”

Kellan thought about the night Gelsey had sent him out in the rain. She’d stood in the door and watched him, her eyes alight with amusement. Would she remember that moment in the same way?

“Will Gelsey be coming for Christmas Eve tonight?” Jordan asked.

“I haven’t talked to her since yesterday. I decided I ought to give her a chance to cool off. But I’m going to drop her Christmas present at Winterhill later this afternoon. Hopefully, she won’t slam the door in my face.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Because, in addition to being a romantic, I can sometimes be a Bombay shitehawk.”

“And what exactly is that?”

“An arse of the first order,” Kellan replied. “I didn’t really handle the situation very well yesterday. She didn’t take kindly to my suggestions. And I guess I don’t blame her. She has plenty of money, so she doesn’t have to keep a job for the wages.”

“You better take more than a gift over there,” Jordan warned. “You better have a full-blown apology ready.” She glanced around once more, then nodded. “Have you taken measurements?”

“I have,” Kellan said. “I’ll text them to your mobile.”

“And I’ll get to work on the boards. I can probably have them done in three or four days, unless it gets too crazy before the wedding.” She pushed up on her toes and kissed Kellan’s cheek. “Dinner is at seven, gifts at nine and Midnight Mass after that. Don’t be late. Your mother has been working all week on this.”

“I won’t. I’m going to head over to Winterhill right now. I’ll be back in plenty of time.”

Kellan wandered through the shop once more, making mental calculations of the cost for renovation. Though Maeve had an existing business, it might appeal to Gelsey to build something from the ground up. He walked to the rear of the shop and looked through the window in the door. An old stone building that used to serve as a carriage house stood close enough to connect the two. If Gelsey wanted to make a product, he’d design a beautiful workroom for her, too.

But as Kellan walked back through the shop to the front door, he realized that before he could sell Gelsey on staying in Ballykirk, he’d have to convince her of his feelings for her. There was one gift that could do the trick, one thing that he had in his possession that would prove they were meant to be together.

Winter had arrived in southwest Ireland. Rain was coming down in sheets and it was almost cold enough for snow. A white Christmas was a rarity in county Cork, but Kellan never stopped hoping.

He jumped in the car and headed for the pub. His mother would have wrapping paper and ribbon, something he couldn’t find at the cottage. She also made the best fruitcake. It probably wouldn’t hurt to take a loaf along for Gelsey’s housekeeper, Caroline.

The wind blew in behind him and Kellan shook the water out of his hair as he stood at the door. Christmas Eve was always celebrated in the large room at the pub. The door was closed to the regular patrons at three in the afternoon and Maggie Quinn took over, arranging gifts under the tree, setting the long string of tables for dinner and finishing the last of the meal preparations in the kitchen behind the bar.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Oh, you’re here. Come help me with these tables. Every one of them wobbles. I swear, I’m tempted to toss them all out on the curb and have your father order new.”

“You could just buy a few long tables to use for the holidays,” Kellan suggested. “I’ve got a few in my office in Dublin that we use for blueprints.”

“I’ll put that on my list for next year.”

Kellan helped her shove folded cardboard beneath the wobbly legs and when they’d made a table long enough for eighteen, he watched as she laid the table linens over them all, turning the scarred pub furniture into an elegant dining table.

“Look what Jordan found,” Maggie said, holding up a length of red fabric. “Chair covers. They’ll make the table even more beautiful. And a table runner. She has such good taste, that girl. Not that Nan doesn’t. She’s picked out music for us tonight.” Maggie glanced over at Kellan. “And what about Gelsey? Will she be joining us?”

Kellan shook his head. “No. I don’t think so.”

“There’s plenty of room at the table.”

“I know. But we’re taking a bit of a holiday from each other. I’m going to drive over to Winterhill and drop off her gift. I’ll invite her, but I wouldn’t plan on her coming.”

Maggie paused. “Is everything well with you, then?” she asked.

Kellan nodded. “Yeah. I love her, Ma. She’s really something. And you’ll love her, too.”

Maggie reached out and placed her palm on his cheek. “If you love her, Kellan, I know I will. Just follow your heart and you’ll never go wrong.”

“Thanks, Ma,” he murmured. “Now I have to steal some paper and ribbon. I have to wrap her gift.”

“Upstairs on the kitchen table. Take the silver foil and the gold ribbon. And one of those little gold glitter bells to make it pretty. What are you going to give her?”

“Something that I’ve been holding on to for a very long time.”