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.”
9
GELSEY SAT IN THE DARKENED ROOM, staring into the flickering fire. Nearby, an elaborately decorated Christmas tree twinkled with tiny white lights. Everything was exactly as she remembered it, the house smelling of freshly baked gingerbread and pine boughs.