Fiona's words worried her. And she was absolutely right. Keelin tried to imagine performing a healing in Boston. They would carry her off and check her into the next loony bin.
"You'll want to increase your readings. I've pulled several books for you. No lessons for a few days. I think you had one of your biggest this morning. You'll need some time to absorb it all." Fiona motioned to a stack of books by the chairs in the small alcove.
"Okay, thanks. I want to head into town and talk to Cait; I think she is mad at me."
"Well, you shouldn't have kissed Shane," Fiona said dryly as she put away her teacup.
Shocked, Keelin whirled and looked at Fiona. A blush crept up her face and stained her cheeks.
"How did you know that? You weren't even home!"
"Word travels, my dear. As I told you, and you would do well to remember."
"Well, for one – he kissed me thankyouverymuch. And two, I told him that I just wanted to be friends and he tried anyway." Keelin felt righteously pissed off.
"That’s unfortunate. I like Shane. I’m surprised he would impose on you like that.”
"And, I told him this date was just as friends. Irrespective, it's nothing. We're nothing. And that's that."
"Mmhmm. You were doing it to get at Flynn. How'd that work out for you?"
Keelin sighed. She slumped back in her seat and began braiding her hair.
"He got mad at me. Then we fought. Now he is taking me out on his boat on Saturday. Which I haven't even agreed to go on yet."
"Ah, just like a man. Demanding. I bet he'll be a fine lover."
"Grandma! Oh my God."
"What? I've got eyes in my head don't I? That is one tall drink of water." Fiona laughed at her and the age dropped away from her face a little. Keelin could see that she had once been very beautiful.
"Was Grandpa a hottie?" Keelin asked.
"Oh my, child, he was delicious. Strong, broad-shouldered, with hair that curled a bit in the rain. He was shy too, which I loved. I could always make him blush. Yet, in the bedroom, he was the one who made me blush."
Keelin choked on her tea. Fiona thumped her on the back as she struggled to breathe.
"He was the love of my life. For me there will be no other. Though I do so love having you here as well as that little pup. I had forgotten how nice it was to have an animal in the house." Fiona smiled fondly down at Ronan.
"It is nice. I've always wanted a dog. I've always wanted a brother or sister, in fact. Today was weird meeting Colin. He told me that he hated me!" Keelin said.
"I know, Keelin, I'm sorry. Though your dad loved Colin's mom, I don't think he ever truly got over losing you and Margaret. Kids are perceptive. He was a good dad but Colin and Aislinn always felt like they never quite lived up to the image they had of you. You'll have to break through that if you plan to have a relationship with them."
"How is that even fair? I was the one that got the short end. I had no brothers or sisters, no dad, and never even had a puppy." Keelin pouted. She had no idea how to deal with familial relations and she felt like she'd been unfairly judged.
"Who said it was fair? That's life. You're the one with more powers. Use them. You can heal in other ways, you know," Fiona said, and raised her eyebrows at Keelin.
It struck Keelin that she was right. She had taken "healing" to only be for physical ailments. She had never considered the potential for healing emotional rifts. Thinking back, she realized that she had always been the peacekeeper between her friends and the first phone call for those going through heartbreak. It was starting to make sense to her, this proclivity towards helping others.
"Did Colin bring the cars back? I need to go make things right with Cait."
"Yes, you do and yes, he did. Keys are in the front seat."
"Okay, I'll be back later. Do you need anything?"
Fiona waved her out.
"No, go on. Ronan and I are going to have a nice cup of tea and read a romance novel." Fiona laughed up at her and Keelin left for the village, shaking her head at this funny, lovely woman who had come into her life. Ireland was turning into a whole new adventure for her.
She parked close to Gallagher's pub and hoped that the early hour would offer up a relatively empty pub. She needed to set a few things straight with Cait.
Keelin entered the cheerful building and squinted into the warm light, letting her eyes adjust as she scanned the room. A few tables held some older men playing cards and talking sports. Cait stood behind the worn bar, drying glasses. Not much taller than the bar, her slender build seemed dwarfed by it. Catching sight of Keelin, she narrowed her eyes at her and turned to go into the kitchen.
"Cait, wait. Please."
Cait stopped, huffed out a breath, and turned back to the bar. She put on a polite smile.
"Can I get you something to drink?"
"Sure, I'll have a Bulmers." Keelin eased herself onto a stool at the empty bar and watched the slim brunette carefully pour her a cider. She wanted to make sure Cait didn't spit in it.
"Listen, Cait, I didn’t know. Honestly. I just got to town. I thought I may have seen interest the other night but neither of you said a word to me. And I'm not interested in Shane. He's a nice guy but he isn't for me." Keelin rushed the words out.
Cait huffed out a breath. Never one to hold a temper for long, she smiled at Keelin.
"Okay, thanks. I don't even know why I lose my head over that man. Not that he even pays me that much attention. And when he does it certainly isn't by taking me out to nice seafood dinners or kissing me in the car." Cait looked at Keelin sideways as she stocked glasses.
"Does everyone know about the kiss?" Keelin threw up her hands in exasperation.
"Liam told Sarah who told me." Cait laughed at her.
"I don't even know these people. This is just ridiculous." She took a big gulp of her drink and let the cider cool her throat.
"Oh, you get used to it if you live here. Everyone is in everyone else's business. Why don't you like Shane?" Cait blurted out.
"Oh, I do. I really do. I think he gets a bad reputation or tries to portray himself as something that he isn't. But I think he's lonely, to be honest. Either way, there's no chemistry. At least not with him." Keelin stopped herself. She mentally kicked herself and reminded herself of the town's need to gossip.
"Ah, does a certain dark-haired neighbor with the best shoulders in the county have you a little more interested?" Cait said intuitively.
"No, of course not." Keelin looked down at her drink.
"Bullshit."
"Damn it. Okay, but you can't say anything. Swear to it, Cait. If we are to be friends – real girlfriends – you can't say a word. Promise." Keelin needed someone to talk to. Her grandma was a sweetheart but she didn’t think she could get down to the nitty gritty with her.
"Only if you promise never to kiss Shane again."
"Done."
"Okay, so tell me, is he as good in bed as he looks?" Cait leaned eagerly over the bar, crossing her arms on the bar rail.
"What! No, we haven't. I mean, not that." Keelin blushed. "We've messed around a little, but we haven't had sex."
"And why not? Are you blind? I want to lap that man up like a bucket of cream." Cait made yummy-sounding noises.
"Oh, he's gorgeous. And infuriating. He always sees me at my worst and I feel like such a klutz around him." Keelin filled Cait in on all the times that Flynn had come to her rescue. Cait's eyes went dreamy and she heaved a big sigh. She fluttered her hand at her breasts.
"Ah, a big strong man coming to my rescue all the time? Sign me up! Maybe that is my problem with Shane. I need to be more helpless around him." Cait sighed.
"It wasn't intentional. And it just pissed me off. You know, back in Boston, I am a relatively capable individual. This has just been a series of incidents since I've gotten here and that man has witnessed every last one," Keelin fumed into her cider.
"Doesn't sound like a bad problem to have. He's a good guy,
you know. He does a lot for the community and he looks after your granny just right."
"He's taking me on his boat Saturday. If I go."
Cait slammed a glass on the bar and stared at her.
"His boat? Like his real boat? Not the fishing boat? He doesn't take anyone on that boat."
"What boat? I have no idea. He said his boat. I didn't get details as I was busy yelling at him at the time."
"Okay, you have to tell me this now." Cait leaned eagerly on the bar and propped her face in her hands.
Keelin told her about their argument and how furious she had been at Flynn for making demands on her, yet not treating her like a lady or courting her. Cait whistled.
"Keelin, he doesn't take anyone on his boat. Calling it a boat is like calling a Porsche a sedan. It is the one real luxury he allows himself. He docks around the side of the cove and we rarely see it. You have to give me full details. Oh, I'm dying to hear what it looks like inside. You have to seduce him below deck so I can get details."
Keelin eyed her balefully.
"Oh, sure, I'll be sure to throw myself at him so you can hear what kind of furnishings his boat has."
"Yes! Do it. I'd do it for you but he treats me like a sister."
"Um, excuse me, what about this Shane guy?"
"Oh, I know, I know. Flynn isn't for me. But I can dream, can't I? Yummy. What are you going to wear? Are you getting your hair done? Maybe not. You don’t want to look like you tried too hard."
Keelin stared at her as Cait chattered on. Nerves started ticking in her stomach. Was this a real date? What was she going to wear? Would he expect her to put out? It was all she could think of anyway. She groaned. She was toast.
"I'm screwed."
"Girl, you are so screwed. Both literally and figuratively. I can't wait for details."
Keelin flicked an ice cube at her and laughed. It was nice to have a girlfriend to gossip with even if the subject matter terrified her. As she drove home that night, she wondered what she would do. Would she sleep with Flynn? She wasn't a virgin, yet her last relationship had been over two years ago. Never one for casual sex, she'd mainly abstained since then. Which was probably why she was ready to explode, she thought. Lack of regular sex could cloud a person's brain. It must just be that. Send the resident fantasy guy in to get her juices flowing. That was all it was and nothing more. And maybe a fling would be good for her, she mused. It seemed like this summer was going to be full of a bunch of firsts for her; she might as well have some fun with it.
Chapter 16
Keelin woke after another night of fitful dreams. This time it wasn't Flynn that filled her dreams so much as the visions of trees exploding and a sick child crying. She was going to have to come to terms with this gift of hers, she thought.
Though her date with Flynn wasn't until Saturday, she could hear Cait's voice in her head and buried her head in her closet.
"I have nothing to wear on a boat date. Not a single thing," Keelin declared to Ronan, who watched her eagerly. She knew it wasn't true but, hey, if there ever was a time for vanity – it was now.
She decided that today would be a perfect day to check out the shops in town and she hoped to drop in on her sister. The thought made her nervous but she kept thinking of Fiona's words about her power to heal and how it wasn't just for sickness. She needed to build her confidence if she was to be a healer, she decided. And, what better way to do that than to stride right into uncomfortable family situations?
Leaving Ronan to play with Fiona in the garden, Keelin drove into town, taking the winding cliff road with the sea views. She turned the radio up and sang her heart out to some bad 80s music. There were only a few near misses with cars when she forgot to drive in the left lane and overall she congratulated herself on a successful trip into the village. I can get the hang of this, she thought.
Keelin made her way to the little downtown, packed with small shops. After maneuvering a parking spot and taking far longer to parallel park on the left side than she prided herself on doing in Boston, she got out and stretched. The fun part first or the unknown? Deciding to tackle the hardest part first, she made her way to Aislinn's shop. It was mid-morning and bound to be open. Keelin approached the shop and eyed it critically. It was small and painted a butter yellow on the outside. Deep brown wood beams crisscrossed the window frames and outlined the thick door. Cheerful window boxes full of red flowers invited people inside and a window display of intricate lace and watery paintings spoke to a passerby's soul. The entire picture was inviting and Keelin smiled. Her sister must have a good head for business. She hung around outside for a bit but, remembering the village's knack for gossip, realized she was probably creating a scene. Briskly, she opened the door and small bells tinkled at her entrance.
"I was wondering how long you planned to stand out there. I've received two phone calls as is." A voice like honey reached out to her from somewhere across the beautiful room.
Keelin didn't know where to look first. From the collection of black-and-white photography framed in driftwood that cluttered the walls to the intricately spun lace that hung from racks throughout the room, talent was evident in the work displayed here. Keelin wound through the racks towards the voice.
Aislinn stood at a workbench with her back to Keelin and hammered a small wooden frame. Satisfied, she put her hammer down, wiped her hands on her work apron, and turned to greet Keelin.
"Hello, sis." Aislinn's mouth quirked. She was a study in contrasts. A strong build, yet not overweight, her trim pants and button-down shirt showed soft curves. Her eyes mirrored the shape of Keelin's, yet the light of the ocean reflected there instead. Her round cheeks contrasted with a wide mouth and a sharp chin. Deep brown hair tumbled in waves over her shoulders and at least two pencils were twined in the mass.
Aislinn held out her hand to greet Keelin. There wasn't warmth here. Yet, there wasn't animosity, either. Aislinn silently measured Keelin.
"Yes, sisters, so it seems. The first I've heard of it." Keelin held out her hand and grasped a strong, yet smooth, hand and shook it lightly.
"Ah, so Colin's said. Surprise!" Aislinn raised her eyebrows and gestured towards the teapot. "Tea?"
"Yes, thank you."
Aislinn busied herself with pouring tea into two thick blue cups, lightly glazed with a pattern of white. They were lovely and Keelin suspected they were homemade. She said as much.
"Ah, yes, for a brief moment in time I fancied myself a potter. I've moved on since then." Aislinn gestured with her cup at the various types of art that cluttered the studio. If she was a study in contrasts as a person, her art mirrored that taste exactly. From soft watercolors to edgy black-and-white photos, Keelin was surprised the same person had created it.
"All of this is yours?"
"Yes, I have trouble staying focused on one thing for long."
Keelin walked the room and examined the various displays. She knew immediately the lace doilies she would be sending home to her Mother and set those aside. She stopped in front of a black-and-white picture of Grace's Cove. Taken late in the afternoon, Aislinn had captured the rising moon and the setting sun in one photo. It was stunning and Keelin had to have it.
"This is amazing. I must have it. How much?"
Aislinn studied her for a moment. "You know, for a long time I hated you. It was only recently that I began to pity you."
"Pity me? Why?" Keelin ran her hands through her hair. She was no good at these family relationship things. She took a deep breath and tried to call on her other power to muddle through this.
"Of course. The great Keelin. The apple of my father's eyes. His little girl. You weren't there to fight with so you were easy to hate. I've decided to be mature though and look at things from another perspective. You had no father at all. I suppose that wasn't easy either," Aislinn said casually as she tucked a picture in a frame and finished sealing the back of it. "Plus, you healed Finnegan. So, I'm prepared to like you for that alone."
> Keelin recognized her second olive branch of the week. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, I can tell you that I've always wanted a family. I wanted a sister or brother. Someone else for my mother to focus her attention on. Without a husband, or other kids, I was my mom's only focus. It's not easy to live in that situation. I never even got to have a puppy. Now, I come to Ireland and I have two siblings and a dog in a matter of weeks. I'm trying to roll with the punches, but this has all been a little overwhelming for me. I guess I came here hoping to, I don't know, just get to know you a little bit. I don't expect us to be sisters or anything." Keelin rushed it out before she got too nervous to say it all.
Aislinn studied her.
"I guess that makes sense. I don't really know what to do with you either."
They both burst out laughing. Aislinn walked over to the picture of Grace's Cove and took it off the wall and handed it to Keelin.
"Here. A welcome gift of sorts. Welcome."
Keelin was touched. It was a stunning photograph, and a quick peek at the price revealed it not to be cheap either.
"Thank you, I'll treasure it always. So, does this mean we can be friends?"
Aislinn nodded. "I'd like that. I think. As long as you aren't too bitchy or high maintenance. Colin's super stressed out all the time and I can't always deal. I need my alone time and I need to let my creative flow…well, flow."
"I could see that. Colin did seem wound a little tight. Though he'd just gone through a pretty stressful experience."
Aislinn turned and looked into Keelin's eyes.
"So, what's the deal with all that? How can you do that?" Keelin was startled yet she saw more than curiosity in Aislinn's eyes. Aislinn really wanted to know.
"I'm still figuring that out, I guess. I don't even know what it's all about. This is Fiona's thing but it seems like I have a knack for it. Or something. I don't really know." Noncommittal, she watched Aislinn as she nervously played with a silver chain around her neck. Since they were sisters, she decided to be blunt.
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