Aislinn smiled at her pretty, mismatched extended family. Keelin had a newlywed glow about her that came with finding love and discovering her own unique powers over the past year. She was Aislinn's half-sister and was becoming a powerful healer in her own right. Cait, owner of Gallagher's Pub and with a talent for reading minds, and a decided contrast to Keelin's lush curves and statuesque height, laughed beside her, looking for all the world like a pixie fae.
Aislinn stopped and stared at Cait, her eyes narrowing in on the aura that surrounded Cait. There was something different about her. When she realized what it was, Aislinn gasped and tried to think about anything else.
Cait dropped the basket she carried.
“No!”
“Shit, I'm sorry, Cait, I tried not to think about it. You're not supposed to read my thoughts anyway,” Aislinn exclaimed.
“No, no, no.” Cait shook her head in disbelief.
Aislinn stared at Cait helplessly. Keelin danced around them in confusion and curiosity.
“What, you guys are killing me. No fair, using your powers. Spill,” Keelin demanded.
“I'm pregnant,” Cait whispered.
Chapter 20
“What?” Keelin screeched and grabbed Cait by the shoulders. “Is this true?”
“I…I don't know. I was supposed to get my period this week,” Cait said in a dazed manner. “I had planned to take a test tomorrow before we go to take my mum to her new place.”
Keelin turned and narrowed her brandy-colored eyes at Aislinn. “What do you see?”
Aislinn shrugged her shoulders nervously. “I just saw something different about her aura is all,” Aislinn said quickly.
“Okay, let's sit and talk about this. Mandatory girl's night,” Keelin said quickly and directed them into the shop. Aislinn followed meekly, her hands still full of her pictures. She squeezed past the girls into her kitchenette and laid the file of photos on her workbench. Keelin and Cait whispered in hushed tones as they opened the wine and laid out snacks on small plates.
Keelin brushed past Aislinn and into the shop.
“Wow, this place looks amazing. I'm sorry that I haven't been down in a while,” Keelin said as she walked around the room examining Aislinn's work.
“Thanks, Morgan rearranged it for me.”
At that, Cait popped her head out of the back room.
“Sure, and my ears aren't deceiving me,” Cait said in disbelief. “You hired Morgan?”
“Aye, I did at that.” Aislinn nodded her agreement.
Curious, Cait stepped into the room and looked at what she had done.
“She knows her stuff,” Cait said begrudgingly.
“I must have this,” Keelin declared, standing in front of a picture of Flynn's boat docked on the other side of the cove. The water was almost glass-like and the boat was a thing of beauty.
“Aye, and we all know why you like that boat so much,” Cait leered at Keelin and Keelin laughed at her. It had been the site of her and Flynn's first official date…and more. Aislinn was quite sure that Keelin had fond memories of that boat.
“No problem. Take it down and I'll wrap it up for you,” Aislinn said. Aislinn turned at a long whistle from Cait.
“Whoa, Dr. Yum in full effect. If I wasn't head over heels for Shane, I'd make a play for him too,” Cait declared as she looked down at the pictures of Baird.
“Let me see,” Keelin demanded and muscled her way past a frozen Aislinn to grab a picture of Baird. She repeated Cait's whistle and turned to raise an eyebrow at Aislinn. “Details,” she demanded.
“Um, I think we are missing the bigger picture here. Cait's pregnant!” Aislinn said.
Cait batted that away quickly. “We won't know for sure until tomorrow, so no changing the subject.”
The two women crossed their arms across their chests and stared at Aislinn.
“Alright, I need a glass of wine,” Aislinn concurred.
“Let's go outside, it's a nice night,” Keelin said and Aislinn nodded her head. They all grabbed something to take outside and soon Aislinn's picnic bench was covered with snacks, wine, and several fat candles. Aislinn got up and walked around her small courtyard, lighting various torches and candles that she had stashed haphazardly along the fence and in between plants and sculptures.
“We have enough light. Stop procrastinating,” Cait called and Aislinn laughed at her.
“Aren't you freaking out right now?” Aislinn wondered as she slid onto the bench across from the two. Keelin handed her a glass of wine and Aislinn took it gratefully.
“I'll freak out when I'm good and ready to freak out,” Cait said, lifting her chin stubbornly. “Now, tell me about Dr. Yum. What happened after the night at the pub? You told me that something more happened but refused to get into details. I've been dying for a moment to come get the gossip.”
“I'm surprised it took you this long,” Aislinn said with a snort.
Cait flashed a wicked grin at her. “Aye, well, I've been busy with my own slice of yummy male.”
Keelin's laugh tinkled across the both of them. “I've missed a lot. Tell me what happened at the pub. Who is this Dr. Yum anyway?”
Cait hurriedly filled Keelin in on what she knew while Aislinn gulped at her wine.
“And then he ran through the pub after her…” Cait finished dramatically.
“Oh stop. He did not run,” Aislinn protested on a laugh.
“Oh, but he did. I was dying to get outside but I had my own drama to deal with,” Cait said knowingly. She reached for the wine and then hesitated.
“Aye, and you'd better not, Cait,” Aislinn said.
Keelin threw up her hands. “I don't know where to start! With Cait or you,” Keelin said, looking between the two.
Cait and Aislinn pointed at each other across the table and they broke out laughing.
“Fine,” Aislinn grumbled and filled them in on every last deliciously naughty detail. By the time she was done, Keelin had gulped down the rest of her wine and Cait was fanning her face.
“He is Dr. Yum,” Cait breathed.
“Well, not so yum if he doesn't want to believe that Aislinn is telling the truth,” Keelin said, coming to Aislinn's defense.
“Of course not. I'll get to that, but for a moment, can we all just appreciate the hotness of the sexy time with Dr. Yum?” Cait implored and Keelin laughed at her.
“Duly noted. Hot indeed,” Keelin murmured and turned to Aislinn.
“Hot, yes, disturbingly so. He…he bothers me,” Aislinn admitted on a sigh. She sipped at her wine and allowed the flavor to sit on her tongue for a moment.
Instantly concerned, Keelin reached out and ran her hand down Aislinn's arm.
“What do you want from all of this?”
“I…I don't know. See, that's the problem. I'm convinced he is wrong for me and yet I'm mooning around like a lovesick puppy,” Aislinn said in distress.
Cait watched her knowingly.
“Seems to me like you have an itch and Dr. Yum is just the one to scratch it.”
They all dissolved into giggles.
Keelin cast a worried gaze over her. Tucking her strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear, she pursed her lips nervously.
“Just say it, Keelin,” Aislinn sighed.
“I…I don't know. I think you are probably doing the right thing. Giving it a little space. I'd wait and see if he comes to you.”
“That's my plan. I'm certainly not running after him,” Aislinn agreed and then turned her steely gaze on Cait.
Cait looked between both of them.
“I think you should show up wearing just a trench coat and nothing under it.”
Keelin laughed and swatted Cait on the shoulder.
Aislinn eyed her and said, “Those are just the hormones talking.”
“Eeep!” Cait squealed and leaned back to wrap her arms around her stomach.
“Aislinn, how can you tell?” Keelin asked.
“Just…I don't know. I see a n
ew color mixed in with her aura. It blends beautifully. I suppose it could be that she is in love now, but my first instinct was pregnancy. Is that possible?”
Cait looked studiously down at her hands.
“Cait!” Keelin said.
“Well, ahem, one night, yes, we didn't use protection.” Cait shrugged her shoulder. “I honestly thought it wasn't the right time of the month for that anyway.”
“But, what will happen if you are? Will Shane stay with you?” Keelin asked, a worried frown creasing her face.
“Of course he will, the man's besotted with her,” Aislinn said quickly. She had it on good authority that Shane was proposing tomorrow as she'd helped to pick the ring. Knowing that Cait could pluck the thoughts from her mind, she quickly changed the subject. “Tell me about the place you are taking your mom to.”
“Aye, it's a good place for her. She'll have round-the-clock care and she can watch her shows all the time. I'm at peace with it,” Cait said.
“Let's get together when you get back for a bite. I'll meet you at the pub,” Aislinn said quickly.
“Sounds like a plan. Keelin?”
“Aye, I'm in.”
Cait turned and leveled a look at Aislinn. She popped a piece of cheese in her mouth and chewed furiously. Aislinn waited.
“Morgan. What's the deal? She looked ready to kill us a few weeks ago,” Cait said. She was referencing a night at the pub when Cait had tried to read Morgan's mind and Morgan had skewered them with a look of hatred.
“She's all bark,” Aislinn said.
“I saw her dancing with Patrick at the wedding,” Keelin said.
“Patrick has the hots for her,” Cait concurred.
“I won't reveal everything that she's told me in confidence. But, she had it bad. She's an orphan,” Aislinn said, figuring that detail would be something that even Morgan couldn't hide for long.
“No!” Keelin said, her face creased in sympathy.
“Hmm, I suppose that explains the anger,” Cait murmured. “She's one of us, though. I can tell. I guess that had to have been hard, growing up without any help in that arena.”
“I can attest to that.” Keelin raised her hand.
“What can she do?” Cait asked.
“Honestly, I think far more than any of us. I wouldn't be surprised if she is another Fiona. But this is a new one.” Aislinn waited for a dramatic beat. “It's telekinesis.”
“No!” Both Keelin and Cait's mouths dropped open.
“Yes.” Aislinn nodded at them before reaching for more wine.
“We need to have girl's nights more often,” Keelin decided. “I just can't handle all of this news at once.”
“Well, at least now I know why Baird is mooning around my pub at night,” Cait declared.
Aislinn's stomach dropped a bit as she stared at Cait.
“He is?”
“He is. Whether that man will admit it or not, he's hooked.”
Chapter 21
“That man is hooked.” Cait's words echoed in Aislinn's mind the next morning as she took her tea into the courtyard and stopped short. A jar of honey with a ribbon on it sat on her table. Cocking her head at it, Aislinn crossed the courtyard to lift the small note attached.
I think about you.
There was no name and Aislinn didn't need a detective to figure out that the honey was from Baird. Smiling, she held it to her heart for a second before putting it back down on the table and looking around. The street next to her shop was empty.
Honey, Aislinn thought. An unusual gift. Which appealed to her even more.
She passed the jar back and forth between her hands. So, Baird had made a move. Was the ball now in her court? Aislinn hated the confusion that surrounded Baird in her mind. Typically she just trusted her gut and followed her instincts. Yet, when it came to the delicious doctor she was totally undecided.
Which meant she would take some time to think about this gift, Aislinn decided.
She went into her shop to get ready for the day. Thinking about Cait's surprise party later that night, Aislinn detoured upstairs to look through her closet. On the chance that Baird would be there, she wanted to look good.
Aislinn pushed between her clothes until she found the dress she was looking for. Short. A deep slate gray with burgundy trim and piping at the collar, it showcased all of her best assets. She had just the right jewelry for it, too. Pulling out a string of interlocking gunmetal links, Aislinn draped it over the hanger so it hung against the gray dress. Perfect, she thought and smiled wickedly at herself in the mirror.
Hours later, Aislinn swung breathlessly into Gallagher's Pub. She'd almost run out of time before Cait was supposed to arrive. She'd had a customer that had lingered far past closing time. Unable to shove her out the door, Aislinn had waited patiently. And, boy, had the wait paid off, as Aislinn had made a four-figure sale. As soon as the customer had left, Aislinn had run upstairs, shimmied into her tight dress and left her curls tumbling down her back. She darkened her eyes quickly with a smoky shadow and threw her necklace on. And that had been that, Aislinn thought as she raced through the empty pub and into the back courtyard where everyone had been told to hide.
“Aislinn!” Keelin waved frantically from the corner where she sat nestled up to her husband, Flynn. Flynn flashed a smile at her and moved for Aislinn to sit next to them.
“You didn't tell me about this!” Keelin scolded Aislinn.
“Aye, and rightly so. You know how Cait will pluck a thought right from your mind. You've no practice with keeping secrets from her,” Aislinn whispered to Keelin.
Keelin glowered at her.
“Oh stop with the sourpuss look, no need for secrets shortly,” Aislinn whispered. Helpless not to, she scanned the courtyard packed with locals, looking for Baird. Like a knife sliding into her gut, her eyes locked with his. He leaned against the fence, arms crossed over a plaid button-down shirt. With the sleeves rolled up and glasses in place, he was hot enough to warm her up in all the right places. Aislinn nodded coolly at him and turned to watch the back door.
“They're here!” Patrick whispered from the door and everyone quieted. A long table of food lined one side of the fence and fairy lights had been strung up to emit a warm glow across the courtyard. It was a charming and festive turnout and Aislinn couldn't wait for Cait to come through the door.
Everyone watched avidly and as the voices approached, Aislinn clenched her hands.
Cait came through the door and stopped dead in her tracks.
“Surprise!” they all shouted and laughed at Cait's face. Aislinn could see the ring sparkling on her finger from across the courtyard and tears pricked her eyes. Oh, she was so happy for her.
The courtyard quieted as Cait said something that Aislinn couldn't hear and then she put her hands on her stomach and turned to Shane.
“Yes!” Aislinn shouted as the rest of the crowd laughed at Shane's surprised face.
“You were right,” Keelin gushed to Aislinn.
“I knew it, I just knew it,” Aislinn said.
Flynn raised his eyebrow at Aislinn. “What about us? Are we?”
Keelin turned and smiled at Flynn.
“We just started trying,” she whispered to Aislinn.
Aislinn leaned back and focused in on Keelin's aura. It was harder to tell because she was so intertwined with Flynn. Aislinn watched their colors mix and merge for a bit and then – just for a brief moment – she saw a flicker of a third color. Her mouth dropped open and Keelin grabbed her arm.
“Am I?”
“I…I don't know. I swear for a second there, I saw something.”
“Oh. My. God,” Keelin whispered and wrapped her arms around Flynn.
“You can always ask Fiona, she'll know.”
Keelin narrowed her eyes at her grandmother across the room. “If she knows, she hasn't said anything.”
“Aye, well, in time,” Flynn said gently and Keelin smiled again.
“You're right. Let's
let Cait have her day,” Keelin said. Aislinn noticed that Flynn moved Keelin's glass of cider away from her for good measure.
“Here she is!” Aislinn cried as Cait came running to them. Aislinn jumped up and wrapped her arms around Cait, so happy for her. Looking past Cait's shoulder, she patted Shane's arm.
“Well done, Shane.”
“Well, it looks like we've both managed a surprise,” Shane said, looking a little shell-shocked.
“Congratulations,” a deep voice said and Aislinn felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
Baird had come to stand right beside her, his shoulder lightly brushing hers. She swore that she could feel his heat and her throat went dry. Swallowing quickly, she leaned down to grab her glass of Bulmer's. She let the cool liquid slide down her throat and watched Baird as he spoke to the happy couple.
He looked so at ease, confident in himself, she thought. Baird turned and seared her with a look.
“Aislinn.”
“Baird,” she said.
“Oh, jeez. Would you two just go have a shag and stop all this,” Cait said. Shane turned to her, his mouth hanging open.
“Cait!”
“Sorry, must be hormones,” Cait mumbled and was then pulled away by someone in the crowd.
“Sorry about that,” Shane said, shaking his head, and followed his pregnant fiancée across the courtyard.
Flynn eyed Baird with new interest in his eyes and Aislinn could see the beginning of an interrogation forming. With a quick glance at Keelin, she silently pleaded for help from her half-sister.
“Honey, I'm famished. Can we eat?” Keelin said to distract Flynn. He looked down at her with love glowing in his eyes and nodded. They both stood and made their way to the line at the buffet. Baird quickly sat on the bench and pulled her arm to sit next to him. Aislinn was acutely aware that Baird had straddled the bench and that she sat between his legs.
“Thank you for the honey,” Aislinn said softly.
“You're welcome. You look beautiful. If you wore that dress to torture me, mission accomplished,” Baird said, looking at her as if he could see straight through her dress to the emerald green underwear she wore beneath it. Aislinn gulped.
The Mystic Cove Series Boxed Set (Wild Irish Books 1-4) Page 40