"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 finishings 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 Sixteen
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 Margaret 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.
"Do you have this too? Can you heal?"
Aislinn dropped her necklace and straightened quickly.
"No, no. Why would you say that? Of course not." She didn't meet Keelin's eyes. Keelin pounced.
"You do! You have something." Without thinking she grabbed Aislinn's hand and read her. Images flooded her head of a young girl who saw colors around people and drew them.
"Are you empathic?" Keelin asked.
Aislinn sighed. "I should have known that I wouldn't be able to keep my secret from you. I could tell right away when you came in. Your power is strong, as is your light."
"Tell me. Tell me everything. I'm dying to know." They were interrupted by the bell at the door and Aislinn hurried to meet her customer. Keelin wandered the shop and thought about what she had learned. Would this mean that her brother had some sort of power, wait, no Fiona had said it was females only. So, who else in the village had these powers? How many were descendants of Grace? Keelin had a million questions. As more customers came in, she knew the time for questions would be later.
Catching Aislinn's eye, she motioned to the picture and pile of lace. "I'll be back for this. I'm going to go shopping." Aislinn waved her out and Keelin walked up the road towards Gallagher's Pub. It was still early enough that maybe Cait could take a break and go shopping with her. She needed some normalcy in her life.
Keelin found Cait reading the newspaper at the empty bar.
"Psst, can you take an hour? I need an outfit."
Cait jumped up and threw her fist in the air.
"Yes! Girl's day! I need this. I want to make Shane drool. Let's get our nails done too." Quickly throwing the closed sign in the pub window, Cait looked out the door and rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Where first?"
Keelin laughed at her. "That didn't take much convincing. You lead the way. It appears that I need something to wear on a boat."
"Oh, we are going to sex you up. Let's go." She dragged Keelin down the road towards a small boutique that had dresses on the mannequins in the front window.
"I'm thinking short and tight. That way whenever you step over something on the boat or bend over, he'll drool. You can wear super sexy underwear." Petite Cait obviously didn't have some of the body issues that Keelin had.
"Um, Cait. No. I'm not as small as you. I can't do short or tight. It's just, well, it shows my tummy and I've got large hips."
Cait turned to Keelin with her mouth open.
"Shut up! You have the perfect hourglass figure. I would die for your curves. I am straight up and down like a little boy. I've always hated girls like you. You can fill out a dress. They hang on me."
"What! I've always hated girls like you. You never have to think about muffin top or if the store carries your size."
They stared at each other and started laughing.
"Okay, let's meet in the middle. I'll go fitted, but maybe longer. I don't need to be showing off my hoo-ha all night."
Cait shrieked in laughter and started pulling dresses.
"Oh, this one is lovely. Try this. It's just the right amount of casual and sexy. Try it, try it." Cait handed her a brilliant red dress that flowed to the floor.
"Red? I never wear red. It won't go with my hair."
"What? Have you tried it? It would be perfect with your eyes and your skin tone. Plus, your hair is more of a blonde than red. Just try it."
Keelin went into the dressing room and eyed the dress. It was certainly out of her comfort zone. Thank God it wasn't strapless, she thought. Sighing, she pulled the dress on over her head, and tugged it down, feeling it bunch on her chest and then hug her waist down over her butt. She turned and looked in the mirror and gasped.
"Let me see!" Cait ripped the curtain open.
"It's…it's..."
"It's stunning. Oh, he is going to fall over when he sees you."
The dress was a curious mixture of loose and tight. It reminded Keelin of the dresses that girls on Real Housewives of Miami wore. It was beachy, sexy, nighttime and casual all in one. Wide straps covered her broad shoulders and tapered into a deep V in the front, dipping even lower in the back. It hid everything that needed to be hidden and showed everything it should. It was, quite simply, the perfect dress on her. Keelin laughed and watched herself in the mirror. The
red brought out a flush in her cheeks and made her hair color pop. She looked alive and sexy.
"Oh, Flynn is going to eat you alive."
Keelin gulped. "Um, maybe this dress is a bit much. I don’t want to give the wrong impression."
"This dress gives all the right impressions, trust me. He's not going to be able to speak all night."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Suddenly protective, Cait grabbed her arm. "Is this too much? Are you ready for this date? We can find you something else a little more subdued if you want."
Keelin turned and looked at the woman in the mirror. This woman was confident. Sure of herself. Sexy, sensual, and in control. She wanted to be this woman. She could be this woman. She gave herself a small nod.
"Let's consider this a confidence-building exercise. Flynn is toast."
Cait barked out a laugh. "Go get him, girl. I can't wait to hear about this."
Later that day, Keelin made her way back to Aislinn's shop. She found her closing up for the day.
"Want to grab a pint?" Aislinn asked her as she finished packaging Keelin's lace and picture.
"Sure. Up at Cait's pub or elsewhere?"
"How about right here?" Aislinn laughed at her as she flipped the sign closed and gestured to a refrigerator in back. "Less gossip this way."
Relieved, Keelin headed for the fridge and pulled out two bottles of Harp. Aislinn motioned towards the back door and she opened it to reveal a small, enclosed courtyard. A worn yellow brick wall surrounded the small yard that was brimming with flowers. Intricate statues and various lawn ornaments were woven through the flowers. A large planked table stood in the middle covered in sketchbooks and jars of art supplies. Aislinn brushed them aside and put down a plate of cookies that she had brought out with her.
"I know there is a bunch of time to catch up on who we are and what we do and all that, but I'm dying to know about your power. I'm really struggling to learn about mine," Keelin said in a rush of breath. She grabbed a cookie and quickly crammed it in her mouth, hoping to stem the flow of words.
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