Around the table, everyone began to talk of their plans for the summer.
Rachel and Leah were off to holiday houses beside each other in Lahinch, and in the autumn would do a child swap so they each got a romantic break away for a few days with their husbands. Kitty was joining her daughter’s family in Waterford for a few weeks, and had been flabbergasted to discover that Larry had, out of the blue, gone and booked tickets for the two of them to go to Paris in late September.
‘And of course, Kerrie, you’ll be off to France for your wedding. You must be so excited!’ said Alice.
To be honest she’d worried so much about Kerrie when she had first joined the class. She had seemed so tense and unhappy all the time; but now as her wedding got nearer she seemed to have finally relaxed.
‘Alice, everything’s changed.’ Kerrie laughed, her eyes sparkling.
‘You’re not getting married?’ blurted out Kitty without thinking.
‘No,’ protested Kerrie, ‘Matt and I are getting married, but not in the South of France! We’ve decided to have our wedding at home now. We’re having a big family wedding down in Meath at his family place, Moyle House. It’s going to be a bit tight trying to squeeze everyone in, but we have hired caterers and barmen and are praying for a dry sunny day. My three sisters and Matt’s sister are being my bridesmaids, so it’s mad because this is June and we’re still trying to find bridesmaid’s dresses that suit everyone, and I have two little flower girls and two little pages, too. And those kids are all a bit wild! There’ll be a band, and a bouncy castle for all the kids, and one of my brothers is going to let fireworks off on the lawn, and we’ve hired a bus to bring people back to Dublin afterwards.’
‘Lucky you,’ said Lucy enviously.
‘Moyle House is a wonderful house,’ enthused Emmet, ‘perfect for a wedding.’
‘It’s kind of a last hurrah for the house,’ Kerrie admitted. ‘My parents-in-law-to-be have to sell it, and it looks like a family from Germany are the buyers. Emmet was down giving Matt and his dad some advice about converting some of their stables into a mews with a courtyard garden, so that’s how he came to see it!’
‘A proper wedding! So much better than a handful of guests in France,’ said Kitty, making everyone laugh.
‘Kitty, we’re still going to France for our honeymoon,’ insisted Kerrie.
‘Here’s to Alice!’ toasted the class, as everyone stood up. ‘And to her cookery school!’
Alice blinked away the tears in her eyes. Funny, but she would really miss them. This year might have begun with some doom and gloom and trepidation, but it had brought so much change for all of them gathered here around the table. There had been so many new beginnings!
So much had happened in her own life over these past few months, too. She had learnt to let go of Liam and the hurt of it, and to stand on her own two feet, which had been much harder than she had ever imagined. She took the risk of opening a cookery school, worrying about getting it off the ground! Then there had been Sean’s accident and the awful reality of almost losing her youngest son. The wonderful support of her friends and family – even these people, her students – had helped her get through those dark days. And then there was the milestone of Sean’s twenty-first party last week. It was so good to see Sean well again. And to have the opportunity to introduce Alex, the new man in her life, to the people she loved.
She still sometimes couldn’t believe it!
The Martello Cookery School’s reputation was growing, and next year she hoped to run classes three nights a week and was even considering holding a class one morning a week, too. Her business was taking off in a way she had never imagined, and even Patsy, her sister-in-law, and Nina had signed up for the autumn.
Then there was Alex! Lovely Alex!
The two of them were off to Lake Como for ten days in three weeks’ time. He had booked them into a magnificent-looking five-star hotel overlooking the lake. Alex Ronan was such a lovely man – generous and big-hearted and romantic – and when they were together he made her feel special, young and happy again!
She was so lucky to have been given this second chance – to have somehow found the courage to open her heart to happiness and to finding love again with Alex when she least expected it.
About the Author
Marita Conlon-McKenna is one of Ireland’s favourite authors and her books are enjoyed by readers around the world. Her previous novels include The Matchmaker and the number one bestsellers The Magdalen and Mother of the Bride. She is the winner of the prestigious International Reading Association award and is a regular contributor on radio and TV. She lives in Dublin with her husband James and their family.
Also by Marita Conlon-McKenna
THE MAGDALEN
PROMISED LAND
MIRACLE WOMAN
THE STONE HOUSE
THE HAT SHOP ON THE CORNER
THE MATCHMAKER
MOTHER OF THE BRIDE
TRANSWORLD IRELAND
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First published in 2011 by Transworld Ireland,
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Copyright © Marita Conlon-McKenna 2011
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This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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