by Liz Gavin
“Hello, Keira. Are you all right?”
“We need to talk,” was her curt reply and his heart skipped more than a couple of beats.
“I know that, Keira. That’s why I’ve been calling you for the past three days. I’m worried sick! What happened?”
She remembered everything she had gone through in the last couple of days. It was a long story, which she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell Declan, at that point. Besides, there were more pressing issues they needed to discuss. She decided to take them on first.
“I’m fine. I’ll tell you everything later. We need to talk about something else, first.”
“I’m relieved just to hear your voice and see your face again. Are you going to tell me what was that all about? I mean, last time we talked? Why did you hang up on me, Keira?”
She closed her eyes and gripped the phone harder. Her palms were sweaty and she felt sick. She had chosen the video call because she wanted to look Declan in the eyes when he explained himself. She never thought she’d be so uncomfortable confronting him face to face. Losing her courage fast, Keira just blurted everything out.
“On my last day in Dublin, I went to the car rental to get a car, and was driving out of town, when I stopped at a traffic light in front of this quaint little coffee shop. It was so lovely that it distracted me from the GPS I was trying to figure out. Then, I saw a beautiful young couple hugging and kissing when they left the building. The gorgeous woman turned and went away while the guy ran past my car, crossing the street. That was you, Declan! Why were you having breakfast with another woman the morning after you almost made love to me? After you asked me to go back to Dublin to give us a chance to know each other better. Why were you kissing her? Why did you do that to me?” her voice broke off and she made a huge effort to keep her tears from falling.
Declan felt his heart weighed a ton inside him. What were the odds of Keira running into him at that particular moment? Was the universe conspiring against them? Was that a sign their relationship was doomed? Was it some kind of cruel trial the gods of love had conceived to test their resolve? Or was it his usual bad luck? He took a deep breath and put his sincerity and his feelings into his voice. He needed Keira to believe him.
“I wish I were beside you to look you straight in the eyes so you’d see the truth in mine. I guess this video call will have to do the trick. Jennifer is a very old and dear friend. I needed advice and she agreed to meet me for coffee.”
“You kissed and hugged her. Do you kiss all your friends on the lips like that?”
“She’s my oldest friend, Keira.”
“So?” she raised an eyebrow at him.
That was a very bad sign and he was afraid she would be mad at him when she learned he had met with an ex-girlfriend, that was why he had avoided the issue, but his explanations so far hadn’t been enough. He hesitated before deciding she needed to hear the whole story. At least, the whole story regarding Jennifer.
“You deserve to know everything but, please, listen to me first. Let me tell you the whole story before jumping to conclusions. Is that all right?”
Keira just nodded.
“I’ve known Jennifer all my life. We grew up together. My brothers and I went through some pretty rough times, when we were kids, which I intend to tell you all about, by the way, but I’d rather do it in person. Do you agree?”
“Yes, Declan.”
He relaxed visibly because she sounded less distant and cold.
“Anyway, Jennifer was always there for me and helped me through a great deal. She also stood by me the first times I had my heart broken by girlfriends. Come to think of it, she did so every time, actually,” he laughed and it sounded a little bitter. “She would offer her shoulder for me to cry on, some advice to help me get back on my feet, and wouldn’t hesitate to kick my ass if I kept the pity party going for too long. Later, when she moved to Dublin, I was devastated. When things in my house got unbearable, I decided to try my luck in Dublin, and she offered me a roof and food for over six months until I was able to be on my own.”
He stopped and waited for Keira to say something. When she didn’t, he continued, “Well, you see, I kept trying to have a stable relationship with one girlfriend after another, and got disappointed every time. One day, I had the stupid idea that dating my best friend would be the answer. Up to this day, I don’t know why the usually smart and sensible Jennifer agreed with me. We dated for a short while. It didn’t work out and we almost destroyed our lifelong friendship in the process. She broke up with me, more than a year ago, and that morning was the first time we met after the breakup.”
Keira pondered this story, but she took so long to do it that Declan started to worry. He thought the screen had frozen, or something; but, he saw her blinking and pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. He felt chills running up and down his spine because he knew she did that when she was nervous.
“Keira, say something, please. You’re freaking me out.”
“Why did you call her that morning? Why did you need her advice?”
He knew that part of the story was potentially disastrous. He silently said a prayer, hoped for the better before telling Keira the truth, “I got cold feet. I went jogging early that morning and started thinking about us, about the things we had going against us. I panicked.”
Keira’s face fell, “I knew it! You’ve got second thoughts, too.”
“No, no. I had them. Past tense, Keira,” then her meaning sank in. “What do you mean by ‘too’? Are you having second thoughts?”
It was his turn to get pale as her face got red. Keira was struggling, feeling torn between her mind and her instincts. Her head told her his story sounded too convenient, but her guts told her he looked sincere. Her sister had told her to go with her instincts. Time for a leap of faith!
“I was, Declan. Past tense, too. I called my sister before I left Wicklow and talked to her. She helped me see I had let my insecurities got the better of me when I jumped to conclusions. She pointed out I hadn’t heard your side of the story before calling you a cheating bastard.”
“Ouch! That was mean,” he gave her a bright smile trying to lighten the mood.
It worked. Keira smiled back. It was a shy smile as she pushed her glasses up her nose again. She was clearly uncomfortable.
“You can see why I thought so, though, can’t you, Declan?”
“Yes, actually, I can, love,” his charming accent melted the rest of her resistance, but she kept a straight face. “I’d have done exactly the same. No, strike that! I would surely have done worse. I’d have punched the guy until I had rearranged his face.”
Keira’s jaw dropped and she stared at him in horror. “That sounds horrible. How could you attack another person like that?”
Declan regretted his bluster, “I was just saying it, Keira. We, Irish, love to talk like that, but we’re peaceful people. I wouldn’t harm another person. Ever! I saw too many people getting hurt when I was too young to understand anything. I have a deep repulsion for violence, Keira. You’ll understand it once I tell you about my childhood.”
She studied his face and was satisfied with what she saw in his eyes, “I believe you, Declan,” she gave him a sly smile before adding. “So, let me see if I got this right. You invited your ex-girlfriend out to ask advice about me. Is that it?”
He felt his face burn, “It sounds awful when you say it like that, but that was pretty much what I did. Luckily, she gave me very good advice.”
“What did she tell you to do?” Keira laughed for the first time in days.
Declan felt his hopes go up again and smiled at her. His dark green eyes sparkled, taking her breath away. “She told me to stop being an ass and go after the best thing that had ever happened to me.”
“And what was that exactly?”
Keira smiled and the playful glint in her blue eyes made him wish he were there to kiss her until they were both out of breath. His eyes got darker and Keira seemed to rea
d his intentions in their depths because her own eyes got wider and her throat went dry.
“You, Keira. You are the best thing that’s happened to me.”
Keira got embarrassed, looked down, and her cheeks burned. Declan decided to change the subject.
“Enough about me, love,” his million-watt smile made a comeback and Keira’s spine turned to jelly. “How about your trip? Are you having fun?”
“Everything was perfect up until I left Wexford.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Oh, it’s a long story. Forget about it.”
“No, you sounded bummed out. I want to know what happened. Besides, I’ve got absolutely nothing better to do than look into you beautiful face and hear your heavenly voice,” he said with an exaggerated, comical tone.
She rolled her eyes and decided to tell him a short version of what had happened during her trip. She didn’t want to risk losing their newfound peace, even if it meant hiding some details from him, to avoid making him angry.
“Well, the trip to Wexford was quite easy. I stopped there because my great-grandmother was born in Kilmore, a tiny town. By three in the afternoon, I had seen everything, at least twice. People started to eye the car from Dublin with suspicion.”
“That’s never a good sign,” Declan winked at her.
“You bet! I thought they’d send the Garda after me,” Keira’s eyes sparkled with the memories. “After Kilmore, I started out towards Waterford, but, the car broke down.”
“I knew it. I knew something bad had happened to you. I should’ve done something.”
“Declan, you couldn’t have done anything. It was a mechanical problem. The engine sputtered for a mile or so. I crossed my fingers hoping to reach a gas station, but the car went completely dead before I got to one.”
“What did you do? Did you call for help?”
“Well, there weren’t any stores or houses around and the phone wasn’t working.”
“That’s just great. It gets better and better. You shouldn’t be traveling alone, Keira.”
“Oh, you’re starting to sound like my mom. That’s not a compliment, mister!” she tried to joke about it because she didn’t want Declan to get worried.
“I’m sorry, love. It’s just that I’ve felt something was off these last couple of days. It was a strange feeling that I couldn’t shake off and it drove me insane. Now, you tell me you were in danger. I don’t get it. Was it some kind of premonition? It’s never happened to me.”
“I wasn’t in any real danger, Declan. Although, I admit I was a little afraid. I got out of the car and walked to find a spot where I could use my cell phone?
“How long did you walk? It must have been dark. Did you get to a safe place?”
“In fact, a car appeared behind me.”
“You’re kidding me, right? Don’t you know it’s dangerous, Keira?” he sounded really upset and worried, so she decided to sugarcoat the facts.
“I’m fine, aren’t I? Nothing happened, Declan. Besides, there was this very nice couple in a pickup truck who helped me. No need to worry,” she smiled reassuringly. “They took me to their farm. I called the rental company and they sent a tow truck. The driver was very polite and he took me to Waterford in no time.”
She couldn’t pinpoint why she felt she should hide parts of the story from Declan. Maybe she didn’t want to upset him. He was already quite agitated.
“Is that all, Keira? What aren’t you telling me?”
“That’s all. I got to the hotel too tired to call anybody. This morning, I took a tour I had booked in advance. Did you know St. Declan founded a monastery in Waterford? He may have preached in Ireland before St. Patrick!”
“Yes, I’ve heard these old tales,” he laughed at her enthusiasm. “But, I’m no saint, love,” he winked. “You must be exhausted, though.”
“I am,” she was surprised to see it was past eleven. “We’ve been talking for more than two hours. We’d better hang up.”
“Yeah, we should.”
“Good night, Declan.”
“Good night, gorgeous. Call you tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
When neither ended the call, Keira smiled. “Aren’t you going to hang up?”
“I was waiting for you to do it.”
“Are you blushing, Declan Slane?”
“I feel like a teen again. It’s embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed, Declan. It’s adorable.”
“Adorable is for puppies. I’m a twenty-six-year-old man,” his face grew redder.
“Fine, I won’t embarrass you any further,” she winked. “Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Sweet dreams, Keira. I know I’ll have them. I’ll dream of you,” he said and it was her turn to blush.
CHAPTER 4
After having called Declan, her doubts about the mysterious gorgeous woman had disappeared. She felt hopeful again and she looked forward to going back to Dublin and spending time with Declan. Those were her last thoughts before she fell asleep.
Keira dreamed of Declan. In her dream, she was back in Dublin, they went out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. She had the best time. He was a perfect gentleman and treated her like a delicate porcelain doll. At least, until they got back to her hotel room. When they got inside her room, he kissed her, and she melted in his arms. He wasn’t such a gentleman anymore, but Keira didn’t want him to be one.
The best part of a dream is that the person can be anything. In Keira’s, she was a bold woman who knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. She wanted him to make her feel on fire again. She wanted his urgency, his desire. She lured him to the bed, crooking her hand in front of his nose. They laughed and kissed again as they tumbled together on the bed. Everything was perfect and Declan was a generous lover who took her to places she had never imagined existed.
After hanging up, Declan stared at the phone for a while. He had worried about Keira for the last couple of days. Surely, that was why he still felt uneasy after their phone call. He shook his head to clear it of those gloomy thoughts and went to bed.
I’m overreacting. I don’t like the idea of Keira being alone out there, but there is nothing I can do about it. I’ve got to let it go.
It took him a while to fall asleep and when he did, his sleep was restless. He woke up early feeling as tired as the night before. It was like he hadn’t slept at all. He jogged, worked out and thought about Keira every second. By lunchtime, he missed her so much he decided to text her.
“Hey, love. What are you up to today? Visiting more of my namesakes?”
Keira answered, “Not even close but having a great time. Call you later?”
They texted back and forth for the rest of the day. The messages were short. Sometimes they were sweet, sometimes they were sarcastic, but always funny. She spent the day sightseeing. There were many interesting places to see and she visited as many as she could. In a way, it seemed like Declan was there with her because she shared all those visits with him through their messages.
True to her word, Keira called him when she got back to the B&B. He picked up the first time the phone rang, “Hi, love. I missed you!” his Irish accent melted her bones.
“Hey, Declan. Are you at work? I don’t want to cause you any problems.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m home. It’s my day off,” he answered, then, added in a mockingly seductive way. “What are you wearing?”
Keira laughed, accepting his challenge, “Nothing special, just my usual silk slip.”
“Hmm, I bet it’s soft and cool to the touch.”
“As a matter of fact, it is,” Keira giggled as she ran a hand over her old flannel PJs.
“Is it long or short?”
“Very short,” she answered. This time, her voice was little more than a whisper.
“I wish I were there to run my hands up your gorgeous legs. Then, I’d lift the slip up your upper body until I reached your breasts. Would you let me do that, Keira?” h
is voice was seductive and a little out of breath.
She could easily picture them together since her dreams had been so vivid lately. Her heart beat faster and she felt her throat went dry.
“I guess,” she managed to sigh into the phone.
“I like how you sound. It’s sexy,” he teased her. “I’d cup your breasts and play with them until you sighed like you did just now. I’d catch your sigh with my mouth and kiss you until we couldn’t breathe.”
Declan had started the phone sex as a joke but it had backfired. Big time! His body reacted to the images he was creating too intensely, too fast. He knew Keira could heard his elaborate breathing and hoped she was too innocent to imagine his real situation.
Keira blushed, not from embarrassment, though. Her cheeks were burning hot because Declan’s voice. The visions he wove made her blood boil. She felt like bursting into flames.
She heard his sexy laughter, “Keira, love, I could go on saying things like these all night but I don’t think it would be a good idea. We’d end up frustrated and feeling bad.”
“You’re right. I’m already out of breath.”
“Tell me about your day, then.”
She did and they talked for hours. She told him about the places she had visited and he told her some funny stories about his clients at the bar. His coworkers were also very interesting people and good friends.
“What are you going to do tomorrow, Keira?”
“I’ll go to Cork. It’s not far, only a two-hour drive.”
She tried to hide a yawn and failed.
“I hate to say goodbye, but you need to rest. Call me when you get in tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir!” she laughed.
“Don’t kid like that. I worry about you,” he sounded hurt.
“I know you do, Declan. Sorry. You’re cute for worrying, but I’m fine.”
“I’ll feel better hearing from you, though.”
“Okay. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Sweet dreams, hon,” he said and hung up.
The next couple of days were very busy for Keira. She hired a tour in Cork and visited Blarney Castle on her first day. As she climbed on the bus, she was surprised to see Sylvia and John Burtonderry, the owners of Burtonderry House where she had stayed in Wicklow. And Paul O’Hallon, the tow truck driver.