Nan glanced at Jordan again, then looked back at Gelsey. “We know about Portugal. And Antonio. We’ve sort of known the truth from early on.”
“You did?”
Jordan walked over to the counter and retrieved her purse then rummaged through it. A few moments later, she pulled out a magazine clipping and handed it to Gelsey. “I came across that while I was waiting to get my hair cut in Glengarriff. It’s from Hello! magazine from a year ago.”
The picture wasn’t one of her best, Gelsey thought as she examined it closely. She was wearing a designer dress that barely covered her ass, an ass that was quite visible in the photo. A champagne bottle dangled from one hand and a cigarette from the other. “I was so drunk, I don’t remember anyone taking this photo,” she murmured, handing it back to Jordan. “It doesn’t even look like me.”
“You’re Gigi Woodson,” Nan said.
“I was Gigi Woodson.”
Jordan crumpled up the clipping and tossed it into a nearby rubbish bin. “Does Kellan know?”
Gelsey winced. “No. But I’m pretty sure he’s about to find out.”
“We’re not going to say a word,” Jordan said. “We promise.”
“If you know about Antonio, then I’m sure you know about the incident with the Italian photographer?”
Nan shook her head. “No. And you don’t have to tell us. We really don’t need to know.”
“Thank you,” Gelsey said. “I suppose I should be glad I managed to get away with it for this long. I assumed someone would recognize me sooner or later.” She raked her hand through her hair, then forced a smile. “I guess I haven’t changed all that much.”
“You look completely different,” Jordan disagreed.
“Completely,” Nan added.
“I felt like I recognized you when we met,” Jordan continued, “but I couldn’t figure out where it had been. And when I saw the photo in Hello!, it just clicked.”
Suddenly, a rush of emotion overwhelmed Gelsey. She fought back tears as she picked up the crumpled clipping. “You can show him,” she murmured, holding it out to Nan. “I-I don’t care. It really shouldn’t make a difference.” Gelsey felt a hand on her back and she found Jordan standing behind her. “I just really wanted to start over.”
“We’re not going to say anything,” Jordan said.
“Not even to Danny and Riley?” Gelsey asked.
Nan laughed. “Are you kidding? Those two are horrible at keeping secrets. But to be honest, I don’t think it’s such a big deal. Kellan loves you. He won’t care.”
“He doesn’t love me,” Gelsey said. “And you’ve only seen one photo. There are hundreds out there. And none of them make me look very good. At least, not to a guy like Kellan.” A tear trickled down her cheek and she brushed it away, embarrassed by her show of emotion. Drawing a ragged breath, she forced a smile. “I think we should call it a day. It’s nearly four and you two have your own things to do.”
Nan patted Gelsey on the shoulder, then thought better of it and gave her a clumsy hug. “It will all work itself out,” she said. “You’ll see.”
Jordan gave her a hug, as well. “Kellan is a good guy. He wouldn’t let something like this change his feelings for you.”
The girls grabbed their jackets and purses and headed out the front door. Gelsey waved to them as they passed by the windows, going toward the pub. She had at least a few more hours of work ahead of her, but it was better to pass that time on her own, rather that be faced with more explanations.
Maybe Nan and Jordan were right. Maybe her past wouldn’t make any difference to Kellan. At least at first. But once everyone else knew, once the press figured out where she was, Gelsey couldn’t guarantee that he’d feel the same way.
She’d fought a five-year battle with the paparazzi and in most of the skirmishes, she’d lost badly. In the end, Gigi Woodson sold papers and that was all that mattered. They’d followed her through two broken engagements, a stint in rehab and a very ill-conceived six-day marriage to an already married Argentinean polo player. The end of her third engagement had sent her running back to Winterhill, out of sight and hopefully out of mind.
She was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of her mobile. Gelsey found it sitting on the counter next to the cash register and glanced at the screen. Her stomach twisted into a knot as she recognized the name of her attorney in Rome. She set the phone down, not ready to deal with whatever he had to tell her. She’d call him back later.
The bell above the door jingled and Gelsey spun around to see Kellan standing at the front of the shop, a surprised expression on his handsome face. “Bloody hell, look at this place. You’ve done wonders.”
Gelsey felt her spirits brighten. “I know. Not alone though. Nan and Jordan have been helping out a lot. We’ve almost got all the old inventory cleared away. Next week, I can start to do a little decorating. Jordan has already given me some great ideas. And Nan thinks we ought to carry some books and CDs, too. Kind of a whole holistic approach.”
“Sounds grand to me.” Kellan walked toward her, then slipped his arms around her waist. “Nan and Jordan are back at the pub. I thought you might like to join us there. The family is getting together for dinner. My sister Shanna and her husband and kids came down from Dublin and they’re staying the night. It’s my niece’s birthday. Lily. She’s five. And my sister Claire will be here with her kids. I’d like you to meet them all.”
“Really?”
Kellan nodded. “Yeah. You’ve met the rest of the family, why not them?”
“I-I really should stay here and get some more done. We have a sale starting and tomorrow the shop will open early. We want to lure in a few Christmas shoppers and-”
“You have to eat dinner,” Kellan said.
“I know.” Sometimes it felt as if they were hurtling toward a cliff, unable to stop themselves from falling completely and utterly in love. It was one thing to spend time with Nan and Jordan and his brothers. But it was a whole other thing to become friendly with his parents and his sisters.
Expectations were difficult enough to meet, never mind the fact that none of the Quinns knew who she really was. They were just a regular family and she didn’t want to do anything to change that. But how long would she have to wait until no one in the world was interested in where she was and who she was sleeping with? Would the press give up after a year? Or would it take longer?
“I’m just all grimy from cleaning up the shop and I’m tired and I don’t think I’d be very good company and-”
Kellan pressed a finger to her lips. “No worries,” he said. “You don’t have to come. I don’t want to pressure you to-”
“No!” Gelsey cried. “It’s not that, it’s just-”
“You’re right,” he said. “There’s no reason for you to spend time with my family.”
Gelsey bit her bottom lip, knowing that whatever she said next wouldn’t come out right. She’d fallen into this relationship so quickly and so easily and never thought about the repercussions. She’d taken advantage of Kellan, used him for a place to escape, and now she’d become a part of his life. “Maybe it’s too soon for all this?”
His fingers tangled in her hair and he gently turned her face up until she looked into his eyes. “I’ll go have dinner and I’ll meet you back at the cottage later.” Kellan brushed his lips against hers. “Maybe we’ll bring in the tub and make you a nice bath. Right in front of the hearth.”
“That would be nice,” Gelsey said.
A frown worried his brow and he studied her shrewdly. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Gelsey said. “Just a bit tired.”
“We should get some sleep tonight,” Kellan murmured. “We have been keeping rather late hours, considering you’re a working woman now. You’ll need your rest if you’re going to get this place in shape.” He bent closer and kissed her again, drawing his tongue along the crease of her lips. And then, as if he couldn’t resist, he pulled her against hi
m and deepened his kiss, his tongue invading her mouth, desperate to taste and possess.
When he was through, Gelsey was left breathless, her mind spinning. It was so easy to get caught up in the desire and the way their bodies melded so perfectly. But she and Kellan had been living in a fantasy that was slowly being unraveled by reality.
Kellan pressed his palms to her temples and smoothed her tangled hair away from her face. Then he kissed each eyelid, the tip of her nose and her mouth. “You do look tired. I’ll eat quick and bring you something from the pub. We’ll have a lazy night at home.”
Home, Gelsey mused. Is that what they had together? Had they made a home? Did he think of her as part of that home or was she still just a visitor? “That sounds nice. I’ll see you in a little while.”
She walked him to the door then gave him a quick kiss before he left. Sighing softly, Gelsey flipped the sign in the front window to Closed and pulled down the shade on the door. This was real life now. She couldn’t hide from it. And either she’d make a mess of it, or she’d carve out a place for herself.
And somewhere along the way, she’d figure out exactly how she felt about Kellan Quinn.
KELLAN STOOD in front of the hearth, staring into the glow of burning peat. With a soft curse, he glanced at his watch for only the fourth or fifth time in the last few minutes. He’d returned from the pub to find the cottage dark and empty. Assuming that Gelsey had been delayed at the shop, he’d hauled the tub in from the pantry next to the kitchen and filled it with a hose from the kitchen sink.
But after an hour of waiting, the water was cold and the fire was dying. Kellan strode to the door and pulled it open, staring down the road that led from the village into the hills above town. The Fiat was gone, so she wouldn’t be walking back. He paused. Unless she wasn’t able to get it started.
The first thing on his list of things to do would be find a more dependable car for her to drive. Kellan grabbed his jacket and headed for his own car. He’d drive to the shop and fetch her, before she completely exhausted herself. Since she’d begun, Maeve had decided to make a quick visit to her sister’s place, leaving Gelsey with long hours and no days off.
It took just a few minutes to drive into the village, but when he rapped on the shop door, it went unanswered. The Closed sign was hanging in the window and from what he could tell, all the lights were off.
Kellan tried the pub next, thinking that Gelsey may have changed her mind and they might have just missed each other. But when he walked in, his family was still gathered at the tables they’d pushed together, finishing up their dinner as the pub began to fill with the Friday-night crowd.
“Hey, you’re back,” Danny called from behind the bar. “Did you bring Gelsey?”
“She’s not here?” Kellan asked.
“No. I thought you said she’d decided to go home after work.”
Kellan leaned on the edge of the bar. “I was up at the cottage and she wasn’t there. Is she with Nan or Jordan?”
Danny cocked his head toward the kitchen. “They’re still here. They’re in the kitchen getting Lily’s birthday cake ready.” Danny motioned Kellan to follow him to the end of the bar. “I’m glad you came back. I have something I have to show you.”
“I really don’t have time,” Kellan said. “I need to go find-”
“It won’t take but a minute. Jaysus, Kell, your woman can certainly survive on her own. Don’t be so possessive. It’s not good for a relationship.”
“What are you, a feckin’ psychiatrist?”
“I’m just statin’ a fact,” Danny said.
“Why don’t you tell me your meaning so that we don’t have to waste breath figuring it out.”
“You’re lookin’ like a man desperately in love.”
Kellan shook his head, fixing his brother with a dismissive glare. “And you’re full of shite, you are.”
“I don’t know,” Danny said. “You’re getting yourself all bothered about a girl that you’ve been sleeping with for a couple weeks, all worried when she isn’t where she’s supposed to be.”
“We have an understanding,” Kellan said. “Neither one of us is planning our future together.”
“Hey, maybe you should be. I know I’m going to marry Jordan. If I were you, I wouldn’t let a girl like Gelsey get away, if you catch my meaning.”
“This is none of your business,” Kellan said. “Hell, I’m not going to lie. I like having her around. We get along great. We’re very…compatible. But we’re a long way from spending our lives together.”
“Hey, we’re all just trying to help you out here,” Danny said. “You could at least be grateful. We’re all doin’ our part to get her to hang around.”
“What the hell are you talking about, brother?” Kellan leaned forward and grabbed his brother’s arm. “Explain yourself.”
Danny cursed beneath his breath and shook his head. “Nan and Jordan think she’s just grand. They’re helping her dust out that shop. And Markus and his committee are determined to get her to buy it from Maeve.” He drew a ragged breath. “Perhaps you might want to make an effort on your end. I mean, it’s clear to me that you’re in love with her. I see the way you look at her. It’s the same way Riley looks at Nan and I look at Jordan. No use denying it, Kell.”
“So you and the rest of the town have my whole life planned out for me?”
“No,” Danny said. “Well, maybe a bit. But you’ve got to take it from here, mate.”
Kellan stood up and pressed his hands along the edge of the bar. “Why don’t you all just bugger off and leave me to my own life.”
“So you are in love with her, then,” Danny said.
A long silence grew between them. He wanted to admit that his brother was right, but Kellan had always expected that love would be a concrete concept, that he’d never have any doubts once he found it. He was in love with the Gelsey he knew, the woman who curled into his naked body at night, the woman who could merely glance his way and make him burn.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Danny said.
“So, what am I supposed to do about this? She might as well be a mermaid for all I really know about her.”
“And if she has some horrible past? Would that make a difference? Would it make you want to walk away?”
“No. As far as I’m concerned, we began the day I found her on the beach.” He paused, wondering if he ought to reveal more. “Or maybe we began years ago.”
“How is that?” Danny asked.
Kellan braced his elbows on the bar and leaned in, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Do you remember that day when we were lads and we found that box buried in the sand at Smuggler’s Cove?”
“Why are we whispering?” Danny whispered back.
“Remember the girl? The one who buried it?”
“There was a girl?”
“Yeah. She ran off and we chased her. I caught up with her and she kissed me. That was the first time I ever kissed a girl.”
“What does this have to do with Gelsey?”
“That was her,” Kellan said. “At least I think it was. I can picture that girl in my mind and Gelsey is just an older version.”
“Have you asked her about this?”
Kellan shook his head. “No. Because if it was her then this thing between us becomes something very different.” He scowled at Danny’s puzzled look. “Don’t you get it? It’s destiny.”
“Oh. Like Jordan and me. And Nan and Riley.” Danny glanced both ways, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He pried open the top to reveal a diamond ring. “I’m going to give it to her for Christmas,” he whispered.
Kellan stared at the ring. “It’s grand. She’s going to love it.”
“Get things settled with this girl,” Danny warned, “or you might lose her.”
Kellan pushed away from the bar and turned for the door. He’d like nothing more than to get things settled between them. But Kellan didn’t have a clue how Gelsey felt about
a future together. She obviously planned to stay near Ballykirk, at least for a while. But did her plans include him? Somehow, Kellan knew it would be impossible to get a straight answer from her on that subject.
He jogged back to his car and got inside, then turned toward the cottage. There was one thing he had to check before continuing his search. As he drove up the hill, Kellan decided there was only one other place she might have gone-back to Winterhill.
She’d acted strangely distant when he’d stopped by the shop, been preoccupied with something other than business. And she was usually so happy to get out and socialize.
He pulled up in front of the cottage, then jumped out of the car, leaving it running. Throwing back the front door, Kellan called her name, but there was no answer. He headed directly for the bedroom, then opened the wardrobe and dug into the clothes inside.
He found the green dress exactly where he’d put it the night they met. It was still flecked with sand and bits of seaweed. Clutching the wrinkled fabric in his fists, Kellan chided himself for even considering the possibility. She wasn’t a mermaid and she wouldn’t leave him to return to the sea.
“Winterhill,” he murmured.
The sun was already sinking beneath the western horizon as he drove along the coast road, through Derreeny. On the far side of the village of Curryglass, he turned onto a narrow country lane and followed it as it wound between two dry stone walls.
The lights from the house were visible from the road. He swung the car into the driveway and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Fiat parked in front of the house. As he got out of the car, Kellan realized that he’d need an explanation for how he knew where she was. Though she’d mentioned Winterhill in her answers to his five questions, she hadn’t given him directions.
He strode up to the front door and grabbed the cast-iron knocker, but the door swung open before he could signal his presence. The gray-haired woman he and Danny had met earlier smiled warmly up at him as she wiped her hands on her apron. “Hello,” she said. “You’ve come back.”
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