by Ashlyn Chase
Kristine nodded solemnly. “I’ll be sure to get in touch with her right away.” Then she turned to Jayce. “Oh, you were in the middle of telling me something important. Was there anything else I should know?”
“Uh, no. I think we covered it.” Jayce thought about how his little family drama paled in comparison to the news Kristine had just received.
“Oh, Gaia, wait!”
“Don’t care.” Mother Nature disappeared before Kristine got another word out.
“Jayce, I just remembered Amber’s wedding! She’s probably already in Ireland, planning for the big day.”
Jayce smiled and squeezed her hand. “There’s this great modern convenience called a cell phone…”
Chapter 17
On the cliffs of Ballyhoo, Ireland, stood a beautiful castle. It wasn’t huge, and part of its elegance was its modesty. There was only one turret and one arched opening with a beautiful wood door. Jayce had been told that the majority of the living space was built into the cliffs.
Kristine took his hand. “Shall we go inside?”
“I suppose so. If for no other reason than to drop off our wedding gift and then be told where to wait.”
The two of them knocked on the beautiful door with its ornate brass knocker shaped like three dragons. A tiny window slid to the side, and a pair of dark-brown eyes seemed to light up with recognition. Then the window slammed shut, and the door opened wide.
Ryan pulled Jayce into a hug, and they slapped each other on the back. When Jayce stepped away, he clasped his brother’s upper arm and said, “Damn, it’s good to see you, Ryan.”
Ryan glanced past Jayce and smiled at Kristine. “This beautiful lady is still putting up with you?”
Jayce let go of his brother and put a hand on Kristine’s lower back, escorting her over to him. “Ryan, I’d like you to meet the future Mrs. Jayce Fierro, my fiancée.”
“No shit?” Ryan then slapped himself upside the head. “I’m sorry, Kristine. That’s no way to talk in front of a lady. What I meant to say was congratulations to you both.”
Chloe came up behind Ryan and slipped her arm around his waist. “What were you apologizin’ for, luv?”
Kristine chuckled. “He did nothing wrong. I’ve heard worse language every day at the firehouse.”
Ryan grinned. “That’s right! You’re also a firefighter.”
“All four of us are,” Jayce said. “You two, Kristine, and me.”
“You’ll have plenty to talk about at the reception, since you’re all being seated at the same table,” a female voice said from behind Ryan. He stepped aside and revealed Amy Scott…soon to be Amy Arish.
“Mom!” Kristine said. “I thought you’d be getting ready by now.”
“I was waiting for you, darling. Come with me.” Amy grabbed her hand and practically dragged her into the castle and around the corner where Jayce could no longer see her. He did, however, notice the incredible view on the opposite wall. A large Palladian window looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean.
“Well, are you going to invite me in or what?” Jayce asked his brother.
“Of course. Come on in, and I’ll give you a tour of my humble abode.”
Jayce burst out laughing. “Don’t even pretend you’re being humble. You live in a frigging castle.”
“Okay, you got me. I might be a little proud of my home.”
Chloe folded her arms. “You mean our home, don’t you? And we have a right to be proud, having done most of the work ourselves.”
“Yes, dear.” Ryan leaned close to his brother’s ear and whispered, “Learn those two words, and you’ll have a happy marriage.”
Chloe snorted. “It’s a good thing I know me husband’s teasin’. Jayce, can I get you something to drink?”
Before he had a chance to answer, she glanced outside and said, “Oh shite. The leprechauns are here. Who invited them?”
One little guy in brown and two in green approached. The brown one stepped up to the door. “No one invited us, me darlin’. But we believed it to be an oversight. We come bearin’ gifts, and we’d be grateful for the chance to make up for our bad behavior in the past.”
Chloe crossed her arms. “You realize we have a few humans here, Fagan. You aren’t allowed to perform any of your leprechaun magic.”
“And we won’t, Your Highness.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “I don’t want any of that ‘Your Highness’ nonsense. Just call me Chloe, like everyone else does.”
“That seems fair, since I’m king of the leprechauns, and you insist on simply callin’ me Fagan.”
“Good.”
“Fine.”
“Grand,” the other two chimed in.
Ryan said, “I was just about to take Jayce around and show him the place. Will you excuse us, love?”
Chloe smiled. “Of course.”
Ryan leaned over and gave his wife a kiss before he clapped his hand on Jayce’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go this way.” He steered him to a spiral staircase leading down.
Jayce followed his brother down the stairs, which opened onto a large foyer. Another Palladian window looked out over the ocean. Hardwood floors matched the ones upstairs, and three arched doorways offered choices of moving left, right, or directly behind.
Ryan walked through the arch on the right and into a study with tall bookshelves and comfortable chairs. A desk faced the window. “Welcome to my office, library, or den, whatever you want to call it.”
“Man cave?”
“Anything but that.” He walked over to a piece of furniture that looked as old and ornate as the front door. “What can I get you?” He opened a polished rolltop to reveal a well-stocked bar.
Jayce smiled. “I don’t suppose you have any of that Arish whiskey, do you?”
“Of course he does,” Conlan said as he strolled into the room from the one beyond. “If he doesn’t, we’re not doin’ right by our cousin.”
Ryan lifted a bottle and used it to point toward Jayce. “Conlan, have you met my brother Jayce?”
Conlan laughed. “Jayce was there the day I met me bride.”
“Really?” Ryan chuckled. “It seems as if few introductions are needed. Drake knew everyone too.”
“Drake is here?” Jayce asked.
“Of course. He’s Amy’s younger brother…or something.” Ryan offered Jayce a glass with two fingers of whiskey already poured.
Jayce took the whiskey and raised it as if giving a toast. “What is it you say here? Slant?”
Ryan and Conlan laughed. “Slainte is the word,” Ryan said.
When all three of them had their glasses filled, Ryan raised his and said, “To family.”
“Slainte,” Jayce said.
“Cheers!” Conlan added.
The three of them laughed, clinked glasses, and sipped their whiskey.
“I was showing my brother around, but we didn’t get very far,” Ryan said.
Conlan groaned. “It’s just as well. The women have taken over the bedrooms on both levels. Below us, the kitchens are filled with caterers. And your banquet room has been locked against all intruders. I guess Amy and Amber had it decorated just the way they wanted it.”
“Speaking of the other bride, where’s Rory, the other groom?” Jayce asked.
“Rory is visiting with his sister Shannon and her husband, Finn. They also have a few humans to distract while the paranormals are lectured.”
“Lectured?”
“To keep their identities a secret.”
“Ah,” Jayce said. “I wondered how that was going to work.”
“If history repeats itself, it won’t work at all,” Rory said as he entered the room.
Conlan laughed and slapped Rory on the back. “I see me fellow bridegroom is as nervous as I, but mayhaps for a different rea
son.”
“How is that?” Rory asked.
“This place is, or was until recently, your home. With all the shenanigans that could happen when Irish families and paranormal friends get together, things could get ruined…not to mention if any one of us shows our paranormal abilities around a human, there will be hell to pay.”
“Don’t pay me,” Ryan said.
“You realize he’s talking about me.” A disembodied female voice resonated around the room.
“Gaia!” Ryan exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
Mother Nature appeared. “I’m not…but I’m watching. I don’t want anything to ruin my muse’s special day. It’s bad enough she had to include two humans, but I understand they are her mother and sister. What I don’t understand, Rory, is why your brother-in-law Finn, Father Joseph, and the owners of the pub have to attend. They’re humans too.”
“Beggin’ yer pardon, Goddess.” Rory bowed reverently. “The good father is officiatin’, and I was the one who invited Finn. He’s married to me sister, Shannon, and didn’t faint when he learned about dragons and leprechauns. He should be fine. The O’Malleys are here to cater the dinner. As long as everything goes well during the reception…”
The Goddess closed her eyes and shook her head. “How little you know about weddings. That’s when everything bad happens.”
* * *
Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Amy slipped into her aqua silk dress. She couldn’t afford the genuine Vera Wang, so she had a costumer she knew from her stage career make one like it.
“Conlon offered to pay for any dress I wanted, but I wouldn’t hear of it.”
“Why not?” Kristine asked as she zipped up the back.
“Soon enough my finances will be tied to his.”
Kristine laughed. “Mother, you realize that’s like saying, ‘Soon enough I’ll hitch my little red wagon to his Maserati.’”
Amy admired herself in the full-length mirror. “I guess you’re right. I’ve never been able to depend on another person’s income, and it feels strange. I know you helped me pay our rent all those years, but even then I knew that someday you’d move out to live on your own or with someone else—speaking of which, have you worked out where you and Jayce will live?”
“Not yet. We haven’t had much time to just talk.”
Amy burst out laughing. “Yeah, I’ll bet. When the two of you come up for air, you probably have to make up for lost sleep.”
Kristine felt her cheeks heat. She didn’t discuss her sex life—especially with her mother! It was time to change the subject—or sidestep it a little.
“Jayce was cleared to go back to work. He offered to quit and move to Hell’s Kitchen—despite how much his family wants him to stay in Boston. And now that my family will be in Boston, it would just be pigheaded of me to insist on staying in New York.”
“So, you’re giving up everything you’ve worked for? The lieutenant position?”
“It was either that or let him do all the sacrificing.”
“He was really ready to give up his rank and his home and disappoint his family? All just to make you happy?”
“Yes. Amazing, isn’t he?”
The women smiled at each other.
“What about your degree?” Amy asked.
“I managed to almost finish it over the summer. I can do the rest online.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful! Every woman should have a fallback.” Kristine’s mother sat at the dressing table and began combing her hair.
“Let me do that for you, Mom.” Kristine picked up the brush and stroked her mother’s long, shiny red hair.
“That’s very practical of you…to have a fallback, I mean.”
Amy closed her eyes and almost purred. She loved having her hair brushed, and Kristine wondered if she’d ever get the chance to brush it for her again. Probably not for a while.
“I’ve always been more practical than you think. Acting may seem like a frivolous career, but waitressing put food on the table, and acting made me happy. I’d like to think I was a better mother because I followed my dream as best I could.”
“You absolutely were. You’re still a good mother.” Kristine leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Do you want to wear your hair up? Like this?” Kristine wound the hair around into a French twist and held it up for Amy to look at.
“Yes, you do that beautifully, and I have a special comb to hold it.”
Amy reached for her small white evening bag and extracted a beautiful gold comb with sparkling crystals and pearls.
“That’s beautiful, Mom! Where did you get it?”
“It’s from Conlan. Apparently his mother wore it before she passed.”
“She had to be a dragon too, right?”
“Yes, she was. She met with a dreadful car accident a few years ago. It may have been during the same time that Mother Nature revoked our immortality for a while.”
As Kristine inserted the beautiful comb, Gaia herself popped in. “Did I just hear my name?”
Kristine and her mother startled. “We didn’t mean to call you away from your…whatever you’re doing,” Kristine said. “We were just discussing something, and your name came up.”
“Yes, I know. I was about to come and see you anyway.”
“Oh? What about?”
“I finally have someone to train you, Kristine. My modern muses are quite busy. All the more reason to have more. I thought it best to add her to the guest list so she can keep an eye on things and make sure the paranormals don’t get out of hand. I’m much too busy to stick around in case of trouble.”
Amy turned enough to look at both of them. “She found someone to train you? In what are you being trained, Kristine?”
“I wasn’t going to tell you until after your honeymoon. The Goddess offered me a job as a modern muse. Specifically, the muse of wireless communication. Cell phones, radios, and the satellites that keep us in touch globally.”
“A muse? Like Amber and Chloe? That’s wonderful! I suppose you don’t need another job in Boston now. It sounds as if you’ll have your hands full.”
“I imagine so. Did you say you have someone to add to the guest list, Gaia? Have you checked with Chloe?”
Mother Nature jammed a hand on her hip. “Of course. Contrary to what you may have heard, I’m not totally rude, entitled, and pushy.”
Amy rose. “Goddess, I’ve not heard you called anything of the sort, and if I did, I would have to disagree.”
The goddess smiled. “That’s sweet of you, but you’ll learn. Meanwhile, Kristine, I’d like you to meet Brandee.”
A pretty young woman with a different shade of long, red hair appeared. Not like Amy’s bright-red or her own reddish-blonde color. She shook Kristine’s hand, and without letting go, she looked over at Amy.
“Oh. My. Gorgeousness! You must be the bride.”
Amy grinned and tipped up her chin in her regal pose. “That I am.”
Brandee glanced between Amy and Kristine and back again. “I can’t tell if you’re mother and daughter or sisters.”
Gaia waved. “Yes, yes. That’s all lovely, but we have to cut the chitchat short. I need to go push a tornado out of the way of a house in, uh… Kansas. Yeah. There’s a girl and her dog inside. If I don’t get there in time”—Mother Nature disappeared before she finished her sentence.
Brandee gave them an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to crash your wedding. Gaia thought that since Chloe would be busy playing hostess and Amber’s time would be consumed with being a bride and all, a less involved muse to keep an eye on things would be a good idea.”
“Oh, I’m fine with it,” Amy said. “I just feel bad that we’re taking you away from your muse duties.”
Brandee laughed. “This is the best part of my duties. I’m the muse of f
ilm and digital images.” Suddenly she was holding a very technical-looking camera. “Now I can really keep an eye on things.”
“And we get wedding photos!” Amy exclaimed.
* * *
The wedding was magical. Two beautiful brides, one wearing aqua and one wearing ivory, took their vows in the castle courtyard with their handsome princes, who were each wearing a kilt of Arish plaid. The design was woven with midnight blue, shamrock green, and gold wool. The same colors of the blue-and-green flag with three gold dragons on it flying from the high turret.
They had been blessed with a perfect sunny day. Not a cloud in the robin’s-egg-blue sky. When the wedding party and their guests descended the stairs to the kitchen and ballroom level, Jayce understood why it had been roped off before.
Opening the doors revealed an elegant room with one long dining table, set with white linens, crystal glasses, and silver flatware. Bowls of pink roses surrounded by petals graced the table every five feet or so. At one end was a kiddie table, set with the same decorations.
Jayce hadn’t noticed any children. Then he realized in horror that the table must have been put there for the leprechauns. Shit. This was the first time he’d met any, but he had heard they were quick to take offense and never apologized, even if they were dead wrong. Did that include at weddings?
He spotted his and Kristine’s names engraved on cards in ornate calligraphy and escorted her over to their places near the middle of the long table. Jayce held Kristine’s chair for her and pushed her in. He left his own chair out a bit just in case he had to jump to his feet to prevent a brawl.
No one else seemed too worried. People were smiling, chatting, and laughing. All except the Arish cousins seated across from them. Aiden and Eagan seemed on the edge of their seats too.
Finally, in came the leprechauns. They glanced up and down the long table, noting there were no seats left—except for two on either end, for the brides and grooms.
Chloe rose and hastened over to the little men. She bent down and whispered something, and pointed toward the kiddie table. The one wearing brown seemed too serious.