Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
K ieran hadn’t been on many carnival rides in his life, mostly because they would’ve cut into his savings plan, but his emotions had been through some ups and downs over the years. Nothing like this, though.
He’d didn’t know if he was coming or going. But he knew who he wanted in the seat beside him for the whiplash curves, steep climbs and heart-pounding drops.
If Sara could only be his companion for this week, he’d count himself blessed. If he could be allowed to hold her in his arms now and then, that would be sweeter yet. If he could make love to her, even once, he’d ask for nothing more in this life.
A curry comb made Sam presentable. While they cleaned him up, Kieran evaluated the barn as a rendezvous location. Wouldn’t be his first choice, but he’d keep it in mind.
On the walk back to the house, they paused long enough to exchange phone numbers. Then he took her hand again, right before he made the mistake of asking if she had a fella back home.
She pulled her hand free. “Of course not! How could you think I had someone I cared about back home after the way I kissed you?”
“My apologies. It’s just hard to imagine a woman like you doesn’t have someone.”
“It’s hard to imagine a man like you doesn’t have someone, but I gave you credit for not being a cheater.”
“I’m an eejit.” He snuck a glance at her rosy cheeks. Anger turned her skin pink, too. “I’m sorry, Sara. The last thing I want is to insult you. Walking into Hannigan’s and finding you there was like a miracle.”
That brought a tiny smile. “Did you hear a choir of angels sing?”
“I do believe I did. I even know what they were singing.” He considered his next move. Why not? “Want to hear it?”
“Absolutely!”
He cleared his throat and began to sing his Granny’s favorite song, the one she’d beg for whenever she was feeling down, My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose.
Sara stopped in her tracks and turned to him, her lips parted in surprise and her eyes alight with fascination.
The collie turned around, too, head cocked and tail wagging slowly.
He’d captured the pair of them with a simple Irish song that was older than the hills. He’d never sung it to anyone but Granny. Grandpa had started the tradition, singing to her when Kieran was a boy. He’d learned it by osmosis.
One day he’d busted out with it when Grandpa was singing, and he’d been doing it ever since, going solo after Grandpa passed. Never thought he’d be serenading an American woman from New Jersey in front of a Montana ranch house.
Might as well do it right. Taking both her hands, he held her gaze and put his heart into it. She deserved a gift of a song after all she’d done for him. It was old-fashioned and ridiculously sentimental, but judging from the glow in her green eyes, she loved it.
When he finished, she sighed and opened her mouth to say something. Enthusiastic applause from the porch startled her into letting go of him. Then she spun around.
Made him jump, too. Evidently his rendition had carried through the open windows of the house. Three people had been added to the four who’d been there when they’d headed out for a walk — a fella he recognized as Andy, an older woman he identified as Marybeth, and another man who likely was Buck.
Everyone called out things like great job, bravo and encore to the point he felt his face heat as he and Sara approached the steps. Sara’s family and Desiree stayed on the porch, but Andy, Marybeth and Buck came down to meet them.
Andy stuck out his hand. “That was beautiful, son. Never heard an Irish tenor in person before. You have a gift.”
Andy’s handshake was firm and his gaze steady. Clearly a fella you could count on. “My granny says so, but then she’s prejudiced, isn’t she?”
“She may be, but she’s also right. I’m Andy Hartmann, by the way.”
“Figured. Kieran Haggerty.”
Andy grinned. “Figured.”
“I’m Marybeth Weaver, Kieran.” She put out her hand. “And this is my husband, Buck.”
“Happy to meet you both.” After he’d returned the handshake of the other two members of Desiree’s inner circle, he understood why all three were a major part of her life. Not a plonker in the bunch.
“That was quite a performance.” Marybeth flipped her long gray braid over her shoulder. “You looked gobsmacked, Sara.”
“Because I was. I had no idea he could sing, let alone sound like a star. We were just joking around. I expected some goofy version of Danny Boy. ”
“That’s the only Irish song I know,” Buck said. “It’s nice, but sad. This one’s nice and nobody’s dying.”
“Sad songs and drinking songs.” Kieran chuckled. “We love ’em.”
“Do you know any drinking songs?” Marybeth gave him an assessing glance.
“I might.”
“Do you know Whiskey in the Jar ?”
“I do. There’s a drinking song and a sad song rolled into one.”
“How about The Rocky Road to Dublin ?”
Buck turned to her. “Where’re you coming up with these?”
“Don’t forget I took that trip to Ireland the summer before we met.”
“You said you went to look at castles.”
“You can’t look at castles at night.”
“Which leaves singing and drinking in the pub, evidently.”
She gave her husband a smile. Then she patted Kieran’s arm. “We’ll get together later and come up with a list. But now we need to head back into the house. We’ve had more discussion about the meeting between you and your brother and we need your input.”
“All right.” He glanced at Sara as they followed Andy and the Weavers up the steps. “Just so you know, I’d like you to be there.”
“Are you sure? Seems like it should be just the two of you.”
“It’ll likely come to that after we get through the first awkward parts, but he’s on his home turf, surrounded by his relations whether they’re physically there or not. Granny’s thousands of kilometers away and I?—”
“Say no more. I’ll be there.”
“Thanks.” He and Sara joined the procession to the living room, the same route he’d taken earlier, but oh, how his world had changed since he’d walked into the house the first time.
For one thing, Desiree urged everyone to sit down. Chairs had been added, including a striking purple wingback. He motioned Sara to a dining chair and he took the one that was next to it. The upholstered seats should go to the older adults.
Lani grabbed another of the dining chairs and Buck claimed the fourth, insisting he preferred it. The chair also put him close to Marybeth, who sat with Vanessa and Harry on the couch. Desiree claimed the purple wingback and Andy took the other easy chair after unsuccessfully trying to trade with Buck.
Desiree glanced around and finally let her gaze rest on him and Sara. “As you two probably guessed, I called Andy at the newspaper the second you two were out the door. Then I texted Marybeth and Buck.”
Kieran looked at Andy. “You came from town? How long have you been here?”
“Close to thirty minutes. I might’ve ignored the speed limit.”
“I knew he’d drive like a bat out of hell, but I decided it was daylight so he wasn’t in too much danger of killing himself. And I wanted his advice, along with Marybeth and Buck’s on how to approach Lucky.”
“Instead of meeting him in town after the shop closes?”
“Not necessarily. But I think it might be kinder if I call now and tell him about you on the phone rather than have you show up in person when he’s had no chance to prepare.”
The prospect zipped through his system as if he’d touched a live wire. “Call him now ?”
“Think about how you reacted when I told you. And he wasn’t even in the room. What if he had been here at the time?”
He gulped. “No telling. God knows it would have been a holy show.”
“I’m in favor of the phone call,” Andy said. “Then Dez can give him the choice of where he wants this meeting to take place.”
Andy’s use of Dez surprised him. You couldn’t hang a nickname on a legend… could you? “I hadn’t thought it through, but it makes sense to call him. In his shoes I’d want a chance to get over the initial shock. I’ve had that chance. He should, too.”
“And,” Desiree continued, “he can decide who he wants to be there.”
“And so can I.”
She blinked. “You’ve decided that already?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He didn’t look at Sara when he said it. She had to be giggling inside. “As far as I’m concerned, any or all of you can be there. But I specifically want Sara. She volunteered to help me through this, and although it’s not turning out anything like she expected, I’m holding her to her promise.”
Her cheeks turned pink, likely because she was fighting the urge to bust out laughing. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Then I guess it’s settled. I’ll call him now, but not here. I’ll make the call from my bedroom so he can swear all he wants.”
Kieran chuckled. “Wish I’d had that option.”
She gazed at him. “You controlled your language?”
“I did.”
“Do you normally swear a lot?”
“Compared to my mates? No. Compared to folks from over here?” He grinned. “Americans are good at many things, but swearing’s not one of them.”