Chapter 6
The coastal path skirted the very edge of the island, across beaches and along the cliffs. Tierney stopped momentarily to look at the view. It was a glorious late autumn day with all the heat of a summer’s afternoon, and she allowed herself a few moments to bask in the warm sun. Across the shining water that reflected the blue of the perfect sky, she could see the neighboring uninhabited island, Inishkyle, glistening like a roughly hewn diamond. On childhood days like this, the kids would take a boat to the island, always supervised by the reliable Joey or an older cousin, and swim on the beautiful silver strand.
Thinking of Joey brought her back to the present. She was on a mission. She turned away from the beauty of the view and focused on her feet as she took the uneven steps down into the small bay that housed the island’s second harbor, a simple dock alongside a rocky beach. This was where Joey preferred to keep their fishing boat, especially during good weather or in the tourist season. She’d walked past the main harbor first, but there had been no sign of Joey’s little white fishing boat. They could be out fishing, but it was Sunday, and even Joey took a day off.
She was trying to heed Megan’s advice and take ownership of her problems—if you could call a neglected friendship a problem. Whatever. She was going to sit down with Joey and talk it through.
As she rounded the cliff, the view opened out. A couple of currachs were tied up to the quay, but Joey’s fishing boat was absent. That was annoying. How could she make things right if she couldn’t track them down? She should have sent a text, but she’d wanted to surprise them, hopefully in a positive way. Tierney squinted out to sea and made out the shape of a small vessel heading toward the bay. It could be Joey, but the sun was in her eyes, and she wasn’t sure. She might as well walk down since she’d come so far. If it was a boat doing a tourist cruise, she could perhaps get a ride back with them to the main harbor.
By the time she’d scrambled down to sea level, the boat was docking. Tierney could see the name on the hull and was pleased it was Joey’s boat, Queen Maedbh. As she stepped carefully over the dock’s worn wooden planks, Joey’s tall figure emerged from the wheelhouse, and Tierney’s heart warmed to see her old friend.
If Joey wasn’t too mad at her and she could salvage their friendship, she swore to herself that she wouldn’t leave it so long ever again. Joey was busy tying up the boat and clearly hadn’t seen her approach, but before Tierney could call out, another figure appeared from the wheelhouse.
Annoyance bloomed. Fucking Kasia. She’d still been busy in the garden when Tierney had left. Why was she out in Joey’s boat? Tierney pushed back the irrational jealousy. She should be glad the friend she hadn’t seen for years was enjoying company. She’d always worried Joey’s lifestyle made it hard for such an introverted person to have friends. But why did it have to be Kasia? She’d poured her heart out to her earlier, and Kasia had only been interested in the future of the hotel. Yes, it was good her job was so important to her, but she could have shown a little more empathy.
As if sensing Tierney’s thoughts, Kasia turned and saw her. Her pursed lips suggested she wasn’t any happier about the encounter than Tierney. She turned to speak to Joey, whose head shot up, and they smiled widely. They placed both hands on the side of the boat, vaulted out onto the dock, and came running toward Tierney with an enthusiasm that suggested they weren’t holding any grudges.
“Tierney! I heard you were back.”
Tierney was wrapped in an embrace that made her bones creak. Joey lifted her off her feet and swung her around. She clung on and hugged back for all she was worth. There was something very comforting about a Joey hug.
“Put me down,” she gasped finally when she started to feel a little dizzy. Joey held her out at arm’s length. She looked up into the familiar red-cheeked face and returned the same joyous smile. “It’s been far too long.”
“That’s all on you. I’ve been here the whole time. Literally.” Joey’s smile faded slightly.
Their job fishing for shellfish around the island earned them a living, but it was hard work, and they rarely had time or money for a vacation. Joey had always said it didn’t matter, because they got to spend their life in a place other people paid good money to visit, so it was like a full-time vacation. But they’d admitted to Tierney years ago they missed the opportunity to experience other cultures and cuisines.
“I know, and I’m sorry. I was hoping for a chance to explain.” She tipped her head toward where Kasia was discreetly moving things around on the boat, as if giving them time to greet each other.
Kasia raised her head and stepped up onto the quay. “Joey, catch up with your friend. I can walk back to the village.”
As if she doesn’t even know my name. Tierney struggled to plaster a smile on her face.
Joey frowned. “You don’t need to do that.” They faced Tierney. “We were going to have a swim. It’s nearly high tide.” Joey indicated the water level.
Tierney wanted to win the battle of who was Joey’s best friend, but she was trying to be a better person, and Joey loved to swim. “Don’t let me stop you. Go ahead, but can we catch up tomorrow?”
“Why don’t you join us?” Kasia’s words were friendly, but her tone was chillier than Tierney suspected the water would be.
“I can’t. I didn’t bring a swimsuit with me.”
“That’s never stopped you. In your underwear, like we used to as teenagers.” Joey’s smile was back.
Damn, Joey would think she’d gotten old and boring if she said no, but she had no desire to parade about in her panties and bra in front of her dad’s employee.
“We have spare towels.” Kasia held up a neatly piled stack. Even her beach towels belonged in a hotel room.
“Okay, but it’ll be a long walk back if I’m cold.” That sounded lame.
“A quick swim and then I’ll run us all back to the village.” Joey looked delighted at the turn of events; Kasia less so.
“If I do, will you come for a drink with me one evening this week?” Inviting them to the characterless cottage so she could bare her soul felt a little too intimidating. A quiet corner of the pub would be a better idea.
“Yeah, okay. To celebrate your return to the old country.” Joey stripped off their worn wool sweater to reveal a rash vest. “Last one in the sea buys the pints.” They stepped out of their overalls and boots, raced to the end of the dock and didn’t stop. They dropped with a loud splash and a tiny shriek. Kasia’s chuckle made Tierney turn.
“I suspect it’s colder than they thought.”
Tierney realized Kasia was wearing a dry robe, which she quickly discarded on to the deck of the boat and revealed a one-piece sporty swimsuit in blue and white stripes. Tierney looked away quickly but not without getting a glimpse of Kasia’s pale, muscular legs. She fumbled with her jeans. Kasia let out an unexpectedly joyful laugh as she took the quay at a safer pace than Joey’s headlong dash and jumped gracefully into the water.
“Come on in, Tierney. The water’s perfect.”
Joey’s voice floated up, but she couldn’t see either of them from this end of the pier. The sun had dipped below the cliffs that rimmed the harbor, and it suddenly wasn’t so warm. Just get it over with.
Gritting her teeth, she stripped off her sneakers, socks, and jeans. She considered leaving on her T-shirt, but then she’d have nothing but a towel to cover her on the return journey. She pulled it off over her head, wishing she’d opted for a sports bra this morning. She left her clothes in a pile next to the boat and skipped down the quay at a pace somewhere between Joey’s breakneck dash and Kasia’s dignified jog. The sun-heated wood warmed her feet, but that was her last comforting thought before she took off from the end without a pause, not wanting to be viewed almost naked.
It was like plunging into an ice bath. The volume of her scream startled even her. She shot to the surface, desperate to get her brain out of the icy water and emerged gasping as she spat out the seawater she’d swallowed. She regained some awareness of her surroundings and heard the roar of Joey’s laughter combined with a more restrained giggle from Kasia. They were both treading water nearby as they laughed at her.
“Never scream as your head goes under. Sea swimming 101.” Joey finally managed to get themself under control.
“I’m glad I provided you with some entertainment.” She turned away from them and started to swim, not sure where she was going but determined to move to ease the cold seeping into her bones. She did a lap around the bay and started to acclimatize. It really was refreshing.
When she returned to the dock, Joey and Kasia were still bobbing in the water, chatting. Kasia said something that made Joey chuckle.
“I thought you came here to swim.” She immediately hoped she didn’t sound as petty as she felt.
“We call it swimming, but it’s really just a dip while we chat.” Kasia’s tone had a touch more warmth than the water they were immersed in. “Sometimes we do a proper swim, but neither of us are feeling it today.”
Let Joey speak for themself. Where were these childish thoughts coming from? Kasia was entitled to have a close friendship with a person she was here with on this island every day. Why did Tierney feel so left out of a world she’d chosen to distance herself from? “Well, I’m done now. My teeth are starting to chatter. I’ll see you on the boat.”
The chance to exit the water by the ladder on the other side of the dock and get to the security of the towels before the others got out of the water was too good to resist, even if she was enjoying the swim. Unfortunately, they both swam along with her to the ladder, and Tierney burned with self-consciousness as she pulled herself up the rungs quickly.
Back on the boat and wrapped in more than her fair share of towels, she found a large flask. A sniff test told her it was tea, so she poured some in a tin mug she found nearby. The warmth from it seeped into her bones, and she quickly stripped off her wet underwear and replaced her dry outer layers. She crossed to Kasia and handed her the dry robe.
“Thank you,” Kasia said quietly as she pulled it on.
Tierney poured two more mugs of tea, and Kasia took hers with a nod and wrapped her hands around it. There was a blue tinge to her lips.
Joey quickly joined them, pulling on a tattered sweater and a waterproof over their wet garments. “Let’s go back and get cleaned up properly.”
“Won’t you be going home?” Tierney asked. Joey’s small cottage was close by on this side of the island.
“Kasia makes me dinner and lets me crash at the hotel sometimes.” Joey’s smile faded as they glanced at Kasia and back to Tierney. “Is that okay?”
Kasia’s expression was unreadable, and Tierney realized the question was aimed at her. She laughed lightly. “I don’t care what Kasia does at the hotel as long as it’s legal and not costing my dad money.” She caught Kasia’s eye. “It’s your home while you work for the family.”
She hoped that was the right thing to say, but the muscle twitching in Kasia’s jaw suggested otherwise. Tierney broke eye contact first.
She tried to ignore the clenching feeling in the pit of her stomach as she jumped onto the dock and released the mooring ropes to throw them on board as Joey started the engine. So Joey and Kasia were going to have dinner together while she ate alone at the cottage. She’d already forced herself into their swim time. She knew she wasn’t entitled to be fed and entertained. Acknowledging that didn’t make her feel any less excluded.
She sat at the back of the boat by herself on the short journey, quickly said her goodbyes when they landed, and strode back to the cottage without a backward glance. She cooked herself some pasta, but it tasted like cardboard as she wondered what delicious dish Kasia and Joey were enjoying together. Just when she thought her evening had hit rock bottom, her phone screen lit up with her dad’s number.
Shit. “Hey, Dad. Did Meg get back okay?”
“Of course. She’s back at work now. How are you progressing?”
She bit her knuckle hard while she thought of what to say that would please him. “Kasia, the manager, seems like a hard worker. She’s still got plenty of bookings going this late in the season.”
“Good to hear. She can keep things ticking over for now while I make some longer-term decisions.”
She should just agree. Then she could get out of here as soon as she’d made things right with Joey. But the unfairness rankled at her. The way they were taking advantage of Kasia wasn’t right. “I don’t think she can, Dad. The Waterside is too much for one person.”
“I’m not sure your idea of too much work is the same as most people’s.”
His laugh had no humor, and Tierney felt the usual tightness in her chest. “Granny never ran the place all on her own. She always had a live-in housekeeper whenever the hotel was open. And when she started to slow down a little and took Kasia on, the two of them were there, year-round.”
“What do you suggest?”
His tone didn’t imply he was open to her ideas, but she would give it her best shot. “There’s no one around on the island at this time of year to help. I think we need to advertise in the trade press. Get someone living in.”
“Can we afford it? You haven’t sent me any figures.”
“Ah, no, we haven’t gotten into the accounts yet.” Tierney winced. Kasia had offered to show her earlier, but she’d been too eager to go and see Joey. “I’ll send you some information over tomorrow.”
“The figures will need to be very healthy to justify another full-time employee. Is that likely?”
She hesitated. She didn’t know anything yet. Why had she spent her time moaning to Kasia instead of finding out about the Waterside?
“I didn’t think so. Send me the figures.” His tone made it clear her chance to convince him was over. “If you’re so sure this manager needs help, ask Des or Anthony if they know anyone local. They know everyone.”
Tierney pulled her phone away from her ear and stared at it. “I don’t think they’ll help, Dad.” Don’t make me talk to them.
“You’ll never know if you don’t ask. Call me when you have some answers.”
Tierney dropped the phone in her lap and stared at the ceiling as darkness crept into the room. She prided herself on living in the moment, but all she really wanted now was to go back to a time when her granny was waiting for her, full of reassurances and love, and Joey was her constant companion for every island adventure. Inishderry had always been a place to escape from reality, the closest place she’d had to a home. Now it felt a little too real, and she didn’t belong anymore, not with Granny gone. If she didn’t fit in here, where was home? Certainly not back in Boston with her dad and Megan, dedicating her life to the property business. Suddenly it didn’t feel so comforting to have no place to call home.