Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
‘Terry fixed that top step tonight at long last.’ Dan nods to the top of the staircase. ‘It’s safe to stand on again when you reach the top.’
Turning to face him, my foot on the step, I lean on the mahogany banister at the bottom for a moment. Are these my final words to him? I feel my heart race, my throat close over. I’m terrified I’m going to burst into explosive tears as I struggle to swallow the lump in my throat.
‘Do you need anything?’ Dan has to clear his own throat as his words get caught and I jam my hand into the inside pocket of my white wool coat to search for a tissue.
‘No, I’m good.’ I fight the tears so hard it hurts. ‘I’ll pack up and get a few hours’ sleep. I need to be on the road in a few hours,’ I manage as my fingers fumble on something in my inside pocket. It feels like the links of a chain.
‘What’s this?’ I mutter pulling it loose.
‘Because I need to tell you . . .’ Dan starts as I pull a heavy chain out.
‘What? Tell me what?’ I look up at him as the chain dangles in my hand.
The half-moon sways left to right. It’s that chain I found in the lobby of my building a few days ago, just before I had my meeting with Amanda.
The half-moon on the thick chain feels heavy between my fingers as it hangs.
Dan pales in front of me, like he’s just seen a ghost.
‘W-what? How in the—’ He gasps, takes a few quick steps away from me.
‘You okay?’ I ask, concerned, still dangling the chain.
‘S-st-op.’ He pants the word out, his breath coming in rasps as his dark eyes follow the swaying half-moon, left to right, left to right, left to right.
‘What? Dan? Are you okay?’ I question again, folding the chain up into my palm, moving towards him.
‘I-It’s, but how did you get it?’ Dan points to the chain.
‘Oh, it’s not mine, I found it at work, but I forgot to leave it in lost and found. I hope the owner isn’t—’
‘W-where did you f-find it?’ Dan stammers. He really has paled awfully.
‘Are you okay? You look awfully pale all of a sudden,’ I ask, more than a little concerned for him as I move further away from the banister and take another step in front of him.
‘It’s mine, Maggie.’ He places his hand on my arm as though he needs steadying.
‘What’s yours?’ I ask, watching the colour return to his face.
‘My chain. That is my chain. My necklace. I-I’ve been looking everywhere for it,’ he whispers, lowering his head to stare at my closed hand.
‘W-what? It can’t be, I found this in New York.’ Putting my free hand on his shaking one that is still resting on me.
‘It is. I thought I lost it in New York. I did lose it in New York.’ He looks to me as he grapples with what he’s saying.
‘Noooooooo?’ I almost fall backwards as he drops his hand and I steady myself by the banister again. ‘Oh no way? Tell me you’re joking.’ I’m feeling acutely dizzy, clutching the chain tighter.
‘I’m not. It’s mine, well it was my father’s, but it’s been mine since he gave it to me when I turned twenty-one.’ Dan’s mouth drops open. He shuts it and it drops open again. I watch him twist away and pace around the lobby now. Neither of us know what to say. I’m trying to take this in.
He stops and finally he speaks. ‘It’s you.
’ His two hands hold either side of his head, his dark, unruly hair protruding through his fingertips.
‘It wasn’t déjà vu! Maggie, you’re – you’re the woman on the sidewalk in New York with the wild red hair.
It’s you! I was running . . .’ There’s incredulity in his voice that is barely audible now as I look at him again, suddenly recognising the faded leather jacket he’s wearing, and that burnt orange hat peeping out of the pocket.
‘It’s you! The running man? I can’t believe this . . . is this for real?’ I shake my head in utter disbelief. My legs turn to jelly, so shaky that I have to sit. Lowering myself onto the last step, I clutch the chain in my hand.
Dan’s chain.
‘How is this even possible?’ Dan sits beside me on the step. He bends over and cradles his head in his shaking hands.
‘You must have dropped it in the lobby, when you went to meet Frederick Macken.’ I gulp.
‘And I stood on it. I found it and not only that but you stepped into the elevator with those two guys from Acquired Finance, I saw you . . . I was in there with Eliza.’ My brain replays everything I’ve just said in slow motion.
‘We were in an elevator together?’ Dan’s face peeks up from between his hands, stretching the skin on his face. ‘Jesus,’ is all he says, ‘this is utterly bizarre. Every hair is standing up on the back of my neck.’
‘I stood on your necklace. You’d just run past outside, almost knocked me off my feet . . .’ I hear myself repeat like it’s some crazy fantasy I’m saying out loud.
‘I remember! I remember thinking I should stop to see if you were alright. But I was really late. I hadn’t slept the night before, not a wink.
I’d paced the floor all night high up in that hotel room debating, torturing, myself on whether or not I was making the right choice in selling Castlemoon.
Terry tried to talk me out of it. He was the only one who knew why I was in New York.
We talked for hours that night. At five o’ clock in the morning I made the decision I wasn’t selling, then I woke at six-thirty in a blind panic and ran!
I literally ran all the way from my hotel room to that office building so I couldn’t think,’ Dan says to my dumbfounded face.
‘I can’t get my head around it. Shock is too small a word for how I feel.’ I look around in confusion at everything that is happening.
‘It was only when you took your hat off here in the lobby, when we were arguing, I saw your red hair and something triggered in me. I said it to Mary. I said I think I’ve met that woman somewhere before.
Remember? I was right.’ Dan gently moves my hair back off my face.
I look down again at my clenched fist. If this isn’t fate I don’t know what is.
‘I was so angry at myself for not shouting after you that morning, then I went into my building, I got a caramel latte and stood on your chain.’ Closing one eye, I retrace that life-changing morning.
‘I stuffed it into the pocket of this coat and I forgot all about it until right now. Imagine I hadn’t just looked for a tissue right now.
’ Uncurling my fist, I hand Dan back his necklace.
‘Do you believe in fate now?’ He looks at me, his eyes so familiar now. I can’t stop looking at him.
‘I do. I mean like, what are the chances?’ I say softly, pulling my knees up to my chest, resting my chin on them, I pull my phone out to check the time, wanting time to stand still, but I’m afraid to look at the phone, I know time is racing away. I rest my phone on the step beside me.
‘A gazillion to one.’ Dan holds the chain at both ends and links them together behind his head; the half-moon sways in the neck of his open shirt.
‘Suits you,’ I say, my eyes raised.
‘I almost feel complete,’ he tells me, his long fingers linking the chain.
‘Almost?’ I dare to ask.
‘May I?’ He lifts my hand and carefully removes my Claddagh ring, easing it down my finger.
‘What?’ I look down at my bare finger.
‘I can’t let you go, Maggie, but I can’t ask you to stay. You have a life in New York, I do know that. You have family and friends and a career. I’d leave here if I could but I think you understand that I can’t?’
‘And we barely know each other.’ I have to be honest.
‘But we do know each other, I feel it in here.’ Dan holds his chest now.
‘I told you the very first time we met I believe in the one. Well, you’re the one for me.
But I don’t want you to give up your dreams, your ambitions .
. . I want to help you fulfil them. I want the world for you.
I just want to share it with you, whatever way we can?
Across the ocean.’ Dan turns my ring around.
‘But you have my heart. All of it. Question is, do I have yours?’
‘You do. You absolutely do.’ I extend my hand.
Dan slides the ring back up my finger, closing my heart. Such a simple but profound action makes me jolt. A vision of Mrs Schwartz comes to me. She would have been so happy for me, for her beautiful ring.
‘I quit my job,’ I tell him.
‘Good. From the little I know, you deserve more.’ Dan still holds my hand.
‘You’re right, I do. I know that now but this here, this is what I’ve been waiting for all my life. This feeling of pure contentment.’ I look to the ring. My heart is well and truly taken. Not just by this man but by this place, this village, this community.
‘So, what does that mean?’ Dan asks me, his free hand fidgeting with the half-moon and I can almost feel its soothing nature. I can vividly recall how it calmed me in Amanda’s office.
‘It means I’m staying here, in Heartwell.
I’m not going back to New York. It’s a thought I’ve had since I arrived but I didn’t know if I was brave enough.
’ I need to hear myself say it out loud, and once I’ve said it, I feel like I’m reclaiming my power.
I’m putting myself first, I’m doing exactly what I want to do. It feels wonderful.
‘Don’t joke with me, not right now.’ His voice wobbles.
‘I’m not joking, Dan. I’m not getting on that flight.
I’m staying here. I’ve never felt as at home as I do in Heartwell.
I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about you and it’s only been a few days.
I owe it to myself to give us a chance.’ The timid side of my personality seems to have packed up and left because all I feel is confidence.
‘You’ll stay here with me?’ Dan’s eyes almost pop out of his head, his cheeks flush and he stares at me like he can’t quite believe what he’s just heard me say.
‘Not with you, not yet anyway. I’m staying for myself.
I saw Rosehip Cottage, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.
I’m going to rent that, do it up as I go.
I have some small savings and I will start my online wedding location business, all I need is WIFI and a laptop .
. . and a few couples who want to get married!
’ I laugh freely, watching him carefully.
Then, the church bells toll again in the distance, the ringing creating a festive sense of harmony as Heartwell village begins to wake up to welcome this wondrous Christmas Eve.
‘You’re staying?’ Tears sprout in his dark eyes.
‘I’m staying,’ I tell him, proudly.
‘I’m so happy.’
‘Me too.’ I nod repeatedly, feeling my eyes shine with elation.
‘You won’t regret it . . .’ He wipes a falling tear.
‘I might need your help to pack up my stuff after the holidays, plus I will be bringing a little dog back with me. Benji, I hope Red will like him.’
‘Of course! I’ll get to meet Dorothy! You’ll love this place as much as I do, I can feel it.’ His eyes search mine.
‘I do,’ I admit, ‘from the very first time I saw it. The village, the castle, the people.’ My eyes are locked on his now.
‘We’ll take it slow.’ It’s like he can read my mind and sense my nervousness.
‘Yes.’ I purse my lips to stop any tears. I am truly mad about him but it is so fast, we need to take it slowly.
‘So tonight, we all go to Heartwell Hall for a candlelit carol service. Everyone brings a gift, we do a village Kris Kindle – Secret Santa – you probably saw all the gifts under the tree in the lobby and in the Heartwell Lounge? Then most of us go on to midnight mass.’ His voice is soft, caring, relieved.
‘Sounds perfect. I do have a true connection here, I feel it so strongly,’ I tell him.
‘Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d belong here in Ireland, in Galway.
I’ve spent my whole life struggling to find a connection to a place, a land, a relationship.
But here, I have finally found it. All because I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.
I took a risk and finally that longing has been completely filled. ’
‘Welcome home, Irish Maggie,’ Dan says to me, moves in and places both his hands gently on my face.
His touch, the proximity of him, the thoughts of starting a relationship with him makes me physically shake.
I will never regret my leap of faith. We hold the most intense eye contact.
I could look at him for ever and never tire of his face.
‘I know it’s crazy because it’s only been days but yet it’s been a lifetime,’ Dan tells me in his lilting, wonderful thick Irish accent.
‘I know.’ I say as I wrap my arms around his strong neck and the half-moon swings against the dark hairs on his chest.
He leans back away from me slightly, so his dark eyes can connect with mine with an unwavering focus. ‘I’m not dreaming, am I? I’m almost afraid I will wake up and this will all be some magnificent dream?’
‘Let me prove to you you’re not dreaming,’ I whisper. Then I press my lips to his and we kiss. Sparks shoot through my body like tiny electric shocks. Like fireworks, like bottle rockets. And when we part, he says, ‘I’m the luckiest man in the world.’
‘Yeah, you are.’ I shimmy my shoulders as I tease him.
‘Thank you for saving me,’ Dan whispers.
Something catches my eye and I glance down at my phone on the bottom step. Hundreds of heart emoji notifications are flying up my screen from the Castlemoon Instagram account. The red heart icons twinkle and rise ascending in various directions.
‘We saved each other,’ I tell him as I pick up my phone. My Claddagh ring sparkles in the December sunlight that is breaking through the castle’s stained-glass window and I feel the promise of a new life leading me towards my own version of happily ever after.