Chapter 7 #2
Her heart wrenched a little more. How was she going to steer these feelings into something real?
It was one thing to feel emotion, quite another to see a way to make this work.
She pasted on a smile, not wanting the others to see her turmoil, and doing her best to not let the man who she suspected might be her perfect match see her either.
He wanted to ignore her? Two could play at that game.
Besides, she needed to concentrate on what was happening here, what was real.
Not what seemed more the realm of imagination.
“Um, do you have any idea when you might get married?”
“A lot depends on his Gran’s health,” Rory reminded.
Oh, that’s right. “I don’t suppose you’d want to get married then live apart in different countries?”
Aidan sighed. “I haven’t looked into all of the fine print, but it seems both Australia and Ireland have various legal or residency requirements. It does look like it might be easier here than there.”
“Ireland for the win!” Aisling cheered. From the corner of her eyes she noticed two heads swivelled to look her way. She aimed a smile in their general direction but swiftly returned her attention to her family.
“I’m happy to do whatever I can to make your dream day come true,” she added in a sing-song voice for her sister. “Actually, do you know what would be fun? If you got married here at Christmas, then honeymooned in Australian when it’s summer there.”
Rory laughed. “You’re just saying that because you want to come too.”
“Not on your honeymoon, thank you. But if you were to have another ceremony there, wouldn’t it be fun to have some family members there too?”
“Hmm.” She could see Rory was thinking about it. “I couldn’t imagine getting married so quickly.”
“But there could be some advantages,” Aidan murmured, smiling before he kissed Rory’s cheek.
Ugh. She so didn’t want to think about whatever “advantages” he might be referring to. “Well, if you want help pulling things together, I’m happy to offer my services as wedding coordinator extraordinaire. It’s not like I haven’t done similar things before.”
“You’d really do that?”
“Of course I would. You know I love you.” She squeezed her sister. “And I’m even rather fond of this guy too.” She moved around the table and hugged Aidan.
“Thanks, Ash. Right back at ya.”
“I can always count on you for the classy comeback, can’t I?”
“You betcha.” He winked.
So maybe she didn’t have a romantic prospect who wanted her.
Maybe this Fairall legacy had got it wrong.
It didn’t mean she couldn’t have fun helping the first female Fairall to have been blessed with the lucky strike of Cupid’s arrow.
She raised her chin. Glanced at Aunty Aine who nodded.
She would do what she could to help others, and maybe that way she’d find her purpose for life once again.
* * *
“Okay, well, thanks again for coming.” Andy slapped Grady on the back as they waited at the Killarney train station. Grady’s train was due to come very soon to take him back to Waterford. It would mean a good few hours aboard, but Grady said he’d use it for work.
“My pleasure. Now, just remember what I said. You might not need a relationship, but you definitely need to make sure those lips remember how to work, so get kissing, okay?”
Andy chuckled and shook his head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Ah, I might be ridiculous, but at least you’re laughing now, and I can’t be sorry for that.”
“Thanks for being a good friend.”
“Oh, don’t be getting maudlin on me. I have a reputation to uphold. Which reminds me: I have a proposition for you.”
“Uh oh.”
“Now don’t be like that. This is a good one.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“Well, I don’t think you’ve ever heard this before. Now, I want you to promise me something.”
“And what would that be?”
“I want you to promise me that you’ll kiss that girl.”
“Which girl?”
“The one who kept looking over at you at breakfast. You know, the one you pretended not to notice.”
He shook his head. “You’re right daft.”
“No, I’m simply right. And I know you’ll feel all right too if you just get your angst out and get over Greta by kissing her. It’s clear she’d be up for it.”
“It’s clear that it’s really time for you to go.”
“I dare you,” Grady taunted.
“Goodbye Grady.” He gently pushed him towards the waiting train.
“Ah, don’t be like that now. You’ll be thanking me, I know it.”
“Bye.”
Grady laughed as he took his seat by the window, but it wasn’t long before Andy saw him talking with a woman. Seriously, the dude was impossible.
And his suggestion? No. Andy could count on one hand the number of women he’d kissed.
And sure he might’ve kissed one of those women hundreds of times, but it didn’t mean he was someone to meekly follow his friend’s dumb suggestions.
And he definitely wasn’t about to start following in Grady’s footsteps and live like a playboy from the 1960s and kiss every woman in sight. That wasn’t his scene.
Although Grady had been right about Aisling noticing them. Noticing Andy, he hoped—
But no. That was exactly why everything about him staying at the Castle Griffin Hotel was a bad idea. He couldn’t afford to get carried away.
He drove through Killarney, stopped at the Ross Castle and took a photo.
He’d seen a few castles in his time—growing up in Ireland meant they were nothing new.
But this one was prettier than some. Of course, it was nothing compared to the one nearest where he lived, with its famous stone people came from all around the world to kiss.
There was that word again! He braked suddenly, as a family of ducks waddled across the road in front of him.
Clearly it was a good thing that Grady had left, because he was getting into his head too much.
He would not think about kissing. He would especially not think about kissing a woman the likes of Aisling Fairall.
Why? Because despite what Grady might think, Andy wasn’t convinced that she liked him.
Plus she lived with her family in a castle that her family owned.
Hello? He lived in his family’s granny flat.
He and Aisling might both be Christians, and care about their families, but apart from that they had little in common.
“Lord, you know that the woman I’m meant to be with has to love sports like I do. At least enjoying exercise would be a plus.”
And on top of all that, he wasn’t that kind of guy who could just kiss a girl and move on. It wasn’t part of his genetic makeup. He’d always been more serious than that.
The ducks finally moved on, and he headed along the drive that took in the scenic way over the mountains.
Ladies View was a famous spot named after Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting, or so the guidebook at the resort had said.
He stopped, but it was very busy, packed with tourists, so it took some time before he had a clear enough shot of the lakes and mountains.
This certainly was a pretty part of Ireland.
The road back to the resort wended through the pretty village of Kenmare, where he stopped for a pint before making his way back to the resort.
Should he stay? It felt like a waste of money.
But his room was already paid for, so the waste of money might be not taking the Fairalls up on their offer to use his credit.
Which meant he’d go back and use these next few days, and pray that God would give him the courage and strength to avoid temptation. And that He would lead Andy into the future God had planned for him.