Chapter 49
Henry bought a few jugs of Sandycove Slings and we filled people’s glasses, and then poured two for us, along with a slice of cake. ‘Two forks,’ he said. ‘But I cut an extra-large piece and we can share.’ He paused. ‘I can go back and get you your own if you’re against sharing?’
I shook my head. ‘I’d love to share.’
We sat on a bench to the side of everyone, the talking was getting louder, the storytelling more raucous, the laughter lifting into the air. Patch hopped onto the bench beside me, licked my arm and then lay down to rest.
‘You okay?’ asked Henry.
‘Hugely. I think I’m more than okay.’
He smiled at me. ‘You look happy.’
‘I am happy. Like, really happy. The kind of excited-happy when you wake up, fizzing and you can’t wait to find out what the day has in store. That kind of happy.’
‘It’s the best kind.’
‘Yeah.’ We smiled at each other. ‘And you. What kind of happy are you? You are, after all, the triumphant winner of the Lolly DeCourcey Cup…’
‘It’s such an honour,’ he deadpanned. ‘I just want to thank my mum for believing in me. My uncle Eddie for teaching me how to sail. And to Charlie Richmond for providing absolutely no competition whatsoever.’
I laughed. ‘Poor Charlie.’
Henry pulled a less sympathetic face. ‘He’ll be grand. The Richmonds always are. Anyway, so you’ve enjoyed your holiday? I mean, vacation.’
‘It’s been better than a lifetime of therapy. Everyone should come to Ireland. I needed a distraction from grief and all of that. All it took was a little vacation to Ireland. And to meet a great gang of cool folks, and go sailing and learn about knitting and drink Sandycove Slings.’
He laughed. ‘Yeah, you’ve had a good holiday. It’s only been a week and yet you have totally made yourself at home. It’s like you’ve been here all your life.’
I laughed. ‘I feel like it, I really do. But what I’ve realised is I want to enjoy every second on this planet and not to waste a moment.
I need passion and excitement and fun, and to be with the people I love and remember all those who aren’t here.
And I don’t want to waste any more time and instead focus on all the things I want to do. ’
‘Like what?’
‘Oh, I don’t know…’ I paused. ‘Like climbing mountains…’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah, and birds. And books and sailing.’
He was looking at me. ‘Those are my rules.’
‘I know…’ My eyes met his. ‘I just thought I’d tell you.’ My heart was pounding, my voice small and weedy.
‘And what are your rules?’ he asked, slowly, still looking at me.
‘Oh, I don’t know… someone who is good company and intelligent, perhaps someone who works with his hands, a deep thinker but who knows how to have fun.’
‘And I want someone who is beautiful, who when she smiles makes me happy on the inside, who when she speaks makes me want to stop everything and listen to her and think about what she says. And when we say goodbye at the end of the evening, I miss her, and all I want to do is see her again.’ His eyes were still on mine.
‘Someone like you, Kerry-Anne. From the first time I saw you in the café, I wondered who this beautiful woman was, so confident and lovely, it was like you were glowing.’
‘Really? I was jet-lagged.’
‘It’s as though your inside goodness shows on the outside. Oh, I’m not making any sense.’
‘I don’t mind.’
‘I’ve wanted to tell you for ages. I kept making excuses to see you. And it drove me mad when you went to Charlie’s party.’
‘I only went to be polite.’
‘But you were also engaged…’
‘Not for very long.’
‘No.’ He smiled at me and took my hand, his fingers around mine, and then his lips found mine and we kissed. He kissed my nose. ‘Your freckles could be the thing I like most about you,’ he said, kissing me again.
Later, when I was back in my hotel room, my copy of Persuasion on the nightstand, I thought I heard Caitlin’s voice. ‘Love and passion, that was all you needed, wasn’t it, Kerry-Anne? You wanted your life to change and it has, but not in the way you expected.’
And, as always, she was completely right.