Page 41 of Safe and Sound

“It’s what sold me on the place.”

“I think if I had this view I would never leave.”

“I have to admit that some days it’s very tempting. Of course, my life doesn’t afford much downtime.”

“Maybe you should start taking more time for yourself.”

“I will when the casino gets off the ground.”

My brows shot up. “Casino?”

Dare nodded. “It’s my passion project.” He walked over to the bar cart. “Can I interest you in a drink?”

“I’ll take a vodka tonic.”

“Coming up.”

“Tell me more about the casino,” I urged.

“It’s called the Celtic Grand.”

“Any homage to Irish folklore?”

“Just with some of the symbols.” With a wink, he replied, “I wouldn’t be a self-respecting Irishman not to have shamrocks.”

As Dare handed me my drink, I teased, “No leprechauns?”

“No, smartass. It’s very sleek and modern.”

“What’s wrong with leprechauns? I mean, it’s a casino for fuck’s sake.”

My goading earned me a playful smack on the ass. “While there’s no little men and pots of gold, there’s this really amazing floor-to-ceiling light installation of the Celtic Tree of Life. The roots run into this giant pond where they light up the water. It’s the first thing you see when you walk in.”

“It sounds breathtaking.”

“It is. Or at least I hope it is. There’s also a floor-to-ceiling harp where the strings are streams of water.”

“Impressive. Was this all your design?”

“Pretty much. I mean, I worked very closely with the architects and interior designers. I wanted to bring a little slice of the classy Vegas casinos to Boston.”

“Will there be a hotel?”

Dare grinned. “Hell yeah. We have rooms and suites along with three restaurants to start.”

My eyes widened. “That’s incredible.”

“Thanks. I like to think so.”

“When do you plan on opening?”

“I’m shooting for four to six months, but you never know what snags you’re going to hit along the way.”

“It has to be such an amazing feeling to see your dream come to life.”

A faraway expression came over his face. “It really is.”

“It means more to you than you’re letting on,” I said softly.

---