Page 58 of The Billionaire's Kiss
Chapter Twenty-Five
Warner
It took several months for the purchase of the castle to go through, but the paperwork was finally done, and I was on my way to it—at last. Six months had passed since I’d last seen Orla.
I rented a car and drove the fifty miles from the airport to Kenmare. Driving on the wrong side of the road wasn’t nearly as hard as I had thought it would be. But the only cars they had at the rental agency were tiny. I felt like a clown in a minuscule car after driving tall trucks for most of my adult life.
I’d almost called Orla with my big news but decided not to. I wanted to see her face when she saw me. I had made one call, though—to the bar where she worked. I had to make sure what time she’d be there so I could surprise her.
Even if she had gotten herself a boyfriend, my hopes were that I still held the majority of her heart, and she’d leave him for me. It was selfish of me, I knew, but at least I owned that negative aspect about myself.
Although all I really wanted to do was find Orla, I had to take care of business at the castle first. I’d had the real estate agent hire a temporary assistant for me. He’d handled hiring the head groundkeeper, and the two of them were in charge of hiring a team of people to work under their supervision. We’d scheduled a meeting that morning, so I could meet everyone and let them know the game plan for the business.
There was more hiring to be done, though. I would need a chef and kitchen staff. I would need an event coordinator, too, as we’d decided we wanted to offer the place as a wedding venue.
I’d had the grotto bar stocked prior to my arrival and planned on asking Orla to run it for me. I wanted her to manage any and everything to do with the bar. I’d come prepared to offer her much more money than she was already making. I would double, even triple what she’d been making to get her to come work with me.
A small part of me was afraid that she would turn me down, especially if she were currently seeing someone. But I’d made the decision, before I even began negotiating to buy the castle, that I was doing this for me above all else.
I’d been drawn to here for some reason. Perhaps it was for Orla, or maybe it was for something else. Whatever it was, the pull was strong, and it wouldn’t let up.
It felt to me as if fate had a hand in what was happening. I had to let go of the reins and let fate lead me to where I was supposed to be. And it helped that my brothers finally agreed that I should follow my heart, as I’d had it closed off for nearly all my life.
The navigation system took me right to the castle’s gates. A wall of the same grey bricks used to make the castle’s exterior walls ran around the property, except where it met Kenmare Bay. Large iron gates kept people from driving in without permission.
I rolled down the window and pressed the call button on the keypad. “Whisper Hills,” came a woman’s voice. “How can I help ya?”
“This is Warner Nash, the owner.”
“Oh, yes!” she said with excitement. “We’ve been expecting ya, sir.”
The gates began to move, each one sliding into the walls on the sides. I liked the way it looked. I’d had the road repaved to be sure it looked new for the guests I would soon have. The road wound through the small hills and shallow valleys, all the way to a drawbridge.
My heart raced as the drawbridge was lowered, and I felt as if I’d stepped back in time. I kept the window down as I drove over the wooden bridge. Looking out the window, I glanced down and saw the rust-colored water. It filled a moat that went all the way around the castle. It was an extraordinary place that I knew people from around the globe would want to come and see for themselves.
We still had to work on the finishing touches, but I had wanted to be a part of it. Then, when we were done with those, we’d put the site online and begin marketing it. I already saw so many things I could take pictures of to put on the site.
As I drove off the bridge, I found myself in a parking lot that had room for about twenty or so cars. I drove right up to the front entrance, amazed at seeing it in person.
The pictures had been nice, but they hadn’t shown its grandeur. Two imposing fifteen-foot high wooden doors stood before me. Large loops of bronze metal made up the door handles, and there was a long rope on the right side of the doors. I pulled the rope and heard the beautiful sound of bells going off inside the stone walls.
The door opened, and a plump woman with grey hair wearing a grey dress with a full, white apron curtsied. “Master Nash, I’m Grace O’Malley, your head housekeeper. It’s a great pleasure to meet you, sir.”
I chuckled, as hearing myself called Master Nash seemed incredibly ridiculous. But it would sound great to the guests—add to the history of the place. So I didn’t correct her. “Grace, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”
She stepped back and drew back her arm. “Please come in and take a look at your place, sir.”
The foyer was dimly lit, and the stone walls shone with what looked like moisture. I had to touch it, as I thought that would only result in mold and mildew if it stayed that way. I found it to be dry, though. “Are these walls painted to look wet?”
“Yes, sir, they are,” Grace told me. “This castle has been updated many times throughout its history. With central heating and air, all the drafty areas had to be sealed. This place is airtight now.”
I’d been told every feature and aspect of the home and had it in writing as well. While it looked like an ancient castle, it had all the things people expected something new to have. Everything had been modernized while keeping the old-world charm. It was a masterful combination, and I looked around in awe.
We’d made a deal to keep all the artwork, furnishings, and decorations the previous owner had left. I was glad to have done that, as it made the place feel just right.
As Grace led me through one of the living areas, she said, “The rest of the staff is in the large dining room. I took the responsibility of making something to eat and drink for the meeting. I do understand that you will be hiring kitchen staff.”
“I will be doing that very soon.” Stone had offered his help in finding me a great Irish chef. He’d already narrowed it down to three men and a woman, and I would interview them soon to find who would work best for me.
