Page 39 of Beside Golden Irish Fields
Bets strode off, her hands pumping vigorously, stopping only to fill up her water gun at the outside water faucet.
Angie punched Liam lightly. “Okay, what in the hell were you talking about before your mom came over?”
His mouth twitched. “Donal O’Dwyer. He was the one in the Mercedes who brought his very own father.”
“The sheep foe?” she sputtered. “The very well-endowed… Ah…”
Liam shook his head. “I heard some women say that, yes. Male size remains a hot topic, but you’ll remember who Donal is to my mother.”
“Her mortal sheep enemy.” She whistled. “I didn’t know mortal enemies looked like that.”
“He’s also on the county council.”
“You’re kidding. Then isn’t it good he made a showing today, so to speak? It suggests he’s supportive, right?”
“Mum won’t see it like that, since she’s keeping her plan close to the vest.” He muttered something under his breath, looking heavenward. “You should know he’s also a man my brothers and I think she fancies. And he her. I can’t begin to tell you how much! His sheep had never overrun our place until a few months ago, and he’s been paying calls with presents to make up for it. An excuse to see her, of course, although she’d never admit that’s what’s going on.”
“Oh.”She spied another look at Bets, who was red in the face.
Liam’s shoulders started to shake. “You might chat with him tonight at the pub after Mum rakes him over the coals. Might help smooth things over, both for her future happiness and her dreams for this place. She’s been known to stick her foot in her mouth when she’s vexed, and my brothers and I approve of the match.”
“Liam, I’m terrible when it comes to politics. I’m even worse at being in relationships and helping other people into them.”
“Then this will be good practice for you.”
She thought of Carrick. After their last conversation, her temptation was deepening into more than a simple attraction.
“If only.”
Chapter Eleven
Seeing Donal O’Dwyernakedranked up there with having the chicken pox when she was a kid.
Annoying, to say the least, and certainly not comfortable.
She pounded on his bright blue front door, happy to see his black Mercedes was still gleaming from her water gun attack. Maybe she’d gotten lucky and hit his leather interior. That man did love his car.
The door opened, and there he stood, an amused smile hovering over his mouth. A white towel was wrapped around his rather fine form, and he was towel-drying his messy silver hair with another.
“Are you planning on shooting me again with your water pistol?” he asked.
She raised it at him. “I’m seriously considering it after your stunt today!”
He didn’t move a muscle, only grinned. “If you’d brought a water pistol for me, Bets, we could have had our own private war.”
She thought of his sheep. “We already do, remember? Donal, you have the most incredible cheek, answering the bell in this getup! What if some kids had been at your door instead of me?”
He chuckled. “You’re only sore because you finally got to see the goods, Bets.”
She wanted to smack him. “What are you talking about? I swear a horse must have knocked you in the head. And to include your poor father in your little stunt—”
“Dad wanted to come along,” he said, resting his meaty hand against the doorframe as he stopped towel-drying his hair. “He’s ninety-three, Bets, and said it’s the most fun he’s had since he and his friends streaked through the pasture beside his mother’s May luncheon when he was a boy, making the leader of the women’s club faint dead away.”
“You’re from a line of streakers then.” She waved her gun in the air. “Why am I not surprised? Donal, you made my first art class a laughingstock. I have big plans for that studio.”
“Oh, come now!” He shot her a cajoling smile, the same one he used when he brought a trinket after his sheep devoured her roses. “This from the head of the Lucky Charms? Bets, you’re always up for some good fun, and so is the village, which is as I expected. Besides, tell me you weren’t thinking about having your Yank cousin teach painting nudes.”
“That was for me to decide.”
