Page 76 of Beside Golden Irish Fields
“Did you see my mum racing off in a state?”
Turning, he spotted Liam coming through the copse of trees. “Jesus, I was hoping to make my way up here without calling on the house, but I’ve already seen the both of you.”
“I was checking on a little surprise for Mum.” The man threw his arm around him and started leading him to the path that led to studio. “I’ll walk with you and catch up. Mum has a date with Donal, and you with Angie if the champagne is any indication. Brady texted all of us earlier to bet it was for my cousin.”
That sounded like Brady. The real surprise was hearing Donal had finally gotten Bets to go out with him. That explained her outfit and why she was driving herself. They’d be going off to another town to keep from the gossips. He rather envied them.
“You have any problem with Donal and your mum making a go of it?”
“Heavens no. He’s perfect for her so far as I can tell, but she’ll be deciding.”
Liam remained one of the most easygoing people Carrick had ever met. Still, he asked, “You have any problem with me visiting the Yank?”
“Not a bit, especially as she’s invited you.” Liam gave him a winning smile. “You can cheer her up. I juggled some paint and stood on my head, and she only cracked a smile.”
“Your mum told me about Megan and Ollie moving to a different cottage.”
“It’ll be good for all of them. You can understand why, I imagine.” Liam pushed aside a tree branch on the path as they walked. “Anyway, Ollie will be fine, although he’d rather spend time with anyone but his mother. Hence why Kade took him camping tonight. That’s theirs to work out, but we’ll be around for him when he needs us and soften things where we can. Be easier for Megan to live on her own again with so much support around.”
Carrick hoped that would be the case. “It was nice of Kade to camp with the boy. But that’s Kade.”
“It is at that.” Liam stopped at the edge of the woods. “Well, this is as far as I’ll go. I have a quick hot date and need to be back early for Mum.”
“I heard about your new girl.” Carrick smiled. “Mind yourself.”
“Always.” Liam raced off.
He walked along the path to the studio, taking in the scene. The shed had turned into a fine studio. He couldn’t wait to see the inside. Looking at how others had built things gave him ideas. Maybe it would inspire him to finally finish his house.
His fire to complete it was on a low burn for sure, and something had to be done.
“Are you going to stand outside all day?”
He looked up, only to see her peeking out the open window, her hair a tumbled mess around her beautiful face. “The day is mostly gone from us,” he said, “but there’s some left, I expect.”
He thought of Sorcha’s poem, the one he’d remembered in the shed. As he walked into the studio, he smiled. He was unafraid.
When he saw her standing at the top of the stairs, his heart skipped a beat. The stairs seemed to be raising him up to her, and then he was there, standing in front of her.
She had white paint on the tip of her nose and blue behind her right ear. The brown curls of her hair were wild around her face. The smile on her face had his own mouth forming the same shape. God, she was beautiful. And if she had troubles about her sister’s move, they seemed far away. Her art—and him, he hoped—had done that. So he wasn’t going to ask about it. She would tell him if she wanted.
“Hiya,” he said, sounding younger, more free.
“Hiya, yourself.” Her brown eyes lit up as if with warm honey. “Did you have a good sheep shearing?”
“I did,” he said, inclining his head. “I even got the sheep tagged without too much protest. I’ll have more time for other things now.”
“Your building.” She seemed to duck her head as if shy.
“My building, yes. I’m eager for you to see it. Here.” He held out the bottle. “I didn’t know what to bring, but we Irish like to have something when we pay a call.”
“Champagne?” She bounced in her paint-splattered white canvas sneakers. “How decadent! I love champagne.”
He could feel his chest puff up in response to pleasing her. “Wonderful. Then I’m glad I made a trip into town for some.”
“Well…” She twisted her hands, also dotted with splatters of orange and blue. “I’m a little nervous. Come on.”
Grabbing his hand, she led the way with the bottle of champagne extended like a sword, carving their path to the easel in the far left corner of the studio. “My God, you have a lovely view of the beach,” he said, taking in the view from the windows.
