Page 96 of Beside Golden Irish Fields
“Yes, Nicola…” she said, walking around to look at her easel. “Oh, my Go—”
“I tried to paint a still life, but my hand drew Killian, almost as if guided by the fairies.” She tilted her head to the side. “Ever since he streaked in this very room, I’ve had a hard time not giving in to the urge to paint him nude. I think Kade is right. The men, including my Killian, were expressing some inner desire to be seen as men. Maybe it’s their age or maybe I don’t look at his body the way I used to. I think drawing him nude will be good for our relationship. What do you think?”
Suddenly Bets was at her side, joined by Siobhan, Brigid, and the other women in the class. Angie thought she needed another of the chocolate chip cookies Bets had brought to class.
“Well, you got his member right, from what I recall,” Bets said, elbowing Nicola. “That’s pretty good actually. Does it make you want Killian more?”
She fanned herself. “It might as well be a rare scorcher of a day in August for how warm I feel.”
“Youdolook flushed,” Siobhan said, her round face creasing in concern. “Let me find you some water.”
The ladies clustered around Nicola’s painting. Angie studied it, her art therapy mind turning in circles. “I think you might soften his shoulders some. Use some thicker brushstrokes to show his muscles.”
“He does have nice muscles for his age,” Nicola muttered, touching her slender neck. “All the work on the farm.”
“Seamus is the same, what with all the meat he hefts around at the butcher shop,” Brigid declared while the other students murmured their agreement.
“Gavin is wiry from running back and forth along his bar, and he’s always been tall as a beanpole,” Siobhan said, returning with a glass of water and giving it to her friend.
“He never sits down, that man,” Bets said with a laugh.
“And what about you, Bets O’Hanlon?” Nicola asked, skewering her with a look. “Are you finally going to come out and say you’re seeing Donal O’Dwyer on the sly?”
Since no one gasped, Angie knew the news had never been a secret. She shrugged and admitted, “Even I knew, Bets. I think it was Cormac O’Sullivan whose cousin lives in Westport that broke the news.”
“Yes, that’s the way of it,” Nicola said as the other women nodded. “They saw you at Cian’s.”
“You can’t go anywhere on this island!” Her cousin made a face and stalked back to her station, picking up a paintbrush. “We’ve only gone out once, and it was a complete disaster.”
This was news. “Whyever would you say that?” Siobhan asked.
Bets touched the edge of her canvas. “He was too wonderful for words, that’s why. I told him it made me suspicious. I’ve known him many years, and I never knew he could be so… Oh, never mind.”
“So what?” Brigid asked, crossing and rubbing Bets’ shoulder.
“Attentive. Fun. Adventurous.” She clunked her paintbrush into her water and swirled it around. “I only went out with him because he gave me the most beautiful rose, a prize winner, I might add. I’m going to kick Mary’s arse with that rose.”
A few women sighed, including Angie. The way to Bets’ heart surely was through her roses. The talk in the village was that this year’s competition would be bigger than ever.
“You should go out with him more then,” Nicola declared. “And paint him nude.”
“I’ve been trying to forget all about that,” Bets said. “I figured one date would cure me, but something’s not right. He was even game for going to Paris out of the blue.”
“Paris!” the women shouted.
Her mouth twisted. “Yes, Paris.”
“None of our men go anywhere, Angie,” Nicola said with a sigh. “Itissuspicious.”
“Except…” She pressed her hand to her heart. “He meant it. He couldn’t be that wonderful. Could he?”
Everyone looked at Angie.
“You’re new to town and seem to have good judgment about men,” Brigid said, as others nodded. “What do you think, Angie? Is Donal too good to be true?”
She touched her chest. “Wait. I’m still stuck on the part where you think I have good judgment in men. I’ve been terrible at that.”
“In the States, dear,” Brigid said, taking her hand with a soft smile. “Not in Ireland. You’ve worked wonders with my son, and he’s clearly done the same with you. I’d say you have more wisdom because of your past experience. Wouldn’t you, girls?”
