“Yes. And that’s four. In Switzerland. It’s as awful as it sounds. I was lonely and homesick and I had trouble making friends. Last question.”

Kellan considered his options silently. “I think I’ll save my last question,” he said.

“You can’t. It’s against the rules. You have to ask me now or lose the question.”

“This game has rules?” Kellan chuckled. “Doesn’t that go against the whole ‘living for the moment’ thing? Why not seven questions? Or eleven? Who cares how many questions were asked in the past? I say that we should play with forty-six questions. Just to live in the moment.”

“Ask your last question,” she said, bristling at the sarcasm in his voice. “Or don’t.” Gelsey crawled out of bed and picked up her clothes from the floor. She tugged on her shirt without putting on a bra, then pulled on her jeans. “I think I’m going to go.”

“Go where?”

“Home,” she said. “And that’s your last question.” She brushed past him. She found her boots at the door and slipped her bare feet inside, then put on her jacket. But by the time she opened the door, Kellan was beside her, pushing it shut again.

“Don’t go,” he murmured.

“I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to fight with you.” This was all so familiar, she mused. It had happened with every man she’d ever known. Accusations, recriminations. Why did every man have to dwell in the past?

“I’m sorry. It’s just difficult for me.”

“Why? It’s so easy. We know how we feel, right now, in the moment. And in a few minutes, it will all be forgotten.”

“Is that the way it works? You’ll forget that I’ve been a bloody caffler?”

“I don’t even know what that is,” Gelsey said.

“An arse of the highest order. An eejit. A proper prick.”

She smiled. “Yes, I believe the description suits you quite well.”

He slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her, lingering over her mouth until she parted her lips. The kiss was perfectly executed to make her forget the argument they’d just had and by the end of it, Gelsey was convinced.

“Stay with me,” he murmured. “I don’t want you to go.”

“If I stay, no more questions.”

“No more questions.”

“All right. I’ll stay.”

Kellan picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, then carried her into the bedroom. “Gelsey Evangeline Woodson,” he murmured, kissing her neck. “I like that.”

“My friends used to call me Gigi,” she said. “But I hate that name now.”

“I like Gels,” he said. “Will that do?”

6

KELLAN STRODE INTO the Hound, searching the dimly lit interior as he walked to the bar. Overnight, the place had been decorated for the holidays with twinkling garlands draped from every spot possible and a Christmas tree sitting in the corner.

But there was something a bit nicer about it all, he mused as he took it all in, he could see Jordan and Nan’s influence on the family business already. Kellan recognized his brother’s Christmas CD playing over the sound system.

Riley was washing glasses and nodded at him as he approached. “Big brother, what are you about on this fine day?”

“The place looks grand,” Kellan said. “Very festive. But the music is crap.”

Riley chuckled. “Thanks. I’ll let the management know.”

“Have you seen Gelsey? I stopped up at the cottage to pick her up and she wasn’t there.”

“She’s over at the church. The ladies’ guild is meeting this afternoon and they asked if she might come and speak to them.”

“About what?”

“I guess what it’s like to be a mermaid?”

Kellan ground his teeth. “If I hear that mermaid shite once more, I swear, I’m going to pummel someone. It’s not funny anymore.”

“She’s over there demonstrating something…something to do with kelp?” Riley chuckled. “I find it quite amusing that she gets you so riled up. I have precious little entertainment here in Ballykirk, but you’ve been providing more than enough these past couple of weeks.”

“How would you feel if Nan went about telling everyone she’d once been a seal?”

Riley thought about that for a moment, then shrugged. “I see your point. But, hell, if it sold more Guinness at the pub, I’d be all for it. Who cares what a bunch of tourists believe? And I hear that business is booming at Maeve’s and she’s only been working there a week. Five customers yesterday. That’s more than Maeve used to have in a month.”

“Well, the ladies’ guild isn’t a bunch of tourists.” Kellan pushed away from the bar and walked back outside, then headed toward the church, all the while thinking about what he was going to say to her. She’d told him the truth a week ago. He knew where she was from and how she grew up. He’d just assumed that the mermaid stories were finally going to stop, at least to the locals.

The ladies were gathered in the meeting room of the church. Kellan threw open the doors only to be greeted by surprised silence and twenty or thirty pairs of inquisitive eyes.

“Perfect!” Gelsey said. “You’re right on time.” She hurried up to Kellan and grabbed his arm, pulling him into the room. “Now, ladies, as I was saying, all these products work just as well on men as they do on women. Many of your men are exposed to the elements every day in their work world and the skin can become wrinkled and leathery. It’s no good walking around town with a man who looks as if he’s twice your age, right?”

This brought a chorus of approval from the women. Gelsey shoved Kellan into a chair. “What are you doing here?” he murmured.

“A product demonstration,” she whispered. “If they won’t come to the shop, then the shop will go to them.” She turned back to the audience. “Now, the first thing we’ll begin with is this sea-salt exfoliator. We just apply this all over the face, with gentle fingers, avoiding the eyes, nostrils and mouth, of course.” She looked down at Kellan. “Tip your head back. You’ll like this.”

“You’re not going to put that on my face,” he muttered.

“Of course, Kellan, being the typical male, will probably resist. But it’s your job, ladies, to make this a pleasant experience. Put on some soft music, maybe dress a bit provocatively. And get close. Get very close.” She stepped over his lap, her legs on either side of his.

“You’ll like this,” she whispered. “I promise.”

Reluctantly, Kellan closed his eyes. Slowly, she began to massage the gritty cream into his face, her fingers dancing over his skin and smoothing across his forehead. After only a few seconds, he found himself relaxing, enjoying the touch of her hands.

“This really can be quite sensual, ladies. So, I’d suggest that you reserve this treatment for a time when the two of you can truly appreciate all the benefits.”

Kellan tried to keep his pulse from racing, but it was no use. Thankfully, the front of his jacket would cover any unexpected reaction, although from the way Gelsey was talking, that’s exactly what she was looking for.

“Now, I have some lovely samples for all of you in these little gift bags and I want you all to try them on yourself and on your man. I’ve also included a sprig of mistletoe. I’m sure you know what to do with that. Remember, all our products are one hundred percent natural. No artificial colors or scents.”

Kellan tried to look at her, but a tiny bit of salt dropped off his lashes, burning his eye. “Gels,” he murmured. “I think it’s time to get this off.” But from what he could hear, Gelsey had wandered off to talk to some of her potential customers and forgotten all about him. Kellan got to his feet and blindly searched for a towel to wipe his face. He banged into a table, then nearly tripped over a chair before he felt Gelsey’s hand on his arm.

“Come on, then,” she said. “Sit down and I’ll finish your treatment.”

“Don’t you dare,” he warned. “You’re not going to seduce me in the parish meeting room.”

“I meant your facial treatment. It doesn’t always have to come with sex, you know.” She gently wiped the salt mixture from his face and he opened his eyes. “There you are,” she murmured. “Handsome as ever.” She bent closer and brushed a kiss across his lips.

Kellan slipped his arms around her waist. “Did you really need to put that stuff on my face?”

“I’m selling product,” she said. “If I’m going to take over Maeve’s store, I’m going to need to get out and stir up some business, especially from the ladies in the area. Regular customers are important. I’ve already lined up a presentation with the ladies’ group over in Glengarriff. Mrs. Murphy’s sister is on the program committee and they’re always looking for speakers. It would help if you’d come with me.”

“You don’t need me,” he said. “I saw how you were with the ladies. You’re good at this, Gelsey. People like you.”

“You really think so? You think I’m good?”

Kellan nodded. The simple compliment brought a beautiful joy to her face. That’s all it took for him, he thought. As long as she was happy, so was he. Simple, but now he was beginning to understand her approach to life. Dwelling in the past only made the present miserable. She’d forgotten their argument minutes after it had happened and hadn’t brought it up since.

“I’m not sure what my schedule is going to be like after the first of the year,” he said. “I’ve got to go back to work soon.”

“Where?”

“We bid on a museum project in France. In Brittany. I’m not sure we’re going to get it and-”

“You’re going to France? For how long?”

“We don’t have the job yet,” Kellan said. In truth, he wasn’t sure he wanted it anymore. Gelsey was here, in Ballykirk. And her plans to buy Maeve’s shop would keep her here. France was a long way from Ireland.

He’d been thinking a lot about business. He had some savings and contacts with good investors. Maybe it was time to take that risk, to put his own cash behind a project and reap the profits. After all, Gelsey was used to a comfortable lifestyle. And he couldn’t really offer her as much doing just design and engineering on a project. He needed to make some real money.