But as Kellan walked back through the shop to the front door, he realized that before he could sell Gelsey on staying in Ballykirk, he’d have to convince her of his feelings for her. There was one gift that could do the trick, one thing that he had in his possession that would prove they were meant to be together.

Winter had arrived in southwest Ireland. Rain was coming down in sheets and it was almost cold enough for snow. A white Christmas was a rarity in county Cork, but Kellan never stopped hoping.

He jumped in the car and headed for the pub. His mother would have wrapping paper and ribbon, something he couldn’t find at the cottage. She also made the best fruitcake. It probably wouldn’t hurt to take a loaf along for Gelsey’s housekeeper, Caroline.

The wind blew in behind him and Kellan shook the water out of his hair as he stood at the door. Christmas Eve was always celebrated in the large room at the pub. The door was closed to the regular patrons at three in the afternoon and Maggie Quinn took over, arranging gifts under the tree, setting the long string of tables for dinner and finishing the last of the meal preparations in the kitchen behind the bar.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Oh, you’re here. Come help me with these tables. Every one of them wobbles. I swear, I’m tempted to toss them all out on the curb and have your father order new.”

“You could just buy a few long tables to use for the holidays,” Kellan suggested. “I’ve got a few in my office in Dublin that we use for blueprints.”

“I’ll put that on my list for next year.”

Kellan helped her shove folded cardboard beneath the wobbly legs and when they’d made a table long enough for eighteen, he watched as she laid the table linens over them all, turning the scarred pub furniture into an elegant dining table.

“Look what Jordan found,” Maggie said, holding up a length of red fabric. “Chair covers. They’ll make the table even more beautiful. And a table runner. She has such good taste, that girl. Not that Nan doesn’t. She’s picked out music for us tonight.” Maggie glanced over at Kellan. “And what about Gelsey? Will she be joining us?”

Kellan shook his head. “No. I don’t think so.”

“There’s plenty of room at the table.”

“I know. But we’re taking a bit of a holiday from each other. I’m going to drive over to Winterhill and drop off her gift. I’ll invite her, but I wouldn’t plan on her coming.”

Maggie paused. “Is everything well with you, then?” she asked.

Kellan nodded. “Yeah. I love her, Ma. She’s really something. And you’ll love her, too.”

Maggie reached out and placed her palm on his cheek. “If you love her, Kellan, I know I will. Just follow your heart and you’ll never go wrong.”

“Thanks, Ma,” he murmured. “Now I have to steal some paper and ribbon. I have to wrap her gift.”

“Upstairs on the kitchen table. Take the silver foil and the gold ribbon. And one of those little gold glitter bells to make it pretty. What are you going to give her?”

“Something that I’ve been holding on to for a very long time.”

9

GELSEY SAT IN THE DARKENED ROOM, staring into the flickering fire. Nearby, an elaborately decorated Christmas tree twinkled with tiny white lights. Everything was exactly as she remembered it, the house smelling of freshly baked gingerbread and pine boughs.

She’d driven to Cork to shop that morning, picking up presents for Caroline, Nan and Jordan. They lay wrapped beneath the tree. She’d struggled with a present for Kellan, unable to decide on anything suitable. She’d looked at expensive watches and interesting books, designer clothes and antique fountain pens, but nothing seemed right.

It might have helped if she knew where she stood with him. But since their argument the day before, Gelsey had been too embarrassed to call him. And he’d obviously been too angry to call her. Things had been so perfect between them and now everything had fallen apart.

She pressed her palm to her heart, aware of the ache that had settled there. Over and over, she’d questioned her feelings for him, but now, faced with a life all alone, she’d come to realize that she was in love with Kellan.

Her days and nights meant something when she was with him. She wasn’t just racing through life, she was actually living it, breathing it all in and savoring each moment. She’d tried to think about her time with Antonio and not one second could be marked as memorable. But every moment with Kellan had been etched into her mind, a vivid picture of perfect happiness.

Last Christmas had been spent on a beach in Thailand, drunk on champagne after Antonio had presented her with a diamond engagement ring, the same ring she’d thrown into the sea. Everything in her life had changed and yet, she didn’t regret a single decision she’d made.

She took a sip of her wine, then stretched her stocking feet out to the warmth of the fire. She picked up her magazine and flipped through the article on Irish linens. Since yesterday, she’d been racking her mind trying to come up with an alternate plan for a shop, but everything she thought of just didn’t seem to excite her. Irish linens, rare books, designer fashions, Gaelic art, hand-crafted jewelry… She had lots of ideas, but no passion for any of them.

Her mind wandered to thoughts of Kellan. That’s where her passion focused. She could imagine the Quinn-family Christmas, laughing and teasing, everyone in a boisterous mood. Gifts spilling out from under a tree, endless plates of food. She’d never had a Christmas like that, with boundless happiness. The holidays had always brought tension between her parents, before and after the divorce.

But this Christmas would be a fresh start. From here, she’d begin to build a life for herself. And if it couldn’t be in Ballykirk, then she’d find another spot, maybe Bantry or Glengarriff. This next year was going to be even more exciting than the past month had been.

“I’ll get that,” Caroline called, poking her head in the room.

Gelsey looked away from the fire. “What?”

“The door,” Caroline said. “There’s someone at the door.”

“Oh,” Gelsey said. “Fine.” A pair of photographers had camped out on the road in front of the gate, waiting for her to come out, but she didn’t plan to give them the satisfaction. Maybe one of them had decided to venture up to the door. “If it’s a photographer, call the garda.”

Caroline disappeared and Gelsey went back to her contemplation of the fire-and of Christmases past. A smile touched her lips. “Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la.” She took another sip of her wine. After dinner, she and Caroline would share dessert and a glass of sherry and then they’d both go to bed. And one more Christmas in her life would be over.

“Gelsey? You have a visitor.”

Gelsey twisted around. “A visitor?”

“It’s Kellan. He’s brought a gift. He’d like to see you. Can I show him in?”

She hesitated. “Sure. Tell him to come in.”

She got to her feet, the wineglass still clutched in her hand, and sat on the arm of the sofa. When he appeared in the doorway, her breath caught in her throat and she had to remind herself to take another. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he murmured. “I hope I’m not disturbing-”

“No, I was just sitting here having-”

“It’s Christmas Eve and-”

“Would you like a glass of wine?” Gelsey jumped up to fetch him a drink from the small table against the wall. When she’d filled the glass, she held it out to him. “Sit. The fire is warm. It’s so damp outside. Your hair is wet.”

“Are we actually talking about the weather?” Kellan asked.

“I hope not.” She sat down on the sofa and he took a spot next to her.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. I should have been more supportive.”

“No,” Gelsey said. “I was acting like a spoiled brat. You were right. I don’t know anything about having a job. These things happen all the time. I need to learn to adjust my plans.”

“It’s caused a bit of a stir around town,” he said. “I spoke to Dealy this morning and he and the rest of the tourism committee are very concerned. The only one in town who seems happy about your leaving is Maeve.”

“Well, I’m glad that I could help her out. Maybe she’ll keep some of the changes I made.”

“Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

Gelsey shrugged. “I’m going to take my time and explore all my options.”

“Would one of those options be spending the rest of your life with me?”

Reaching out, she took his hand in hers. “I do love you, Kellan. I’m certain of that. But-”

He put his finger over her lips. “No buts,” he said. “Let me just let that first part sink in for a few moments.” He closed his eyes, a smile of pleasure curling the corners of her mouth. “Yeah, that was nice. You love me.”

“I do,” she said from behind his finger. Gently she pulled his hand away. “But I’ve got to take some time to get to know myself.”

“We could do that together,” Kellan said. “I hardly know you. We could kill two birds with one stone.”

Gelsey laughed. “I suppose you’re right. But I’m not sure you’re ready for the person I might be. I’ve done a lot of really idiotic things in my life and living a true and real life is probably going to be difficult. I’m going to get frustrated and impatient and I know I’m going to say stupid things.”

“Gelsey, I love you exactly the way you are. I wouldn’t have you change a thing. And if you can put up with me, then I can certainly put up with you.”

“I’m just not sure I’m ready for a relationship yet,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever not been in a relationship. I’ve just moved from one man to another. I broke my engagement to Antonio one night and met you the next morning.”

“So, if we aren’t together, maybe we could just be friends. You don’t have a lot of friends around here, except for Nan and Jordan. We could spend time together, maybe have dinner a few times a week and-”