by Nan Dixon
Staying in Savannah wasn’t in her future, but she wasn’t ready to break that news to her sisters. “Liam’s helping me improve my pictures.”
“If you’re his apprentice, why aren’t you with him today?” Abby asked.
“It’s part-time. He’s in Statesboro. Georgia Southern has an Irish Studies program, and he’s interviewing the department head.”
“I do have homework.” She pushed away from the desk and dug out her camera. Her assignment was to take pictures of people, inanimate objects and scenery. “I feel like I’m back in school.”
“You always loved school,” Abby said.
“I can also use the shots for the B and B’s blog.” Standing on the opposite side of the table, she said, “Work, slaves.”
Her sisters laughed.
Dolley snapped a series, hoping to capture camaraderie and joy. Then she arranged the sconce she’d polished behind all the dirty lamps. Hope was what she wanted to capture, shining through the tarnished wasteland.
“Our last long-term guest was pretty fantastic.” Abby flashed her ring. “Liam is here through next year. I wonder what will develop.”
“And if it will be in black and white or Technicolor,” Bess said.
“I shutter to think,” Abby replied.
“Good one!” Bess fist-bumped Abby.
“You two should take this act on the road.” Dolley rolled her eyes, but she smiled as she cleaned tarnish. She’d told her sisters about the apprenticeship. Her loss of income could wait until she had a plan to replace the income or reduce her expenses.
* * *
THE SUN WAS setting as Liam parked at the B and B. He pulled his equipment out of the car, tugging on his overcoat. He’d made it back in time to catch the wine tasting. Then he planned to head to his room and review the tapes.
“Hi.” Dolley came out of a carriage house. “How was the interview?”
Her smile warmed him more than his jacket.
“The professor was great.” Professor Aiden had highlighted how different the FitzGerald immigration to America was compared to others. James had come with money. The men who had built canals and railroads had come with little more than the clothes on their backs. His breath caught in his chest. This was the core of his story. The difference between Dolley’s family and the poor immigrants Aiden had described.
Dolley hopped up on an iron table, her legs swinging. “Good info?”
“Fantastic stuff, but the poor man was nervous.”
Her eyes glittered like polished emeralds as if she had joy bubbling inside her. Something fluttered in his chest. What would that feel like? He knew peace when a photo turned out exactly the way he’d planned, but joy? His had died with his parents.
“So, did you have techniques to help him?” she asked.
“Some.” She smelled of—silver polish? “What have you been up to?”
“Cleaning old lamps.” She rolled her eyes. “My least favorite job of a restoration.”
“Ahh.” He sniffed. “You smell of metal cleaner.”
“It’s gross.” Even in the dimming light, he could see her blush. “I’m heading home to scrub off the stench.”
An image of her in the shower, soap lather streaming down her naked body, had him taking in a sharp breath.
“The smell isn’t so bad,” he choked out. “Actually reminds me of helping clean my mum’s tea trolley.”
“That’s a nice memory.” She hopped off the table. “Do you have plans tonight?”
“Trying to catch some of your sister’s offerings, and then I’ll review today’s film.”
“You need to see Savannah.” She touched his shoulder, the heat seeping through his coat. “I’m meeting friends at a pub. Do you want to tag along?”
He should say no. But sitting in his empty room sounded lonely.
“It’s just friends getting together.” When she grinned, her curls danced. “I’ll tell them they can’t mob you.”
“Oh, well—” He should work.
“It’ll be fun.”
Fun? He couldn’t remember the last time his name and fun were mentioned together. “What time?”
* * *
THE WALL OF noise enveloped Dolley as she and Liam entered O’Gara’s pub. The yeasty scent of beer and fried food hit her along with the heat. Lights twinkled above the bar, and glittering snowflakes hung at intervals from the ceiling.
“Fantastic.” She bounced onto her toes. “I didn’t think it would be this busy.”
Liam’s eyes had glazed over, his face frozen in a resigned grimace.
“Smile,” she insisted.
He didn’t.
Tonight she wanted to see him smile at least five times. A happier man would be a better teacher.
“Do you want people to know what you’re doing in Savannah?” She leaned close so he could hear her. Close enough to catch his crazy scent that made her insides melt.
“Yes, that’s all right.” He rubbed his chin, and his seven o’clock shadow rasped under his hand. “Is the pub always so loud?”
“It’s a holiday.” She tugged his arm. “This way to the fun.”
He followed, dragging behind her a little. What was up with that?
“Dolley!” Zach picked her up by the waist and spun her in a circle.
She pounded his shoulders. “Put me down.”
He dropped her to her feet and gave her a smacking kiss. “Merry Christmas.”
She patted his cheek. They’d dated years ago when Zach had needed help on a paper, but Zach had been right. They were better as friends. “Merry Christmas to you.”
Liam hung behind, a frown pushing his sharp black eyebrows together. She towed him to a table filled with people. The more the merrier, right?
“Gang, this is Liam. He’s staying at Fitzgerald House through March.” She introduced the people she knew; others filled in their names. “He’s making a documentary.”
If that didn’t get people talking to him, she didn’t know what would.
Chairs were dragged to the table. Liam slipped along the wall, sitting next to a pretty blonde. He wasn’t frowning, but he wasn’t smiling, either.
Dolley took a spot closer to the middle of the table. She could watch his face but couldn’t hear what he and the blonde were saying. Her chest squeezed a little, but she pushed it away. He was her teacher, and she was on a hiatus.
“How are things?” she asked Zach.
“Pretty damn good.” He wrapped an arm around the brunette sitting next to him. “Meet Erica.”
Erica smiled. “Hi, Dolley.”
After chatting with Erica for a while, she leaned in to Zach. “She’s perfect for you.”
“I know.” He grinned and pressed a kiss to his girlfriend’s cheek.
Zach’s grin reminded her of tonight’s objective. Get Liam to smile.
She looked down the table, and Liam was staring—at Zach and Erica.
When the server came over, she ordered a martini called Santa’s Jollies. Might as well get in the Christmas mood.
Her drink arrived, and she held it up, giving Liam a silent toast. He saluted her with his beer. And smiled. Number one. She wracked it up on her mental spreadsheet.
The blonde leaned in and pointed at his beer. Liam nodded as he responded to her.
“Zach,” she asked. “Who’s the girl at the end of the table?”
He looked over. “Shana?”
“Right.”
“You should worry about your friend.” Zach leaned closer. “She just jettisoned her last boyfriend and is looking for a new conquest.”
Shana pointed to the dance floor, tugging on Liam’s arm.
Dolley’s throat constricted. Would he dance?
He shook his head, and the blonde pouted.
Dolley was stupidly relieved.
Liam tipped his chair back, resting against the wall. Mamma would scold him for balancing on two legs, but it gave her an opportunity to admire his lean form. The man made black jeans look like a work of art. With his black hair and bright blue eyes, he was striking.
She sighed. Not for her. But he sure was easy on the eyes. She stared for a minute, frowning. He wasn’t—engaged. He talked to people next to him, but he didn’t lean in like he was part of the conversation. It was like he was a spectator.
The band changed to playing fifties music, happy songs. The walking bass had her toes tapping.
A friend she hadn’t seen in a couple of years touched her shoulder. “Dolley, how are you?”
“Brad?” She gave him a hug. “I’m great. And you?”
They yelled over the sound, trying to catch up. Finally Brad rolled his eyes. “It’s impossible to talk. Let’s dance.”
“Sure.”
She checked on Liam. He was frowning again. She tried to give him head signals, suggesting he ask someone to dance, but he apparently couldn’t read Savannah sign language.
Maybe she’d have to ask him to dance. A little jolt went through her. What would his arms feel like holding her?
Nope. Being held by Liam wasn’t her objective. She wanted to ease the solemn look off his face and have him participate in the evening. Was that too much to ask when she threw strangers together? He needed to smile four more times. Maybe if he asked Shana to dance, she could accomplish that.
And maybe he would go home with Shana.
She stumbled.
Brad tugged her into the familiar steps of the Lindy. She let the music and Brad spin her into a happy place.
She and Brad had learned how to Lindy from his parents. They’d dated once, but as usual, they’d decided they were better off as friends. Her dating history was pathetic.
Brad pushed her out so their arms extended, then he tugged and she spun back to him. They rocked back and forth to “Rock Around the Clock.”
They settled into the setup of their signature move. Brad grabbed her by the waist, and she swung her legs from one of his hips to the other.
“Do the flip?” he mouthed.
She shook her head. “No!”
They were laughing as the music ended, and he spun her into his arms once more.
“That was great,” Brad gasped.
Dolley twirled around. “I loved it.”
“Thanks.” He walked her back to the table. “Nothing like reliving our youth, but I’ll be stiff tomorrow.”
They talked for a few more minutes, then the people at Brad’s table waved him back.
“You looked good out there,” Zach said.
“You should dance with your girl.”
“I’m holding out for a slow song.” The band finished a song to applause and then broke into a ballad. Zach grabbed his date’s hand. “That’s my cue.”
Dolley grinned as they moved to the dance floor. They looked good together. She took a swig of her drink. Damn. It was gone. She caught the server’s eye, and the woman gave her a nod.
“I’m going to have to call you twinkle toes.” Liam’s deep voice above her head rumbled through her core. He sank into the chair next to her, smiling. There was number two. Only three more to go.
“Abby has the twinkle toes in the family.” Dolley bopped her head to the music. “She used to dance.”
“You could have fooled me.” He set his half-drunk beer next to her empty glass. “Can I get you another?”
“I just gave the server the high sign.” She twirled the empty martini glass, not looking at him. “You should ask Shana to dance.”
“What? No.” He was shaking his head when she looked up.
“You should.” She bumped his shoulder. “Have a little fun.”
One elegant black eyebrow arched over his amazing blue eyes. “I’m here to work.”
“You can’t work 24/7.”
He blinked, then frowned.
“You work every waking hour, don’t you?” she asked, appalled.
“I...” he rubbed his head. “Sometimes it’s easier. I’m more comfortable working.”
“That has to change.” She spun in the chair, her knees touching his thigh. “Since you’re teaching me about photography, I’m going to teach you how to lighten up. You’re now my apprentice in the world of having fun.”
“What?”
“I’ll teach you how to have fun.” She nodded. “You might even get assignments.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, yes, I would.” She grinned.
“You’re having fun.” He waved a hand around the room. “How do you know all these people?”
Who had she talked to? “Brad and I went to high school together.”
“To dance the way you did, you must have dated.” His eyes held hers.
“One date.” She picked up her glass, but it was still empty. “We discovered we’re better as friends.”
“And this man?” He pointed to the chair he was sitting in.
“We went to college together. That lasted two dates.” Two dates. One paper. And then he’d avoided her for almost a year.
“What’s wrong with men in this country?”
She shrugged. It wasn’t the men. It was her.
She didn’t let Liam ask any more questions. Just grabbed his hand, tugged him out of the chair and onto the dance floor. “First homework...dancing.”
“I’m not very good,” he warned, his breath warming her neck as he made himself heard above the noise. “I can’t do what you were doing with that other man.”
“Doesn’t matter.” The band now played “Blue Suede Shoes.” “Just let your body feel the music.”
He moved his shoulders and wiggled his lean hips.
She nodded and rocked away.
And he smiled. Number three. Only two to go.
He moved closer. She could teach him some steps, but the goal was to get him to ask other women to dance, help him break out of his shell. He had nice rhythm and great hip action. Unwanted heat zipped through her body.
The music changed to a ballad. She turned to leave.
This time, Liam caught her hand and reeled her in. “Not so fast.”
His arms settled on her lower back. Hers slid up and rested on his shoulders. Too close. But she didn’t ease away. It was his darn cologne. It had her getting closer, sniffing his neck.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“You smell so good.”
He chuckled. She hated the heat filling her face.
He looked down at her. And smiled. Number four.
She grinned up at him. “Let’s talk about your homework.”
* * *
LIAM ALLOWED HIMSELF one slow dance with Dolley. It was like holding lightning in his arms.
He finished off his pint and watched as she flitted around the pub. She must have known half the people in the room. And each encounter left her more animated. Even if he were in Galway, he wouldn’t know as many people as she’d talked to this night. And he wouldn’t want to talk to all of them in one evening.
He and Dolley were opposites. He thrived in solitude, she flourished in crowds. Just one more reason to keep his hands off his apprentice.
And anyway, he should be in his room taking notes on the professor’s interview. Alone.
He liked being alone. He liked listening to people talk. But sometimes he was tired of always feeling like he was looking through the window at other people’s happiness.
Her offer to let him be her apprentice in learning how to have fun could be viewed as a gift. She might teach him som
ething after all. But she’d told him to mingle. He wasn’t a mingler.
He would never have what she had. Never know the wonder of having a family to hold him up, to help him through the pains and joys of life. He was better off staying on his own. No one could disappoint him. No one could ignore him.
He checked his watch. Time to head back to the B and B.
Dolley hurried over, her curls bouncing as she stopped next to his chair. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Being an island.” She leaned closer. “You need to do your homework.”
“I mingled.” For a while.
“You let other people talk.” She shook her head. “You listened.”
“Being a good listener is part of my profession.” He stood. “I’m heading back to Fitzgerald House.”
Her smile crumpled. “Let me say a few goodbyes.”
“Stay. You’re having fun.”
“And you’re not.” She sighed. “I’ll be right back.”
He nodded and waved at the people he’d spent the night listening to. Dolley was right on that point.
“Hope to see you again, Liam,” Shana called out.
“Me, too,” he lied.
Tugging on his jacket, he headed outside. The cool air scented by the nearby river was lovely. He inhaled, letting his body relax.
The cobblestone street reflected the streetlights and neon spilling from the bars and buildings. A mist softly diffused the light. His fingers flexed, wishing he’d brought a camera. He was afraid of the emotion he’d want to evoke. Solitude? Isolation?
Laughter echoed from a nearby street.
The door jingled, and Dolley walked out, looking around. She spotted him, and her frown disappeared. “There you are.”
He nodded.
“Did you at least have fun?” She wrapped her multicolored scarf around her neck. The heels of her boots clacked on the sidewalk as she approached.
“Watching you was fun.”
She shook her head. “That’s not the same as you having fun.”
“It worked for me.” They turned toward the B and B.
She wobbled on the uneven pavement, and he cupped her elbow.
“Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” He smiled.
“Ahh, number five. Goal accomplished.”
