Kellan

by Kate Hoffmann

  Thinking back on it, it had been a terribly bold move on her part. But her grandmother had always told her that if she wanted to be happy, she had to grab happiness wherever she could find it. At that moment in time, Kellan had represented everything that was wonderful about life.

  She’d watched him and his brothers from afar, hidden behind the rocks on the cliff. He’d been the one she’d fashioned her silly schoolgirl dreams around, the dark, brooding, handsome boy with the pale blue eyes and the confident air about him.

  He’d been her first, but he hadn’t been her last. Schoolgirl fantasies gave way to teenage realities. Once back in Switzerland, she’d begun to sneak out after curfew. A few years later, there were ski weekends with college boys, older brothers of her schoolmates. She quickly learned to use her sex appeal to get whatever she wanted from handsome men.

  After being kicked out of one boarding school, her parents sent her to another and another. It was then she discovered that bad behavior was all it took to get attention from her parents.

  Prep school was followed by university. She headed for Paris and studied art history at the Sorbonne, cooking at Le Cordon Bleu and apprenticed as a designer at Studio Berçot. Then she gained access to her trust fund and her life as a celebutante began.

  Gelsey sighed and pulled the covers over her head. She was so tired of that life, completely exhausted playing the role she’d created for herself. The men, the money, the parties. It had all become a giant, crashing bore. And now she’d found an escape, a place to breathe, to take stock of the future and put her past behind her.

  To the rest of the world, she was Gigi Woodson. She dated famous athletes and gorgeous male models and sexy actors. She moved from one man to another whenever she grew bored or restless. And every now and then, she got so drunk that she did something that landed her in the tabloids. But here, on the western coast of Ireland, she was a stranger without a past.

  Very few people knew her well. Her parents had never bothered to try. But her grandmother had always been able to see inside her heart and say the words that made her feel loved and cherished. It had been the only truly good thing she’d remembered from her childhood. Gelsey felt emotion tighten her throat and she fought back the tears. If only her grandmother were here now, to help her through, to reassure her.

  A knock sounded at the front door and Gelsey pushed up, bracing her hand beneath her. She raked her tousled hair out of her eyes and searched around for something to wear. The sweatshirt that Kellan had given her the night before was draped over the bedpost. She grabbed it and pulled it over her head, then tugged on his boxer shorts.

  The house was warmer, a fresh peat fire burning in the hearth and the little space heater humming away in the corner. She pulled the door open expecting to see Kellan, his arms overloaded with breakfast. But two women were standing outside, friendly smiles pasted on their faces.

  “Hello,” Gelsey said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’m afraid Kellan isn’t here.”

  “Better that,” the brunette said cheerfully. “We’ve come to see you.” She held a canvas bag in front of her. “We’ve brought you something to wear. I’m Jordan and this is Nan.”

  The raven-haired woman held out another bag. “And you must be Gelsey.”

  Gelsey stepped away from the door and the two strolled inside as if they were quite at home. Nan wrinkled her nose, then motioned toward the fire. “We really should talk to the boys about putting in central heat. Those peat fires make my eyes water.”

  “And they should put in a decent bathroom. That shower isn’t any bigger than a broom closet.”

  “Could I offer either of you a cup of tea?” Gelsey asked. Although she’d been well schooled in etiquette, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with strangers bearing gifts of secondhand clothing.

  Nan stared at her for a long moment. “Have we met?”

  “I’m sure we haven’t,” Gelsey said.

  “You look so familiar.” Nan plopped down on the end of the sofa. “Now, I’m not sure you’ll like anything I brought. But Kellan said you didn’t have any decent clothes to wear. I brought a pair of jeans and a couple sweaters-or jumpers, as he calls them. It’s so damp in the winter.”

  “And I brought a jacket,” Jordan said. “It’s not very fashionable, but it will be warm. And underwear. It’s new, still in the package.”

  Nan rummaged through her bag. “And I have gloves and a hat. And boots. Did you bring the boots, Jo?”

  They were both talking so fast that Gelsey could do nothing more than nod and smile. When they finally finished, she drew a ragged breath. “And you’re from…the church?”

  “Oh, Kellan didn’t tell you we’d be stopping by? He saw us both last night at the pub and explained your situation. I’m engaged to Kellan’s brother Riley.”

  “They’re getting married New Year’s Eve. And I’m with Danny, the other brother.”

  “Right,” Gelsey said. “I remember now.” She frowned. “You’re not Irish.”

  “American,” Nan said. “And you’re not Irish, either.”

  “No,” Gelsey said. She thought it best to leave it at that, unwilling to go into a long explanation of her life. “Let me just put the water on for tea.”

  “Oh, we can’t stay,” Nan said. “We’re on our way to Cork. I’m shopping for a wedding dress.”

  “Shopping,” Gelsey murmured. She’d been an expert at that in her former life.

  “You wouldn’t want to come with, would you?” Nan asked.

  Jordan clapped her hands. “You should come! We’ll make a girls’ day of it. And it will get you out of this cottage.” She paused and the color rose on her cheeks. “That is, if you want to leave. But I can completely understand why you wouldn’t. I’m sure Kell is keeping you-”

  “Busy,” Nan finished.

  “I can’t. I’m a bit broke right now.”

  The two women stared at her with uneasy smiles. “Perfectly understandable,” Nan said. “Why would you have any use for- I mean, you’ve spent your life…”

  “Living in the ocean,” Jordan said.

  “What- Oh!” Gelsey laughed. “Right. Kellan told me that everyone thinks I’m a mermaid.”

  Jordan nodded. “Of course, we don’t really believe that. But when in Ireland…”

  “I love that about Ireland,” Gelsey said. “People still believe in magic here.”

  “And you do look the part, with all that long, wavy hair,” Nan said. “Danny was right. You are beautiful.”

  “Danny?”

  “He was there when Kellan rescued you,” Jordan explained.

  A slow smile curled the corners of Gelsey’s mouth and she shrugged. “I don’t really remember meeting him.”

  “What size are your feet?” Jordan asked.

  “Eight?” Gelsey said.

  “Perfect! The boots are eight and a half. Just wear extra socks. Are you sure you won’t come with us? We’ll have lunch. Our treat.”

  “Maybe another time,” Gelsey said. “Really. I’d love to go another time.”

  They both stood. “Good,” Nan said. “I’m sure we’ll see you around the pub. Tell Kellan to bring you down for dinner tonight.”

  Gelsey took the offered bags and walked them to the door. This was all very strange. Gelsey couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to be completely anonymous. No matter where she went, someone always recognized her.

  But then, she was usually dressed quite differently and hiding behind an image that was regularly splashed across the pages of the tabloids. For the first time in a very long time, she had a chance to live life like an ordinary woman.

  She had a fresh start, a chance to make real friends who didn’t care about her notoriety or her money or her family connections. And Nan and Jordan seemed exactly like the kind of women she’d want for friends.

  After she said goodbye, Gelsey quickly found an outfit to wear, then pulled on socks and the soft fleece-lined boots. Though she was a b
it taller than Nan and Jordan, with longer arms, she couldn’t complain. It was good enough to go out in public in and she needed some fresh air and exercise.

  She’d walk down to the village and get her bearings. If she was going to stay for a while, she needed a source of income. She could just go get her bank cards at Winterhill, but if she was going to start over, then she needed to find a way to make a living. She needed a job.

  But could she survive on her own? It was a challenge she’d never have thought of taking on in the past, but now it made sense. Gigi Woodson, celebrity heiress, was gone and Gelsey Woodson, ordinary working girl, had been born. For once, she didn’t want to mess it all up.

  Gelsey grabbed the jacket from the sofa and slipped into it. When she opened the door, the chilly air rushed in and she drew a deep breath and smiled. It was a beautiful day. She had no idea what was going to happen, but it was exciting to be completely unsure of her future.

  She followed the road down to the village at a brisk walk, smiling to herself as she took in the beauty of the countryside. Everything looked so picturesque-the vivid green hills and the whitewashed village set against the slate-blue sea. Boats bobbed in the harbor and she watched one as it slowly moved out into the bay.

  Gelsey had lived in many exotic places, but she’d never felt at home. Maybe this was where she’d belonged all along. She was destined to find Kellan all these years later and to begin where they’d left off as teenagers.

  KELLAN SQUINTED against the late-morning sun as he drove out of Ballykirk toward the cottage. He’d left Gelsey naked and sound asleep in his bed. After last night, he’d figured she’d need her sleep. But it was nearly noon and he’d fetched lunch from the pub, hoping that they could spend the rest of the day in bed after a hearty meal.

  It was the perfect day to spend curled up beneath the sheets, he mused. A winter chill had set in and the damp wind blowing off the sea made it feel colder than it was. Christmas was three weeks away and after that, the new year. He’d made a resolution last year on New Year’s Eve to expand his professional horizons, to take jobs outside of Ireland and see a bit more of the world. And here he was, just a month away from his deadline and he still hadn’t made a decision about the project in France.

  As he rounded a bend in the road, Kellan caught sight of a figure striding toward him. As he drove closer, he recognized Gelsey, her pale hair blowing in the wind. She smiled and waved. He pulled the car to a stop and rolled down the window.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “A couple of your friends brought me some clothes.” She pointed to her feet. “And boots. I was coming to find you.”

  “Hop in,” he said, leaning across the seat to open the passenger-side door.

  She joined him inside the car, her color high, her eyes bright. Kellan knew she was a beautiful woman, but the sight of her in broad daylight was enough to take his breath away. An unbidden surge of hunger raced through him and he fought his instinct to drag her into his arms and kiss her. “So, I guess you slept well last night. You’re clearly feeling better.”

  “I feel wonderful,” Gelsey said. “Good sex always does that for me.”

  Kellan couldn’t help but smile. “And what would you like to do today? I have lunch.” He pointed to the paper sack in the backseat.

  “Well, we could eat.” She paused as she considered her options. “And then, I’d like…”

  “What?”

  “I’d like you to teach me how to drive this car.”

  “You don’t know how to drive?”

  “I never had a reason to.”

  Kellan groaned. “Don’t start with that mermaid bollocks again. I know you’re not a mermaid.”

  “I was going to say that I never had a reason to learn,” she said. A tiny smile quirked at the corners of her mouth. “We don’t have cars at the bottom of the ocean. And it’s really difficult to work the pedals with flippers.”

  Kellan laughed. “I’ll teach you how to drive if you tell me the truth about where you come from.”

  “Why? There’s nothing wrong with exercising your imagination every now and then. Is it so hard to believe I came from the sea?”

  “Why can’t you tell me the truth? Is that so hard to do?”

  She stared out the windscreen, her gaze fixed on the landscape passing by. “Have you ever wanted to change your life? Just start all over again?”

  “I wish I could go back and change a few things,” Kellan said.

  She looked at him, curiosity filling her eyes. “Like what?”

  “I had a chance to go into business with a developer a few years ago, to buy properties and fix them up and then sell them. I thought it was too risky, but now I’m thinking that risk might not be such a bad thing.”

  “Why don’t you do it now?” she asked.

  “I get paid a boatload to do exactly what I do best,” he said, shaking his head. “And the economy hasn’t been too good. In the end, I was right to trust my instincts.”

  “I always liked to take risks,” she said. “It makes life more exciting.”

  “Or more chaotic,” Kellan countered.

  “A little chaos might be good for you,” she said.

  “You don’t know me very well.”

  Gelsey smiled. “I’m a really good judge of people. It’s one of my most amazing qualities.”

  “But you can’t drive,” he said.

  “I’m not perfect,” she teased.

  “Close,” Kellan replied. “All right, switch spots with me and we’ll give this a go. You have to promise to listen to everything I say.”

  She crawled over him, stopping at the point where she straddled his legs. “This is nice,” she murmured, her breasts in his face.

  “It’s impossible to drive this way,” he murmured, staring up at her, his gaze fixed on her lips. With a groan, Kellan shoved his fingers through the hair at her nape and dragged her into a long, deep kiss. This hunger for the taste of her was so difficult to deny, especially when she was so available and so willing.

  When she finally drew back, a satisfied smile curled her lips. “Is that a gearshift in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” she teased. Gelsey giggled as she moved over him, taunting him with the friction of her body against his. “I see I’ve got your engine running, don’t I?”

  Kellan held up his hands, chuckling softly. “Stop. The metaphors are torture enough. Do you want to learn to drive?”

  “Yes,” she said. “As long as we can get back to this lesson later.”

  “And what lesson is that?”

  “The lesson that teaches you that you can’t possibly resist me.”

  Kellan groaned. “I believe I learned that lesson the first day we met.”

  “And it’s my duty to keep reminding you,” she said.

  There was no need to do that, Kellan mused. It was painfully evident the effect she had on his body. A single kiss was enough to set him off. But his reaction hadn’t been just physical. He was developing a real affection for Gelsey.

  She was smart and witty and managed to drag him out of his serious nature with just a smile. When he was with her, he didn’t dwell on his professional worries. Hell, he’d barely thought about work at all. He liked the fact that he actually had a personal life now, a reason to relax and take time off.

  But how long could that possibly last? Kellan wondered. Would there come a point where they grew bored with each other, where being together seemed more like a chore than a treat?

  “Switch!” Gelsey said. When she’d finally settled herself behind the wheel, she glanced over at him. “Where are we going to go?”

  “Back to the cottage.”

  Gelsey shook her head. “No, I want to go into town.”

  “But I have lunch right here. It’s going to get cold.”

  “I’m not hungry. I need to look for a job.”

  Kellan frowned, taken aback by her request. “A job? What exactly is a mermaid qualified to do?”
r />   “I don’t know. I’m very good with people, I’m clever and I’m a fast learner. I expect I could do any number of jobs. Do you need a waitress at the pub? I could do that. And I can also cook. I’m a very good cook.”

  “You cook?”

  She stared out the windscreen and nodded, her attention now absorbed with learning to drive. “I am very good with fish. It’s my specialty.” She looked at him and grinned. “Really. I’ll cook you dinner sometime.” Gelsey grabbed the gearshift and put it into Drive. “Ready?”

  “Buckle your safety belt,” he warned.

  She did as she was told, then clutching the wheel, she slowly pressed on the accelerator. To Kellan’s surprise, the car glided smoothly forward. After only a few minutes, he had reason to suspect that she’d driven before. Though she appeared a bit tense, she knew exactly what she was doing.

  They came to a crossroad north of Ballykirk and she stopped and looked at him. “Which way?”

  “You’re in charge,” he said. “You choose. Who taught you how to drive? Because I don’t believe you’ve never driven before.”

  “A very nice octopus taught me when I was just a tadpole.” She turned left, heading along the coast and for a moment, she drove on the wrong side of the road. But then, before he could speak, she corrected herself. “Sorry,” she murmured. “We usually drive on the other side in…the ocean.”

  “You’re doing well,” he said.

  “I’m going to need a car,” she said. “How much does a car cost? I’ve never bought one.”

  “Varies,” he said. “But before you get a car, you need a license. You’ll have to take a test. In truth, you should have a permit now. The garda probably could stop you and-”

  She slammed on the brakes and the car skidded to a stop. “That’s enough for now,” she said, putting the gearshift back into Park. Gelsey shoved the door open and hopped out. Kellan got out and they exchanged places.