A good time with a handsome man, that came with an expiration date and a beautiful locale. How lucky could one woman get?
It sounded perfect.
With a sharp nod, I stood up and opened the door to the bathroom. I stepped out, only to realize that I actually did have to use the restroom, so I turned around and did so. Once I finished and washed my hands, I walked back out and to my seat, where Carson, and my ginger ale, were waiting.
“Everything okay?” Carson asked, watching my face.
I assumed he was looking for signs of distress, or maybe expecting me to shoot him down, so I attempted a reassuring smile as I sat.
“Perfect,” I replied, then took a sip of my soda.
“Would you like to watch a movie, or listen to music?” he asked after a moment. “We have tablets, so you can choose from a variety of options.”
“Oh, no, thank you, I brought my own tablet, which has all of my books. I downloaded a few for the flight.”
Grateful for the excuse, I looked around for my bag so I could grab my tablet, and realized I didn’t know where it was. I turned around and caught the flight attendant’s eye. “Excuse me, I’m not sure where they put my bag. The carry-on.”
“I’ll grab it for you, Miss,” he said, turning the corner. I heard a door open, and the shifting of bags.
When he came back around, it was with my bag in his hand.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Miss.”
I pulled out my tablet, found the book I was looking for, and opened it.
It was sweet of Carson to realize I needed time and an escape, at least a mental one, rather than forcing me into a conversation I wasn’t ready to have.
Putting another check mark in the pro column of being courted by Carson Brandt, I settled back into my chair and allowed myself to be swept away in a fictional romance.
Carson
The flight was uneventful, but actually very nice.
I felt a contentment with Natalie that I didn’t often feel with people, especially people I didn’t know all that well.
When she disappeared into the bathroom, I’d worried that I’d come on too strong, but when she came back out, Natalie didn’t deny me or try and let me down easy. Which was a relief. I could tell she needed time to process my declaration, so I gave her space.
We both read, took turns dozing in our seats, and enjoyed a meal together.
I kept things casual, not wanting to delve in too deep right away and scare her off. When we landed in Dublin, I had a town car waiting, which took us to our cottage just out of the city. Natalie’s attention was rapt on the city, and then the countryside, as we drove. And I enjoyed watching her take everything in.
She was truly charming.
When we turned onto a cobblestone drive with large hedges lining the street and the cottage came into view, Natalie leaned forward and gasped.
“That’s not it,” she said breathlessly, causing me to chuckle.
“It is,” I assured her.
“That isn’t a cottage … It’s a mansion.”
I wondered what she’d think once she saw my house. It actually was a mansion.
Natalie was out of the car before my driver, or I, had a chance to open the door for her. I followed her out, smiling at her obvious excitement.
“Oh my God,” she squealed as she rounded the house and saw the view of the water. “This is amazing!”
We walked around the house, our hands in our pockets to ward off the chill. The grounds were lush and green, and the air was nice and crisp.
“Shall we?” I asked, holding open the front door so she could go inside.
“Yes, I can’t wait to see the inside,” Natalie gushed, practically running past me to get in the door.
The décor was simple, tastefully done. Natalie walked through the rooms, seemingly unable to keep her hands from touching the fabric of the furniture, the gloss of the tabletops, and the paint on the walls.
She was just as enchanted by the cottage as I was by her.
“Holy moly,” she said as we stepped into the kitchen.
It was an impressive space. Large and updated, with white cabinets and black marble countertops, and a cheerful bouquet of calla lilies there to greet us. The kitchen opened up into the dining area, which was situated in an atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows. You could see the sea crashing onto the shore just outside.
“I want to live in this kitchen,” Natalie mused as she walked though, her hand trailing along the counter.
“Do you want to pick out your room?” I asked.
Her eyes brightened. “Yes,” she said excitedly, then bit her lip and added, “But, you should get first pick … or the master.”
“I won’t hear of it,” I replied, thinking I’d rather we chose a room together and call it good. “Any room you wish, is yours.”
As Natalie rushed out to find the hall of rooms, I realized I’d never seen her look this way. So happy and carefree. It made her look younger, more her age. Her past must have been weighing on her more than I realized.
By the time I found her again, Natalie had picked a room, and it wasn’t the master. I would have chastised her for saving it for me, even though I wanted her to have it, but when I saw how pleased she was with her choice, I let it go.
There was a large four-poster bed, with white linens and fluffy pillows, but when I walked in, Natalie was seated in the big bay window on the window seat, looking out at the ocean.
“I’ve never been in a place like this,” Natalie admitted softly.
She must have heard my footsteps, although she hadn’t turned around. When she did, her expression was mystified.
“This is a long way from the trailer I shared with my husband.”
I wasn’t sure if Natalie was trying to make a point with that statement, although it was something that I already knew, but, rather than reacting to it, I took it as an invitation to do what I came here to do. Get to know more about her.
“Were you happy?” I asked, wanting to join her on the window seat, but settling for the edge of the bed.
“With Zeke?”
I nodded.
“In the beginning, I was … I met him right before high school graduation, and we dated my freshman year of college. It was just a community college, so I lived at home with my parents and went to school. We got married my second year.” Natalie looked back out the window and sighed. “Zeke was my first boyfriend, the first man to ever kiss me, or make me feel special, but after we got married, things changed.”
“How so?” I asked, although I knew how things had ended up.
“At first it was little things, backhanded compliments, and comments about how I thought I was better than him. It only got worse after I graduated, and then he didn’t want me to get a job working for some uppity corporation and start thinking I was more than I was…” She looked back at me with a wry smile. “His words, not mine.”
“So, you got a job at Jake’s,” I supplied when she paused.
“So, I got a job at Jake’s,” Natalie confirmed. “Except, he didn’t like that either. The late hours, the guys who came into the bar. He was convinced that they were all hitting on me, that they wanted me. He felt threatened.”
“What did he do?”
Natalie laughed in a way that said, nothing was funny.
“He drank, smoked, hung out with his buddies. Oh, he always said he was looking for a job, but there was always an excuse. They were assholes, or they thought they were too good to hire him … it was always someone else’s fault.”
“And, your relationship?”
“Just kept getting worse. Eventually, I couldn’t do anything right. I didn’t make enough money, I wasn’t home enough, the house was always a mess … you name it, it was my fault. When he disappeared for those months, I realized just how miserable I’d been. I’d grown so used to the comments and the put-downs that I didn’t really even hear them anymore, but, once he was gone, the
truth became clear, and I knew I needed to divorce him if I was ever going to find myself again.”
“Have you? Found yourself?”
This time, Natalie’s smile lit up her face.
“I have, and you know what? I’m pretty great.”
“He was kind of right, you know,” I said softly.
“About what?” she asked, her blue eyes on me like a laser.
“I saw you at Jake’s … long before you ever came in for your interview… and I wanted you.”
I stood with a grin, thinking I’d let that statement marinate for a bit.
“I’ll leave you to get settled, but, if you’re up for it, I’d like to take you out for dinner tonight.”
It was more of a statement than a question, but I still gave her time to tell me no, if she was too tired from the trip.
“I’d like that,” Natalie replied, and I felt my pulse jump.
It was finally happening.
“Great, I’ll see you at seven,” I said. And, when I left her room, I was the one with a little extra spring in my step.
Natalie
If this was a dream, I didn’t want to wake up.
My room was gorgeous. The cottage was gorgeous. Ireland was gorgeous. Carson Brandt was … you get the picture.
After I unpacked my bags, I took a shower to freshen up from the flight. I took my time getting ready for dinner, wanting to look my best, so that I would feel confident and sexy. Carson had been pretty upfront about his intentions, and if we were only going to have two weeks, I was prepared to jump in with both feet.
I put on a long, gray wool skirt, with a pretty blue sweater and black leather boots. I straightened my hair so it fell in a dark curtain over my shoulders and wore my makeup a little heavier than I usually did to work.
When I was done, I looked at myself in the mirror, and my red lips tipped up in a smile.
I looked, and felt, ready for my date with Carson.
I found him in the living room, standing by the window. I smiled, thinking I’d never get tired of that view, then paused when he turned toward me.
He really was spectacular.
That hair, those eyes, his body … The man was the total package. Beautiful inside and out. I found myself yearning to learn everything I could about him, to see if he lived up to my perception of him.
It almost seemed impossible that he could, but I couldn’t wait to find out.
“You look lovely,” Carson said, his voice low and a little gruff.
“Thank you, so do you,” I replied, taking in his dark slacks and slate-gray sweater. Of course, he always looked dashing.
“I was thinking we could walk down to the pub, unless those boots make walking uncomfortable. We can take the car.”
“No, I’d love to walk,” I assured him, sticking out my foot as I added, “These are super comfortable, totally broken in. I could walk in them all day and be fine.”
“If you’re sure,” Carson asked. When I nodded, he crossed to me and held out his hand. “Shall we?”
I took his hand, my pulse racing when his skin warmed mine. I smiled up at him and said, “Yes, so ready.”
And I was … Ready to explore Ireland, and ready to begin whatever was going to happen between Carson and myself. Just having his hand in mine and having those clear blue eyes on my face had my heart speeding up and a sigh building in my throat.
We walked down the cobblestone drive and turned right. It was all I could do to keep my head from swiveling around as I tried to take it all in at once.
Everything you think of when you imagine Ireland … the stunningly green landscape, the brisk evening air, the peaceful, happy feeling you get just by being there … it’s all true.
“It’s amazing here,” I murmured as we walked, hand in hand, down the path.
“I’m so happy you like it,” Carson replied. “It’s one of my favorite places in the world.”
“What are some of your other favorites?” I asked, honestly curious to learn more about him.
“Italy, Greece, Spain, and Scotland come to mind. Actually, I can’t think of any place I’ve travelled to that doesn’t have its merits. Whether it’s beautiful architecture, history, food, or culture, I’ve enjoyed something everywhere I’ve been.”
“Sounds wonderful,” I said, wishing I could go everywhere and see everything. “Have you always wanted to travel? Did you travel as a child?”
“Yes, I’ve always been intrigued about other countries and cultures,” Carson said as we turned to walk up to the entrance of the pub. “As for my childhood … Let’s get a drink before we delve into that.”
I gave a short laugh, but noticed the shadow in his eyes, and nodded.
He held open the door and I walked inside. A blast of warm air hit me, along with the vibrant sound of music, laughter, and chatter.
Carson led us to a table in the middle and held out a stool so I could sit first, then took the stool next to me.
A few seconds later, a pretty young woman came up and asked, “Welcome, what can I get for ya?”
“Guinness?” Carson asked me, “Or something lighter?”
“Guinness sounds good,” I replied. The waitress nodded and walked off to go behind the bar.
Turning so my full attention was on Carson, I said, “This place is perfect.”
“Let’s hope the food is as good as the atmosphere,” he replied. “You hungry?”
“Famished,” I admitted. “What do you recommend for my first Irish meal?”
“Hmmm.” Carson tapped his finger on his chin as if in serious thought, then replied, “Corned Beef, Bangers and Mash, the stew, the pastie, or the Shepherd’s Pie.”
I laughed.
“Wow, sounds like there are a lot of great options. What are you going to get?”
“I think I’m in the mood for the Shepherd’s Pie.”
“Here you are,” the waitress said, placing the pints of dark Guinness in front of us. “Sláinte.”
“Thank you,” Carson and I said in unison, causing us to grin at each other.
“Now, will you be ordering supper?”
“Yes, please,” I replied, then asked, “What do you recommend?”
“The stew will warm yer belly and the Corned Beef and mash is very fine this evening.”
“I’ll go with the stew.”
“And, I’ll have the Sheppard’s Pie,” Carson replied.
Once she was off to put in our order, I took a sip of my beer, then turned to Carson and asked, “So, you were saying … about your childhood?”
Carson
I nodded solemnly, then took an extra-long sip of Guinness, causing her to laugh, which had been my intention.
I didn’t talk about my childhood to anyone. Ever. But, I’d come into this knowing Natalie was different, and that if I wanted her to trust in me and believe in me, I had to be totally forthcoming, even when it was difficult.
“To answer your question, no, I didn’t travel as a child. My mother left when I was young, too young to know her, and my brother died in a car accident when I was a teenager.”
Natalie stopped me, her hand reaching out to clutch mine.
“I’m so sorry,” she said softly, and I couldn’t stop myself from bringing her hand to my lips and kissing her palm gently.
“Thanks,” I managed. I needed to get this all out, in hopes I wouldn’t have to talk about it again once I had. “He was my hero, my brother Kyle. Older by five years and everything I wasn’t. It about killed me when he died. Unfortunately, that just left me and my dad. Kyle had been the sun that guided us both, and with him gone, my father turned all of his attention on me … none of it good.”
Natalie gave my hand another squeeze, urging me to continue.
“When you’re told constantly that you’re worthless, you begin to believe it…”
Natalie gasped, and I saw not only sadness in her eyes, but understanding.
“Luckily for me, my hate for my father grew greater than
my fear of him, and I vowed to prove him wrong. I don’t like to give him credit for anything that I’ve accomplished, but who knows if I would have made it where I am now, without that rage inside of me.”
“You would have,” Natalie assured me, her eyes bright. “With or without his cruelty, you would have been successful, because that’s who you are. He doesn’t deserve any credit for you being the man you are today.”
I gave her a small smile.
“And your mother,” she asked. “Did you ever see her again?”
I shook my head and said, “By the time I had the means to find her, she was already gone. Now, they all are. My father, my mother, and my brother. It’s just me.”
Glad I’d got it out and told her the truth, but wanting to change the subject, I asked, “How about you. Are you close with your family?”
“Yes, pretty close. I’m an only child, and once I moved out and got married, my parents moved down to Florida to retire. They’d had me later in life and were ready for a change of scenery. I kept most of what was happening in my marriage from them, until I had no choice but to tell them the truth. They’d wanted me to move down to Florida, especially my mom, but it felt like running away, you know, so I decided to stay.”
“I’m glad you did,” I said, running my thumb over the back of her hand. “Are you? Are you happy now?”
“You know, I really am,” Natalie said with a smile so beautiful it almost knocked me back. “I love my job, have great friends, and even like living on my own.”
“And, have you moved on … from Zeke?”
“Do you mean have I dated?” she asked, and I nodded to clarify. “No, there’s been no one else since Zeke. Not because I’m not ready, and certainly not because I still feel anything for him, but because there hasn’t been anyone that I was willing to put myself out there for.”
“No one?” I asked teasingly.
“Well, that is … until now,” she admitted coyly, and I felt the sudden need to let out a roar and claim her as my own, right here in the middle of the pub.
For Eternity: A Time for Love Series Novella Page 3
