Keira spent the rest of the evening in a happy daze. There was something about being in Shane's company that made her feel carefree and relaxed. It was exciting to have someone to flirt with, to feel those tingles of desire, even if it felt like her work was suffering as a result.
The next day he took her to the annual Irish Barbecue Championships, an event that turned out to be very conducive to writing, since it was filled with competitive men trying to impress single women with little more than their ability to shovel copious amounts of meat into their mouths.
After several hours at the Barbecue Championships, it became impossible to tell apart the pink-faced, round-bellied, mucky-mouthed males from the pigs they were munching on. If a drunk female walks home with her arm slung around a hog roast declaring her undying love, I don't think I'll even be surprised.
When Nina received that update email-along with some accompanying photographs that Keira had taken of a group of chubby, drunk guys holding up barbecued chickens thighs, looking somewhere between cheery and menacing-she was thrilled.
More of this, please! Except I want to see what would happen if you dated one of them. Time to get your hands dirty, Keira!
The thought of dating one of those oafish lads repulsed Keira. So she found the next best thing: Lisdoonvarna's Speed Dating Event! She'd never done anything like speed dating. The thought of it made her cringe. And this was speed dating on a massive scale. Fifty participants! It took her two large sauvignon blancs to build up the courage to do more than just observe and take notes. But once she took the plunge, she discovered it a far quicker route to procuring usable information. Nina was right, getting her hands dirty was a good approach.
Keira had three minutes to speak to each man before a bell was rung to signal that they needed to move on. By the end she'd got her opening gambit down to a simple, "I'm a reporter. This is a tape recorder. Okay?"
It ended up being several grueling hours of listening to men drone on about their various careers, their hopes, their dreams.
Each face melds into the next. I'm certain I've already spoken to Craig, the plumber from Dublin. But no, that is Craig, sitting across the hall from me, presumably repeating his spiel about being good with his hands to a woman who looks as equally unimpressed with him as I was. Which means this is a different man I'm talking to. "I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name," I admit. This is Carl. He's also a plumber from Dublin. And he is to be just one of dozens of plumbers I meet that evening…
Nina responded just as positively to that piece. Bryn, on the other hand, replied with, You should have gone for it, sis. I bet that Craig guy really is good with his hands.
When the speed dating event ended, Keira was supposed to partake in some dancing while the organizers tabulated the yes matches, but she skipped out on that bit. She didn't feel like dancing with any Craigs or Carls, or any plumbers, Dublin based or otherwise. Because there was someone else she wanted to spend the evening dancing beside. And even though she pretended the reason she decided against collecting her list of successful matches was because she was worried that no one would have put her name down as a yes, it was really because she was only interested in one specific man's opinion of her.
*
Keira wondered, as she looked across the bar at Orin, whether this was what it was like to have a father. It was the end of the second week of her trip and the two of them were munching on their breakfast of toast, egg, and sausage; something that had become a ritual for the two of them. Since the rest of the B&B guests came and went, Keira's consistency allowed for a father-daughter friendship to blossom between them. Her own father had left while she'd still been young so she'd never had the chance to find out what that would feel like.
"Where are you and Shane off to today?" Orin asked, setting his coffee down in its saucer.
At the mention of his name, Keira felt a warm feeling spread through her. Nothing had happened between them. Not externally, anyway. Emotionally things seemed to be deepening. Their connection seemed to grow stronger every time they met. Keira found herself looking forward to seeing him each day, anticipating their next excursion with excitement. It felt like each passing day brought her further away from Zachary and pushed her closer to Shane.
Keira checked her notes. "We're going to Dingle," she said. Then looking up, she added, "Or is that a joke?" She never really knew when it came to Shane.
Orin chuckled. "There's a place called Dingle, all right. Beautiful spot. You'll love it."
Keira didn't think she'd ever get over these funny names. She'd filled her phone up with photos of street names and town signs, sending them to Bryn and Nina indiscriminately.
Just then, Keira felt her phone vibrate and checked to see she'd received an email from Joshua. She groaned to herself. His pestering was becoming unbearable. He shouldn't even be awake at this time; it would be the early hours of the morning in New York City! It must be the crazy sleep-wake schedule his painkillers were causing.
Keira, you've been in Ireland for two weeks and have sent me barely anything. Mere paragraphs. Simple sentences. Where's the story?!? I don't care how "good" Nina says your little schemes are if you can't transform it into a compelling narrative. If I could fire you and take over, I'd have this assignment done in a matter of days. You're just exploiting the fact I'm in a position where I need you to write this piece. But don't forget there's always future assignments, Keira. We'll be in that boardroom together again soon enough and once we are I will use everything in my power to get you kicked off Viatorum and never work again!!
Keira quickly stashed her phone away. She'd started to get used to these kind of abusive messages from him, and their impact was lessening somewhat. Plus, Joshua was far less scary on the other end of an email than he was in person. Not having to actually be face to face with him while receiving his verbal bashings made him far easier to ignore. But she wouldn't be able to carry on like this indefinitely. Ignoring her boss was a short-term solution to the very real and long-term problem of her having written very little of value so far. She was dreading the day he decided to actually pick up the phone to berate her. It certainly couldn't be too far in the future now…
"I should try to get some writing done before Shane arrives," Keira told Orin.
This had become another one of their rituals. Breakfast, then Keira going upstairs to "get some writing done" before heading off with Shane for another "tour of Ireland." Except really what she was doing after breakfast was sitting in her room staring at her laptop until Shane arrived to whisk her away for what was to all intents and purposes a date.
Orin nodded, accommodating as ever. Keira went up to her room.
She sat by the window, looking out at the cobbled street below and the signs of last night's party still fluttering in the wind, her laptop sitting closed on the desk beside her. For a recently dumped women who was a hair's-breadth away from getting fired she felt incredibly happy with the way her life was going.
Keira opened her document, the one that consisted of the initial rant she'd written followed by notes and unusable interviews. There was also a long passage she'd written about her heartbreak over Zachary, although she could hardly even recognize herself in the writing anymore. Those feelings had already faded away. As much as she was loath to admit it, Joshua had actually made the right call when he trashed her idea of incorporating the breakup into the piece.
Yet he was still demanding this be a personal account. Which basically meant Keira had to pretend to hate it here, to still believe that romance was dead and love just a relic of centuries gone by. But lying was easier said than done. With her fingers hovering over the keyboard, Keira just could not bring any words to mind. All she could think about were the couple who won the horse and cart race, the divorced man at the bar, Shane's parents and their everlasting affection. Romance. Love. It was everywhere. And she was falling for it.
What she really needed was to find someone lonely who she could channel when writing. Just then, Keira had a sudden moment of inspiration. Leaving her laptop behind, she rushed downstairs to find Orin. He was reading his newspaper at the bar, their empty breakfast plates still laid out in front of him.
"That was quick," he joked when he looked up and saw Keira striding toward him. "Didn't get much done, I take it?"
Keira took the bar stool opposite him. "I was wondering, actually, whether I might be able to ask you what your story is."
Orin frowned and put down his newspaper. "My story? What story?"
"Your romantic history," Keira said. "You work here alone. No wife, right?"
"So you noticed," Orin quipped.
"Well, what's the deal there?" Keira asked. "What's your story? I mean every year you get overrun by attendees to the Festival of Love. But you have nobody to love yourself."
Orin's expression became suddenly downcast; his lack of luck in love was evidently something that got him down.
Keira felt a flicker of relief to know that at least someone in this town was unlucky in love. Maybe there was still a chance to turn this all around. If she put herself into the mindset of Orin, for whom love had eluded, perhaps she'd be able to capture the voice Joshua needed from her for the article. She could play a character. At least that might ease some of the guilt she felt about having to bash this place in her article.
"I never married," Orin said, glumly. "Never found the right girl."
Keira suppressed her smile, but secretly she was filled with glee to know that she was finally getting some material.
"Was William never able to match you?" she asked.
Orin shook his head. "He tried, all right. But I'm picky, Keira. I'd meet a nice girl but then something would ruin it, something silly would start to bother me. I'd break up with her and go back to William and say, 'yes, that was close but can you make sure the next one doesn't bite her nails?' Then William would find me one that didn't bite her nails and I'd say, 'yes, close, but can you find me one that doesn't dye her hair?' On and on like that until suddenly I'm sixty and alone."
Keira nodded, keeping her expression somewhere between neutral and sympathetic. She scribbled Orin's story down in her notebook and tried to think of ways to work his narrative into the narrative she needed to create.
"So the idea of The One never came true for you," Keira pressed. "When did you decide it was never going to happen?"
Orin looked puzzled. "I haven't given up." He seemed a bit affronted by the suggestion. "I'm still holding onto hope." Then his expression became even sadder as he added, "Do you think that's foolish of me?"
Keira looked at him, torn between getting the inspiration she needed and comforting her friend. She sighed and put her notebook down. "That's not foolish. Not at all."
"You don't think that maybe love isn't for everyone?" Orin asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "That maybe not everyone can be happy?"
Keira shook her head and gazed at him sympathetically. "I think that William can work miracles if you just give him the chance." She realized as she said it that she actually believed it. The matchmaker's successes were everywhere. He'd made a living from it. More importantly, he'd made hundreds of people happy and content. "I think there's someone for everyone," she added. "Maybe sometimes it's just about waiting for the right moment to meet them."
Just then, the door opened and in walked Shane. Keira sat bolt upright, almost startled by his appearance at that exact moment. It felt a bit too coincidental.
He was wearing a white top with a cartoon bear on it and jeans. Simple, yet gorgeous. Keira couldn't stop herself from swooning. She'd taken to wearing a thicker foundation just to hide her blushes when he was around.
"You ready?" Shane asked Keira, strolling over and picking up a piece of discarded toast from her plate.
Keira nodded.
"Keira was just attempting to lift my spirits," Orin explained.
"Oh?" Shane asked. "Why do you need your spirits lifted?"
"Because I'm a lonely old fool," he said.
Keira felt a pang of guilt then. She should never have used Orin like that, trying to make him feel bad about his situation and lack of luck in love just for her own gains. This article was toxic for her. The whole job was. She felt like more of a fraud than ever.
She got off the stool and leaned forward, kissing Orin right in the middle of his forehead. He looked bemused.
"What was that for?" he said, blushing.
"You're not an old fool," she said. "You're a lovely, gentle man. There's someone out there for you. Just keep your mind and eyes open. You'll find her soon enough."
Orin smiled. Then Keira looped her arm through Shane's and they left the pub together.
*
"You have got to be kidding me," Keira said, laughing. She was looking at the flank of an enormous chocolate-colored horse that Shane had just informed her she was about to ride through the countryside of Dingle.
"Why not?" Shane said. "Never ridden a horse before? I thought America was home of the cowboy! Cowgirl, in your case."
Keira gave him a withering look. "I'm not from the Midwest. I'm from New York City. We're very cultured there, I'll have you know."
Shane folded his arms. "Look, if you're going to be a wimp…"
"I'm no coward!" Keira protested, rising to his bait immediately. "I can ride a horse as well as anyone. Probably."
Shane grinned to himself. "Then let me give you a leg up."
Keira exhaled, shaking her head. How did she get herself into these situations? Shane knelt down and cupped his hands over his knees for her to step into. Keira placed her foot in his makeshift stirrup and rested her hands on the horse's back.
"Ready?" he said. "On three. One, two, three."
Keira felt herself being flung up in the air. She threw her leg around, twisting until she was on the horse's back. She let out a cry of delight.
"I did it!" she exclaimed.
"Very good," Shane replied. He walked over to his own horse, a dappled gray, and quickly mounted her.
"You're a natural," Keira said.
"Of course I am," Shane replied. "I grew up on a farm. I've been riding horses my whole life."
Keira smiled, adding the talent to the list of others than Shane possessed. She found his company so exhilarating because he'd lived such a different life from her. His life had been filled with adventure, with nature. Hers had been busy streets and high-rise buildings. Not that she'd want to swap them-she'd never have survived growing up in a place like this-but she was glad their past experiences were so different. It meant they brought such different things to the table.
"Right, you follow my lead," Shane said.
He kicked his legs into the horse's flank and she began to trot forward. Keira did the same, copying him.
They took it slowly, the horses treading delicately through the fields, along paths that had been made purely by hoof. Trees stretched up either side of them, making dappled shadows skitter across the ground.
"It's really beautiful here," Keira said, breaking the silence for the first time.
"Peaceful, right?" Shane agreed. "There's nothing like a horse ride through the countryside to clear your mind."
"You need to clear your mind?" Keira asked, picking up on a hint of sadness in his tone. She wondered whether he was homesick again. Or whether he was thinking of Deidre and John.
"I meant you," Shane said, laughing.
Keira frowned, puzzled. "What makes you think I need to clear my mind?"
Shane barked out a laugh. "You're joking, right? You walk around with your head in the clouds these days. I can tell Ireland's got under your skin."
Keira felt herself blush. It was more than just Ireland that had got under her skin.
"I mean, what happened to the stressed NYC princess I met two weeks ago?" Shane continued. "You're supposed to be writing an article but you're acting like you're on vacation! No, not quite that. You're acting like one of those hippie types who spends all day meditating and doesn't need a job because they grow all their own vegetables in the garden."
Keira tutted with mock disapproval. "Hardly."
"You don't believe me?" Shane mocked. "Look in a mirror next time you're near one. You won't recognize yourself."
Keira didn't say anything. Shane was probably far closer to the truth than he realized.
They reached a small creek and the horses clopped through, splashing water as they went. Keira felt her shoes become sodden. They were an expensive pair of leather brogues but remarkably, Keira didn't care in the slightest. Soggy shoes was a small price to pay for such a magical experience, and even if the leather was ruined and stained with muck, it would remind her of this moment forever.
"So when are you going to get the guts up to ask William to match you?" Shane asked Keira.
She furrowed her brow. "You think he should?"
His question had confused her. She thought they were getting close. Had she just been seeing what she wanted to see?
"For inspiration for your article," Shane clarified. "Isn't that the whole point of being here? To see whether it works?"
"Oh," Keira said, trying not to let her relief show too much.
She considered Shane's suggestion. Maybe that was the way to go. If William matched her with someone it would inevitably be disastrous, because it was Shane she wanted. Maybe a bad date would give her enough material to put into her article. But at the same time, the thought of dating anyone made her feel odd for some reason. It would feel a bit like she was cheating on Shane, even though they weren't a couple.
"Why don't you go first?" she said, diverting attention from herself and her confusing feelings. "Go on a matchmaker date and let me take notes."
Shane just laughed. "That would be weird. And anyway, I'm not looking to date at the moment."
"You're not?" Keira asked, feeling a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. "Not looking for another Tessa?"
"Who?" Shane asked.
The swooping sensation of disappointment in Keira's gut grew. She remembered how Bryn had told her Shane was a player and how she'd immediately decided to ignore her advice and get close to him anyway. But he so clearly was; he couldn't even remember the names of his conquests!
"Never mind," Keira said.
They carried trotting on in silence.
"Oh crap," Shane said, suddenly.
"What?"
Shane pointed up. Keira looked to the sky. It was gray and there were clouds rolling quickly toward them.
"It's going to rain," Shane said. "Want to head back? We might need to canter."
"I can't canter!" Keira cried. "Are you crazy?"
"Either that or get wet," Shane replied.
Keira sighed. "Then I'll just have to get wet."
They turned the horses around and headed back the way they'd come, at an equally slow pace as the one they'd headed out with. In a matter of moments, the sky split open and a downpour began to drench them.
"How are you feeling about cantering now?" Shane shouted over the sound of the rain cascading off tree leaves.
Keira glared at him. She began to shiver, already soaked to the bone. The horses began tossing their manes, showering them even more. Their hooves kicked wet, sloppy mud onto their clothes.
When they reached the creek they'd passed before they found that it was now more of a river, at least a foot deep whereas before it had been merely a few inches. The water moved rapidly.
"The horses won't want to cross this," Shane shouted over the downpour.
"What do you mean?" Keira cried. She shoved tendrils of wet hair off her face.
"It's too fast. They'll bolt and then we'll be stuck."
"What are we supposed to do then?" Keira shouted over the sound of heavy rain.
"We'll just have to wait it out," Shane said.
Keira was less than impressed. Her mood worsened when she saw where Shane was directing; toward a large dilapidated barn made of rotting wood. The roof was caving in in places, letting water seep through. Only the middle part of the structure would provide them with anything even remotely resembling shelter. Warmth was definitely out of the question.
Shane helped Keira down from the horse. She landed in a muddy puddle. Then he tethered the horses up.
"Isn't that a bit cruel?" Keira asked. "Leaving them out in the rain like that?"
"They can't exactly stand there with us," Shane replied, pointing at the narrow section of roof and the dry patch beneath it. It was barely even a foot across. The horses would only be semi-covered anyway. "They have waterproof coats," he added. "It's us we should be worrying about."
He gestured for her to go inside. Keira shivered as she stepped over branches and mulch and debris from the caved in roof. This didn't seem particularly sensible, like the building could easily fall down if the wind picked up.
She stood in the dry patch, keeping her arms tightly into her body so they were out of the downpour cascading down either side of her. Now out of the rain, she became aware of how every last inch of her was wet, right down to the underwear.
"I'm never going to get my article written stuck here," she moaned.
At least she was in a bad mood again, the sort of mood Joshua needed her in for the article. If she could cling onto this feeling until she got home, maybe she'd stand a chance of writing something halfway decent. A page of whining to get him off her back.
But Keira found her mood didn't last that long at all. Because Shane was looking at her with a sparkle in his eyes.
"What?" she said. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I was just thinking," Shane began, "how this would be the exact moment in a romance film when the two leads kissed for the first time. The rain. The shivering damsel."
Keira felt like she'd been knocked sideways by his words, by the burning look in his eyes.
"Well, this isn't a movie," Keira said. "This is real life."
Shane took a step closer to her. "You know what they say, though, don't you?" His voice seemed to have dropped in volume.
Keira swallowed. Shane was close enough for her to see the raindrops rolling down his skin. Feel the warmth radiating from him. She looked up into his eyes.
"What do they say?" she asked, hearing her own voice sounding as husky as his.
Shane took the final step needed to close the space between them. He was now right next to her, so close their skin touched. He reached out and cupped his hand beneath her chin, tipping her head up.
"They say," he said, "That life imitates art."
Then he bent his head closer to her and pressed his lips against hers. Keira felt her whole body begin to burn in response. No longer was she shivering from cold. Now she was shivering from passion, from desire. It was a sensation like none she'd ever felt before.
So much for clinging onto her bad mood. Keira felt exhilarated, carefree. Happier than ever before.
