The irish blessing, p.2
The Irish Blessing, page 2
I shook my head at her comment. Besides lacking decorum, Mel had a one-track mind that revolved around men and sex. I’d have been more offended by her behavior if we hadn’t grown up together. Mel and her family had been my only source of comfort for several years following my mother’s death.
*
We were in Providenciales in Turks and Caicos in less than two hours. Mel and I walked out of the airport terminal and looked for our driver. He was supposed to be waiting for us outside the exit. We scanned the crowd of people that stood behind the rope barricade in front of us, their faces searching the mass of exiting passengers.
“I don’t see him. None of the signs the people are holding have your last name on it.” Mel paced back and forth as she continued to scan the crowd. “It is your name we’re looking for, right? You didn’t book it in my name, did you?”
“I booked it in my name, but I don’t see it on any of the signs.” I looked around the area again. “We’ve had nothing but problems since we started this vacation. I swear. Somebody keeps messing with us. Our missing driver better not turn into another reservation issue. Speaking of issues, now is as good a time as any to set the ground rules for this vacation. There will be no attempts to pair me up and no putting me in the middle of an awkward situation this week. Last year, our vacation to Aruba was a disaster, with you constantly trying to play matchmaker. I prefer no replays. Got it?”
“Dang. You sound like a warden or something. Okay. I got it. But one of these days, you’ll get tired of being lonely and lower your ridiculous expectations. I’m just trying to help you out.”
“I don’t need any help.”
“Fine. Let’s just find our driver. I want to get to our hotel and have a drink. You make me feel like I’m back in school with all these rules.” Mel scanned the crowd. “There’s our driver.” She pointed towards a tall, dark-skinned man with long dreadlocks. Dressed in a dark suit, he held a sign with my last name displayed on it. Mel led the way toward the man.
“Hi. Is one of you Alyssa Whalen?”
“Yes. That’s me,” I said.
“Geez. After twenty-eight years, it still seems weird to hear that name.” Mel pursed her lips as she stared at me. “It doesn’t even fit your personality.”
“You’re not Alyssa Whalen?” The man appeared worried, wrinkles lining his forehead.
“No. I mean, yes. That’s my legal name. I don’t use it and go by Liz instead.”
“That’s cool. I’m Thomas. Liz suits you better, or at least it sounds better.”
“Thanks. Mel here is responsible for my nickname. She started calling me Liz when we were little kids because she couldn’t pronounce Alyssa.”
“Hey, don’t complain. I could have called you something weird.”
“Ladies, if you don’t mind, I’ll take your bags, and you can follow me. I parked my car in the lot across from the terminal.” Thomas led us down the sidewalk to the end of the building. We crossed the road, walking along the edge of a traffic circle until we were in the parking lot. He stopped at a black Cadillac Escalade. “Okay. Here we are. As soon as I load the bags, we’ll be going.” He walked to the rear of the vehicle and opened the tailgate. Realizing he’d left us standing next to the car, he darted back and opened our door.
The two of us settled in the back seat, and Mel giggled. “This guy is funny. He’s like a cross between Bob Marley and the butler from that old television show. Oh, what was it called? The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. That’s the name of it. I like him, and he’s cute too. I bet he’d be fun. You should go for it.” Mel nudged my arm as she observed Thomas through the window.
“Cute or not, please don’t start. May I remind you, I’m not here to find a playmate. It might be your style, but it’s not mine.”
Thomas opened his door and sat in the driver’s seat, appearing distracted as he rifled through a stack of paperwork on the dashboard. Unable to find what he was searching for, he tossed the paperwork on the console next to him. He looked at us in the rearview mirror. “Where am I taking you?”
“We’re going to the Island Palms Resort. You know where it is, right?” I expelled a deep breath. Our day was getting worse rather than better.
“Island Palms. That’s right.” Thomas pulled away from the parking lot and drove down the two-lane road. “It’s about a ten-minute drive up the highway. It’s a pleasant hotel. I know one of the bartenders there. His name’s Kip.” Thomas chuckled. “Be careful if he serves you. He can mix some strange concoctions, and they’re strong too. In case you’re looking for a place for dinner outside your hotel, I’d recommend a restaurant at the marina called Kiki’s. Their bartenders are pretty cool, and they have the freshest seafood and one of the best chefs on the island.”
“Thank you for the warning and recommendation. It’s good to know,” I said.
We turned off the highway onto a private tree-lined road. A minute later, we were parking under the attached portico next to the hotel lobby.
Mel’s eyes darted along the hotel’s exterior as we climbed out of the vehicle, a palette of reds, pinks, and yellows bursting from the flowerbeds. “Hmm. For a last-minute booking, we ended up at a classy place. I like it better than our original hotel. Now I’m glad they screwed up our reservation.” She spun around and walked toward the area inside the curvature of the driveway. “Check out the fountain with the dolphins. That thing is huge.”
“That’s the largest fountain I’ve ever seen. The design is intriguing with the way the dolphins are leaping out of the jets of water.” I turned toward Thomas, giving him a tip after he set our luggage on the driveway. Walking over to Mel, I scanned the colorful landscaping, sucking in my breath as a spray of water from the fountain hit me in the face. I wiped the liquid from my cheek, wondering what or who was going to target me next.
CHAPTER 2
SHANE
After checking into the hotel and getting situated in our room, Mel and I went downstairs to the poolside bar. With all the drama and hiccups to get here, all I wanted to do was unwind and get something to drink. Nestled between flowerbeds filled with tropical plants and palm trees, it had a relaxing appearance. A row of tables sat between the oval-shaped bar and the swimming pool, and a deck area with more tables and an open space for musicians and dancing was to the right. A social gathering spot, the place was busy, with a trio of bartenders scrambling behind the counter.
“How about the far side of the bar? There are two empty seats between those middle-aged ladies in the bright yellow and pink blouses and that auburn-haired woman in the red shirt.” I pointed to the chairs, their backs to the swimming pool.
“Looks good to me,” Mel said.
We maneuvered around several groups of people standing near the bar as we made our way to the other side and slipped into the empty barstools.
“Hello. I’m Caitlin.” The auburn-haired woman sitting next to me turned to face us.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Liz, and this is Mel.”
Mel gave Caitlin a fleeting glance, her attention focused on two guys on the other side of the bar.
“Where are the two of you from?” Caitlin took a sip of her drink, the ice clinking against the empty glass as she set it down.
“We’re from San Diego.” I paused a moment. The woman’s accent sounded familiar. “Are you from Ireland?”
“Yes, I am. My husband and I flew here yesterday from Dublin. I’m surprised you could identify my accent. Few people get it right.”
“I normally wouldn’t. I met someone from Ireland this morning, and your accent sounds like his, although yours is stronger.”
“Ireland. Isn’t that the land of leprechauns? I’d love to go there and find a hot, sexy-looking one.” Mel giggled like she did when we were teenagers.
Caitlin reached across me and touched Mel’s arm. “You know there’s no such thing as a leprechaun.” Her voice was low and full of concern.
I shook my head. Mel had such a one-track mind. “I’m sorry, Caitlin. You’ll have to excuse Mel. Her comments can be a little colorful. She wasn’t referencing a leprechaun.”
As she thought about it, Caitlin’s cheeks turned pink. “Oh, you are horrible. And, yes, we do have good-looking men in Ireland.”
I was beginning to like Caitlin. She seemed personable.
Mel gave me a little nudge. “Check them out. The blond guy is cute. Don’t you think?” She nodded toward the two guys that grabbed her attention when we sat down.
“Not really.”
“What do you mean? I think he’s cute.”
“The guy’s young, and the way he’s wearing that brown baseball cap sideways makes him look like a little kid.” There was a noise to my right. I turned to find Caitlin trying to stifle a snicker.
Mel crossed her arms in front of her, displaying a defiant look. “I think we should move to those empty seats across the bar and join those two guys.”
“You promised to behave, remember?” I looked at Caitlin. “Mel has a knack for dragging me into awkward situations and trying to set me up with random guys, although I’ve said a million times I’m not interested. She’s supposed to behave this trip.”
“It sounds like Mel might be finding herself a friend. I have a dinner reservation with my family and three others. You should join us, Liz. It might be safer.”
“Dang. Those guys are leaving the bar. I’m too late.” Mel looked frustrated as she watched the two guys walk away.
“In that case, you’re both welcome to join us. The more the merrier.” Caitlin suddenly beamed, focusing on a group of four people walking toward the bar. She waved at them, a burly dark-haired man waving back. “Here comes my cousin and his friends along with my husband. I wondered where he was.”
Caught entirely off guard, I traded glances with my gift shop rescuer from Miami. I winced as Mel’s elbow contacted my ribs.
“Ladies, I’d like to introduce you to my family and friends. This is my cousin, Shane.” Caitlin motioned toward the man in the green shirt. “Next to him is Dylan and Dylan’s wife, Margaret. They’re good friends of Shane’s. The big handsome man standing in the back is my husband, Patrick.” Caitlin turned toward Mel and me. “These two ladies are Liz and Mel.”
Dylan was a sandy-haired man of medium height and a slim build. He wore a pair of brown-framed eyeglasses. Margaret was slightly shorter with a shapely figure, her blond hair pulled back into a braid.
“Hello.” Dylan slipped an arm around Margaret’s shoulder as he greeted us.
“Hi. It’s nice to meet you,” Margaret said.
Patrick nodded at us, the grin that had appeared when Caitlin called him handsome still there.
“Hello.” Shane addressed Mel. “I remember you from the Miami airport.”
“I remember. You were at our gate.”
“Liz. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” Shane said with an amused grin. “It looks like you took me up on my recommendation. I’m sure you’ll find this resort pleasant.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Our previous encounter didn’t exactly call for an exchange of names, and, yes, this hotel seems much better than our original resort. Thank you for the recommendation.” Shane’s voice intrigued me just as it had in the gift shop. The deep, husky tone and Irish accent created a sense of pleasure that ran right through me. I caught myself focusing on his neck as he stood there, the fragrance of his cologne a sensual memory. Part of me wished he’d move closer, so I could breathe in his scent again.
“You two have met?” Caitlin stared at Shane.
“We met in one of the stores at the Miami airport. Liz was trying to find an unusual book, and we stumbled across one another.”
“I’ve asked these ladies to join us for dinner. Our reservation is in ten minutes, so we should head to the restaurant. Where’s Anna?” Caitlin said.
“She went to the salon. She chipped a nail and went to get it repaired. She’ll be joining us later,” Shane said.
Caitlin muttered under her breath at his comment.
Patrick led the way to the restaurant and approached the host at the podium when we got there. “We have a reservation. It’s under the last name of Burke. There’s going to be eight of us instead of six.”
“Yes, sir. I have your reservation. We have a table that will seat eight out on the patio. Please follow me.” The man grabbed a stack of menus and led our party outside. He walked around the table, handing them out as we sat in our chairs. “George will be your server this evening. He’ll be right with you to take your drink order.”
Another employee was immediately at the table, filling up our water glasses.
I scanned the dining area while I sat there. String lights stretched across the open space above us, and decorative lanterns perched along the perimeter walls. Navy-blue linens, elegant-looking dinnerware, and an assortment of stemware adorned the tables, with candles in miniature metal lanterns the centerpieces. With the sun going down, the ambience was delightful. I peeked at Shane sitting next to me as a strange sensation came over me. There was a familiarity of some sort between us. Rather than a stranger who I’d recently met, Shane seemed like an old friend that I hadn’t seen in a while. Confused, I couldn’t make sense of what I was feeling.
“Liz, where are you from?” Patrick was looking at me from the head of the table.
“I’m from San Diego. I was born and raised there, specifically in the North County. I’m in one of the beach cities.”
“Sunshine and beaches? How horrible. You must hate it.” Shane turned toward me, feigning a look of distaste.
“I do. It’s so hard to get up in the morning with the sun shining and the sky a beautiful blue. I fight against it constantly.” Our conversation was fun. Shane seemed an easygoing person, besides being quite attractive.
“Good evening. My name is George. What can I get you to drink?” Our server was standing next to Patrick.
“Oh, before you take our order, could I get you to take a picture of us?” Caitlin held up her cell phone from the other end of the rectangular table. She appeared unconcerned by the scowl on Patrick’s face.
“Certainly.” George took the cell phone from Caitlin and took several steps backward. “Everyone smile.” He took several pictures. Then he handed the phone back to Caitlin and waited for her to check the photos.
“They look nice. Thank you.” Caitlin put her phone facedown on the table and smiled at George. “I suppose you should start by taking my husband’s order first. He’s the grumpy one at the head of the table. He gets that way when he’s hungry.” She winked at me when George walked over to Patrick.
“Does everyone know what they want to order? We might as well order our food with our drinks.” Patrick glanced around the table, his gaze settling on Caitlin.
Shane leaned toward me. “Patrick is an impatient man and doesn’t beat around the bush.”
“He’s just efficient,” I whispered, browsing my menu.
“I’ll have the prime rib, cooked medium, and a glass of the house cabernet sauvignon.” Patrick handed George his menu.
“What can I get you, sir?” George was looking at Shane.
“I’ll have the Caicos lobster and a glass of the Cambria chardonnay.” Shane closed his menu and handed it to him.
“And you, miss?” George had come to my end of the table and stood between Caitlin and me.
“I’ll have the same as him.” I nodded toward Shane.
“Copycat.” Shane spread his napkin in his lap as he glanced at me. “You seem intent on following my lead. First, you trail me into the store at the airport. Then you book yourself on my flight, and now, you copy my choice for dinner. It makes me wonder what’s next.” The corner of his mouth twitched, and he had a sparkle in his eyes when he glanced at me.
“If the waiter had gone around the table in the other direction, I’d be saying the same thing about you.”
“That was a snappy response. You’re good at this.” Shane let out a small chuckle. “So, are you searching for any more unusual book titles? That last one of yours was a best seller.” He took a drink from his water glass, an amused look on his face.
“I am. The new title I’m searching for is How to Bring an Arrogant and Overly Confident Irishman Down a Notch.”
Shane started choking on his water. He grabbed his napkin and covered his mouth as he tried to cough up the liquid that appeared to have gone down his windpipe. After his coughing subsided, Shane cleared his throat and set his napkin back in his lap. He turned to look at me. His eyes were watery, and his face pink. “I need to stop asking you about your reading wish list. Your titles are killing me.”
Caitlin burst out laughing. She shifted her gaze from Shane to me. “The two of you are adorable. You go back and forth like a married couple.”
A warmth spread across my cheeks at Caitlin’s comment. At a complete loss on how to respond, I fidgeted with my water glass.
“So, Mel. How long have you and Liz known each other?” Margaret said.
“Liz and I have been friends since preschool. We had a habit of getting into trouble together when we were growing up. I have a funny story about the first time it happened. It was during naptime in preschool.”
“Please don’t. No one wants to hear about this stuff.” I hung my head. This discussion was going sideways fast.
“Sure we do. Mel’s already said too much to stop. So, go on,” Margaret said.
“You can tell it, or I can.” Mel cleared her throat. “Liz?”
“Fine. I’ll tell it. Although, I have no clue why you think the story is funny.” I took a deep breath. “The not-so-funny incident happened on my first day of preschool. My mom had sent me to school with a Sleeping Beauty blanket so I’d be a good girl and take a nap like the princess. I remember spreading my blanket out and lying down, just like the teacher told us. The super-talkative and mean-spirited little girl next to me wouldn’t shut up or leave my blanket alone. To cut a long story short, Mel and I ended up on a timeout in the corner. I cried and cried, but not because of the timeout. I was upset because I didn’t get to take my nap like Sleeping Beauty. To this day, I’d swear Mel traumatized me because I can still remember the pink, yellow, and white blanket.”
