Kate Hoffmann - Kellan

“In a word, yes!” Dealy said.

“You’re crazy. She’s not a mermaid,” Kellan repeated.

“Well, I know that and you know that. Everyone in town knows that. But the tourists don’t. That silly Blarney stone makes millions every year and we need a share of the money bein’ thrown about. People come to Ireland because of the leprechauns and fairies and all those other silly legends.”

“I realize that,” Kellan said. “But I don’t think Gelsey is interested in that kind of attention. She seems to be a woman who values her privacy.”

“It’s not like we’d be askin’ her to swim around in a giant tank all day,” Markus said. “We just want to explore the marketing possibilities.”

“Yeah,” Dealy said. “The marketing possibilities.”

“Do you have any idea what that means?” Kellan said.

Markus shrugged. “It was in the pamphlet the tourism board sent. But I know what I know. There’s bleedin’ leprechauns all over this island. But nobody has a mermaid.” He shrugged. “You could mention it to her? See what she thought?”

“She has enough going on already. She took a job at Maeve’s shop and-”

“She’s workin’ for Maeve?” Johnnie frowned. “Oh, Jaysus, that’s not good. A few days with her and she’ll be running as fast as she can from Ballykirk. The woman is mad as a hatter, that one.”

“Not necessarily,” Dealy said. “Maeve has been talking about selling her shop. We need to convince the mermaid to stay. What if we talk Maeve into selling the shop to Gelsey? A new retail establishment run by a clever little mermaid. The tourists will flock to Ballykirk.”

“That’s it,” Markus said. “Now we have a plan.” He clapped Kellan on the shoulder. “And just to make certain, we’d like you to hide the clothes you found her in. This whole scheme will go to hell if we lose her. I don’t want to be takin’ any risks.”

“If you three start bothering her, she might decide to leave.”

“Well, then, it’s your job to keep her happy,” Markus said. “She’s… community property. ”

“Maybe it is best that he talk to her about our scheme, boys,” Johnnie said. “He’s the one who rescued her. So she is beholden to him.”

Dealy nodded, his expression serious. “Feel her out. Find out what she’s lookin’ for. She could make a real nice home for herself here in Ballykirk. And we could help her out. It would be mutually beneficial.”

“Yeah,” Markus said. “Tell her that. Mutually beneficial.”

Katie appeared from the kitchen with their lunch order. She set the food in front of him, paper-wrapped sandwiches and bags of crisps tucked neatly into a box. Kellan drained the rest of the Guinness from his glass and pushed to his feet. He winked at Katie. “Thanks, love.”

Katie grinned at him. “Bring your girl down to the pub for dinner so we can all get a look at her. We’ve got herring on the menu tonight. And Danny says she’s a right vixen, she is.”

“You, too?”

“Ah, I’m just playin’ with you,” Katie said. “Everyone is talking. We’re all a bit curious about the girl.”

Kellan headed to the door. Their offer was made. But Kellan was willing to consider anything that might keep Gelsey in Ballykirk. He didn’t hold out much hope for her work at Maeve’s-the woman had been a bit daft for as long as he could remember. But with Gelsey’s beauty and charisma, it might just work.

Kellan recalled the phone conversation he’d heard the first night Gelsey had stayed with him. She had at least one person who cared enough to worry over her and maybe a place that she called home. But for some reason, she’d decided to stay in Ballykirk, at least for the near future.

Tucking the box under his arm, Kellan strode toward the waterfront. Riley and Nan had purchased a small cottage overlooking the harbor at Ballykirk. It was about the same size as the Quinn cottage on the hill, but it was in much worse condition. Riley had already replaced the roof and refinished the floors, but both the exterior and interior still needed painting and the windows were a mess.

Kellan had already contacted a few of the contractors who’d worked on Castle Cnoc and they’d agreed to do new plumbing and electricity at a bargain price. He’d decided it would be his wedding present to the happy couple.

When he arrived at the cottage, his brothers and the girls had decided to start work on the facade. The sun had warmed that side of the house and the breeze had died down, taking the last bit of chill out of the air.

“There he is,” Riley called. “Poor Nan is about to faint from hunger.”

Nan took a swipe at Riley with a paintbrush. “Hush.”

Kellan glanced back and forth between the two of them, watching a pretty blush stain Nan’s cheeks. “She’s been working hard,” he said. “She deserves a break for lunch.”

“Oh, it’s not that,” Riley said.

“You said you were going to wait to tell them!” Nan cried.

“Tell us what?” Jordan asked. Danny and Gelsey joined the group with curious looks on their faces.

Riley slipped his arm around Nan’s shoulders and grinned. “Nan is eating for two.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jordan said. “I ordered two sandwiches, too. All of this outdoor work makes me so hungry.”

“Don’t mind her,” Danny said. “All this fresh air has made her a bit cabbaged.”

“What’s cabbaged?” Gelsey whispered. “Why is she cabbaged? I ordered two sandwiches, too. Is that bad?”

“I expect this isn’t about sandwiches. Riley is trying to tell us that Nan is going to have a baby,” Kellan explained.

“Oh, my God,” Jordan shouted. “Is that true?”

At Nan’s nod, the entire group surrounded her for hugs and kisses. Even Gelsey offered her congratulations before stepping back to slip her arm through Kellan’s. She looked over at him and smiled. “It’s wonderful news.”

“Yes.” Kellan added, “Riley will make a fine father.” He drew in a deep breath. The news had hit him in an odd way. He was happy for the couple, yet he felt a bit strange that Riley would experience fatherhood before he did. Kellan had always been the oldest boy, always been first at everything. But now, he seemed to be trailing behind in his brothers in all the important things.

“I’m going to fetch us a few more beers,” he said, setting the box of sandwiches down on the front step.

“None for me,” Nan said. “You can bring me a soda. I’m sorry, a mineral,” she corrected, using the Irish word.

“You want to give me a hand?” Kellan asked Gelsey.

She followed him inside. The house was nearly empty, except for a few pieces of tatty furniture and the tools Riley was using to renovate the place. But there was a functioning refrigerator in the kitchen and it was stocked with cold drinks.

“Beer for me,” Gelsey said.

He opened two bottles and handed one to her. “Are you having fun? Or is this too much too soon?”

“I like your brothers,” Gelsey said, stepping across the kitchen to give him a kiss. She ran her hand along his cheek. “And I like Nan and Jordan, too.”

“The two of them together can be a bit intimidating. They’re both American and when they have an opinion they tend to just throw it out there for everyone to hear.”

Gelsey shrugged. “I don’t have many girlfriends,” she murmured. “I think I’d like having a girlfriend if they were like Nan or Jordan.”

Kellan leaned back against the refrigerator and watched a wistful expression dance across her pretty features. “You don’t have any girlfriends?”

Gelsey shook her head. “No. Women usually don’t like me.”

“Why not?”

“Did you get me a corned-beef sandwich?” she asked, deftly changing the subject. “I love corned beef.” Gelsey took the other beer from his hand, then headed for the door. By the time he joined her with the rest of the drinks, she was seated on the step, unwrapping her lunch. He gave his brothers each a beer and handed the mineral to Nan, before he sat down beside her.