Trish Wylie - Bride Of The Emerald Isle

‘He’s never complained, so maybe he’s happy with it.’

With his eyes still fixed on the grey blanket beyond the wind-screen, he couldn’t attempt a look sideways to see her expression. But he felt the change, heard the slight whisper of the material of her dress against the seat as she straightened. And when she eventually spoke, her voice told him even more.

‘Do you want to tell me what it is I’ve done wrong? Or should we just play twenty questions ’til I hit it? You can give me yes or no answers if that’s easier for you.’

Her tone was cool, but there was an underlying edge to it that translated to him as hurt. Which brought an unwelcome wave of guilt washing over him.

‘Is it because I mentioned Terri’s mother earlier?’

‘No, it’s not because you mentioned Terri’s mother.’

‘Then what is it?’

His fingers flexed around the steering wheel. ‘What makes you so sure you’ve done something wrong?’

‘Maybe the fact that you’ve been staring at me with a scowl on your face for the last half an hour? You need to work some on your polite face, just for future reference.’

‘Not all of us find it easy to bury things so deep that people can’t see them. Or feel the need to try.’

He heard her sharp intake of breath and knew he’d hit a nerve. Well, at least all of his silent observation hadn’t brought him to false conclusions, then…

Another risked, split-second sideways glance found her staring straight ahead, her full mouth pursed in a tight line. ‘Which is what you try doing, isn’t it? It’s what you’ve been doing since I met you this morning.’

Keelin didn’t answer him.

‘I’m not the only one that needs to work some on their polite face. Just for future reference.’

She was silent for another long moment, then. ‘And this isn’t because I made the mistake earlier about your wife—you’re quite sure about that? Because if it is then I apologize again, I had no way of knowing—’

‘It isn’t about that. And she wasn’t my wife.’

‘You didn’t get married?’

‘She wouldn’t marry me. Marrying me would have involved her settling down and she wasn’t ready to do that.’ Now why had he just told her that? She didn’t need to know. No matter how he tried he couldn’t seem to stop himself talking around this woman. Or saying or doing something inappropriate, like offering a hug of comfort or his earlier comment about how ‘good’ he was…

And in telling her this latest piece of information he’d opened a doorway for further conversation on the subject, which was the last thing he wanted. ‘It’s about Terri if you really must know. I’ve spent all of her life making sure she had a secure home and firm foundation to build on. The last thing I need is for a stranger to come in and help feed her obsession with running off to the big city for a life of adventure.’

There was a long pause. Then. ‘And you think one night with me will have her running off?’

‘Well, you sure as hell didn’t help. She’s fourteen! She doesn’t need some complete stranger making it out that the city is all things bright and shiny. And that’s precisely what you did. It’s tough enough keeping young people on the island as it is.’

‘I had no intention of—’

‘Maybe not, but you did.’

Another long pause, then. ‘I see.’

Her voice was cooler this time and Garrett’s resentment grew. This time because she was trying to hide the fact that she was hurt by his words. ‘I don’t expect you to understand my reasoning. I just ask that while you’re here, you try and avoid the subject of how fantastic the city is—’

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