“Apparently doing up Brennan’s house wasn’t enough – now I’m a handyman for Empty Head’s bed and breakfast, too?”
Reid earns himself a slap from his brother.
“I’m working for free – on a Sunday, might I add. Can I at least complain about it?”
“Is that not what you do every day, anyway?” Andy retorts.
“Did you ever consider that I might just have lots of things to complain about?”
“We could’ve done this without him, you know,” Ellie says, turning to Darcy.
We’ve all come to help out Brian and Darcy, who have just started renovating the cottage they’ve bought, which will soon become their B&B. It’s a lazy, late summer Sunday afternoon. The GAA season hasn’t started yet, so there’s no real need for manpower at Veldons; besides, lately I’ve rarely worked evenings. Andy’s decided that the day shifts are enough for me to help out with the accounts, and it basically earns me a full salary. He was never too happy with the thought of me working so late and getting up so early for deliveries. I only work Friday evenings, now, when the pub is full because of the live music; Andy says he feels better when he knows I’m manning the fort.
“Hey, can you give me a hand?” Brian calls, and I walk over to him. “I’m trying to dismantle this useless thing,” he says, referring to an old tool shed which is barely standing.
“Are you sure you want to just get rid of it? Maybe with a bit of work, and a coat of paint…” Andy suggests, but Brian shakes his head.
“We’ve decided to build one of those kids’ climbing frames here. It seemed like the best place for it.”
“What do you think, Lyla?” Silas approaches us, his niece scooped up into his arms. “Do you think a princess castle would look nice here?"
“Princess! Princess!” She cries enthusiastically, clapping her hands together.
“Whatever Lyla says, goes,” Silas says, turning to Brian, who rolls his eyes.
“You’re spoiling her.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you decided to move back.”
“Leo, Leo.” Lyla reaches her arms out to me, and I take her. “Up,” she commands, pointing to the sky. I smile and give in, lifting her above my head and whirling her around in the air like a fairy, just as she asks. After all, she is wearing wings.
“Again! Again!”
“I’m just warning you: she’s eaten some chocolate biscuits,” Darcy shouts over to me. “If she throws up on you…”
“I’m willing to take that risk.”
Darcy shakes her head as I lift Lyla into the sky again, spinning her around a few more times, just to see her smile, hear that contagious laugh fill my ears.
Since Silas and I have been together, I’ve been spending a lot of time with his nieces and nephews. Sloan recently gave birth to the twins, so we never miss an opportunity to spend time with them. Silas loves his family, and I love him, and everything he gives me each day.
I’d never have thought I could start again, believe again, dream of a future, a family. I never thought I’d get a second chance.
I hand Lyla back to her uncle and head over to help Brian, seeing as he asked me. Silas goes to Sloan, who’s walking the twins around in their stroller in an attempt to get them to sleep.
“I was thinking…” Brian says, tearing my attention from the image taking shape in my mind. “I might need some help here.”
“Help? In what way?”
“Well, when this place opens up, we’ll need people to work here.”
“Oh…”
“And we’ll definitely need someone to take care of all the accounts and admin.”
“Are you serious?”
“Now that Dad’s decided to retire,” Darcy adds, approaching us. “I’m sure there’ll be a lot to do in the hotel, too.”
“Guys, what are you trying to do?”
“We’re offering you a job.”
“But why?”
“You can’t honestly expect me to do all the accounting?” Brian asks, horrified.
“Same surname, same brain,” Andy calls over to us.
“You don’t have to do this, Brian. Honestly.”
“I don’t have to offer you a job?”
“Not if you’re doing it for the wrong reason.”
“Are we not friends?”
“We are.”
“And are you not basically family?”
I turn and look at Silas, who’s watching us, trying to work out what’s going on. I shift my attention back to Brian.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say yes – then I can avoid having to interview people. You know people around here don’t like strangers.”
“I don’t know if…”
“I can find another guy in two minutes,” Andy says. “It might take me a little longer to be able to put up with him, but I’m sure I can do it.”
“I take it I’m not the best bartender ever?”
“No one’s any good in that place, don’t worry,” Reid interjects. It was strange of him not to have spoken for a while.
“So, what do you say?”
“I say I’ll do it.”
“Good.”
“Thanks, Brian.”
Silas’ hand rests on my shoulder before I can add anything else. Brian forgets about the tool shed and discreetly wanders off, leaving us alone.
“What’s going on?” Silas asks.
“Brian’s just offered me a job here.”
“Seriously?”
“Are you trying to tell me you had no idea about this?”
“I didn’t!”
“And Darcy just told me you need someone in the hotel, too.”
Silas’ face glows hopefully.
“You didn’t know anything about that, either?”
“I swear, no one told me any of this.”
“Why, Silas? Why does everyone want to help me?”
Silas smiles lovingly at me. “Because you’re part of the family.”
“So we’ll be working together?”
“I guess so – also because my sister and brother-in-law have asked me to teach horse-riding lessons here, too.”
“Really?”
“I don’t know what they’d do without me.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“And you’ll never have to find out.” He presses his lips to mine for a moment, then looks at me. His bright eyes are sparkling more than I’ve ever seen them, the sun glinting in their reflection; his hair is as blonde as the wheat shimmering around us.
Silas’ beauty is almost blinding. And I don’t just mean physically, even though I have to admit that I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than him. I’m talking about his soul, his heart; the way he understands, helps, forgives.
The way he loves.
“Are you trying to tell me I’m not quite so wrong anymore?”
“My love,” he says, stroking my face. “There’s nothing wrong in you. There never has been. You’re the man I want, the man I love. Never doubt me, or us.”
“I don’t, Silas.” I stroke his hair, blonde locks slipping through my fingers. “Not anymore. And I promise I’ll do everything I can to give you what you’ve always dreamed of.”
“Oh, Leo. Don’t you get it? I already have everything I’ve dreamed of.”
“You do?”
His lips are back, his hands too. And his breaths, his warmth.
Everything comes back to me.
He comes back to me.
As if I never left, as if he’s always been part of me, even when I didn’t know it.
It’s as if I’ve always been part of this.
Part of the grass around us, the colour palette of summer, the soft fall of rain, and the breeze that leaves you breathless.
Part of this place. This air.
This life.
Him.