older brothers of her schoolmates. She quickly learned to use her sex appeal to get whatever she wanted from handsome men.
After being kicked out of one boarding school, her parents sent her to another and another. It was then she discovered that bad behavior was all it took to get attention from her parents.
Prep school was followed by university. She headed for Paris and studied art history at the Sorbonne, cooking at Le Cordon Bleu and apprenticed as a designer at Studio Bercot. Then she gained access to her trust fund and her life as a celebutante began.
Gelsey sighed and pulled the covers over her head. She was so tired of that life, completely exhausted playing the role she’d created for herself. The men, the money, the parties. It had all become a giant, crashing bore. And now she’d found an escape, a place to breathe, to take stock of the future and put her past behind her.
To the rest of the world, she was Gigi Woodson. She dated famous athletes and gorgeous male models and sexy actors. She moved from one man to another whenever she grew bored or restless. And every now and then, she got so drunk that she did something that landed her in the tabloids. But here, on the western coast of Ireland, she was a stranger without a past.
Very few people knew her well. Her parents had never bothered to try. But her grandmother had always been able to see inside her heart and say the words that made her feel loved and cherished. It had been the only truly good thing she’d remembered from her childhood. Gelsey felt emotion tighten her throat and she fought back the tears. If only her grandmother were here now, to help her through, to reassure her.
A knock sounded at the front door and Gelsey pushed up, bracing her hand beneath her. She raked her tousled hair out of her eyes and searched around for something to wear. The sweatshirt that Kellan had given her the night before was draped over the bedpost. She grabbed it and pulled it over her head, then tugged on his boxer shorts.
The house was warmer, a fresh peat fire burning in the hearth and the little space heater humming away in the corner. She pulled the door open expecting to see Kellan, his arms overloaded with breakfast. But two women were standing outside, friendly smiles pasted on their faces.
“Hello,” Gelsey said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’m afraid Kellan isn’t here.”
“Better that,” the brunette said cheerfully. “We’ve come to see you.” She held a canvas bag in front of her. “We’ve brought you something to wear. I’m Jordan and this is Nan.”
The raven-haired woman held out another bag. “And you must be Gelsey.”
Gelsey stepped away from the door and the two strolled inside as if they were quite at home. Nan wrinkled her nose, then motioned toward the fire. “We really should talk to the boys about putting in central heat. Those peat fires make my eyes water.”
“And they should put in a decent bathroom. That shower isn’t any bigger than a broom closet.”
“Could I offer either of you a cup of tea?” Gelsey asked. Although she’d been well schooled in etiquette, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with strangers bearing gifts of secondhand clothing.
Nan stared at her for a long moment. “Have we met?”
“I’m sure we haven’t,” Gelsey said.
“You look so familiar.” Nan plopped down on the end of the sofa. “Now, I’m not sure you’ll like anything I brought. But Kellan said you didn’t have any decent clothes to wear. I brought a pair of jeans and a couple sweaters-or jumpers, as he calls them. It’s so damp in the winter.”
“And I brought a jacket,” Jordan said. “It’s not very fashionable, but it will be warm. And underwear. It’s new, still in the package.”
Nan rummaged through her bag. “And I have gloves and a hat. And boots. Did you bring the boots, Jo?”
They were both talking so fast that Gelsey could do nothing more than nod and smile. When they finally finished, she drew a ragged breath. “And you’re from…the church?”
“Oh, Kellan didn’t tell you we’d be stopping by? He saw us both last night at the pub and explained your situation. I’m engaged to Kellan’s brother Riley.”
“They’re getting married New Year’s Eve. And I’m with Danny, the other brother.”
“Right,” Gelsey said. “I remember now.” She frowned. “You’re not Irish.”
“American,” Nan said. “And you’re not Irish, either.”
“No,” Gelsey said. She thought it best to leave it at that, unwilling to go into a long explanation of her life. “Let me just put the water on for tea.”
“Oh, we can’t stay,” Nan said. “We’re on our way to Cork. I’m shopping for a wedding dress.”
“Shopping,” Gelsey murmured. She’d been an expert at that in her former life.
“You wouldn’t want to come with, would you?” Nan asked.
Jordan clapped her hands. “You should come! We’ll make a girls’ day of it. And it will get you out of this cottage.” She paused and the color rose on her cheeks. “That is, if you want to leave. But I can completely understand why you wouldn’t. I’m sure Kell is keeping you-”
“Busy,” Nan finished.
“I can’t. I’m a bit broke right now.”
The two women stared at her with uneasy smiles. “Perfectly understandable,” Nan said. “Why would you have any use for- I mean, you’ve spent your life…”
“Living in the ocean,” Jordan said.
“What- Oh!” Gelsey laughed. “Right. Kellan told me that everyone thinks I’m a mermaid.”
Jordan nodded. “Of course, we don’t really believe that. But when in Ireland…”
“I love that about Ireland,” Gelsey said. “People still believe in magic here.”
“And you do look the part, with all that long, wavy hair,” Nan said. “Danny was right. You are beautiful.”
“Danny?”
“He was there when Kellan rescued you,” Jordan explained.
A slow smile curled the corners of Gelsey’s mouth and she shrugged. “I don’t really remember meeting him.”
“What size are your feet?” Jordan asked.
“Eight?” Gelsey said.
“Perfect! The boots are eight and a half. Just wear extra socks. Are you sure you won’t come with us? We’ll have lunch. Our treat.”
“Maybe another time,” Gelsey said. “Really. I’d love to go another time.”
They both stood. “Good,” Nan said. “I’m sure we’ll see you around the pub. Tell Kellan to bring you down for dinner tonight.”
Gelsey took the offered bags and walked them to the door. This was all very strange. Gelsey couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to be completely anonymous. No matter where she went, someone always recognized her.
But then, she was usually dressed quite differently and hiding behind an image that was regularly splashed across the pages of the tabloids. For the first time in a very long time, she had a chance to live life like an ordinary woman.
She had a fresh start, a chance to make real friends who didn’t care about her notoriety or her money or her family connections. And Nan and Jordan seemed exactly like the kind of women she’d want for friends.
After she said goodbye, Gelsey quickly found an outfit to wear, then pulled on socks and the soft fleece-lined boots. Though she was a bit taller than Nan and Jordan, with longer arms, she couldn’t complain. It was good enough to go out in public in and she needed some fresh air and exercise.
She’d walk down to the village and get her bearings. If she was going to stay for a while, she needed a source of income. She could just go get her bank cards at Winterhill, but if she was going to start over, then she needed to find a way to make a living. She needed a job.
But could she survive on her own? It was a challenge she’d never have thought of taking on in the past, but now it made sense. Gigi Woodson, celebrity heiress, was gone and Gelsey Woodson, ordinary working girl, had been born. For once, she didn’t want to mess it all up.
Gelsey grabbed the jacket from the sofa and slipped into it. When she opened the door, the chilly air rushed in and she drew a deep breath and smiled. It was a beautiful day. She had no idea what was going to happen, but it was exciting to be completely unsure of her future.
She followed the road down to the village at a brisk walk, smiling to herself as she took in the beauty of the
