Bronagh frowned. Hang on a minute. That wasn’t right. ‘No, Leonard, it was you sent me the Christmas card first.’
They both turned their bewildered expressions on Aisling who had a sheepish air about her as she looked everywhere but at them.
‘It was you sent the card,’ Leonard said and then he chortled and shook his head. ‘Well, I never. I suppose I should say thank you.’
‘It’s a guesthouse you’re after running not the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival,’ Bronagh muttered but she couldn’t be mad. Look what had happened since.
‘Will I still be allowed a piece of cake?’ Aisling asked, looking from one to the other.
‘I suppose so,’ Bronagh said.
‘You didn’t say whether you were free to join me tonight for dinner, Bronagh,’ Leonard said, looking at her with hopeful expectancy.
She ignored Aisling mouthing ‘say yes’ as she pondered what she could organise for her mam’s tea if she wasn’t going to be home. Then, she pulled herself up sharply. She’d not make the same mistake twice. Mam would be fine. She was perfectly capable of doing herself something simple. Sure, there was nothing wrong with egg on toast now and again. ‘I’d like that very much, Leonard,’ she said sensing she’d just said yes to more than dinner. She’d said yes to a different, and brighter future than the one she’d thought lay in store for her. There was plenty of time to ponder what might be on the road ahead for her and Leonard Walsh, though. For now, it was time for a slice of carrot cake.
Book 8, The Guesthouse on the Green SeriesThe O’Mara’s in LaLa Land
Release date: 30 August 2020
Pre-Order here: https://books2read.com/u/bW12e1
Hi! I hope you enjoyed The Guesthouse on the Green stories and that they made you smile, or even better laugh out loud. If you did then leaving a short review on Amazon to say so would be wonderful and so appreciated. You can keep up to date with my book news via my newsletter (I promise not to bombard you!): http://tiny.cc/0r27az As a thank you receive an O’Mara women’s Character Profile
Read on for an excerpt from The Promise
HTTPS://WWW.AMAZON.com/dp/B07F5LQVYJ
From the Amazon bestseller a British backpacker and a dying woman’s last words lead you on an unforgettable journey in this World War ll love story ...
Isabel and Constance are not just from different generations they’re polar opposites. One’s a lost soul unsure where she fits in the world while the other’s cantankerous and living in a care home. Their paths might never have crossed were it not for a pivotal moment and a promise made that changed the direction of Isabel’s, life and brought her to the Isle of Wight. Together she and Constance form a tight bond based on a mutual need for friendship.
In keeping her promise though, will the opening up of Constance’s old wounds break those bonds? Or, will Isabel finally find a place to call home?
The PromiseBy Michelle VernalThe Beginning
Isabel’s heart felt as though it would jump right out of her T-shirt as she crouched down beside the mangled car—later she would realise it was down to adrenalin. Now though she leaned in through the window and managed to cradle the elderly woman’s head with her left hand leaving her right hand free to stroke the sparse floss of hair. She was careful to avoid the gaping wound from where the blood ran free. The woman’s breath was faint and jagged, while Isabel’s came in short puffs. She felt as though she’d fallen into a nightmare.
Less than a minute ago she’d been staring out the passenger window of the two-berth Jucy van she was sharing with her friend and travelling companion, Helena. Her mind absorbing and trying to imprint the beauty of the backdrop the Southern Alps provided against the rushing waters of the turquoise river they were crossing.
New Zealand had lived up to its hype, she’d been thinking, spotting the now familiar sight of a hawk soaring low in search of something to eat. It was amazing how much diverse scenery could be packaged up inside such a small country. In just four weeks, they’d seen volcanos, boiling mud geysers, rainforests, a glacier, fjords, mountains, rivers, and beaches to die for but the highlight for Isabel had been the sperm whale in Kaikoura. It had risen out of the water as though to say hello as she leaned over the railing of the whale watch boat, she’d been blown away by its size and grace. That moment was one she would never forget.
Yes, she was so pleased that she hadn’t flown straight home from Australia when her work visa was up like so many of her fellow Brits. They were missing out by not coming here she’d mused as the hawk swooped.
She’d met Helena who hailed from Freyburg in Germany through the pub where she was working in Melbourne’s hot spot of St Kilda. It had been while clearing tables and tallying up tips that the two girls had hatched the plan to spend a month traversing New Zealand before heading back to their respective countries. What a trip it had been, she’d thought rubbing her temples which were tender after last night’s efforts at Pog Mahone’s in Queenstown. Helena might have looked like butter wouldn’t melt with her big brown eyes and sensible short haircut but she was naughty, and they’d had a right laugh together. They’d not had a moment's snippiness either, which was quite amazing given their close living quarters.
Imagine Dragons was playing on the stereo and Isabel's fingers had been tapping out the beat to “Radioactive” on her thighs. It was hard to imagine that in just over a fortnight she’d be back home in Southampton. Mind you it would be nice to have Mum fussing over her. She couldn’t wait to have a hug and
