She waited a beat and heard the footsteps backtracking, shaking her head before carrying on down. The light from the foyer was a welcoming glow as she safely descended the last flight, blinking as she emerged into it. Her stomach flipped and flopped like a thrashing fish on a hook at the sight of him. She wondered if dinner was going to be a waste of time because she wasn’t going to be able to eat a thing the way she felt at that moment. It had crossed her mind as she’d waited for the minutes to tick by upstairs that perhaps she’d built Shay up into this demi-God and that when she saw him, she’d be disappointed to find he was only human and a fairly average one at that. It wasn’t the case.
He was leaning against the reception desk chatting to Nina. His dark but not quite black hair was long enough to curl at the collar of his jacket. It was brown leather and she felt the urge to rest her face against it and inhale its battered smell. He had a white T-shirt on and blue jeans worn with boots. They were cowboy boots and she was reminded of her romance book cover fantasy. It was a look he wore well. He registered her presence and she remembered to close her mouth. Appreciation flickered in his eyes and she lost herself in those dark pools. He grinned, breaking the spell and she blinked as he produced a posy of vibrant blooms from behind his back. ‘These are for you. You look lovely by the way.’
Roisin smiled shyly. She wanted to pinch herself, this beautiful man had brought her flowers! ‘Thank you, they’re gorgeous,’ she managed to say, holding out her hand and hoping he wouldn’t notice her faint tremor as she took the flowers and hid her face for a moment. She inhaled their sweet aroma, grateful for the chance to compose herself.
‘I can put them in water for you, Roisin,’ Nina offered.
‘Thanks, Nina, that would be grand.’
‘Have a lovely evening.’ Her face was wistful.
‘We will do.’
‘It was nice talking to you, Nina,’ Shay said, before turning his attention to Roisin. ‘I’ve booked a table at La Bamba. I hope you like Mexican food.’
She’d eat a bowl of tripe if it meant sitting opposite him and gazing upon his gorgeousness for an entire evening.
‘I love Mexican.’
Chapter 18
The Mariachi band were playing in the corner of the restaurant and Roisin sipped her beer, enjoying the traditional sounds that would make the stoniest of faces crack a smile. It was happy music, she thought, admiring their sombreros and charro outfits. A waft of cigarette smoke tickled her nose as the door opened to the balcony and a man went out to join the couple who were braving the cold in order to puff away. The restaurant was buzzing with bonhomie and shouts of laughter sounded sporadically from the group seated near her and Shay. They looked like they’d come straight from the office for a spontaneous pre-Christmas dinner. Roisin glanced over and wondered if any of them would wake up tomorrow red-faced, having gotten too friendly with a colleague after one too many slammers!
She hadn’t been sure what to order to drink but Shay had said the only thing that would cool down the jalapenos and chilis in the bowl of chili she’d ordered was a Steinlager and so she’d ordered a bottle of the beer. The fluttering anxiety she’d felt earlier had dissipated, helped by the pre-dinner tequila shots at the bar and she forgot she was exceedingly out of practice when it came to having dinner with men she barely knew. He was easy to talk to. There was an openness to him that invited her to tell him about herself and over their shared entrée of corn chips and guacamole, she had. He’d done that thing, tilting his head just enough to let enough her know he wanted to hear what she had to say. He made her feel witty and interesting and when the waiter arrived with two bowls of steaming chili con carne he’d been in stitches over her description of Noah’s informative chat with the Customs man about Mr Nibbles.
She inhaled the warm, spiced aroma and stirred the puddle of sour cream in as Shay told her what his plans were for Christmas.
‘Mam, Philip and I are going down to Castlebeg on Christmas Eve. It will be strange to wake up on Christmas morning in the cottage where Mam grew up but special, too.’
Roisin nodded. She knew the story of how his granddad and mammy had not spoken after he’d told her to leave his house as a pregnant teenager. It was only when Shay acted as the olive branch between them that they’d made a fresh start.
‘How’s Reggie, doing?’
‘It will be his last Christmas.’ A shadow crossed his face and Roisin reached across the table without thinking to place her hand on top of his.
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
He shrugged, and she moved her hand away hoping she’d not been forward. ‘It would have been nice if we could have had him for longer but, you know, at least I’ve had the chance to get to know him and Mam and him have put things right between themselves. He told me he can go to his grave happy, knowing everything turned out well for her.’
‘It’s never too late for second chances,’ Roisin murmured with a sad smile, thinking of her own dad’s passing. It had been hard to see someone you love wither
