Irish Sex Fairy

“I see,” Fiona said quietly. She gave a sharp look at Shane, then laid her own fork down. “Coffee anyone?”

“I’d love some coffee,” Keara said, thankful for the change of subject.

Shane followed his mother into the kitchen, leaving Keara and Declan alone.

Declan looked at her over the top of his reading glasses. She attempted a smile but his face remained serious. Then he asked quietly, “Did Shane ever tell you about Trista?”

Keara shook her head. “No.” Who was that?

“They were going to get married,” Declan continued. “It was about two years ago. She was a very nice girl. Very pretty. Smart.”

The bitseach who’d dumped him. “Oh yes. Maeve mentioned that Shane had been engaged.”

“That’s right. But she got a job offer in Los Angeles with a big law firm. She was a lawyer.”

Oh no. She could see where this was headed, and a sick dread filled her. “She left.”

“Yes.” Declan kept his voice low, no doubt so Shane didn’t hear him talking about him. “She wanted Shane to go with her. To LA.”

Her chest squeezed. “Why didn’t he?”

“It was just after I had my stroke. To be honest, I don’t remember a lot of what happened then. I was pretty out of it. But I know he had to make a tough choice. We didn’t try to influence him. He could have left with Trista, moved to LA, and we would have survived. We just wanted him to be happy. In the end, he made his choice to stay. But I know his heart was broken.”

Keara looked down at her hands in her lap, eyes stinging. Oh Shane. And now she was doing the same thing to him.

But she had to go back. She had to. She had to prove to herself she could still do it. If she couldn’t—who was she? She was nobody. Nothing. A washed-out shell with no direction, no control. No life.

Chapter Seventeen

Stefanie called on Tuesday to let Keara know that it was all set for her to go back to work Monday. Keara had rented a car to drive home in, figuring she’d buy a new car back in LA. She’d just go back to the BMW dealership and get another one.

“Do you want to visit the bank first?” Stefanie asked. “Like last time?

Remembering the humiliating experience, Keara shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I’ll just go in to work Monday.”

“You could work half days at first, if you want.”

It sounded reasonable, but Keara was determined she was going to do this. She wasn’t going to admit that a fist of tension still squeezed her guts at the thought of going back. She could do this. She had to do this.

“No, that’s fine,” she replied.

Maeve came into the apartment just as she hung up the phone, looking upset.

“What’s wrong?

Maeve’s lips quivered. “I’ve…I’ve misplaced some money.”

“Money. What do you mean?”

“A few days ago I didn’t go to the bank to make the deposit. I put the money in a safe place upstairs.”

“And…it’s gone?”

“No. I mean, I don’t know. I can’t remember where I put it.”

“Oh, Maeve.”

“I know, I know, it was stupid.” Maeve rubbed her forehead. “I should have gone to the bank.”

“Have you looked? It has to be there somewhere.”

“Yes, I’ve looked.” Maeve’s voice took on just a slight edge. “I’ve looked everywhere.”

“Well what do you think…you don’t think it’s been stolen, do you?”

“No! Oh, Jesus and Mary, I don’t know. I’m sure it’s not been stolen, but I just can’t think where it would be.”

“Well, come on, I’ll help you look for it.” Keara fought back the panicky feeling Maeve’s latest memory problem brought on. What was going to happen when she was gone? “How much money was it?”

“Eleven hundred dollars.”

Keara stopped on the stairs and looked over her shoulder at her aunt. “Oh, dear God.”

Maeve’s face crumpled as if she was near to tears and Keara turned and put her arms around her thin shoulders. “It’s okay, Maeve. We’ll find it.”

“It’s not okay. I’m a stupid old lady. I can’t believe I lost that much money.”

Inside the apartment, Keara stood there, looking around. Where would Maeve have put it? She started searching, Maeve following behind her, saying, “I looked there already”, then “I wouldn’t put it there”. Until Keara finally reached the bathroom and found the canvas bag from the store beneath a pile of towels in the cabinet.

Maeve pursed her lips, clutching the bag in both hands. “I decided maybe I will be going to the doctor,” she said slowly. “So I called earlier and made an appointment.”

“Oh, good.” Keara let out a long breath. “I’ll come with you.”

Maeve slanted her a look. “Well. It’s not until next week. You’ll be gone.”

Keara stared back at Maeve. “Oh. Damn.”

“It’s okay, muirnín. I can go on my own.”

“I-I know. I just wanted to be there for you.” In case it was bad news. In case there was anything she could do. But she wouldn’t be here. Her stomach churned a little. “Well, I’ll just have to phone you,” Keara said, pasting on a smile. “What day is your appointment?”

“It’s Wednesday.”

“Okay. I’ll call you Wednesday night.”

“All right.”

“I’ve rented a car,” Keara told Maeve. “I’ll pick it up late Friday, but I’ll leave Saturday morning. That’ll get me back to LA in time to get some food, get ready for work on Monday.”

Maeve nodded, eyes cast down to the rug at their feet. “That sounds like a good plan.” She lifted her gaze and found Keara’s. “You’re sure you’re ready for this, muirnín? Because you’re welcome to stay longer if you need to.”

“I know. But I have to do this. I’ve been away from work too long. It’s not fair to them. And I can’t just hide here forever. I have to face reality.”

“I suppose. Well, what should we do to celebrate your last night here? Should we have a party on Friday night?”

“A party?” Keara laughed. “Just the two of us?”

“We could invite Shane and his parents, and Glen of course and Jayla and…I don’t know.”

Keara shook her head, but smiled. “That’s okay. I don’t want a party.” And she doubted if Shane or his parents would come anyway. It had been a few days since she’d been to their home and she hadn’t forgotten the hurt looks of disappointment on their faces. Worse, Shane hadn’t dropped by in the last few days, either.

“Perhaps you and Shane will want to spend time together your last night,” Maeve said. “I understand that.”

Keara shook her head, keeping her smile firmly in place. “I doubt it. Now that he knows I’m going, he’s…well, I’m feeling better and…”

Maeve’s eyes sharpened. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“You two have fallen in love.”

“No we haven’t!”

Maeve sighed. “I should have known that would happen if you had sex. What was I thinking? I knew that oxytocin had that effect.”

“What effect?”

“It makes women feel like nurturing. Bonding.” She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, then flashed Keara a quizzical look. “You’re in love with him but you still intend to go back to LA?”

“I’m not in love with him!” Keara speared her fingers into her hair, pushing it off her face. She paced away from Maeve. “It was just sex, Maeve, just like the Irish Sex Fairy ordered.”

Maeve blinked several times, her mouth a thin line. “What about Shane?”

“What about him?” She tried to prevent the defensive tone from edging her voice but didn’t succeed totally.

“If he’s in love with you…oh Jesus and Mary. What have I done?” Maeve covered her face. “I can’t believe…oh lord.”

“What?” But Keara knew exactly what Maeve was thinking. If Shane cared about her and she left, it was his history repeating itself. She was going to hurt him, and the thought of that was like an icicle stabbing into her heart. She didn’t want to hurt him. She turned away, chest aching, throat throbbing, and glanced at her watch. “Isn’t it time for your bridge game?”

“I don’t know if I’ll go tonight.”