mouth.
The funny little man leaned back and roared with laughter. “Magic, yeah right.” He could barely catch his breath as he held his stomach. Her face hardened as she hopped back up off the chair. “Hey, now, don’t go away mad,” he said as he reached inside his pocket. “Here,” he said, offering her a plastic bag full of novelty gold coins, all identical and likely manufactured by some guy in Taiwan. “Take ‘em all, honey. But split, okay? I’ve got a live one.” He indicated to one of the other patrons at the other end of the bar, sizing up the pint-sized Casanova with a wink in her eye.
Siobhan made a mental note to cut the unfortunate girl off at the bar. She grabbed the bag and stalked to the back room. She paced back and forth, completely berating herself for being so incredibly, unquestionably, amazingly stupid. She was muttering to herself as she stalked the break room, where Jeanne found her.
“Are you okay?”
Siobhan shook her head. No, she most certainly was not okay. She ripped off her apron. “Tell Gus I decided to take the night off after all,” she said as she grabbed her coat on the way out the door.
When sunlight greeted her as she opened the door, her mood brightened along with the scenery. Fuck what that little phony baloney leprechaun said. There was magic, and she was now a part of it. She hadn’t fallen asleep – she had walked right into her dream.
And she was ready to make it her reality, no matter what.
She set everything down by the tavern, including her heavy winter coat. She would not need that here. Unconsciously, she pocketed the package of coins and set out to find her Prince Charming.
There was a skip in her step as she followed the rocky path along the lake up toward the castle. It was presumptuous to think that he would even casually open the door and simply allow her to enter, but she figured if this was a dream she’d at least take a chance.
Hopefully the Kian she knew from the night before would be the man she’d meet again. Goosebumps erupted over her body when she recalled what it felt like to be in his arms. She knew that no matter what she had to see those crystal blue eyes again. She liked the woman she saw reflected there. Being lost within his gaze was as at home as she had ever felt.
As she got closer to the castle, she could hear the music that filled the air. It was a celebration, though for what Siobhan couldn’t even begin to say. The heavy sound of horse hooves announced the carriages that pulled around the circular path in front of the castle, and lords and ladies all exited in their finest garb.
She glanced down at the traditional Irish dress she wore as a uniform for O’Shannon’s. Why that couldn’t change along with her accent she didn’t know, but it was very inconvenient now. She looked more like a maid than a lady.
She guessed station was station no matter what state of mind you were in.
“Can I help you, miss?” the uniformed man said at the entrance.
She felt the need to curtsy and did not know why. Instead she replied, “I’m a waitress. I’m here to help with the party.”
She was a life-long New Yorker. She knew how to think on her feet. Her accommodating smile hid any fear she might have had that he would call her bluff.
He merely nodded with a grunt and pointed her to the side entrance. “Go in there, but be quick about it. You are late.”
She grinned as she hurried around to the entrance. She blended easily with the help, which was both ironic and sad. Without being told, she carried trays, refilled drinks, and ensured each guest was properly tended to as she mingled in the impressive crowd. In the meantime she tried to hold in the awe she felt for the grand castle in which she stood, which could possibly be her home if she ever figured out how to make this portal-jumping spell work in her favor. From the high ceilings to the crystal chandeliers, even the ornate paper on the walls, everything was just like she had always imagined it would be – enormous, elegant and regal. She allowed herself an indulgent daydream as she glanced up at the old oil paintings on the wall, imagining what it could mean to actually belong there.
She would do anything to stay, to have one more minute with Kian.
“Miss?”
She turned to look at the person who had addressed her. It was a woman with Kian’s fair skin, dark hair and dazzling blue eyes, and Siobhan recognized her immediately from one of the portraits on the wall. This must be his mother. She bowed her head. “Ma’am.”
“My son will be here shortly. Bring out our finest wine.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Siobhan agreed at once, though she stood there for a moment, staring at the woman who could be her mother-in-law. Did she live there in that castle with him? Would they become the best of friends, to make up for Siobhan’s missing mother?
“Miss,” the woman repeated as she stared down her nose at the help.
“Yes, I’m sorry,” Siobhan muttered before she scurried away.
Before she could make it to the kitchen, her nobleman appeared. He was dressed in his finest clothes, with medals and jewels across his body that spoke to his status.
As high as her heart soared just to see him, it smashed right back down again when she realized there was a beautiful blonde woman on his arm. They halted briefly to be announced together, and it suddenly dawned on Siobhan this wasn’t just any celebration – this was a celebration in honor of their upcoming wedding.
“Why did it take you so long to return?”
Kian’s words echoed in her ear. The last time she’d been gone a year and he had decided their meeting had been a dream. Who knew how long she’d been gone this time? She could hardly blame him if he had ceased waiting, deciding at last to take a bride. “Of course,” she whispered to herself. Her leprechaun had been right. It was foolish to believe in magic. She turned to leave, thankful she still held those phony gold coins in her pocket to send her home.
Unlike the graceful way she wove in between the large crowd before, her exit was a lot more halting. Everyone wanted something as she passed by, only this time she didn’t feel compelled to serve them. She wanted to run away from this shattered romantic dream. The music got louder as she pressed through the masses, with bodies standing everywhere in her escape route.
Before she could wind her way through the crowd a firm hand touched her elbow. “Siobhan,” a familiar voice said.
She turned to Kian. It broke her heart just to look into his face. “Kian,” she muttered. She hadn’t wanted to see him. It only made their ultimate farewell worse. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your celebration.”
He glanced back toward the exuberant crowd. “Yes. My celebration.”
The resigned way he said the word caught her ear, so she decided to pry a little further. “You must be very happy. You’re about to marry a beautiful woman. A lady, no doubt.”
He nodded. “Lady Elizabeth Walsh. She is indeed a handsome woman.” He lost himself in her eyes again and refused to expound on the subject.
“But…?”
He sighed as he motioned her to follow him away from the castle. The music and the sound of the jovial crowd faded as they stepped further into the courtyard. “These things we do, we do out of obligation. To marry well, to protect our lineage. And until three years ago, I was perfectly happy to do it.”
Siobhan’s heart raced. “Three years?”
He glanced down at her. “Yes. Three years ago I met an unusual beauty by the lake who reminded me to believe in magic. It made me rethink my ideas on marriage out of obligation. I kept putting off the wedding, hoping you would return to me. And then you did, just like a dream. So I waited again, long, arduous hours staring at that godforsaken lake, spending every spare moment at my cottage, waiting, and hoping. If only I had a gold coin to return to you,” he murmured as he touched her arm. She sighed softly and he pulled her close. “Why did you leave me that night at the cottage? Lightning flashed and then you were gone, like you were never there at all. I thought I had gone mad.”
“I didn’t mean to leave,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave. It??
?s all really complicated.”
“Like my marrying a woman I can never fully love?” His gaze swept across her face. “You have ruined me, Siobhan. Just as sure as any meddlesome fairy. Are you even real?”
She lost herself in those beautiful blue eyes. Without another word, she stepped closer, linked her arms around his neck and reached for a kiss. He resisted only a moment before he crushed her against him for a brutal, possessive, desperate kiss.
They were both breathless when he broke apart. “I have been unable to think of anything but you since we parted. I prayed that somehow magic would bring you back to me. Then and only then I would know who the fates had chosen as my bride. And here you are.” He pulled away and cupped her face with his hands. “Like my dream, here you are.”
She watched as his mouth lowered onto hers with a sweet, tentative kiss that set off fireworks in her brain. She could feel the stubble left behind by his razor, in sharp contrast to the softness of his lips. His mouth was sweet and warm and tasted of fine aged wine. She felt him shudder as she deepened the kiss. By the time he pulled away they both felt heady and intoxicated.
“You are the magic, Siobhan,” he whispered. “You have cast a spell on me.
Before they could kiss again they were interrupted by the sound of carriage approaching the castle. He withheld a curse. “I must return. Promise me that you’ll find me again. Tomorrow. St. Patrick’s