moment, and had already had hundreds of inquiries about purchasing the image. Kira could understand why – just looking at it made her want to cuddle up with someone she loved.
The next image was of Brogan’s gran’s cottage. Or, well, Brogan’s cottage. She’d snuck to the cottage the same day she’d gotten the photograph of Fergal and Heather, and had crouched low to get the right angle for the photo. The clouds had been dark in the sky, and she’d waited until they moved just a bit and sun had pierced through, highlighting the cream stone cottage with the cheerful red front door. Behind it, the sea was a moody deep blue, reflecting the incoming inclement weather, and the field was a brilliant green against the cottage. Pleased with her work, Kira hummed as she finished matting and framing the photos.
Finally, she picked up an image that she’d printed just for her. She’d printed it small, the size of her hand, for it was something she wanted to keep in her journal. The picture made her heart twinge in an odd way. Her breath hitched in her chest a moment as she studied Brogan lying against her pink sheets, his muscular arms crossed and a relaxed look in his eye. If she didn’t know better, it would have looked like a man sated by a recent round of lovemaking, comfortable in his woman’s bed, looking at her with love in his eyes. Turning it over, she slid it into her journal, then put the journal into her knapsack before looking back at the table.
“Knock knock,” Morgan said from the doorway.
“Come look. Tell me what you think. The frames you gave me are fantastic.”
“They are,” Morgan agreed, stepping forward briskly. “Locally sourced wood from old barns.”
“They work.” Kira pursed her lips as she studied the pictures.
“Kira… these are divine. We’ll be sold out of them the first day, I’m certain of it. You’ll need to make back-up prints before we even bring them to the floor.”
“You think?” Pleasure bloomed through her.
“Absolutely. This is exactly what we’ve been missing at the gallery. Photographs speak to a different audience. It’ll round out the gallery’s offerings, and they’ll be easy to sell in smaller prints or as postcards. Well done, you.”
“Thank you. I’m not sure what to price them at.”
“I’ll take care of that. You’ll be compensated fairly.” A sharp look came into Morgan’s eyes, and Kira held up her hands and laughed.
“I trust you. Don’t get your negotiating face on.”
Morgan smiled. “Sorry, habit.”
“I’m going to run these three over to Gallagher’s. I’d like to gift them to Cait and Mr. Murphy. You can take the costs from my first sales, if you’d like.”
“Nonsense. They’re family. Go on, then. They’ll get a kick out of these. Well, Mr. Murphy will. Cait will kick up a fuss, but secretly she’ll be pleased with her photo.”
“I figured as much. Which is why I didn’t tell her I was taking it.”
“Smart. Bossy woman.”
“Much like you,” Kira called, then laughed at Morgan’s unladylike curse that followed her through the door. She set the photographs down long enough to tug on a light canvas jacket and grab her purse. Then, checking to make sure no rain was coming down outside, she bustled a few blocks over to the pub. Even though it was mid-afternoon, she could still hear voices drifting from the door, which had been propped open to encourage the warmish breeze inside.
“There’s a beautiful lass to warm an old man’s cold heart,” Mr. Murphy called to her from his perch at the corner of the bar.
“And there’s nothing like a kiss from a handsome lad to warm a wicked woman’s heart,” Kira countered. She planted a smacking kiss on Mr. Murphy’s cheek.
“The best women are the wicked ones,” Mr. Murphy concurred.
“Hiya, Kira. Can I get you anything?” Cait called from the other end of the bar where she washed glasses.
“A half-pint of cider will do. And your lovely presence for a wee chat, of course.”
“I’ll be with you shortly.”
“How’s the new nature center coming about?” Mr. Murphy asked. “I heard Dylan talking about arranging a shuttle once a week so any of the seniors who are interested can be driven from the community center out to the nature center once it’s open. Maybe we won’t be hiking any trails, but I hear there’ll be some lovely tables to sit at.”
“There will be. You can spend time in the hills and enjoy nature without having to go for