to hear that,” I said. “He was such a good man.”
“Timmy O’Brien was at that,” Michael said. His voice sounded resigned to the loss. Another customer arrived at the bar, and he turned away to serve him. “Give me a wave if you need me, and welcome back, Chelsea.”
I lifted my glass in a silent toast to the man who’d had a hearty laugh, a rogue’s grin, and a love of Ireland that ran deep into his soul. “Godspeed, Mr. O’Brien,” I said and then finished my pint and ordered some dinner to take back to my cottage.
Now that I knew Colin was here, at the farm no less, I realized I had to follow through and go see him. Tomorrow I would drive out to the O’Brien farm and find my old friend. I was nervous, no question, but I was also excited. I tried to remember the last time I’d felt this sort of thrill. I couldn’t. Was this it, then? The feeling I was looking for? I certainly hoped so.
* * *
• • • •
A GLANCE OUT the window the next morning, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the sun beginning to lighten the sky. Maybe my luck was turning. The peat in the fireplace had burned out, and the room was chilly. I hurriedly took a hot shower to warm up, wanting to get to breakfast, as I was starving.
I took a bit longer with my appearance than usual. This was a reunion, after all, and I didn’t want to look too dowdy. I kept my hair loose, not because Jason had said it looked dead sexy, but because it was cold out and my hair would keep my head warm. I put on mascara and lipstick and a thick black turtleneck sweater to fight the March chill.
The O’Brien farm was only a few miles—er, kilometers—away, and I could be there in fifteen minutes. The thought was tempting, but I knew I needed to eat and get myself together first, meaning coffee, I needed coffee. I walked up to the main house to find the door open and the smell of sausage and bacon coming from the dining room, where the large table was loaded with food, and two other guests, a husband and wife by the look of them, were already seated, sharing the newspaper over coffee.
“Mornin’, Chelsea.” Darby greeted me from the doorway to the kitchen with a wide warm smile. There were no sparkly boy shorts today. Instead, she wore a large apron over jeans and a sweater and was carrying a spatula. “I’m frying up another batch of bacon and sausage, if you don’t mind waiting a bit.”
“Not at all,” I said. “I’ll just get myself some coffee, thanks.”
Darby nodded. “These are the Parks, Mary and Jerry, visiting from Nova Scotia, Canada.”
“Really?” I said. “My mother was from Pocologan, New Brunswick, but moved to the States when she married my father. I’m just south of you, in Massachusetts.”
“Practically neighbors,” Jerry said. His round face broke into a smile.
“Indeed. Nice to meet you, dear,” Mary said. She had curly white hair and a smile as friendly as her husband’s.
Jerry pushed a few sections of the Irish Times my way. I poured myself a cup of coffee and slid into a seat.
“Do you come to Ireland often?” Mary asked.
“No, it’s only my second trip,” I said. “I came for the first time about seven years ago while living and working for a year abroad after college.”
“Tried to put off being a grown-up?” Jerry teased.
“Exactly.” I smiled. “I toured most of Europe and had planned to head on to Asia, Africa, and South America, but life changed my plans.”
“As it does,” Mary said. I suspected there was a world of living packed into that sentence.
“We’re here to drive the Ring of Kerry but also to check out the border collie demonstration at the O’Brien farm,” Jerry said. “I’ve always liked the breed, and I want to see them in action.”
“Border collie demonstration?” I asked. I felt my face get warm at the mention of the farm. What were the odds? They hadn’t done any dog demonstrations back in the day, which was surprising because Fiona would have done anything for Mr. O’Brien. “That sounds fascinating.”
“It is if you like dogs, eh,” Jerry said.
“We’re going after breakfast. You should join us,” Mary said. “Unless, of course, you’re here to take classes with Darby.”
“Uh, no,” I said. “I don’t think I bend that well.”
“I hear