Emerald Coast...rated T/M

[oOGarrettOo]

Emerald Coast

Rated T/M: Some mild language and adult themes. Nothing's too horrible though. Actually, nothing all that horrible at all.

Novella. 40 pages 8.5x11, over 20,000 words.

I've had this idea for quiet some time but never had the motivation to actually write it down. Finally, the whole thing just came together and it nagged at me until I did something about it.

The original title for this story was Shores of Ireland, but I hated it, so I changed it to it's current Emerald Coast but I hate that too. So if while you're reading you come up with a good idea for a title, please let me know.

This story needs some serious review work done. I went in a direction I've never gone before and incorporated some slang. The list I found was very useful and most of what I used I'm all right with, but there are some sentences here and there that I'm unsure of, and if I can't be sure that I'm using everything right, I will probably change them. So if you know Irish slang at all, please keep an eye out and be sure to tell me if I'm doing it wrong.

Constructive criticism is a must. Please don't be afraid to post. I will accept what criticism I think it befitting and discard the rest. But put down anything and everything so that I can get a good idea of what other people are reading.  

[oOGarrettOo]

“Excuse you!” the woman shouted indignantly, stumbling back and nearly tripping over her expensive Armani stilettos. Kendall held up her hands in apology and quickly tugged the hood of her sweater to be sure it covered her face enough.

“I’m very sorry. I slipped,” she said, looking around nervously.

The woman scoffed. “I’m sure you did,” she said, and she quickly hurried off, tugging her bag along behind her. Kendall watched her go and caught sight of airline security personnel staring towards her suspiciously. She ducked her head and kept going, pulling free the Armani wallet she’d filched and sighing at the green folded in.
***

Danny sighed as he polished his tumblers, listening to the rain battering the outside walls and windows. A steady drip was audible from back in the kitchens and he knew it wasn’t from the faucet. Grinding out an irritated sigh, he set the tumbler down harder than necessary and picked up the next glass, wiping it free of its water stains.

The bell jingled merrily as someone entered the all-in-one pub and the heavy clunk of a worn out cane reached his ears well before the elderly man came into view, folding his umbrella as he went.

“Howya, Bary? Bit of a rainy day for a stroll,” said Danny, grabbing a mug and filling it with Guinness.

Bary laughed honestly. “Not nearly enough to keep me trapped inside with the missus. Meetin’ the boys, as usual. It’s just a bit of rain,” he said, hobbling on over to the table the group of older men usually occupied.

“I’ve some stew and bread fresh in the back you be wantin’ any,” said Danny, walking over and setting down the lager.
“Perhaps later. For now I’ll settle for my Arthurs and some quiet,” Bary laughed.

Danny smiled. “Well’n just holler when ya need somethin’,” he said, and he wandered back over to the bar to finish his cleaning, wiping down the tap and the cupboard underneath it.

The bell jingled again and with it came the foot stamping and grumbling of an ornery elder man.

“Fine bloody Irish weather as usual. Barely a day ‘thought no rain,” the old Englishman complained, marching around the corner, raincoat already off and hung, rain boots as cleared of mud as they could be. A more subdued older man walked in behind him, quietly listening to his companion carry on about the weather.

“Afternoon Egan, Fynn, be havin’ the usual?” asked Danny, grabbing two more glasses.

“Hullo, Danny. Usual stout will be fine. Is that bread I smell fresh?” Egan asked, trumping over to take a seat with Bary.

“Sure is. You’ll be wantin’ some of that as well?”

“Certainly. Evening, Bary. See you managed to escape the missus,” said Egan, taking a seat. Fynn rounded the table and sat as well, thanking Danny for the stout and the bread.

“By the skin’a my teeth I did. Yez know how she gets on these rainy days, what with her arthritis,” said Bary.

“Pah, Mary’s always on about her arthritis. Couldn’t wait to get away. On rainy days we ought to start earlier,” he said, holding up his mug and taking a healthy swig.

“Fiona’s not’ta cnawvshawling bouts her ‘ritis often,” said Fynn, his heavy brogue slurring his words and making him difficult to understand.

“Lucky, you are. Danny, you do best to not settle down. Women are about just for men’s misery,” said Egan.

Danny grinned. “Oh, don’t know about that one, Egan. Surly, there’s a reason you settled down with Mary to begin with,” he teased.

Egan humphed. “What a fine vixen she was and how quickly that vanished.” The other three chuckled and shook their heads.

The afternoon wore into late evening, and as Danny’s clock struck ten the old men in the corner, and his only patrons for the day, downed their remaining drink and thunked their glasses on the table, all reaching into their pockets for their wallets and depositing the bills and coin in the table’s center. It was always the same; three lagers each, a loaf of bread, every Tuesday and Thursday after five, rain or shine. They knew exactly how much it was and always left a decent tip.

“Thank you, gentlemen. Enjoy your evenin’s,” said Danny from a stool by the bar.

“You s’well, Danny. Be sure to change out your water buckets. Sounds like this rain’s to keep on through the night,” said Bary, bumping a bucket with his cane as he passed.

“Will do, Bary. Mind yourself on your way,” said Danny, standing to follow them to the door, key in hand. The men pulled on their coats and opened their umbrellas and just as Fynn reached for the door, a young woman, soaked completely through, flung it open and stepped inside beside them. The four men paused and stared.

Pushing back her sopping hood and scraping her fringe from her forehead and eyes, Kendall looked up at the men, staring at her as though she were some strange creature. “P-p-pardon m-me,” she stammered, shivering as she was.

“Are ye daft, youngwan? What ya be doin’ out at this hour in the rain ‘thought an umbrella?” asked Bary.

“Nor a jacket. Lookin’ to catch her death, she is,” said Egan.

“Can I help you? I’m ‘bout ready to close,” said Danny.

Kendall looked between the men, her tired mind taking a moment to process everything and read past their accents. “S-s-sorry I just n-needed to warm up a l-little,” she stuttered.

“Near frozen,” said Fynn, looking her up and down. Already a decent puddle had formed around her feet, a steady drip from the hems of her pants.

Danny stared at the puddle of water and frowned heavily. “How long ya been in the rain, miss?”

Kendall shivered and managed to wrench an arm from its tight hold around her chest to jab a thumb vaguely over her shoulder. “W-was…under a b-bridge few m-miles back. F-farmer chased m-me out,” she managed, reaching out and slamming her other hand against the wall behind her as her legs shook and she started to topple backwards.

The four stared wide eyed in silence. Egan turned and looked at Danny, opening and closing his mouth a few times, trying to decide what to say. “See you Thursday, Danny,” he decided on, and he hurried out. Fynn and Bary gave Danny similar looks and followed their retreating friend. Danny frowned after them and fidgeted a bit, turning back to the soaking woman in his pub. The silence stretched on and Danny scratched the back of his neck as he tried to decide what to do.

Kendall shifted and rubbed her hands uselessly over her arms. “I’ll… be gone in a minute. I just needed to warm up a little. I’m sorry for imposing.”

“S’fine…umm…Why exactly have you been hoofin’ it in the rain?” Danny asked.

Kendall shrugged. “Just… on the move,” she said dismissively.

Danny raised a brow. “On foot, in the rain?” She shrugged. “Haven’t yeh a place to stay?” The look in her eyes for the brief moment she looked up at him said it plainly.

“I’m sorry. I can leave now, have a good night,” she said quickly, and she opened the door.
Danny reached out and slammed it shut, startling her into backing up.

He sighed. “Look, I can’t in good conscious let yeh leave knowin’ you’ll be without all night. It’s too cold. I have a few rooms above the pub I rent out to travelers. They’re nothin’ fancy, but it’s warm and I’ve a community shower ya can use to warm yourself up,” he said plainly.

Kendall stared. “I don’t have any money for that sort of thing.”

“Didn’t ask ya for money. Come on in, I’ll show you upstairs. Watch your feet,” he said, turning and heading back into the pub. Kendall hesitated for a moment and looked back to the door. The idea of warmth made the cold feel even worse. Danny noticed her indecision and stepped back over, reaching around her to slide the bolt into place, giving it a tug to be sure it was locked. “Come on.” Kendall followed.

“Mind the buckets,” Danny said as they wandered through and he led her around the bar. They passed two or three of them, all steadily filling the harder it rained. “I apologize for the mess. Haven’t ‘ad a chance ta fix these bloody leaks,” he explained, motioning to a set of tools, shingles, and paint tucked away in the farthest corner of the kitchen. Kendall noted the gathered dust. They wandered up the stairs, Danny hitting light switches as they went and lending a soft, yellow glow to their journey.

“That there’s the washroom. S’got a shower and all with towels in a cabinet. You just help yerself. An’ this here’ll serve as your room for the night,” he said, pushing open the door just to the right of the bathroom. A bed, a small wardrobe, and a smaller nightstand tightly furnished the tiny space. Kendall took the room in quickly and Danny watched her from the corner of his eye, trying to gauge her reaction. “Sorry, it’s not much.”

Kendall shrugged. “Looks just fine to me. Looks like a bedroom,” she said, walking in.
Danny nodded. “Right, well, I’ve some cleanin’ up ta do down in the boozer, so yeh warm on up and meet me downstairs. There be a second set of’m just down the hall,” he said, pointing back as he stepped out of her space.

Kendall gave him a half smile. “Thank you. I really appreciate this,” she said sincerely. It’d been nearly three days since she’d had a decent place to rest that was out of the elements. The spot under the bridge had been a blessing until the farmer and his wife passing by noticed her squatting and chased her off.

“Not a problem,” said Danny with a wave of his hand. They shared another brief moment of awkward silence before he turned and hurried off down the hall.

The first thing Kendall did was slip into the room, shut the door, then hurriedly look around for a place to hide her passport. She’d considered pitching it, but figured if she ever wanted to go home she’d better keep it. So here she was, in a strange old pub with a man she didn’t know, and no way of knowing if her absence had been discovered.

Her first thought was the night stand beside the bed, but drawers were always the first thing people went searching in. She peeked into the wardrobe to find sheets and an extra pillow, but no proper place to hide a passport. Between the mattress would be a safe bet…but what if the pub owner changed the sheets every morning? Exasperated, Kendall stepped back and looked around the room. A thick-framed image of a plain white daisy caught her attention. It hung above the bed and was large enough. Kneeling on the mattress she grasped the aging, wooden frame and lifted it from the wall, fighting with her jeans to pull her passport from the back pocket. The case was damp, but when Kendall opened it she was relieved to find no moisture had leaked through and she quickly removed it, tucking it into the crevice between the edge of the frame and the thin backing to the photo. It fit loosely, but stayed put, and she smiled in relief as she hung it up again.

The shower was impossibly warm. She kept it on the cool side, slowly increasing the heat until it was comfortable and she could relax under the steamy spray. She used whatever the available soap was to clean the muck from her hair and skin, unconcerned with whether or not it would dry it out. It felt good to be clean and it wasn’t until she was that looking into the mirror was an option.

Kendall sighed at her haggard reflection. If it was this bad after the shower, she could only imagine what she looked like before it, standing there pathetically in the pub’s foyer. She tugged at her cheeks and rubbed her tired eyes, then gathered the sopping clothes from the floor and headed back to her room, towel wrapped tightly around her. When she reached it the first thing she noticed was the set of clothes lying folded on the bed, a note set atop them.

“Here’s a set of clothes for yeh to borrow. Don’t worry ‘bout ‘nythin’. Wash’s in a room off the pub, so bring yeh clothes down w’it yeh to be cleaned.”

Kendall grinned slightly as she read slowly over the note, and looked down at the clothes. They were large, but soft, and looked very warm. Sweat pants, tee-shirt, sweater, and even socks, Kendall was warm and comfortable and exhaustion pressed in on her like a two-ton weight. She yawned and gathered her clothes again, making her way back down to the bar.
Danny was there, mopping away at the floor, music playing softly in the background, to which he hummed along to, off key. He heard the creek of the stairs, then floorboards, and looked over to Kendall, giving a soft smile. “Hullo.”

“Umm, hi,” she said softly.

“All warmed up then? Here, lemme show yeh where the wash is, yeh can get your stuff cleaned and hung to dry over the rest of the night,” he said, leaning the mop against the wall and walking around her. She followed him back toward the stairs, a door at their base swung open to reveal an old washing machine and clothes hanging from cords and ropes stretched across the small room. Danny blushed heavily. “Whoops. Don’t get much in the way’a tourists any more. Uh, this contraption works well enough. Couldn’t afford a dryer so everythin’ needs to be hung. So just…toss everythin’ in and start it up, here’s soap, and I’ll be cleanin’,” he said, tugging down underclothes as he spoke and tossing them into a basket in the corner. His cheeks were pink and Kendall grinned.

“Thank you very much. I really appreciate this,” she reiterated. Danny nodded and hurried out. When Kendall joined him again he was wiping down all the tables, even though only one had been used.

“So, my name’s Danny O’Connell. What be yours?”

Kendall froze. “It’s Ken-kennnna,” she said, stopping short. There was no way anyone out here would recognize her name, but better safe than sorry.

Danny looked back at her, eyebrow raised. “Kenna?” he repeated in disbelief.

“Mhm,” she said, praying he didn’t call her out.

“And… is there a last name that goes with that, Miz Kenna?”

“Nope.”

Danny sighed. “So I don’t suppose you’ll be tellin’ me what a young American woman like yerself is doing running around the Irish countryside in the bloody freezin’ rain?”

Kendall fidgeted. “Sight seeing.”

Danny blinked. “Uh-huh.” He went back to cleaning.

“I can just leave if I’m making you uncomfortable.”

“Oh no. Not at this hour in this foundered weather. I didn’t mean to be so cheeky, but it is little odd havin’ a random woman showin’ up at my pub in the middle of the night. Yeh can’t blame me for being suspicious,” he said in earnest, turning to face her. He took in her slight figure, practically swimming in the clothes he’d lent her, her brown hair drying into soft waves, hazel eyes frightened and mysterious. “Are yeh hungry?”

Kendall blinked. “What?”

“You know, hungry. Do yeh need somethin’ to eat?”

“Oh, no. No, I’m all right. I’m just going to sleep and I’ll be out of your way tomorrow,” she said. Danny gave her a knowing look. “What?”

“Well if yeh haven’t any money…C’mon, I’ll make yeh something simple,” he said, walking around the bar and into the kitchen. He threw together a quick sandwich, just bread and beef, and a glass of water. Kendall ate it down without complaint, just grateful for food, and watched quietly as Danny put away the stew and tidied up around the smallish kitchen.

“Do you take care of this place by yourself?” Kendall asked.

Danny hummed and shrugged. “Yeah. Was my da’s, then he passed and left it to me. Not a bad place. Gives tourists and travelers a place ta stop, the locals somethin’ ta do,” he said. Kendall looked up to the leaky ceiling and Danny followed her gaze, sighing. “I’ve yet ta get on that.” He turned back to the sink and buried himself in the dirty pot.

Kendall sipped at her water and watched him work. He wasn’t a bad looking guy, probably in his mid twenties. His build was average, lean from working, hair tawny and cut close to his head, a day’s growth of hair touching his face and neck. He had strong features, but soft brown eyes and had a glow to him that suggested he laughed often and was generally fair. “Must be hard trying to keep this place in order all by yourself.”

Danny shrugged. “It’s as it is.” He rinsed the pot and set it to the side, turning off the water and drying his hands. “Well, I’m knackered. What say ye to heading up to bed?”

Kendall grinned. “I’d say it sounds like a great idea.” Danny smiled and put her dishes in the sink and together they made their way upstairs and went their separate ways.

***
Danny woke the following morning to the sounds of a hammer on wood, steadily tapping nails into their place. He sat up, mind fuzzy, and listened closely for the sound. It wasn’t far enough to be one of his neighbors, but he couldn’t fathom who would possibly be working on a project this early in the morning, especially on a weekend. He hummed and stood, tugging on a pair of pants and wandering barefoot from his bedroom, being sure to lock his door after.
The sound echoed through the pub and up the stairs, so he followed it through to his kitchen. The first thing Danny noticed was the pile of neatly stacked buckets in place of the tools and materials he’d collected to patch the roof. He furrowed his brow in confusion. Another round of taps had him nearly leaping out of his skin and he hurried out the back door, careful to use the stepping stones that led out towards the garden. It was ridiculously muddy and he tugged at the waist of his pants to keep the hems from dirtying.

There on his roof, working away at the replacement shingles was his mysterious guest from the night before. Kendall was in her own clothing, sitting nonchalantly upon the roof, nails pinched between her lips, as she carefully secured the pieces. The color difference from the old shingles to the new revealed to what extent she’d been working, and Danny stared, flabbergasted.

“What the feck’re ya doin’?” he called up to her. Kendall jumped and looked down at him, sighing in relief, though she wasn’t sure why. She reached up and took the nails from her mouth, repositioning herself to better look down at him.

“I…I managed to get most of the holes fixed. This one’s a little larger, but I almost have it. Probably want to cut and fix the ceiling from inside the pub as well. There was a lot of water damage, especially this one here. How long have these leaks been here, exactly?” she asked.

Danny blinked and found himself at a loss for words. “Um…well…”

Kendall waved him off. “Anyway, sorry if I woke you, I was trying to be as quiet as possible, but I’m almost finished,” she said, turning back to the roof and the last few shingles that needed secured.

Danny watched her work for a moment and shook his head. All three? “How long have yeh been workin’?”

Kendall shrugged. “Maybe since five this morning?” she pondered. She remembered that it was still relatively dark and had to root around the pub for a flashlight.

Danny gawked. “Since five? Didn’ yeh sleep any? Was nearly midnight before we turned in,” he said incredulously.

Kendall shrugged. “Never been much of a sleeper. Besides, it’s the least I can do. You really helped me out last night, so I figured, I know how to do it why don’t I help you out too?” she said, tapping the last nail into place. She set down the hammer and double checked her handy work to be sure everything was placed properly. Satisfied, she gathered the tools, put unused nails back in their box, stuck everything in the belt, and scooted to the ladder.

Danny held it still as she climbed down. “Thank you.”

“How’d you know where ta find everythin’?”

She shrugged. “I saw the shed, so I figured I’d start there. Umm…I might have crushed a couple of your plants on the way over though. It was kinda dark,” she said apologetically.

Danny looked over at the mostly undisturbed garden, plants growing weakly thanks to his lack of care. He frowned. “S’fine.” They stood in another bout of awkward silence, just listening to the waves crash against the coast in the distance. “Have you eaten?”

“No,” said Kendall, closing up the ladder. Danny took it.

“Why don’t yeh head inside? I’ll take care of this and yeh can pull out yesterday’s stew? There’re pots in the cabinets, just take one out and serve some of the stew into it for heating,” he said.

Kendall balked. “No, I couldn’t. I mean, I’ve already taken advantage of your hospitality, I couldn’t,” she said.

Danny smiled softly. “Kenna, you’re not takin’ advantage of ‘nythin’. Go on inside and have yerself some breakfast.” Kendall hesitated a moment, but he pointed towards the back door and she went, slipping inside to do as suggested and heat them up some leftovers. Danny waited until the door was closed to quickly set the ladder back into place and scurry up to the roof.

He couldn’t believe it. That a young American woman gave up her much needed rest to patch a few holes in his roof just didn’t seem probable. That she knew how seemed even less likely. Yet there it was, pure proof, sitting on his now carefully patched up roof, just waiting for a steady shower to prove itself. He sighed and shook his head. What a mysterious woman he had dropped in his lap.

After tucking away the ladder and hopping from place to place to avoid mud on his bare feet, Danny wandered back in to find Kendall serving the stew into two bowls, a half-loaf of bread and butter already out on the small table he had in the corner just for himself. She set the bowls down and waited for him to take his usual seat before sitting herself.

“Thank you…for fixin’ all a that,” said Danny.

Kendall shrugged. “Was nothin’. Least I could do,” she said, spooning some hearty soup into her mouth and holding back a sigh of relief. She was still starving, the little sandwich from the night before having done nothing to sate her hunger, only take the edge off.

“Yeh seem pretty handy,” said Danny, wolfing down his own bowl and cutting into the bread.
Kendall shrugged. “I guess. Home repair was a hobby for me. I spent a lot of time reading books and breaking things when I was little,” she said, accepting a piece of bread.

Danny furrowed his brow. “Breakin’ things?”

Kendall grinned. “So I could fix them.” Danny blinked and a grin spread his face as he chuckled.

“Bit of an odd hobby for a child,” he said.

Kendall shrugged. “I had an odd childhood.” The momentary glow Danny had seen in her eyes faded and again she went cold on him, staying quiet while she finished her stew. Part of him wanted to ask, intrigued, but he figured it would push her even further into silence.
“So…you’ll be leavin’ then?” he broke their awkward silence with.

“Yeah. Just have to keep moving,” she said with a shrug.

“And to where’re yeh headed?”

Kendall sighed. “Wherever the wind takes me,” she said jokingly.

Danny grinned and picked at his bread. “Yeh know…this place really needs a lot of work. I’m not much of a fixer meself, but yeh seem to know yer way about things,” he said.

Kendall shifted and looked up at him. “Yeah?”

“Well…I can see you’re on hard times. So… if you’d be willin’ to stick around, I will trade yeh food and lodgings for your handy home repairs,” said Danny.

Kendall sighed and stared into Danny’s brown eyes. There was complete sincerity there, if not a little pity. “I…don’t think that’s a good idea,” she forced out, worrying at a fingernail as she looked down to the table

Danny frowned. “Why’sat?”

Kendall fidgeted. “Telling you wouldn’t be a good idea, either.”

Danny blinked. “Yeh didn’ kill ‘nyone, didja?” he asked in concern, sitting up straighter, ready to flee.

Kendall’s eyes shot back up and a look of horror crossed her face. “Of course not!” she practically shrieked.

Danny jumped. “Fine, fine, but yeh ain’t exactly reassurin’ what with the secrets n’all,” he said, relaxing back into his meal.

Kendall sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I just…” she fell silent and stared out the still open back door, eyes moving over the ruined garden, following green fields and knolls to the grey-blue of the ocean beyond. Was being found here, so far away from everything, really a legitimate fear? She was on a small island, there was no leaving it now that she was there, not unless she wanted to swim the channel to England and sneak around worse than she was here, in a more highly populated area. This was it, there was no where else to go, not for years if not longer. She had no money, no papers to legally get a job and buying a house or renting was completely out of the question. She sighed and picked at her bread.

Danny shifted uneasily and watched her from the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction. It was obvious she was struggling with something, he could see it in her eyes, watched it flit across her face. “Look… so long as you didn’ do ‘nythin’...illegal, I won’t judge yeh. I suppose we’ve all our secrets so…I won’t begrudge yeh any. We can both use each other’s help. You just think about it. I’ve a pub to open ‘n a bus ‘o tourists to prep for,” he said, getting to his feet. He took up his dishes and placed them in the sink, then hurried up the stairs to pull on some clothes. Kendall sat and stared at her stew.

Danny made it down and opened the door just as the bus to Waterford stopped in for a few hours before heading on. Tourists filed off and directly into the pub as it was the only thing of interest in their immediate area.

Really, it was the only commercial anything in their area, but Danny didn’t want to seem self important by outwardly suggesting it.

This bus load was a mix of Americans and Europeans, all talking amongst their little groups, or keeping silent if they were alone, and they made themselves at home, Danny running around to take orders, wishing he’d have hired someone, anyone, just for bus days. There was at least one a week and it was all the same. He took it alone, somehow managed to keep everyone happy, despite how slow he was, and they’d all file back onto the bus after stinking up his johns but making up for it in decent tips.

He rushed around, pad in hand as he scribbled table numbers and orders on his little sheets, making his way to each table before heading back to gather drinks. Libations always gave him an edge on food as everyone was generally happy to sit and nurse a pint while he cooked away in the back. He didn’t generally have any problems if all the glasses were kept full.

“Howya, Seamus?” Danny asked the bus driver as he returned to the bar and set down the tray, filling a pint for the stoutly man and sliding it his way.

“Danny. Well enough, I s’pose. Work’s as usual. Cheers,” he said, holding up the glass before he drank.

“Least the rain’s stopped. Can I get yeh somethin’ to sop that mess up a’fore it hits yeh?” he asked, flipping through the papers. Nearly ten tables. Hopefully they all tipped.

“Just a sandwich’ll do. One drink’ll hardly bother me,” said Seamus, drinking slowly and gazing around at his passengers. They’d be at the pub for at least an hour. Plenty of time.
“Will do. Have it out in a jiffy,” said Danny, and he hurried into the kitchen to start on the many orders he had lined up.

Kendall there wasn’t a surprise, but her arms elbow deep in dish water was as she scrubbed away at the mess he’d left in the sink. She looked back at him briefly as he entered and ignored the confused look on his face.

Danny allowed himself a small grin. “So I take it yeh’ll be stayin’?” he said, walking in and sticking orders on a rotating dolly.

Kendall shrugged. “Can’t say how long, but…I figured it might not be that bad an idea,” she said, looking over her shoulder and giving him a small smile in return.

Danny chuckled. “Brilliant. Thanks much for the cleanin’ bit, I’ve a good ten tables to cook for,” he said, comparing them and heading to the refrigerator to line up the ingredients.

Kendall looked over the different requests and hummed. Nothing sounded unusual and when she looked over at the ingredients pulled out she figured cooking a few of them up would be a synch. “Need any help with this?”

Danny shrugged. “I’m used to doin’ all of it, but if yeh could get the fryer prepped for the chips, that’d be a huge help,” he said, tossing things onto the center island, no doubt where most of the cooking occurred. Kendall looked back at the small fryer against the far wall and dried her hands, hurrying over and examining it. The oil was nearby, as was a burlap sack full of potatoes, and the sticker above the vent was still intact enough to provide the simple directions on starting up the device. She poured in the oil to the fill line, fired it up, and stepped back. Danny had since walked around her and gathered the burlap sack, dumped a decent portion of potatoes into the sink, scrubbed them, and was chopping away, turning them into little matchsticks, skin attached.

Kendall frowned. “I thought the orders said chips.”

Danny hummed and looked over his shoulder at her confused expression. “I’m makin’ chips,” he said, scooting pile after pile away, mentally measuring. Kendall scowled and he rolled his eyes. “These are chips, yez French fries over there in America. Chips, your potato chips, them’s crisps,” he said dismissively.

Kendall hummed. “So all these here that say chips mean fries, and the ones that say crisps mean potato chips,” she said more to herself as she read over the list.

“Exactly. Mind dumpin’ these in the pit?” he asked, motioning to the stack of fries beside him. Kendall grabbed the basket and he stuck a good portion in, shooing her back to the fryer where she set them slowly in the hot oil. “Set the timer there ‘n when it beeps toss ‘em and if they’re not golden brown, put ‘em back in again.” Kendall nodded and did as told.

All in all things went smoothly. Kendall helped by cooking the fries or dishing out the chips and kept any dishes he used clean. This allowed him to move faster as every pot or pan he needed was readily available and he didn’t have the fries to keep from burning. Patrons got their meals faster, cooked well, and by the time they were boarding the bus, Danny was happily counting totals and tips.

Kendall peeked out of the kitchen into the pub, eyes searching as she absentmindedly dried her hands from having cleaned the last of the dishes. The tables still needed bussed and wiped down, but it was quiet again and she hadn’t been discovered. One day down. How many more to go?

Danny looked back at her and grinned. “Did well today. What with your help in the kitchen I was able to get done right quick. Happy customers mean plenty bread and honey. This is brilliant,” he said, tucking away the paper bills and scribbling notes into his ledger. Over a hundred quid, just from ten tables and a single bus. He didn’t charge much for anything on his menu, so most of it was from tips.

Kendall grinned, happy to see Danny smiling and excited over his day. “Happy to help.” She looked around the messy room, and glanced back at the kitchen, mostly kept as she’d cleaned each pot or pan after each use. She spied a large tub, a few dirty dishes from the bar already in it, and gathered it, marching out onto the floor.

Danny looked up at the sound of clinking dishes. “What’re yeh doin’?”

Kendall stopped and looked around the messy pub. “Cleaning?”

Danny fidgeted. “Well…home repair I’m fine with, I’m not handy meself, but I can’t go ahead and let yeh clean up after all’a that. Yeh’ve done plenty in my kitchen, I can’t ask for more from yeh.”

Kendall shrugged. “Well…you didn’t ask. I’m just…helping. I mean, you gave me food, a place to shower, a warm bed…helping clean up your pub is the least I can do.”

Danny frowned. “Yah, after yeh fixed my roof and cleaned my kitchen.”

“I thought part of the deal was I helped you maintain this place for awhile?”

“In home repairs, I don’t feel comfortable takin’ advantage of yeh like this,” said Danny, motioning to the mess of tables.

Kendall sighed and set down the tub, glancing at Danny, then around the room. “All right…all right, you give me twenty dollars, I’ll clean the pub and the kitchen, and we’re even.”

Danny blinked. “Ten quid? You’ll clean up after messy tourists for naught more’n ten quid?”
“And tomorrow off,” she added.

“Yeh’re not my employee, yeh can do whatever it is yeh want,” said Danny matter-of-factly.

“But we did enter into an arrangement and you have the right to have me work as much as you see fit in compensation for the money you lost feeding and rooming me,” said Kendall just as firmly.

Danny furrowed his brow and shook his head. “Yeh’re a strange gal, Kenna.”

Kendall opened her mouth to argue before his words set in and she blinked. “What?”

Danny sighed and grinned, counting twenty out of his handful and holding it out. “Twenty quid, and yeh can have tomorrow,” he said, voice amused.

Kendall reached out and reluctantly took the offered notes, staring at them almost disbelievingly. “Oh…thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, finish clearin’ the tables and I’ll show yeh how to use the sorry excuse for a washer I’ve back here,” he said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. Kendall grinned and gave him a little nod, turning back to the tables.

It was early evening by the time everything was finished. The pub sparkled, as did the kitchen, and they relaxed out by the garden, Danny nursing a bottle of beer, just watching the ocean in the distance.

“Hey Danny?”

“Mhm?”

“What’s the nearest town?” Kendall asked, watching the sun dance off the distant waves.

Danny hummed. “That’d be Dungarvan. It’s more of a city, beautiful. Why?”

Kendall shifted. “No reason. Just curious I guess,” she said, pulling a knee to her chest and resting her chin on it as she watched the sunset.

“Mhm,” Danny hummed. Right. Just curious.

Silence dragged on between them, Danny lost in his own thoughts, Kendall’s eyes looking over the battered garden and beaten pub. She furrowed her brow and chewed her lip. “Hey Danny?”

“Mhm?”

“How do you keep this place going if all you make a day is a hundred pounds?” She could feel the tension as soon as the words left her lips and didn’t press when he didn’t answer.

Obviously it was a touchy subject. The bell rang inside and Danny stood without a word, hurrying into the pub to tend to his customer.

Kendall stayed out, but got to her feet and moseyed through the garden. It was a total mess. Weeds were growing out of control, no doubt suffocating a good deal of his plants, all of which looked either semi-wilted or yellowing. The tomatoes were small or not there at all, the peppers weak, squash nonexistent. She found carrots and plucked one, frowning at the tiny root. “Hmm, no wonder he only offers various forms of fried potatoes,” she mumbled to herself. She sighed and turned to look at the two story pub, tsking at the sorry state. The roof looked like it had been the worst, but there were still holes in the siding here and there, paint chipped from window frames, housing old and dirty windows that she doubt worked. Creeping plants had almost completely overrun the lower portion of the back wall, but bloomed beautifully.

After taking stock of what needed the most work, Kendall wandered back inside to Danny just finishing a few dinner orders, no doubt for locals or passersby, and he hurried out to deliver them, not sparing Kendall a glance. So she stayed put and washed the dishes again, scrubbing at the stove and the fryer until they nearly gleamed. By then the patrons had left and Danny had remained alone in the pub, cleaning up his bar.

Kendall walked out with the tub and gathered the few dirty dishes, setting them to the side to wash the tables down briefly. She strode past Danny, whom still didn’t speak, and tossed the tub in the sink, stomping back to the door.

“What the hell did I do to piss you off so much?” she demanded.

“Nothin’ at all!” said Danny sharply and sarcastically as he washed his mugs.

“Oh that’s a load of bull s**t. Sorry I’m helping,” she spat and she turned and stomped back into the kitchen, throwing the flatware and the silverware into the barely functioning dishwasher. She wasn’t quiet about it, things clattering left and right, and Danny whipped around the corner.

“Could yeh please try ta not break all my dishes?” he spat. Kendall whipped around and glared at him, and when he saw the look in her eyes he immediately regretted it. All fight left him and he stuttered an apology, but Kendall was already out the back door and jogging down the road.

“Kenna! Kenna, I’m sorry, ********!” he hollered as he watched her disappear into the distance. With a few more choice words, he stomped back into the pub, slamming the door behind him and nearly shattering the glass. He blew through the kitchen, almost undoing all the hard work Kendall had done in cleaning and finished cleaning up the bar. He closed early, too angry to deal with more customers and even though he turned off most of the lights and locked the front door, the back remained unlatched and the light on.

***
A crash echoed through the pub.

“Feckin’—,” Danny huffed and stifled the rest of the expletive, bending down to gather the rag from the mess of broken glass at his feet. He tossed it angrily in the sink and grabbed the broom and pail.

“Seem ta be havin’ a rough day, Danny. Everythin’ all right?” asked Bary, the group of men staring toward him in concern.

“Fine, Bary, thank yeh for askin’,” said Danny tightly, sweeping up the glass.

“That gal you brought in give you trouble whiles she was here?” asked Egan.

Danny sighed. “None at all, actually,” he said, voice softer, almost tired.

“Yez right vexed. That scanger knackerette a bad egg?” asked Fynn.

Danny balked. “Fynn!”

“Some kind of scrubber, was she?” said Egan.

“Egan! Now that isn’t fair, she did nothin’ but help, yeh mind yer manners,” said Danny sharply, tossing the broken glass in the bin.

“Only wonderin’ why she’s got yeh sulkin’ about so much,” said Bary.

“Well, I’d appreciate it if yeh weren’t so feckin’ rude,” said Danny. He had no idea why he was being so defensive. The three men had been much worse before in regards to some of the women he’d kept, but for whatever reason he couldn’t stand the jibes they were taking with Kendall absent. He huffed and swept over the floor again.

The bell rang and the clop of heels on the hardwood floor echoed into the pub, preceding the bright and cheery face of Maura Gallagher, the prettiest woman in their small little town. Maura had been born and raised in the small place, but when she was still middle school aged, her parents decided Dublin would better suit them and moved her up, putting her in fine schools and from what Danny had heard, doing quite well for themselves. As it was, fresh out of college, Maura was visiting her grandparents, Bary and Cara. She was tall, thin, with porcelain skin, lightly freckled, high cheek bones, bright green eyes, and a head of soft red curls. She was a stereotypical Irish beauty, but it didn’t make her any less appealing.

“Howya, Granda?” she asked, marching over in her high wedges. She gave Bary, who seemed all too happy to see her, a tight hug.

“Hullo, Maura. Yer Grandma finally let yeh loose?” Bary asked.

Maura giggled. “She did. Told her I’d like ta see the town. Been so long since I been home n’all,” she said. She turned and looked back towards the bar, Danny’s cheeks tinting lightly at having been caught staring.

Maura grinned happily. “Danny! So good to see you,” she said, hurrying over and hugging him across the bar.

“Hi, Maura. Lookit you all grown up,” he said sheepishly.

She giggled. “All grown and a university graduate,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Is that so? Well good ta hear yeh done so well. At least one ‘o us can do somethin’ useful,” he said.

“Oh now, Danny, I think yeh do quite a service fer our poor elderlies here. Without you, poor thin’s have to spend time with their dastardly missus’,” she said sarcastically. Danny chuckled and spared a glance at the relatively sour-looking bunch.

“Can I get yeh anythin’? A drink, some lunch?”

“Oh that’d be lovely. What’s the menu?”

Danny blushed again. “Chips, crisps, and baked potatoes,” he said. That garden really needed cleaned up.

Maura just giggled. “I’ll have a pint o’ Arthers and a bag of taytos, please,” she said sweetly, taking a seat at the bar. Danny smiled and filled a pint from the tap, grabbing a bad of chips from his dwindling supply. Maura thanked him and munched away.

“So, what’s it you graduated for?” he asked, wiping down the tap and counter
.
“Geology,” Maura said proudly.

“Really? That has ta do with rocks, now, doesn’t it?” asked Danny.

Maura giggled. “Rocks, the earth, a whole slew of thin’s that only a hippie such as myself would find fascinatin’,” she said.

“Not at all, I think rocks are grand.”

The rattle of the back door startled Danny, and he stepped back into the open doorway to the pub, looking back to see who would enter through his kitchen. His eyes widened. “Kenna?”
Kendall stood quietly by the stairs, plastic bag dangling in one hand, looking tired, but not as terrible as she’d looked the day they met. She had a sheepish, almost ashamed look on her face. Danny moved further into the kitchen, but stopped a fair distance from her.

“I thought yeh were gone for good,” he said softly.

Kendall shrugged. “I’m sorry that I stormed out last night. I haven’t been in my right mind lately. I’d have come back sooner, but it took longer than I thought to get what I needed,” she said, shifting the bag in her hand.

“So, you are staying?” Danny asked, praying it didn’t sound too hopeful.

“If it’s still all right with you. I mean…I really don’t have anywhere else to go,” she said.

Danny nodded. “Yes, s’fine, umm…I’m busy in the pub right now, but…we’ll talk later,” he said.

Kendall nodded. “I’m just going to go get cleaned up, if you don’t mind,” she said, jabbing a thumb towards the stairs.

“Yes, go on ahead…” They shared another awkward silence before Kendall hurried upstairs and Danny turned back to the pub and Maura’s curious green eyes.

Kendall sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror and played with her long brown hair, twisting the soft, wavy locks through her fingers. She’d had long hair since she was a child, curls relaxing into classic waves that her father highly approved of. She’d never colored it, never felt the need to, but now it was an absolute necessity. It couldn’t be long anymore either. Letting out a heavy sigh, she dumped the contents of the bag on the floor and grabbed the scissors, returning to gaze at herself in the mirror. This was for the best.

Another local couple had wandered in for a night out, regardless of how little Danny actually had to serve, when Kendall finally reappeared in the kitchen, immediately looking at orders and starting to cook. She could hear Danny at the bar, mugs clanking as he moved back and forth with drinks, and tried to keep her head down when he walked back in. It didn’t help, but she tried.

“What in the world didja do?” Danny asked in shock as he entered the kitchen as was greeted by a shockingly blond Kendall, hair not only bleached but chopped to her jaw and hacked into heavy layers. The natural waves in her hair made it flip out, but it wasn’t at all horrible. In fact, Danny almost liked it better.

Kendall turned and gave him a half smile. “Like it? I needed something new,” she said, turning back to chopping potatoes.

Danny walked over and looked closer, almost wanting to reach up and play with the fluffy strands. He had to admit, she looked like a completely different person… The light bulb went on. “All right….What’s goin’ on?”

Kendall glanced over at him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, no one just decides to change their hair like that, especially not a woman. Now somethin’s goin’ on and I’d appreciate if yeh told me, considerin’ it’s my pub you’re livin’ in,” he said quietly, leaning in close.

“Oh how would you know what a woman would just randomly decide to do? I felt like doing something different with my hair, that’s all, there’s nothing to tell,” she said, moving past him and dumping the matchsticks into the fryer.

“That’s a fib I ever heard one,” he said, crossing his arms.

“Well then you answer the question from last night,” Kendall snapped. Tension filled the room again and she rolled her eyes, reading the orders, though she had no idea what the rest of them said.

Danny sighed. “Worry about the chips, I’ll take care ‘o the rest,” he said flatly, wandering over to the refrigerator and pulling out bits and pieces he needed. Kendall chewed her lip and did as told, watching the fryer and hanging the baskets when everything was ready.

“Everythin’ all right back here? Sounds a bit of a row,” said a soft voice from the door to the bar. Kendall looked over in time to catch a shock of red hair before Danny pushed her back. She sighed and shuffled the fries.

“Please don’t wander in the kitchen, Maura. Everything’s fine,” he said, moving around her and out to collect used dishes and refill beers.

“Didn’t sound fine,” said Maura quietly.

Danny sighed. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.” Maura gave him a look and he shrugged it off. She sighed and wandered back to the bar, moving down a couple seats so she could see further into the kitchen. She needn’t have bothered, because as she sat, Kendall came marching out of the kitchen, carrying a tray with full plates and various condiments.

“Order up, Danny,” she called into the pub.

“Just leave’em on the bar, Kenna, I’ll grab them,” said Danny easily. Kendall set the tray down and turned back into the kitchen. The pretty girl sitting at the bar caught her attention and she paused a moment, examining the redhead as much as the girl seemed to be examining her.

Maura gave her a small smile. “So you’re the girl Danny’s keeping around then?”

Kendall frowned. “I just fix the roof,” she said and she hurried back into the kitchen to start cleaning. Maura frowned, but didn’t follow and didn’t press.


The pub closed at ten, as usual, and the two cleaned up in silence, neither speaking to the other. Danny focused on wiping down tables and sweeping the floor, Kendall scrubbed and rescrubbed the kitchen. As they wandered back upstairs and to their respective rooms, Danny stopped at his door and glanced down the hall.

“And for the record,” he said. Kendall looked down at him confused. “I make about a hundred and ten a night.”

Kendall frowned. “I didn’t mean it like that, Danny,” she said sincerely. He just shut himself in his room.  

[oOGarrettOo]

***
The next morning was crisp and vaguely foggy, no doubt from a light rain through the night. Danny got up and went through his usual morning routine, bathing and debating with himself over the benefits of shaving off his two day growth of facial hair. Teeth brushed and daily wear tugged on, he wandered down to the kitchen and brewed a single cup of coffee, eagerly taking it out back to look out over the fog covered ocean.

Instead, he was left with nearly dropping his mug as a weeded and aerated garden cheerily greeted him with already incredibly healthier plants. “What the…” He looked around and stared at disbelief at the girl sitting on the bench against the back wall. Kendall was asleep, slumped over as though she’d sat simply for a break and unintentionally found herself thoroughly zonked. As Danny neared he noticed her clothes were damp, from either being in the rain or lingering in he fog.

“Kenna? Kenna, what the bloody hell are you doin’?” he said, voice firmer than he’d intended, as he shook her shoulder.

Kendall groaned into consciousness and groggily sat straighter, taking stock of her surroundings. “Oh, s**t,” she mumbled, rubbing her face. Falling asleep on the bench hadn’t been a part of her plan. Having woken just before dawn, she figured she might as well get up and continue working on the pub. The bench was meant to have been a quick break.

Danny sighed. “Jaysus, woman, you’re off yer nut,” he said, sliding and arm around her waist and hauling her to her feet.

“Ugh, get off, what the hell does that even mean?” she grumbled, stumbling to her feet and taking her own weight. She yawned and rubbed her face.

“Crazy! Feckkin’ crazy. What the feckkin’ hell’re yeh doin’ out in me garden? Yeh been out here all night, tinkerin’ away with lord knows while it’s lashin’ and dark and cold!” he hollered.
“Shut up, I haven’t been out here all night, and I came out after the rain, thank you,” she said sleepily, wandering back into the building and marching up the stairs.

“It ain’t safe ta be like that, Kenna. There’re wild dogs and touched and twisted folk that wander abouts at night. What we’re yeh thinkin’?”

“That I was tired of having only various forms of cooked potatoes and I bet your patrons were thinking the same thing. Now please, don’t follow me into the bathroom,” she said, staring at him through tired eyes. It was only then that Danny realized they were just inside the teeny bathroom and he blushed a bit as he stepped out. “Yell at me in about ten or fifteen minutes,” said Kendall, and she shut the door. Danny brooded for a moment but headed back down to the pub to prep it. Friday’s meant buzzies, hopefully more than one bus at that, and he had to be sure the taps were set, there were mugs a’plenty, and even precut some chips. With any luck, the day would be fantastic.

Kendall hung her damp clothes while she showered and entered her room to find another set of clothes laid out. All were much too large, so she donned her own pants but preciously accepted the oversized tee shirt, hopping down the stairs to help Danny get things set up.
“Thought you’d be sleepin’,” Danny called back from the bar.

“Slept plenty last night,” said Kendall.

He hummed. “Be havin’ busses today. Think yeh can help wait tables?”

“Sure.”


“I think I’m goin’ ta have to pay yeh. You were brilliant, not an angry customer, and that was a long day and three busses. I’m impressed,” said Danny as he counted and scribbled noted in his ledger.

Kendall looked over from sweeping, the tables already cleared and dishes washed. “You don’t have to pay me,” she said sincerely.

Danny tsked. “Least I can do. Yeh really helped me out, no lie,” he said. The bell sounded from the front. “We’re closed.”

“Oh, I know it Danny, I jes had somethin’ I wanted to ask,” Maura’s sweet voice floated in. He looked up to the redhead strolling up to the bar, dressed more casually than the previous day in jeans and trainers. Danny looked up and caught her eyeing Kendall, who was silently sweeping, ignoring the Irish beauty completely.

“What can I do for yeh, Maura?” he asked, tucking his money away and grabbing a cloth to wipe the bar down.

“Well, I got to thinkin’ about my graduation, and…would it be all right if…I mean…could I have it here at the pub?” she asked sheepishly, freckled cheeks tinting pink.

Danny blinked. “Yeh want to have yer hooley here?” She nodded. “Well…sure, I suppose. I mean…is it local?”

“Well, a few of my friends from uni were thinkin’ on hoppin’ a bus down from Dublin to celebrate. It wouldn’t be many, and I can pay for everyhin’,” she nearly begged.

“Yeh can have your party here, Maura. Least I can do for an old friend,” he said, smiling.

“Oh, thank yeh, Danny, you’re a lifesaver!” she said, nearly jumping over the bar to hug him. He just chuckled and gave her an awkward pat. His phone rang from the kitchen and he excused himself, hurrying off to answer it. Maura waited patiently by the bar and quietly watched Kendall work, furrowing her brow at the odd wardrobe.

“Forgive me, Miss Kenna…but that shirt can’t possibly be yours,” she said.

Kendall paused and looked over. “Just borrowing it from Danny. Mine’s in the wash,” she said, shrugged a shoulder and ducking to sweep out a booth.

Maura frowned. “You’ve only got yerself one shirt?”

“Only one set of clothes, actually. I didn’t have time to pack,” said Kendall off handedly.

Maura tsked her tongue. “Well that’s not right. Yeh know, you’re a slight girl, I bet I have a few garments here and there that’ll fit you nicely. How abouts I drop them off tomorrow morning? Yeh can use what you will, I have more’n I need anyhow,” she said cheerily.

Kendall blushed. “Oh no, really, I won’t be here much longer anyway. Thank you though,” she said.

Maura waved it off. “I won’t hear it. Yeh need gear and I have it to give, so I’ll drop it off bright and early in the morn and yeh can wear what fits. It’s all old anyway, so I was set to be rid of it just the same. Might as well use it if yeh need to,” she said firmly.

“I don’t want to ruin—,”

“Can’t ruin what I don’t want. I’ll stop by in the mornin’. See you, Danny,” she hollered into the kitchen. Danny called a brief farewell and continued his conversation. Maura smiled at Kendall sweetly and hurried off.

Kendall sighed. “I need to move on,” she grumbled to herself. But she didn’t really mean it. As much as she and Danny fought, she liked it in the dingy little pub. Part of her never wanted to leave.


Maura dropped the clothes off bright and early as promised and after trying on two pairs of jeans, various tops, and even an old pair of trainers, Kendall found herself in fresh, clean clothes, working away at the sticky windows of the pub while Danny went about organizing the bar for the day. At least one bus on a Saturday.

Danny looked up as Kendall methodically smoothed the well along the side of the window with sand paper, taking away old paint and smoothing the rough, worn wood. He took in the well fitted jeans and brightly colored tank top, enjoying the sight of Kendall’s finely shaped arms as she worked. “Maura was real sweet to give yeh clothes,” he said, dragging his eyes away.

Kendall hummed. “She’s nice. Sounds like you guys are old friends,” she said, shifting in her awkward position of straddling the sill. One leg was inside the pub, the other out, balanced on the sill and holding a tarp in place as she worked.

“Grew up together. She’s always been a real nice person. Her parents took care of me a bit when me da died. Younger’n me, but we got on well enough,” he said.

“That’s nice. How old were you?” she asked, only half listening as she worked on replacing the rope and counter weight that supported the window pane.

Danny hummed. “Abouts sixteen. Maura would have been twelve. Awkward livin’ with a youngwan, specially a girly one like her. Then her parents moved, but by then I was already workin’ on this place, so it wasn’t so bad. Bary and Cara helped me out if I needed it,” he said.

“Who’re Bary and Cara?” asked Kendall as she turned to repeat the process on the other side of the window.

“Maura’s grandparents. They’re why she’s back in town.”

“Oh, I’d wager there’s more than that she’s back for,” hummed Kendall. Danny blushed bright red.

“Don’t be dense. Maura probably has herself a boy in Dublin, no doubt successful, all that,” he said dismissively.

Kendall didn’t miss the edge of hurt and hopefulness on his voice and she grinned to herself. “A successful woman’s first priority isn’t always a successful man.” Danny hummed and she dropped the subject.

The day wore on, almost busier than the day before, and Kendall had to stop with the window’s to help cook and deliver food. There were complaints here and there, but most of them had to do with the cool draft and dust thanks to the open windows. The two apologized, offered a free pint, and the tips were enough to cover the giveaways. By early evening the busses were done and the pub was empty, so Kendall bussed the tables and went back to work on the windows.

It wasn’t until nearly closing that someone else walked in, looking proud and stately and thoroughly pompous. Kendall would have found him tall, dark, and handsome if he hadn’t given off such a self-important attitude. He gave her a brief glance, but turned his teeth to Danny.

“Evenin’, Danny. Bit of a word with yeh,” he said, striding over to the bar. Even from across the room Kendall could see Danny’s jaw working, the muscle bulging, and an angry fire in his eyes.

“Kenna, would you mind checking up on the garden, please?” Danny asked. She didn’t need to think about it, just climbed the rest of the way out of the window and wandered along to the back of the pub.

It was nearly fifteen minutes before Danny came out, looking thoroughly pissed. Kendall just sat quietly on the bench, letting him huff and pace and swear. After walking back and forth a few dozen times and kicking over a plant or two, he finally plopped down beside Kendall and hung his head.

“What happened?” she asked softly.

He sighed and sat back. “That…that was Connor McCarthy. His old man, Dugan McCarthy, is one o’ the wealthiest in the area. When I was just getting on my feet, they offered me a loan, and like an’’ ‘’eejit I took it. Well, now Connor’s back to fetch his father’s money…and I don’t got it,” he said, voice shaky and angry.

Kendall shifted. “How much?”

Danny gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Thousands. It’s a few hundred away from being doubled. If I’da been smart and knew then what I did now, I’da turned him down flat. And now…now I’m losing the place,” he said, voice tightening at the end.

“There’s no…payment plan or something?” she chanced.

“Ha. Sure there is. Just the longer it takes, the more their bloody feckkin’ interest adds up, the more I have ta pay anyway. Think I’ve nearly paid off near a thousand, hell, maybe more. But the due back always seems the same,” he said. He sighed and rubbed his face, looking out across the darkened stretch of field. “Feck, I should tell Maura that Connor’s in town. He’ll be after her at her hooley she don’t watch herself.”

“Can’t you just turn him out?” asked Kendall.

Danny snorted. “And have him runnin’ back to his old man, cryin’ about it? Only make my dues higher. Easier to warn Maura.”

Kendall hummed. “I wish I could help,” she said, almost guilty.

“But you’re doin’ wonders, Kenna. The roof, the windows, helpin’ in the pub. This whole week’s been excellent since yeh came. I made a good deal ‘o money this weekend. ‘Course, most of it went with Connor, but I always manage to hide a little for my use.”

“Does he come every Saturday then?”

“Mostly, after all the buses. Aren’t any on Sunday, s’when I’m closed. Ugh…maybe I should just do a bunk, run off to…America or somethin’,” he groaned, rubbing his face.

Kendall chuckled. “Trust me, it’s not all it’s talked up to be.”

“Trust me, it isn’t talked up,” said Danny with a grin. Kendall giggled. “Well, to bed with us. We can save the rest of the cleanin’ up for tomorrow. Have all day to do it,” he said, getting to his feet and stretching. Kendall followed and they wandered back into the pub, taking a moment to tape the tarp around the unfinished window incase any vermin had considered using it as an entrance while they slept.

“Good night, Kenna,” Danny said, stopping just outside her bedroom door.

Kendall smiled softly. “Good night, Danny.”

***
Sunday was by far Kendall’s busiest day. She finished the windows, oiled the hinges for both doors, repaired a couple wobbly tables, and even stripped and refinished the bar. The more she did, the guiltier Danny felt for having her do it without pay.

“Take a break, Kenna, and have somethin’ ta eat,” said Danny around late afternoon, motioning her into the kitchen.

Kendall shook her head. “I want to get this varnish done so that it has time to set over night. Hopefully, most of the smell will disperse so guest won’t choke on it tomorrow,” she said, nearly done with the bar anyway.

“I don’t usually get any business on Mondays,” said Danny.

“You never know,” said Kendall.

He chuckled. “Well fine then, you finish and then we’ll have dinner. Is there anything yeh’d like me ta do?”

“Nah, I’m almost done. You go ahead and eat,” she said, carefully running the rag over the wood.

“I can wait. Just sandwiches anyway,” he said, wandering back into the kitchen. Kendall shrugged and finished her work, looking over everything to be sure she didn’t miss a spot or leave any imperfections. She packed everything up and stuck it in its corner by the kitchen door. Danny was sitting at the table, sipping casually at a beer and staring out a window as she washed up and sat across from him, looking at her plate of sandwich and fries.

“Yeh know…I should pay you,” said Danny softly when she was settled.

Kendall held up her sandwich. “You are paying me.”

“No, I mean with money. Yeh’re doin’ way more’n a bed and some bad food are worth,” he said, looking forlornly at his sandwich at the mention of bad food.

“Well the way I see it, without your generosity, I’d have no bed or food at all, so it’s worth every bit of work I put forth. Besides, I don’t need any money. Maura lent me these nice clothes, and as soon as I finish fixing this place up, I’ll be on my way,” she said, eating her sandwich and fries without complaint.

Danny was quiet for a moment, staring at his plate. “Do…do you have to be on your way?”
Kendall paused in her chewing and sighed. “Yes, I think I do.” Danny just nodded. They finished their measly meals in silence and Kendall cleared her throat. “I think I’d like to go for a walk.”

“Mind if I join yeh?” asked Danny.

Kendall sighed and chewed her lip, mind obviously working, and when she looked up Danny frowned at the sadness in her eyes. “Yeah. You can come.” They cleaned up the kitchen, Kendall taking a moment to make sure the sink was clean, and Danny handed her a rain jacket, just in case.

They walked through the garden and out towards the beach.

Kendall sighed happily as a cool breeze swept over them. “I love it here. I love the smell, the feel, the way the land just sort of…rolls along,” she said, staring down the beach where the shore start to rise up into a small cliff.

“All the more reason ta stay,” said Danny casually.

Kendall giggled. “You know, for someone who delights in arguing with me, I have to admit I’m a little perplexed as to why you suddenly want me to stick around,” she said.

Danny shrugged. “I…like havin’ yeh here,” he said as they wandered.

“I do like being here… but it’s not good for me to stay. Not in one place,” she said, gazing out across the ocean.

“Are you goin’ to tell me why?”

“Better if I don’t.”

Danny sighed and nodded. “Well…yeh’re welcome to stay with me, long as yeh need. It’s nice havin’ someone around and…my customers like yeh well enough. The pub looks fantastic,” he said. He sighed again and rubbed the back of his neck.

Kendall grinned softly. “I’ll take it into consideration.”

They stood on the beach awhile, longer than they’d intended as soft pink broke through the dark and the fog and gently fanned across the horizon. Kendall’s eyes were glued to it, mind racing with thoughts that hadn’t left her since she got on the plane, Danny’s eyes glued to Kendall as he tried in vain to piece together her mystery.

“Looks like I’ll need ta make more coffee,” Danny mumbled.

Kendall chuckled. “Thought all you people were supposed to drink tea.”

He grinned. “I drink tea. Coffee just has a bloody brilliant way of kickin’ my arse inta gear, is all. Otherwise I’d be a right dosser, always on the hump,” he said, rubbing some sleep from his face.

Kendall shook her head. “I don’t know half of what you just said.” Danny grinned and full out laughed.

For once Kendall slept in, and both were in bed until nearly open. Danny didn’t seem concerned about it, even lollygagging enough to set him back a full thirty minutes, but when he flicked on the sign, the pub remained empty, and a cool wind brought with it more rain.

Danny stood beneath a dark spot on the pub ceiling, a small grin on his face, delighting in the absence of water as the rain thundered down, pounding against the roof and its new patches. “That’s bleedin’ deadly, Kenna. I mean, really,” he said, almost waiting for a droplet of water to pelt him in the face. It was too good to be true and had been a nightmare for so long.

“I’m assuming that means it’s good,” said Kendall from her seat at the bar.

“Beyond good. Yeh’ve no idea how feckin’ awful these damned leaks were. Days like these I had to empty the bucket near on four times,” he said, walking across the room to the other, smaller hole.

Kendall grinned. “I could fix those if I had the stuff. Wouldn’t be perfect, but at least they wouldn’t be the stains.”

“I could getcha the stuff,” said Danny seriously.

“Dry wall, primer, and a hacksaw,” said Kendall.

“Say what now?”

She giggled. “Never mind. Have you looked at the garden? I’m not that great with them, but my nanny liked to garden and I know enough about keeping the soil weeded and moist,” she said, shrugged.

“Oh, it looks great. Yeh’ve really outdone yourself, Kenna, I mean it. Pub’s never looked better. I love the bar,” he said, walking over and running a hand lovingly over the varnished surface. “Should redo all the woodwork.”

“Nah, don’t do that. It’s nice the way it is. Feel’s classic and homey. I just figured you’d like the bar redone. Men like the bar,” she said. Danny chuckled. “So when’s this party? Should we decorate?”

“Maura said she’d drop in and let me know. I’m guessin’ the coming Sunday. Gives her and us plenty of time ta get everythin’ situated. Will yeh be stickin’ around that long?”

Kendall sighed. It had been nearly a week since she’d stumbled into the bar, and no one had come looking for her. Maybe she was safe there, off the beaten path. Who would think to look for her out in a tiny town, working on an old pub?

“I think I could stand one more week,” she said.

Danny smiled. “That’s grand.”

The week wore on pleasantly. Kendall fixed what little things she could, but mostly helped in the kitchen and with waiting tables. Danny was grateful for the help, but every once in a while he’d catch himself staring towards her, just watching her work and smile, greeting the customers cheerily and joking about how she didn’t always understand English. Everyone seemed to enjoy her, the pub filled daily with good vibes and smiling faces. Danny realized more and more, that the longer she was there, the happier he felt as well. He didn’t feel so alone.

“Thank yeh, Kenna. Heard Danny had somethin’ new, figured it best to try it,” said Bary as Kenna delivered a bowl of soup, rich in vegetables from the garden.

“We’ve been keeping the garden nice, so everything’s finally growing. Hope you enjoy it,” she said, serving bowls to Egan and Fynn as well.

“Vegetables, eh? I hate vegetables,” grumbled Egan.

Kendall giggled. “Sorry to hear that. Here’s your bread. Is there anything else you gentlemen require?” she asked, tucking the tray beneath her arm.

Bary chuckled. “None at all, Kenna. Thank yeh.”

“You’re quite welcome,” she said, and she wandered off to wait on another table.

“She’s somethin’, isn’t she?” Danny said softly as he set the men’s pints onto the table.

“A grand bird, for sure,” said Fynn.

“Maura was blatherin’ away about her all the while she was pullin’ her old clothes out. Said she was a strange sort of girl,” said Bary.

“Oh, she’s strange all right. But she’s brilliant. Have yeh noticed the absence of the rain buckets?” asked Danny, motioning to a couple spots in the room.

“You’re not sayin’ that girl went and fixed the roof, are yeh?” said Egan, baffled and almost appalled.

“Aye, she did and she did it right quick. Haven’t had a problem since. She’s a godsend,” said Danny.

“Godsend, eh? Thinkin’ on keepin’ her around, then?” asked Bary, a slight grin on his face.
Danny’s cheeks tinted. “Was thinkin’ on it. But, it’s up to her, however she decides it,” he said. The three men laughed and Danny retreated before they decided to humiliate him further.

A familiar redhead waltzed merrily in, adding extra cheer to the already jovial patrons. Her smile was bright and she greeted people as she went, heading straight for the bar.

“Howya, Danny. Hullo, Kenna,” she greeted happily.

“Heya, Maura. What brings yeh in?” asked Danny.

“Figured I’d come have some dinner. Everyone else in the town seems ta be here,” said Maura smartly.

“Would you like some soup? Just made a fresh pot, people are ordering extra,” said Kendall, walking around the bar, order pad in hand.

“Oh, no. Probably just a Johnny-jump-up an a doorstep,” said Maura, getting comfortable.

Kendall blinked and looked at Danny, whom chuckled. “I’ll take care of it. Run and get them who just walked in,” he said, motioning to the people at the door. They were travelers, probably by car, and looked a little lost.

“Good evening. Just the two of you?” asked Kendall.

The couple grinned. “Another yank, huh? Haven’t seen any since we left Dublin,” said the man, reaching out for her hand. Kendall reached out and shook it briefly.

“So this is the local? It’s a lovely place,” said the woman, pulling off her raincoat.

“I’ve always thought so. Come right this way,” said Kendall, turning and walking off. The people hurried after her and she motioned them into an empty booth. “Have a look at the menu and can I start you with a drink?”

“Just a pint of Guinness each,” said the man. He pulled out the measly menu and a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Not much here to pick from.”

“We’re just a little place, no need to have much. I’ll get those pints and be right back with you,” said Kendall curtly, and she hurried off for the bar, grabbing empty mugs and dishes as she went.

Danny noticed her odd new attitude as soon as she rounded the bar and deposited the mugs. “Everythin’ all right?”

“Just American’s. I need…six pints please, two each for tables two, five, and eight,” she said, reaching around the kitchen door to the bin and depositing the dirty dishes.

Danny furrowed his brow and went about filling the mugs. “That a problem then? Them bein’ American?” he said softly.

“I left for a reason,” mumbled Kendall flatly. Danny frowned and lined up the mugs, Kendall gathering them and bringing them to their respective tables. She thunked them onto the couple’s table and pulled out her pad. “Ready to order?”

“Umm…” the man mumbled, giving the menu another look over. “We’ll just have the fish and chips, please.” Kendall scribbled it onto her pad and hurried off, repeating the gathering of used dishes as she went.

“What’s got her all vexed suddenly?” asked Maura softy, watching Kendall’s unusual interaction with the patrons.

Danny shrugged. “Something about the couple at table eight. Says they’re American, upset her or something,” he said.

Maura furrowed her brow. “That’s odd. Did they say anythin’ to her?”

“Not that I know of.” The two went quiet as Kendall walked past them into the kitchen and went about frying up fresh fish and chips.

“Yeh’d think she’d be a bit excited to see folk from her side of the pond,” said Maura softly. Danny just shrugged again and refilled the pints.

“Hey, Danny, could you deliver these for me? I need to step outside for a minute,” said Kendall, holding the steaming baskets. Danny turned and took them.

“Sure. Are yeh all right?” he asked in concern.

“I just need some fresh air,” she said and she hurried out the back. Danny’s frown deepened and he grabbed her tray, loading it up and walking onto the floor, delivering beer and whiskey where need be. He reached the couple’s table and set down the baskets, tucking the empty tray under his arm.

“Enjoy,” he said, turning to go.

“Hey wait, what’s the waitress’s name?” the woman asked.

Danny hummed. “Yeh mean Kenna?”

“Kenna…hmm…Kenna what?” the woman continued.

Danny shrugged. “Just Kenna. Why, she upset yeh?” he asked.

“Oh, no, no, she just looks…familiar. She’s from the United States, correct?”

“S’far as I know. Could be Canadian,” said Danny with a shrug.

The woman hummed. “She just looks so familiar, like I’ve seen her in a magazine or something. Hmm, oh well. Thank you,” she said and she turned back to her food and husband.

Danny nodded. “Yeh’re welcome,” he mumbled, and he moved back to his bar. It must have been a look-alike, he thought, there was no way Kenna would have been in any magazine. She was lovely, sure, but she seemed so ordinary, never let on or acted like a person who would be interviewed or hunted by paparazzi to be stuck in a magazine. He hummed and set down the tray, grabbing a cloth to wipe down the bar.

“Everythin’ all right?” asked Maura.

Danny nodded. “Yeah…yeah, fine,” he said distractedly. Maura opened her mouth to question further, but she was stopped short as a boisterous man marched in.

“Well now, Danny boy, looks like yeh have yerself a decent following. Nearly full house. Guess that means yeh’ll be more’n able ta pay what’s owed,” came the mocking voice of Connor McCarthy. The pub went silent and all eyes went to Connor.

“McCarthy, this isn’t the place or time to be discussin’ our private business,” said Danny from behind the bar.

“It’s time when I say it is, O’Connell, and here I am sayin’ it,” Connor spat. He caught sight of Maura, sitting ramrod straight, lips pursed as she stared away from him, and he grinned, sashaying over and leaning on the bar beside her. “If it isn’t Maura Gallagher? Thought you and your family moved on up to Dublin. What bring’s yeh back here?”

“That’ll be none of your bloody business, Connor,” she said, shifting away from his invasion.

“Aw, c’mon, cutie. How about you and I get reacquainted?” Connor suggested, reaching up and playing with a loose curl.

Maura scoffed and slapped his hand away, jumping from her seat. “Jam on your egg! If I were mad, I would!” she spat.

Connor scowled and grabbed her arm. “I asked nicely, yeh feckkin’ scanger,” he growled. A few of the men rose from their seats and Danny whipped around the bar, grabbing Maura and standing in front of her.

“Now that’s enough, yeh’ve gone too far. I want yeh ta leave. Yer old man may have lent me money, but this pub is still mine and I’ll not have yeh harassing my customers,” Danny said firmly.

Connor glowered. “Yeh best think about who it is yeh’re speakin’ to, Danny boy. Yeh’ve one week from today, yeh hear? Either yeh pay in full, or I’ll be back and I’ll burn this place to the ground with you in it. That’s a promise,” he seethed. Danny was almost sure Connor would spit on him, but he didn’t, instead choosing to turn around, knock over someone’s stout, and storm out the door.

The room was silent, no one moving or making a sound, but once the tension eased and they all exhaled, Danny turned. “Yeh all right, Maura?”

“Fine, fine, on with you,” she said, turning and marching around the bar and into the kitchen to pull herself together.

Danny nodded and looked around the room. “Terribly sorry, folks. My sincerest apologies. Bit of a mentaller, that one,” he said. No one said anything, but most went back to what they were doing. Danny hurried over to the gentleman with beer on his lap, picking up the glass and examining the mess. “Very sorry about that.”

“Not your fault, Danny,” the man offered, sopping up the mess with his napkin.

Danny nodded. “I’ll fetch yeh another rag and stout,” he said and he hurried off.

Kendall was in the kitchen, feeling completely awkward as she hovered around Maura whom sat at the table trying to stop her tears. Occasionally, she would reach out and give the redhead a gentle pat on the shoulder, but she’d never been good with crying people.

Maura snuffed. “Oh, I’m sorry, Kenna,” she said softly, wiping at her eyes, her eyeliner and mascara muddying along her bottom lid.

“It’s okay,” said Kendall, holding out another tissue. Maura took it and blew her nose.

“He’s always been a feckin’ arse. Even when we were younger. Always been a holy Joe, the bloody git,” she said, wiping her eyes and staring at the stained tissue. “What a state I must look.”

“Waterproof mascara helps with that,” said Kendall awkwardly. Maura stared at her a moment and giggled.

Danny finally slipped into the kitchen and wasted no time in wrapping Maura in his arms. “I am so, so sorry,” he said, squeezing tightly.

Maura hugged back. “It’s not yeh’re fault, Danny. Not like yeh made him do it,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thank yeh for intervenin’ though. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course.” He sighed and pulled her closer if it was possible.

Kendall fidgeted. “I’m going to go wait tables,” she said, and she hurried off. Most of the patrons had finished their meals and eagerly awaited someone to take their money so they could leave. Kendall collected their pay and apologized for the excitement. Most people just offered up an uncomfortable smile or nothing at all, and soon the pub was empty, tables abandoned and beers finished. Kendall fetched the tub, ignoring the two in the kitchen, sitting at the table talking, and went about collecting dishes and wiping down tables. When they finally reemerged Maura was grinning and smiling and Danny had a happy expression plastered to his face.

“If yeh need anythin’ Danny, yeh know where I’m stayin,” said Maura, walking around the bar.

“Thanks, but I don’t think Cara would approve of me callin’ after yeh in the middle of the night,” said Danny with a crooked grin.

“Don’t be silly. Gran likes yeh well enough, and if I tell her what happened she’ll understand. Gramps’ll be the same,” said Maura.

Danny nodded. “All right. If I need yeh,” he said. Maura smiled and leaned up, placing a soft kiss on his cheek, and she left, giving Kendall a wave as she went.

Danny sighed and wandered over to the door, flicking off the ‘open’ sign and pulling the bolt. It was two hours before close. He rubbed at his face and wandered behind his bar, pulling out a bottle of beer and popping the cap. “Give it a rest, Kenna. Just leave it,” he said dejectedly, and he wandered out the kitchen and into the garden.

Kendall sighed and stared around the pub, the tables already mostly clear and her tub full of dishes. She shuffled the remaining mess into the overflowing container and hauled it into the kitchen, loading up the newly repaired dishwasher and starting it.

“I said feckin’ leave it!” Danny hollered.

“Shut up! I’m just washing the dishes so it’s good to go for tomorrow,” said Kendall, walking out to the garden. She looked down at Danny, sitting solemnly on the bench with his beer already half empty, and she frowned. “You will be opening tomorrow.”

Danny snorted. “What for? I can’t make all that money in a week. It’s a bloody joke. No point in even trying. Might as well just work on getting’ out what I want ta save and let him burn down the rest like he’s set on doin’,” he said, anger heavy, masking his sadness.

Kendall rolled her eyes. “That’s not going to happen,” she said, leaning against the wall beside him.

“He wasn’t messin’ in there, Kenna. He’ll be back next week and he’ll have his bloody cronies with him, and he’ll burn this place to the ground. And if I’m here, he’ll bloody burn me alive in it,” he said. He downed the rest of his beer and angrily chucked the bottle out across the garden, leaning over and rubbing his face. “I’m as thick as a feckin’ ditch. Why did I take that money?”

Kendall sighed and stepped inside, gathering another beer, and wandering back out to sit next to him. She nudged him and he looked up, taking the offered bottle and knocking back a good portion. “Don’t give up, Danny. I know it doesn’t seem like it’ll work out, but it will,” she said.

Danny groaned and rolled his eyes. “Kenna, that’s over ten thousand quid that I’ve ta come up with by next week. It’s impossible, no feckin’ way it’ll happen. That kinda money doesn’t come in with the people I cater too, it just doesn’t. It’s over,” he said, anger subsiding into numb sadness as he spoke. He hung his head and sipped from his beer.

Kendall sighed and stared up into the starry sky, shivering slightly from the cool breeze.
“Well…I’m opening tomorrow, with or without you. Fridays are busy days. Can’t afford to miss one,” she said, getting to her feet.

“Don’t bother.”

“All ready said with or without you. Want another beer?” she asked, pausing at the door.

Danny sighed and stared at the brown bottle in his hand. “No.” Kendall nodded and slipped inside, doing a quick cleanup and mopping the sticky floor in the pub, before she turned off lights and made her way upstairs to her room. She sat on the bed and stared at her passport, ID card tucked inside as well. She took in the jaded expression of both pictures, long brown hair neatly set, dressed to the nines, eyes smoky but no less miserable. This could take care of Danny’s debt, without a doubt. But was she willing to sacrifice all of that for a man she barely knew? She sighed angrily and threw the passport against the wall, bending to gather it when it landed. <********,” she whispered to the room, pushing fingers through her hair and squeezing her eyes shut. “********.”  

[oOGarrettOo]

***

Kendall opened the pub on Friday as promised and by the time Danny forced himself out of bed and chugged a pot of coffee it was already well into the afternoon. He rubbed his face, scruffy since he hadn’t cared to do much more than bathe, and he peered around the corner of the kitchen and into the pub. It was full of life, nearly completely full, and there was Kendall, dashing around like a pro. She took an order here, delivered an order there, greeted and sat newcomers as she cleared the tables and wiped them down.

“Nice of you to join the living,” she said as she whipped into the kitchen, darting around and checking pots and the fryer. She deposited dirty dishes and kicked on the full washer, hurrying on to flawlessly fill a few orders and line them up on her tray. “The chips should go off soon if you wouldn’t mind pulling them out of the oil for me,” she said, and she hurried back onto the floor. Danny moved to watch her again and to his surprise Maura came flying into the kitchen next, faced flushed, as she went over orders and stared around the kitchen.

Danny blinked. “Maura?”

The sprightly redhead looked up and grinned. “Howya, Danny! Here, do this, I’ve no idea what yeh do,” she said, thrusting an order at him and turning to do something else.

Danny read it and moved to the stove. “What…what’re yeh doin’?”

Maura shrugged. “Just helpin’. I popped in ta see how yeh were holdin’ up and there’s poor Kenna, going ninety to the dozen ta keep up with the crowed, so I grabbed a tray and a pad and took some orders,” she said, as though it made perfect sense.

Danny hummed. “I told her not ta open today,” he said, tossing the meal on a plate and setting it on her tray.

Maura tsked. “So I heard. Well, us women folk seem ta be handlin’ thing’s well enough, so if yeh’re so set on not existin’ today yeh can go and…pick some tomatoes,” she said, tossing other plates onto the tray and hefting it up to hurry onto the floor. Danny blinked and stared after her, numbly pulling the chips from the oil when the bell rang.

Kendall came hurrying in, wiping at her forehead with the back of her arm as she set her tray down and dumped dishes in the sink. “Hey, if you’re going to stick around would you mind manning the bar at least? I don’t know how many times I accidentally gave someone the wrong beverage,” she huffed, quickly filling bowls with stew and throwing together plates of fish and chips.

“Uh…sure,” he said, watching her work.

“Thank you. Four pints of Guinness, and a couple whiskey’s please, I’ll be right back to pick them up,” she said and she grunted as she lifted her tray and practically glided back out onto the floor.

By the end of the day, busses gone and pub closed up, both girls were exhausted and collapsed at the bar, Danny still slightly stunned.

“Well, I’d say that went brilliantly. Been a while since I waited tables. Like riding a bicycle,” said Maura, practically glowing as she swept curly locks from her face and shoulders, letting cool air hit the back of her neck.

“You’re a lifesaver. I was seriously going under before you showed up. I owe you,” said Kendall, sighing and stretching.

“Happy ta help. Couldn’t very well leave yeh ta cater ta everyone. Had over a hundred people through here today, for sure,” said Maura.

Danny hummed and grabbed the order sheets, giving them a quick count and blinking in surprise. “For sure, for sure,” he said, tucking them away.

“Didn’t have any complaints either. I was sure someone would bite my head off, with filling the wrong beverages and all,” said Kendall.

Maura waved it off. “It’s all the same once they’ve had a few,” she joked. Kendall giggled.
Danny shook his head. “Yeh both did wonderfully. I should pay yeh, matter of fact,” he said, moving to count out some money.

Maura tsked and smacked his hand. “Go on outta that! I won’t take a penny,” she said, getting to her feet and walking around the bar to gather her purse.

“Now, I won’t feel right if I don’t give yeh somethin’,” said Danny beseechingly.

Maura grinned. “Then yeh can give me a kiss and get yourself to bed and rested for tomorrow,” she said. Danny blushed and she giggled, leaning up to press her lips softly to his cheek. “See you, Danny.”

“Have a good night, Maura…and thank you,” he said. Maura smiled and gave an exaggerated bow then hurried off, bidding Kendall good night as well.

Silence stretched between them as Danny counted, Kendall watching the bills, one after the other, and the carbons from the plastic. “So…glad I didn’t listen?”

Danny sighed. “Yes,” he said softly.

Kendall giggled. “It was a great day, really. Four busses, all packed. Must be traveling season,” she said with a shrug, getting to her feet and grabbing a cloth for the tables.
Danny shrugged. “It…comes and goes,” he said, almost dejected as the count just got higher and higher.

“I would think so,” said Kendall from across the pub. Danny stopped counting and put the money down, looking up and watching her. She was sure and confident and when he really took a moment he realized that the pub felt different as well, more together, more whole.
People seemed happy when they ordered from Kendall, enjoyed idle chitchat with her, took their time on their meals and honestly enjoyed the little pit stop. The food was better, the bar was cleaner, all thanks to this mysterious woman with a fake name, whom Danny knew absolutely nothing about. He sighed, shook his head, and walked into the kitchen.

Kendall stopped working at the sound of his exhale and turned to see him march off, not missing the slightly distressed look on his face. Frowning, she walked in after him. “Danny? Is everything okay? There’s nothing missing, is there?” she asked in concern.

Danny shook his head. “No…nothin’s missin’.”

Kendall furrowed her brow. “Then what’s wrong?”

He sighed and leaned against the island counters, toeing a spot on the floor. “A beautiful stranger walked into my pub not long ago…and she turned my life inside out. She fixed my roof, my garden, even my washer…and I don’t know a thing about her. Can’t recall the last time I saw so many people happy ta be eattin’ here, orderin’ up meals and snacks and beer after beer, chattin’ and carryin’ on and just…bein’,” he said, shaking his head.

Kendall fidgeted. “I didn’t realize I was upsetting the delicate balance of your pub,” she said, tone wavering between sincere and sarcastic.

Danny snorted, lips twitching with a smile, and he moved toward her, reaching out and cupping her jaw gently. “I don’t know how to handle yeh, Kenna. All I know about yeh is that yeh can fix just about anythin’ and that you’re American…and hell, I don’t even know that for sure, yeh’ve never actually said it was fact. I mean…here I am housin’ yeh and lettin’ yeh work here and I don’t even know how old yeh are.”

“I’m twenty five.”

“That isn’t the point,” he said, shaking his head. “What I’m meanin’ is…yeh’ve got me all twisted and hopin’ for things that aren’t there…and I’m petrified,” he said, voice low and soft.

Kendall bit her lip. “Of what?”

Danny sighed. “Of what’ll happen to me when yeh leave.” Kendall opened her mouth to answer, but Danny surprised her into silence with a gentle kiss, a soft brushing of lips, before abruptly turning and hurrying up the stairs. She heard his door close and exhaled, rubbing her face. <******** my life.”

***

Danny was up surprisingly early Saturday morning and trudged down the kitchen stairs to find everything spotless and gleaming like it had been every day for two weeks. He sighed and smiled softly, allowing himself a moment to run a hand along the smooth surface of the countertop, some of its old sheen returning from the massive care. Everything was perfect, in its place, clean and ready to start the day.

The pub was equally as impressive. It was almost as though Kendall had spent extra time the night before, sweeping and cleaning and mopping and whatever else. The tables were all prepped, condiments placed, napkin holders full, table cloths perfectly smoothed and positioned against the square shape of the tables, allowing for a white diamond, perfectly centered. Danny hadn’t even considered table cloths. He’d always had them but he’d never used them, and seeing them out, seamless for as long as they’d been folded in storage, was a strange sight. The bar was gleaming, glasses rubbed free of their water stains and lined up according to volume. Even the ice had been filled, which meant Kendall had been up to nearly dawn, just working. There was nothing left to do. Everything was perfect.

“Ugh, stop teasin’ me, woman,” Danny said under his breath, lovingly petting the smooth wood of the bar. He grabbed his keys and walked around, moving through the floor slowly, eyes soaking in how beautiful everything was. But it was all for naught. Connor would come, take anything of value if Danny wouldn’t have absconded with it previously, and burn the rest of it to the ground. And oddly, Danny felt that if Connor did burn it down, the arse would be taking Kenna away as well.

He grumbled at himself as he unlocked the door and flicked on the ‘open’ light. Might as well get an early start. No sooner had he rounded the bar and started making coffee for himself, the bell jingled and in walked two unfamiliar men, dressed semi casually and looking very official.

“Good morning,” one intoned as he neared the bar. He took a seat and his friend sat beside him, both pulling off their jackets and draping them across the next stool over.

“Welcome. Can I help yeh?” asked Danny, looking between the two.

“You wouldn’t happen to serve tea here, would you?” asked the other. Danny placed their accents as from around the Dublin area, a northern brogue.

“I do indeed. I’ll put some water on then,” he said and he wandered into the kitchen to grab his pot and throw it on the cooker. When he reemerged the men were staring around the pub, appreciation light on their face.

“Lovely place. You take good care of it,” offered one, smoothing a hand over the bar.

Danny nodded. “Thank yeh. I’ve had some help, recently. Place has really gotten nice. Was fallen apart only a few weeks ago,” he said, looking up at the still present water stains on the ceiling he had yet to fix. “So, what brings yeh gentlemen down here?”

The man hummed. “We’re investigators from Dublin. Just passing through on the way to Dungarvan, thought a break sounded nice,” he said, his friend nodding in acquiescence.

Danny hummed. “Investigators, huh? Don’t see many down along here, not in this old town. Yeh allowed to discuss the business?”

The other guy shrugged and grabbed his jacket. “We’re actually lookin’ for someone. An American girl gone missin’ near a month now.” He pulled an envelope from his coat and withdrew a photo. “Perhaps yeh’ve seen her pass through?”

Danny took the picture and somehow managed to keep himself composed when Kenna’s face looked back up at him, eyes sad, but wavy brown hair spectacularly styled, clothes fine and pressed, expensive jewelry gracing her neck and ears. He frowned heavily and hummed. “Gone missin’ has she? Can’t…can’t say I recognize her. What’s the name?” he asked, handing it back.

“Kendall Anderson, daughter of one late Lawson Anderson. Apparently, her fiancé, a mister Eric Wellington, found her missing nearly a month ago. Records show that the last time anyone saw or heard from her she was buying a one way ticket this way, had her passport stamped in Dublin and then disappeared,” said the first.

Danny frowned. “Fiancé? Disappeared? I have to say I’m a bit lost,” he said, pulling out two mugs and setting tea bags in them.

“She’s the daughter of a wealthy businessman in New York. Mister Wellington was Lawson Anderson’s partner, now temporary owner of the company. From what I’ve heard along the grape vine, this Kendall girl was put in a tough spot when her father was out of his right mind. Apparently, Wellington convinced Anderson to turn the company over to him completely and told this poor Kendall that he’d cut her off if she didn’t agree to marry him. Funny how she goes missing after all that,” said the first. He took the tea Danny offered.

“I’m of the opinion that she ran off to escape. What a place to put a young girl, forced into marryin’ some wealthy laudy daw just so she doesn’t get put out. Missin’ my arse. She’s probably right where she wants to be, one step ahead of us, just where we can’t find her,” said the second.

“So I take it the two of yeh aren’t searchin’ all that hard,” said Danny, mind reeling.

“Yes and no. Now that her father’s passed, the will can’t be opened or read until she’s present. His entire fortune, the business, all up in the air right now. Wellington is trying his damnedest to gain control, but Anderson’s lawyer says the pre-will was very clear. Nothing is to be decided until his daughter hears the will. So we’re looking for her, but in the end it all rests on her anyway,” said the first.

Danny hummed. “That’s quite a lot of weight on a young woman’s shoulders.”

The men shrugged. “Americans. They’re all off they’re nut,” said the second.

An awkward silence stretched on among the group as the investigators drank their tea and Danny helped himself to some company. The clock chimed noon and Danny gulped down the rest of his coffee.

“Will yeh be stayin’ around for lunch?” he asked, gathering their cups.

“No, we should head on. Here’s my number, should you see anythin’, or anyone rather. Call me directly. And if yeh can, be sure to tell the girl what seems to be happenin’ with her father’s empire. Might help her decide,” said the second, handing Danny a card. He took it and tucked it safely on the bar.

“Will do. Have a good day, gentlemen.” The men bid him farewell and gathered their jackets, marching out the door. Danny waited a good few minutes, staring blankly across the pub as he let everything sink in, before he turned and walked into the kitchen.

Kendall was there at the table, staring at the floor, her face cool indifference, her posture stiff, proper. She didn’t look up as he approached, just sat quietly, waiting. Danny sighed and leaned on the back of the chair across from her, chewing his lip a moment.

“Yeh heard then?”

“Mm,” she hummed.

“All of it?” he asked. Kendall didn’t answer. Danny nodded. “So…Kendall…a rich girl from New York…and engaged to boot.” He didn’t mean to sound bitter, but the words came out hard and angry.

“I told you it wasn’t a good idea if I stayed,” she said, voice cold.

“Yes, well, now I know why.”

“They still here?”

“No. I was so baffled by it all that I could barely think straight.”

“Then I’ll just get the ******** out of your way,” said Kendall, and she jumped to her feet, hurrying for the back door. Hearing her voice break, the emotion finally slip through her cold exterior, Danny’s heart clenched in his chest and he hurried after her, slamming the door shut and holding her against it.

“You’re not goin’ anywhere.”

“You get your ******** hands off me.” Danny did so, but didn’t move, keeping her blocked in against the door.

“I deserve to know the truth, Ken…Kendall. I know what the razzers said, I know that side of it, but ********, Kenna, I want…I want to know you. And I know I’m goin’ against all that’s right, but I don’t even care that you’re engaged. Not one bit,” he said, head down and eyes studying the floor.

Kendall huffed and shuddered, hands clenched into fists at her sides, body tense and waiting for a fight. This hadn’t been what she’d intended. She was supposed to have been moved on, keeping a step ahead, staying away and not getting attached. This was all so wrong.

“It’s Saturday,” she mumbled. “I can hear the buses already.”

“I’ll close.”

“If you do I will smack you in the head with a frying pan and you’ll be lucky if you even remember I was here,” she breathed. Despite the threat, Danny grinned.

“Fine then.” He rubbed her shoulder gently, not meeting her eyes. “Fine then, get your tray,” and he turned and moved back into the pub to greet his customers.


Danny popped two beers, the sound echoing in the dark and quiet bar, and he wandered into the lit kitchen, placing one in front of Kendall before he took his seat. She took a hearty swig, surprising him since he’d never seen her drink, and stared off into space. Danny fidgeted, but waited for her to speak, letting her take her time.

“I don’t care about the money,” she said finally. “I will go the rest of my lifetime without money if it means I won’t have to marry that ******** scum bag. He can take the company, run it into the ground, I don’t care. I was raised wealthy. I won’t deny it. I had everything I wanted, anything I needed, but that’s not how I saw things. I went to a public school, I dressed in cheap clothes that I’d get off the sale racks in any normal thrift store. When I was sixteen, I got my first job bussing tables. Money doesn’t make me happy. It’s just there,” she explained.

Danny fidgeted. “Then why?”

“Why am I engaged?” she snorted. “I didn’t even say yes. There was no asking, no courting or fancy anything. Hell, he didn’t even bother giving me a ring, which would have been fantastic because I could have sold the sucker and had a s**t ton of money.” She shook her head. “When my father finally started to lose it, about a month ago, Eric…he took total advantage of the situation. My father trusted him so much and I just knew the man was a dirty good for nothing. He’s been embezzling, you know. Ever since my father got sick. Stealing money left and right and no one will stop him. Eric Wellington wouldn’t do that, they all say, he helped build that company. He doesn’t give a s**t about the company, only his own bank account. So, he convinced my father to give him full control of the company should anything happen to him. And then he threatened me.”

“Threatened to cut you off if you didn’t marry him?” said Danny. When Kendall shook her head his confusion set in all over again.

“No. He knew I didn’t care about money. He threatened to stop sending money to my sister,” she said.

Danny’s mind reeled. “Wait, so now you have a sister?”

Kendall nodded. “Twelve years old. She’s my half sister, Kendra. After my mother died, my dad got lonely, and he had an affair with one of the women in the company. She’s a wonderful woman, smart, sweet…but she got pregnant and they weren’t married. Dad tried to remedy the situation, said he’d buy her a ring and everything, they could have a huge wedding, whatever she wanted. But Anne didn’t want marriage, never had. She didn’t ask dad for money, didn’t ask him for anything and promised she’d keep Kendra away, so that no one ever found out. So he sent her money, every month, good money too, in exchange for a few pictures of my sister now and then. Anne’s brilliant, but…she barely makes enough to support the two of them. I couldn’t let their lives get overturned just because dad was dying so…I agreed to go along with it, so long as Eric kept sending money, every month, at least the same amount,” she said, voice quiet and almost remorseful.

Danny chewed his lip, fingers itching to reach out and pull Kendall into his arms. “So… why are yeh here?”

Kendall sighed and quickly caught a tear that raced down her cheek. “Because Eric’s a ******** liar and I…I can’t…” She brought up her beer and downed over half.

Danny nodded and ran a thumb along the condensation building on the glass of the bottle. “So…what are yeh goin’ to do?”

Kendall gulped. “I’m gunna go. I’ll pay my respects and I’ll sit to hear the will, just to hear for myself….and then I’ll find Anne and Kendra and see if they’ll have me, so I can take care of my sister. I’ve never met her but…I’ve always wanted to.”

Danny sighed and took a swig of his own beer. “Do…do yeh think yeh’ll come back here? Ever?” Kendall gave him a sad smile and shook her head. His heart felt like it stopped and everything started to feel cold. “I understand.”

“I want to help you so much, Danny. And I’ll try, I promise I will. I never…never meant to hurt you,” she said, reaching out to take his hand.

Danny pulled it away and stood, finishing his beer and setting the empty glass on the table. “You go and you do whatever it is yeh need to do. It was…wonderful gettin’ to know yeh, Kendall Anderson. Even if I didn’t really know yeh at all,” he said, and he marched up the stairs, sliding into his room to wallow in his misery. When morning came, Kendall was gone, with nothing but a folded bag of hand-me-down clothes at the foot of her bed.

***

Kendall sat quietly in the attorney’s office, security behind her, dressed neatly in a fitted black suit. Eric Wellington sat opposite her, sour and angry, yet still smug. She’d told him her decision, said plainly that she wouldn’t marry him, not for anything, and he spat at her and said vehemently that her b*****d sister would never see another penny. Kendall calmly stated that she respected his decision, and he was still irritated that he hadn’t gotten a rise out of her. But Kendall had had a very long discussion with herself on the flight back and came to the decision that she wasn’t going to be to dramatic. She would handle everything in a calm and collected manner, the manner of a business woman, the way her father raised her.

Eric shifted on the other side of the table, chair squeaking under his weight. “You can still change your mind, Kendall. I’m a forgiving man, I’m generous. You take more time to mull it over,” he said through his mustache.

“Thank you, Mr. Wellington, but my decision is very final,” said Kendall. Her father’s attorney finally entered the room and they both looked to him expectantly.

The well groomed man moved casually to the head of the table and sat, placing a folder with her father’s papers on the table in front of him. He made himself comfortable and cleared his throat.

“Welcome, Mr. Wellington. Ms. Anderson, it’s good to see you back and well,” he said with a soft smile. Kendall thanked him. “Now, since you’re both present, as per Lawson Anderson’s wishes, the will can be opened. Now, either of you may wish to fight it, but for the most part the will is indisputable.”

“Just get on with it,” said Eric, already bored with the proceedings.

The lawyer frowned and cleared his throat. “Yes, very well.” He grabbed the envelope and broke the wax seal, Kendall watching her father’s personal stamp in the wax lift away from the paper. He slid the sheaf of papers from their confines and set them on the table before him. “Upon the unfortunate time of my death, I, Lawson Anderson, owner and president of Anderson Place, hereby leave the controlling shares and entirety of my estate and fortune, to…”

Kendall’s blood ran cold.

***

“All I need is your signature here, Mr. McCarthy. The issue should be more than settled, and the sum is substantially more than the original loan.”

Dugan McCarthy sighed and shifted in his seat, looking over the papers in front of him, his eyes lingering over the large number included. He looked up at the impressive figure across from him, cool and collected like a proper businessman. “Why exactly is this any of your business?”

“I have quite an investment in that area. I want everything to stay as it is. If anything, I’d prefer to see it cleaned up instead of destroyed. Now, Mr. McCarthy…you can sign the paper and take good, solid money, or you can continue to stall, in which case I will leave to attend to other matters. If I leave, you won’t see anything near this sum to pay for the loan and you’ll still be out. So…decide.”

Dugan glared at the figure across from him and looked back over the papers. He sighed and gathered the pen. “I still don’t understand what your interest is. This is double the original loan.”

“Just sign.”

Dugan smirked at the cool, dry command and scrawled his name along the line, printing beneath it. A man in black took the papers when he was finished and the group stood. He held out his hand, but was rebuffed, his grin widening. “I believe yeh’ll do great things here. Be sure to let me know when stock becomes available.”

“Certainly. Good day, Mr. McCarthy. Pleasure doing business with you.” They finally shook and vacated the property, hurrying down towards the coast, praying it wasn’t too late.

***

Danny sat at the bar, a drink in one hand, the other cradling his head. People moved behind him and the smell of alcohol permeated the room. He wasn’t sure if it was him, thanks to how much he’d been drinking over the last few days, or if Connor was really having his cronies empty his bottles of liquor through the pub. Either way he didn’t care. He hadn’t cared since Sunday morning.

“I warned you, O’Connell. I told yeh to have my money in a week’s time or I’d burn this place to the ground,” said Connor, standing in the center, tossing a lighter back and forth between his hands.

“Your father’s money, anyway,” Danny mumbled back, tone flat and depressed.

“It’s my family’s money, and you’re overdue. So now I’m burnin’ your pub to the ground,” said Connor, and he held up the lighter. Danny didn’t so much as flinch, fingering a line of wood grain in the bar and sipping from his bottle. Connor scowled at the blatant disregard and flicked on the lighter.

What no one was expecting was a relatively slight woman to step next to him and blow out the flame.

“Connor McCarthy?” she asked authoritatively.

Connor looked down at her and scowled. “Who the hell are you?”

Danny looked up and his eyes gleamed, sobering up just enough to get to his feet. “Kenna.”

Kendall smiled sadly at Danny and handed Connor a packet of papers. “Danny O’Connell’s debt has been filled. Here is your copy of the contract your father signed, you’ll find his signature on the final page,” she said, holding the copy out to him. Connor scowled and snatched it, flipping to the last page and frowning heavily at the unmistakable scrawl.

“There’s no feckin’ way. My father wouldn’t have settled for so little,” Connor spat, tearing the contract in half.

“Double what was leant to Mr. O’Connell. It took some persuasion, but your father signed. Would you like me to call daddy dearest for you so that he can tell you himself?” Kendall said mockingly, pulling out her phone.

Connor frowned. “Listen, you—,”

“You may leave the premises now, Mr. McCarthy. And take your friends with you.” Kendall looked around the pub, the stench of booze permeating from every nook and cranny. “I should take the money back as payment for the damage you’ve caused. So you can leave now or I can call in the Garda. Your choice,” she said, turning to face the fuming Irish man.

Connor glowered. “This isn’t over,” he threatened.

“Oh, I think it is,” said Kendall. She snapped her fingers and the men that had followed her in moved forward, grabbing Connor beneath his arms and hauling him out. The couple cronies he’d brought along moved to fight, but Kendall’s men handled them easily, tossing them out.

Danny stood, a dumb look on his face, as his mind tried to comprehend the situation. The pub was trashed, tables over turned, chairs everywhere, and there was Kendall, shining in the center of it all, dressed in a fine black business suit and patent pumps, her short bleached hair slicked back away from her face. Her eyes scanned the room, mind already working over he best rout to repairing the damage Connor had caused.

“Kenna what…what’re yeh doin’ here?” he asked, attempting to step away from the bar. His head spun and he grabbed on to whatever was closest to keep from falling flat on his face.
Kendall turned to him and sighed, shaking her head at his drunken state. “Danny…how much have you been drinking?” she asked, crossing her arms and taking on an accusatory stance.

Danny blinked and shrugged. “Umm…since Sunday I think…What’s today?” he asked, reaching up and rubbing his face.

Kendall frowned. “Let’s get you some coffee…” she moved forward to grab him, but stopped short and nearly gagged. “Oh no. You’re taking a shower first. Definitely a shower first.”

Danny shook his head. “But…why are you here?”

Kendall sighed. “I’m only talking to you when you’re clean and sober. Get on with it,” she said, waving him on.

It took a moment, but Kendall finally managed to get Danny up the stairs and into the bathroom with the help of her body guards. A few hours later, clean and mostly sober and sporting a massive hangover, Danny was sitting in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in hand and the pot nearby. Kendall was tossing requests left and right, her people calling other people, all about getting the pub cleaned up and fixed.

She sighed as she sat across from him, pulling off her coat and unbuttoning the top few buttons of her top. “Well, leave you alone for a few days and you went ahead and made a big old mess of things,” she said.

Danny shook his head. “I thought you said you weren’t comin’ back.”

“Well I didn’t think I would be. But, to my surprise, my father…well…he left everything to me,” said Kendall, a happy smile on her face. Danny looked up and she shrugged. “I know. Turns out he knew all along that Wellington was a b*****d and when the doctors told him he was starting to lose his marbles, my old man wrote up a will as quick as he could , told his lawyer that anything else he’d write up was to be disregarded. So when Eric made him rewrite the will a few weeks ago…it didn’t count. Dad had already signed the entire company over to me, but he couldn’t tell me.”

Danny blinked. “So…you own everything?”

“Everything,” Kendall nodded.

“And yeh’re not engaged?”

Kendall giggled. “No, thank gods, and Kendra will still get her monthly support. All’s well that ends well,” she said.

But Danny’s mind was lingering on one thing only. “Yeh’re not engaged?”

Kendall’s smile wavered and she shook her head. “No…I’m not.” Without another word, Danny practically launched himself at her and wrapped her in his arms.

“Oh thank god,” he breathed into her shoulder.

Kendall fidgeted and patted his shoulder awkwardly. “Yes well…as happy as I am that I don’t have to marry Eric, I’m not too interested in being engaged again any time soon, so uh…just…” she stuttered, pushing at his shoulders.

“Yeh’re such a…a feckin’ eegit,” he said, sitting back but still holding her shoulders.
Kendall smirked. “I’m sure I’ll live.”

“So…why did yeh save the pub? I mean…that musta been a lot of money for yeh.”
Kendall chuckled. “Not really. Besides, this pub is about to get a lot of business,” she said.

Danny furrowed his brow. “What?”

“About a quarter mile out, I’m investing in a rather large hotel, complete with conference rooms and a private stretch of the beach. I know it’ll probably upset some of the locals here, but your pub will be one of the only nearby attractions. You’re about to be a very busy, relatively wealthy, young man,” she said with a grin.

Danny’s eyes widened. “What?”

Kendall laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Danny sighed and sat back, taking a swig of coffee as he thought about a whole hotel full of people trying to shove themselves into his pub, eating his crappy food. But all those people, different every day, every week, hundreds. There was no telling what he could do to the pub.
“The boys’ll be pissed,” he said.

Kendall shrugged. “Maybe so, but maybe they’ll cheer up when I offer to fix their houses,” she said, refilling his coffee mug.

Danny hummed. “And you? Does that mean yeh’re stayin’?”

Kendall sighed. “No, not permanently, but I’ll definitely be around. Anderson Place is taking care of a lot of the building,” she said.

“Anderson Place?”

“My family’s company. Started off as a building contractor and expanded into residential and commercial housing,” she explained, helping herself to some of the coffee.

Danny frowned. “I thought yeh said home repair was a hobby.”

She grinned. “Well, mostly. I didn’t need to know how to do all of that, not since I have an entire team of people to handle it. Ugh, feels good to know that I own the company. Just thinking about that man destroying everything my father worked for made me absolutely sick.”

Danny nodded and they sat in amiable silence for a time, listening to Kendall’s employees speak to various people and report to her now and again with their results. In the end Danny ended up with a team of contractors and a deal with a furniture wholesaler. His pub was being expanded, fully repaired, fully furnished and Kendall even managed to get him new appliances for the kitchen and washroom.

“Yeh don’t have to do all that, Kenna, I can manage after a bit,” he said, following her into the pub.

“Don’t be silly. I owe you so much, Danny. Besides, I want to do this. You’re not the only one who loves this place,” she said with a wink, pulling out her Blackberry and checking dates an appointments. Danny watched her and couldn’t help but smile.

“It looks good on yeh,” he said.

Kendall looked up, confused. “I’m sorry? What does?”

“Business. You look comfortable…happy,” he said.

She grinned. “I was raised with it. My dad taught me everything he knew. It’s second nature,” she said happily, walking around and jotting down notes.

“Explains why people liked yeh so much when yeh were waitressin’,” he said. She giggled. “So…anyway…I’ll miss yeh. Not havin’ yeh around.”

Kendall looked over and smiled softly. She reached out and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Don’t act so morose. And give me a break, Danny. The last couple of weeks have been rough. Don’t give up on me just yet,” she said quietly so that only he could hear.
He blushed and looked into her hazel eyes. Despite the makeup and the fancy hair, he could see the girl he’d come to know shining through and his heart fluttered.

“Promise?” he asked, taking her hand and cradling her palm in his.

Kendall gave him a playful sideways glance. “Hopeless romantic,” she teased.

Danny grinned and blushed further. “I suppose.”

***

The pub was back together in no time and Danny and Kendall sat at the bar, staring around the larger room, beautifully put together but still maintaining that old pub feel. He had new, artificially aged tables and chairs, the walls were all paneling, and the kitchen was agleam with new appliances, up to code and capable of handling three course meals.

“Kenna…yeh’ve outdone yerself,” Danny sighed happily.

Kendall shrugged. “It’s not the biggest project I’ve been in charge of, but it’s my favorite. The hotel is already well underway as well. If you’d like, I can set you up with a personal loan and you can hire a few people to help. A cook…or a waitress,” she said.

Danny chuckled. “Don’t know if anyone can do as good a job as you,” he said.

Kendall giggled. “Well…maybe I’ll make it my new hobby.” Danny laughed and Kendall reached out, lacing her fingers with his.

“New hobby for sure,” Danny said softly. She held a little tighter.  

[oOGarrettOo]

No one wants to help a gal out? gonk

emo  

[Shearaha]

I read and enjoyed. But I'm really not good at critiquing sweatdrop So I didn't say anything redface  

[oOGarrettOo]

Shearaha

I read and enjoyed. But I'm really not good at critiquing sweatdrop So I didn't say anything redface

Say whatever's on your mind. I just need some feedback, doesn't necessarily have to be critiquing smile

Did anything confuse you? Did you see something out of place maybe? Anything goes at this point.  

[Shearaha]

The only thing that comes o mind is really nit-picky.
For most of the story Danny only knows Kendal as Kenna, but there are several instances when in his mind he refers to her as Kendal. I can see why you would refer to her movements and thoughts about her in the narrative as Kendal, but in Danny's mind/observations shouldn't she be Kenna?  

[oOGarrettOo]

Shearaha

The only thing that comes o mind is really nit-picky.
For most of the story Danny only knows Kendal as Kenna, but there are several instances when in his mind he refers to her as Kendal. I can see why you would refer to her movements and thoughts about her in the narrative as Kendal, but in Danny's mind/observations shouldn't she be Kenna?

Hmmm, I could write it in that way and see how it looks. If it doesn't hurt the flow of the story, I'll leave it. Won't hurt to find out 3nodding

Other than that, would this be something you wouldn't mind buying if it were paired with other short stories?  

[Shearaha]

oOGarrettOo

Shearaha

The only thing that comes o mind is really nit-picky.
For most of the story Danny only knows Kendal as Kenna, but there are several instances when in his mind he refers to her as Kendal. I can see why you would refer to her movements and thoughts about her in the narrative as Kendal, but in Danny's mind/observations shouldn't she be Kenna?

Hmmm, I could write it in that way and see how it looks. If it doesn't hurt the flow of the story, I'll leave it. Won't hurt to find out 3nodding

Other than that, would this be something you wouldn't mind buying if it were paired with other short stories?

Paired with other short stories of the same or different genres? I tend to gravitate more towards fantasy fiction, but if I were to buy this genre of short story yes. It's well written and the characters are believable and engaging.  

[oOGarrettOo]

Shearaha

Paired with other short stories of the same or different genres? I tend to gravitate more towards fantasy fiction, but if I were to buy this genre of short story yes. It's well written and the characters are believable and engaging.

heart So long as you're being honest, lol.

It will be paired with stories of the same genre. I'm putting the fantasy ones together later when I have a few that I'm pleased with.  

[too2sweet]

I really liked it, and can't really think of anything that I'd change. As for the title issue - I was thinking something along the lines of "hospitality" related, or even something about the kindness of strangers. Don't know if the Irish have a concept similar to the "western" view of Karma, but a title related to that could work. I'll keep thinking about is and see if I can come up with anything.