Wild Irish Soul (13 page)

Chapter Thirty

"You sure that
you're okay?" Aislinn asked Morgan at the bottom of the stairs to her apartment.

Morgan nodded adamantly.

"I am, thank you." Impulsively she wrapped her arms around Aislinn and squeezed her quickly before buzzing out of the door with a quick, "See you Tuesday." Morgan worked Flynn's boat on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Pleased that Morgan had felt comfortable enough to hug her, Aislinn stepped out into her courtyard. Scanning the sky and seeing no hint of rain, she ran back upstairs and snagged the rest of the open bottle of wine and her glass. With a sketchpad tucked under her arm, she moved to her chair and small drafting table in a corner of the yard and set her pad up. She'd already considered doing a series of Ross Castle and the lake. The black swan stood out to her so adamantly that her fingers all but itched to draw it.

Aislinn tacked her paper to her board and began to lay in the outline of the water with the black swam. She'd probably replicate this sketch in oils at some point but she always liked to draw up her idea first.

Humming softly to herself, Aislinn lost herself in the mood of the evening, and the motion of her hand against the paper.

"Damn swan," Baird uttered from behind her and Aislinn shrieked and dropped her charcoal on the ground.

Putting her hand to her chest, she took a moment to turn, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"Sure and you're trying to give me a heart attack?" Aislinn turned and smiled at Baird, realizing how happy she was to see him again.

That he had come back for her.

Baird moved closer and studied her work. "This is beautiful. You've true talent."

"Thank you," Aislinn murmured, smiling up at him.

"How's Morgan?"

"She's okay." Aislinn stood and crossed the courtyard to her table. "Wine?"

"Beer?" Baird asked.

"Sure," Aislinn said, suddenly feeling nervous, like a schoolgirl on her first date. She stepped inside and quickly ducked into the small bathroom on the first floor, groaning at her reflection in the mirror. She'd never bothered to put more makeup on after their spill in the lake and her hair was a riot of curls around her head. Her makeup was a lost cause but the hair could be fixed. She quickly twisted her curls into an intricate knot at the base of her neck.

Snagging two bottles of Harp from the fridge, Aislinn stepped back outside and saw Baird sitting comfortably on the picnic bench, back to the table, legs outstretched, staring up at the stars in the night sky.

"Nice night," he said as she approached and handed him a bottle.

"It is." Aislinn sat next to him and leaned back to look up at the stars. They winked down, icy diamonds against midnight blue, so sure of their place in the universe. Aislinn wondered where her place was and why she'd so recently felt like she'd lost her footing.

"Patrick?" Aislinn asked.

"Frustrated. He didn't do anything."

"I know," Aislinn said.

"What's Morgan's background?" Baird asked as he took a long pull from his bottle of beer.

"She's an orphan," Aislinn said. Baird nodded as if everything suddenly made perfect sense. And to him, perhaps it did.

"Patrick likes her," Baird said.

"Aye, she likes him too."

"What should we do about it?" Baird asked.

"Not a damn thing," Aislinn laughed over at him and then the smile dropped from her face. "Um, do you ever, like, do charity cases?"

Baird turned and looked at Aislinn, wrapping his arm around her back and pulling her closer to snuggle in the crook of his arm. Aislinn's insides warmed at his touch and she was surprised that for just a moment, she felt a little weepy. Just a little sentimental, Aislinn thought, and focused back on the conversation.

"You want me to talk to Morgan for free is what I'm getting here?"

Aislinn shrugged and looked back up at the sky.

"It wouldn't hurt. She doesn't trust many people. I'm not sure how much she would open up to you but I can certainly see that she has some scars to work on. But, maybe I'll take her off to Fiona instead."

"Ah, the great Fiona. I've yet to meet this mystery woman," Baird remarked. Aislinn drew back at the sting in his words. Was she misinterpreting him? Reaching out with her mind, she scanned him and realized that he was just a little bit angry.

"I'm sorry, but is there a problem here? Why are you mad at Fiona?"

"I'm not mad at Fiona," Baird said stiffly.

"At me, then," Aislinn said and drew fully away to turn on the bench and look at him. Baird's body was tense and his hand played a
tap-tap-tap
rhythm on his leg.

"I'm not angry at you," Baird said.

"You're lying," Aislinn said, not feeling the need to point out that she could read him a mile away. If the man didn't understand her gift by now, then she was done trying to explain it.

"Sure, and you'd know that. Just like Cait can pluck thoughts from my mind, and who knows what else everyone in this town can do. I'm starting to feel like I'm the target of some big game."

Aislinn's mouth dropped open and she felt her Irish kick up a notch. Or ten.

"Excuse me?" Aislinn said icily.

"You heard me. They're my feelings and I'm entitled to them. And right now? I feel like this whole town is in on some ruse."

Aislinn shoved herself off the bench and paced in front of him, trying to bring her temper down.

"Oh and what would this ruse be for? For sport? Let's all have a laugh at the new guy in town?" Aislinn said archly.

"Maybe it's just a ruse to the rest of the world. For tourism purposes. If the whole town is in on the act then people can come here and get a magickal experience. Good for the town. Actually, the more that I think about it, it makes perfect sense," Baird said heatedly and came to stand in front of her.

Aislinn's chest heaved as her brain whirled in frustration and anger.

Oh, so much anger.

She raised her chin and met Baird's gaze dead on.

"I have never been so insulted in my life. You think that I would start a personal relationship with someone and yet…lie about this?" She swept her hand out to encompass her back yard and then the town.

"Well, I don’t know that, do I? Seems like everyone else is in the know on stuff and I'm not. I'd be the butt of the joke, wouldn't I?" Baird shouted at her and Aislinn stared at him in disbelief.

She felt like he'd punched her in the gut, her stomach suddenly queasy with anger.

"Get out," Aislinn whispered and pointed to the gate in her fence.

"Excuse me?" Baird asked, stepping closer so he towered over her.

"You don't scare me, Baird Delaney. I said…get out," Aislinn ordered, never breaking eye contact with him. He watched her and then cursed softly beneath his breath.

"I should have known you wouldn't stick this through," Baird hissed and stormed past her.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Aislinn shouted at him, sincerely shocked at his statement.

"It means that girls that take guys home on the first night never stick in it when the relationship gets tough," Baird said and Aislinn's temper went through the roof.

"I know that you didn't just imply that I was the town hussy you arrogant, overbearing, hardheaded stump of a man," Aislinn shrieked after him.

"I don't know, Aislinn, why don't you just read how I'm feeling about you?" Baird shouted over the fence and slammed the gate door for good measure. He disappeared from her sight and Aislinn turned and huffed out a breath as she stormed her courtyard.

That
bastard
, she thought. Aislinn wasn't sure when she'd ever been more insulted.

The man had just called her a hussy. A lying one at that. He thought the whole town was out to get him? Like anyone had that much time on their hands! Aislinn muttered to herself as she paced her courtyard. Spying her glass of wine, she stormed back over and snagged the bottle, filling her glass to the rim.

She hurt.

Aislinn blinked back tears and swore that she would not cry over Baird. If she cried, then he had meant something more to her. And, it was clear that they weren't ever going to be a couple. Kicking a rock away with her foot, she crossed to where the candlelight flickered across the drawing of her swan.

The one place she could lose herself, no matter her emotions. With a sigh, she picked her charcoal up from the ground and sat, bringing her hand to the paper.

And began the process of removing Baird from her mind.

Chapter Thirty-One

"Oh my god
," Morgan gasped as she stepped into the studio and found Aislinn at her desk, staring blearily into her cup of coffee.

"Hi, Morgan," Aislinn said softly.

"Aislinn, oh my, did you do all this? Since I left on Sunday?" Morgan asked, turning to stare at the back half of the gallery.

Canvases covered the walls. They leaned against the floor, were hung on any available hook, and more were lined up with space separating them so they could dry. The sea was found there. Angry, tempestuous waves raged across canvases, fighting their way out from the storm of the sea, making a person want to reach out and touch the water. Just for a second…to see if it was real.

"These are…wow, just wow. Amazing, so angry, so virulent. God, Ash, I'm just in awe of your talent," Morgan breathed as she walked between them all.

"Thank you," Aislinn said softly.

"They are for the show?"

"Yes, I needed to get some of the seascapes done."

"Are you painting all the moods of the ocean?" Morgan asked, crossing her hands across her chest and biting her lip as she took in Aislinn's disheveled appearance.

"I suppose that you could say that," Aislinn said.

"Um, when did you eat last?"

Aislinn raised bloodshot eyes to Morgan and tried to think about when she had last eaten.

"I can't remember…" She squinted her eyebrows in confusion.

"Okay, not good. I'm going out for food. Stay," Morgan ordered and disappeared from the back door. Aislinn didn't have the heart to tell her that she probably wouldn't be able to stomach the food that the girl brought for her. She rose and went to stand in front of her work.

She'd been in a fury after Baird had left her. She'd found that she couldn't finish the drawing of the swan that she had started. It was a happy memory and it seemed wrong to draw it in anger. Instead, angry waves had crashed from her fingers and she'd been all but possessed as she had worked through the night, and into the next day.

Morgan was right, she thought. Her paintings were magnificent. Edgier than any she had done before. She nibbled at her thumbnail as she circled her entire shop, drawing her eyes over paintings of tranquil waters to sunshiny days to turbulent storms. Morgan was right about this as well, Aislinn thought. She was painting all the moods of the sea.

Like a messy, arrogant, and fiercely proud woman, the sea showcased her moods in any way that she could. Aislinn was proud to honor the sea and to showcase the chameleon nature of her waters. Aislinn would never tire of watching the water that touched the shores of her small village or filled the enchanted cove.

Aislinn was fiercely proud of her work, of her village, and her lineage. She didn't think she'd realized that until Baird had insulted all of it. And had hurt her to the core.

Good riddance, she thought and took a deep breath as Morgan breezed back in the door with a bag from the café.

"More coffee, muffins, and some hardboiled eggs. I figured you may need some protein," Morgan said, eager to please.

"Thanks, Morgan," Aislinn said and moved to sit at her small table in the kitchenette. Morgan was silent as she unpacked the food but Aislinn could read her nervousness. Too tired to care about making Morgan feel better, she tore off a piece of a cranberry muffin and chewed mechanically.

"Um, so, is everything okay with you and Baird?" Morgan asked carefully.

Aislinn just raised an eyebrow at her and remained silent.

"I'm not trying to pry or anything. But, um, it's hard not to read you…you know, with my powers and all," Morgan said and blushed before quickly shoving a piece of muffin in her mouth to stem the flow of words.

"Lord save me from women with special abilities in my life," Aislinn said crankily and raised her eyebrows to the ceiling. She was rewarded with a peal of laughter from Morgan. Aislinn couldn't help but smile back since Morgan laughed so rarely.

"Why do you ask, Morgan?"

"It's just that, well, you can see it here," Morgan said and swept her hand to the works that lined the wall.

"I suppose you can tell that I've been a bit moody," Aislinn concurred.

Morgan barked out another laugh and Aislinn smiled again.

"A little? This is fury! Beautiful, stunning, fury," Morgan said.

Aislinn turned to study her work. She supposed that it was a tad bit angry.

"We'll call this my rage period," Aislinn said with a small smile as she blew on her coffee.

"I just…he didn't look too good, either," Morgan said hesitantly and Aislinn's head snapped up as she scanned Morgan's face.

"You saw him?"

"Um, yes?" Morgan's voice went up in a "is that a bad thing if I did?" note.

"Like at the market?"

"No, he stopped by the docks and invited me for a free session," Morgan said softly and cast her eyes down at the table. Aislinn's mouth dropped open and for some reason she became even angrier. Damn that man for going and doing something sweet right in the middle of her hating him.

"I'm sorry, please don't be mad," Morgan said, correctly interpreting Aislinn's reaction.

"I'm not mad at you at all," Aislinn said, waving away Morgan's concerns easily.

"It was nice," Morgan said nervously and Aislinn pulled her mind away from herself for a moment.

"You talked to him then? How do you feel about it?"

Morgan tore apart her muffin on her plate as she thought about her response.

"I feel like it would be good for me to go a few more times. I'm…I'm not quite comfortable with how much I can tell him, yet. Not sure if I trust him with all of it," Morgan said and made a circle motion with her finger to point at her mind. Aislinn knew that she was referencing her gift.

"I know what I'd like you to do, but that would be out of spite," Aislinn murmured.

"What's that?"

"I'd love for you to make something fly across the room. To show him straight out your power so he doesn't believe the whole town is lying to him," Aislinn grumbled. Morgan gaped at her.

"You told him about your power?"

"Aye, I'm honest about it. At least to those that I feel comfortable with."

"And he thinks you're lying?" Morgan raised her eyebrows.

"He does. In fact, he seems to think the whole town is in on some big lie to attract tourists." Aislinn shoved away from the table to pace again. Just thinking about it made her start to get angry all over again.

"Well…that's the dumbest thing that I've ever heard," Morgan decided. "Which is weird…'cause the doc seems like a pretty smart guy."

"Oh, he is. Smart, sensitive, and…" Aislinn trailed off as she realized that she was about to gush over him. Shaking it off, she turned to face Morgan.

"I'll stop going to him. That jerk," Morgan decided.

"No. Please, go. If you can get free counseling, then take it," Aislinn urged. "Don't let my personal relationship step in the way of you learning to heal some of your wounds, okay?"

"If you're sure."

"Yes, please. It's really important to learn to let go of old baggage. This will be good for you. And, you're going to want to feel better about dating Patrick."

Morgan hunched over and crossed her arms, tearing apart her already mangled muffin.

"He left flowers for me at my van," Morgan whispered. Crumbs went flying as she picked apart the muffin.

"Morgan. Stop," Aislinn said and the girl jumped and looked down at her destroyed muffin.

"Oh, jeez. Sorry," Morgan said.

"It's fine. They're your muffins to destroy. But, I meant stop closing in on yourself when a cute boy likes you. I can tell you that Patrick is a standup guy, okay?"

"He is?" Hope flitted across Morgan's face.

"He is. But, make him work for it," Aislinn cautioned.

Morgan nodded furiously and Aislinn sighed at the eagerness in her face. Did she look like that when she thought about Baird? Ugh, Aislinn thought and moved to put her dish in the sink.

"So, he looked rough?" Aislinn could kick herself for asking.

"Yes, he had dark circles under his eyes. He was thinking about you. As soon as he saw me, his thoughts went to you. I don't know, Ash. He's pretty torn up. I think he really cares about you," Morgan said hesitantly.

Aislinn shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, he doesn't show it very well now, does he?"

Morgan opened her mouth but Aislinn held up her hand to silence her.

"Come, help me catalog these paintings. I need to take pictures of them and note their dimensions to send to the gallery in Dublin," Aislinn said and Morgan hopped up, all business.

"Can I come to your show? Will you need help?" Morgan asked breathlessly.

Aislinn stopped. She hadn't even thought about inviting anyone yet or how she would get all the work there.

"I have a van," Morgan offered, reading her mind.

"Yes, I'd love for you to come to the show with me and be my assistant. I'll pay you, of course," Aislinn said automatically.

Morgan squealed and clapped her hands, looking like a dark-haired fairy as she flitted around the room chattering about the show.  Aislinn followed her movements and silently counted all her paintings as Morgan talked. She'd need at least a dozen more before next week.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her show was in just over a week.

Forcing herself to breathe, she marched around the room and began to make mental notes of all the different moods of a woman and how the sea resembled them. As the idea took shape in her mind, she began to see her other paintings. She had anger, gentleness, sadness, and happiness. What was she missing?

Love, she thought bitterly and turned away from her work.

"Morgan, I’m going up for a quick nap. I need to work through pretty much the next two weeks. How much time can you be here?"

"I'll ask Flynn if I can have the next two weeks off."

"Thank you," Aislinn said wearily and climbed the stairs to her apartment. She stepped into her room and dropped face first onto her bed. Her mind whirling with images of the sea in all its moods, she fell off the edge into a dreamless sleep.