Love and Shamrocks: Ballybeg, Book 5 by Zara Keane

Author:Zara Keane [Keane, Zara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Women's Fiction, Humor, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Romance, Fiction, International Mystery & Crime, Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Ireland, Suspense, Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Comedy
ISBN: 9783906245133
Amazon: B00VJ2UGFM
Publisher: Beaverstone Press LLC
Published: 2015-04-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

SEÁN STOOD IN LINE at the drinks stand and suppressed a groan. The people of Ballybeg used any event as an excuse to party, and Valentine’s Day was no exception. The town hall was full of people with forced cheer and jollity, overindulging in cheap sweet wine and even sweeter treats. The walls were festooned with cheesy red hearts, cupids, and streamers. Liberating a few coins from his pocket, he paid for three drinks and then began to navigate the crowd.

Ballybeg’s town hall was located in a building dating from the mid-nineteenth century. He recalled the hall from his childhood, especially from attending the annual Christmas bazaar with his family. In those days, the high ceilings seemed to stretch to impossible heights, and the rich polished wood floors were a wide expanse. When he’d seen the hall again for the first time in over twenty-five years, he’d been shocked to observe how much smaller it was than in his memories.

To the left of the entrance, Clio and Helen Havelin stood waiting for him, the former wearing a bored expression, and the latter surprisingly on edge for one used to public attention.

“Not your scene?” he asked, handing them their drinks.

“Not exactly.” Clio took a sip of her sweet drink and winced. “You’re one to talk. You were regarding the crowd with all the enthusiasm of a man faced with babysitting sextuplets. Incontinent sextuplets.”

He smiled down at her. “No,” he said wryly. “This is definitely not my idea of a fun Saturday excursion. I’m here in my professional capacity. I’m due to take over from Brian in a few minutes. He’ll drive you home after the fair.”

Helen was clutching her drink in one hand and her handbag in the other. Her eyes grew wide as she scanned the crowd. “Some of the visitors seem on the rough side. Do fights often break out at these events?”

Clio’s gaze met his and her nose twitched in that adorable gesture she made when she was fighting back laughter.

“Where the drink flows freely,” he said, straight-faced, “fists have been known to fly.”

“How undignified.” The older woman sniffed. “I only came to lend Tammy moral support.”

“Didn’t they hold these fairs when you were a child?” Clio asked her mother. “Surely you came to a few with your family.”

“My father didn’t believe in parties of any kind.” Her mother’s mouth hardened. “He was rather strict. Speaking of people I used to know, I think I see a girl I went to school with over by the potted plants. My, hasn’t she aged?” With this parting remark, Helen swanned across the hall toward her hapless former classmate.

This time, Clio’s nose twitch gave way to a hearty laugh—deep, dirty, and oh so sexy. His trousers felt tight at the sound. It brought back very pleasant memories of their night at the hotel.

“How’s Tammy settling in at her new school?” He nodded toward a group of uniformed singers, keen to distract himself from X-rated visions of Clio mid orgasm.

Her gaze flitted to her daughter.

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