Chapter Six
Roisin’s gig that night was a repeat performance at Pat’s Pub. It wasn’t quite the usual thing to play the same place two nights in a row, but when they’d heard she’d be in town all weekend, the invitation had been made. Roisin liked the family and the place so much, she’d happily agreed. The extra money was nice, and it gave her another opportunity to promote her new recording.
It also gave her more time to spend with Jim. Once he realized she was playing Pat’s again that night, he’d decided to go with her to the pub. She tried not to stare at his table, but she was definitely aware of him sitting there—just a few yards away.
She was surprised when two men and a pretty woman joined him at the table about halfway through her first set. The men looked enough like Jim to be brothers, and the girl… Well, Roisin was hoping like hell that she was either one of the others’ girlfriend or maybe she could even be Jim’s sister.
Roisin worked her way through her set. She’d mixed up the set list from last night, using alternate songs and putting the old standards—and selections from her new album—into slightly different spots. That was one way to keep things fresh.
She was also taking requests from the audience. Every once in a while, someone would come up and ask her if she knew a particular song. There weren’t many in the Irish repertoire that she didn’t know, so she was able to fulfill the majority of requests, much to the delight of her audience.
She’d just finished “Flower of Scotland” when an old man who’d already requested something earlier asked her to sing ‘Wild Irish Rose’. While it wasn’t normally a song sung by a woman, she was able to adapt it somewhat, and the man seemed well pleased when Roisin ended her set with it. In fact, the old gent took a rose off one of the tables and presented it to her in thanks.
Roisin blushed, accepting the rose and applause from the rest of the audience as the sound of recorded music came over the speakers. It would play in the background until she resumed the stage for her next set.
She put her instruments down and turned to step down from the stage, only to find Jim there, his hand outstretched to help her down. She blushed. It was a silly reaction, but she knew there were people at his table—friends, or possibly family—who were probably watching them. Was this some kind of public statement on his part? It almost felt that way.
It was like he was claiming her in front of everyone in the pub. She glanced around quickly and noted a few raised eyebrows. The old man who had given her the rose was nodding and smiling at her, as if in approval of the man she’d chosen to spend her time with.
Oddly, that was good enough for her. Roisin took Jim’s hand and allowed him to lead her to his table. They’d moved the chairs around to make a space for her right next to Jim, and two bottles of cold water were sitting there, ready for her. Jim had figured out her routine after watching her last night. Or maybe Tristan behind the bar had given him a hint. Either way, she was touched by Jim’s thoughtfulness.
Roisin stood behind the chair left open for her, Jim at her side. The two men at the table rose politely at her arrival, and the woman smiled. All seemed welcoming.
“Ro, this is my sister, Kayla, and my younger brothers, Nolan and Jeremy. I hope you don’t mind my inviting them down here. We were supposed to all meet up for drinks tonight. I just moved the location.” He pulled out her chair. “Guys, this is Roisin.”
To say the siblings were friendly would be understating the next few minutes. Kayla asked a few pointed questions but seemed more amused than anything else. The boys were more reticent, watching all and nodding in approval here and there. Overall, Roisin got the sense that they liked her…and that they liked the way their older brother was in her presence.
“Our folks have been waiting for Jimmy to come home for a long time,” Kayla said to Roisin at one point while the men were discussing a basketball game that was playing on one of the televisions mounted near the bar. “We’re all hoping he decides to stay, but I know it’s his decision. Maybe now that he’s met you, he’ll have a bit more incentive to leave the Navy, huh?”
Roisin wasn’t sure how to answer that one, so she tried to be diplomatic. “Maybe. He said he has to make his decision by next week sometime, right?”
“That’s what I hear,” Kayla confirmed, looking at her oldest brother and frowning a little. “I worry about him.”
“Hey, sis, what’s wrong?” Jim leaned over and chucked his sister under the chin while his brothers continued to talk sports, oblivious.
“Nothing, Jimmy. I was just telling Roisin about how happy we all are to have you home again.” Kayla smiled brightly and seemed to put away her worry so Jim wouldn’t see it.
“Not half as happy as I am to be home. And to have found Ro again.”
“Again?” Kayla looked from him to Roisin and back again. “What do you mean?”
“Oh…uh…” Roisin wasn’t sure what to say, but one look at Jim’s face told her she’d better be the one to do damage control. Otherwise, he might just blurt out the truth about their walk on the wild side last year to his little sister. That wasn’t something Roisin wanted anybody to know about. Especially not Jim’s family. “I played a gig down here last year. That’s when Jim and I first met, but he was on his way overseas, so we weren’t able to keep in touch.” There. That sounded innocent enough.
“You met a year ago? And you remembered each other after all this time?” Kayla grinned, suspicion playing about her expressive eyes.
“Well, you have to admit, Ro’s voice is hauntingly beautiful,” Jim said smoothly. Kayla backed off a bit but didn’t seem totally convinced. She relented in her questioning, however, which was a relief.
“You do have quite a gift, Roisin,” Kayla told her. “I loved the way you adapted some of the old traditional songs. Your voice is lovely, and I’m really impressed that you can play sort of unplugged like that and make each tune as individual and unique as you’ve done.”
Roisin was delighted by the compliment but didn’t have a chance to reply as Jim told his sister all about Roisin’s new recording. He actually sounded proud of her, which lifted her heart. A lot of people didn’t understand how closely Roisin was tied to her music.
It was part of her. It was her family’s business and her life. It was personal and profound. A harsh master and a loving friend. Jim—out of all the men she’d dated—seemed to get it. Which wasn’t something she normally found in people who weren’t professional musicians.
They chatted a bit more, mostly about music, and Roisin mentally made a note to add a few special tunes that Kayla had mentioned into her next set. All too soon, her break was over, and it was time to take the stage again. Jim walked with her up to the bandstand and helped her onto the stage with a steadying hand on hers.
He waited until she was settled to go back to his table, where his brothers were busy destroying a couple of plates of nachos and wings they’d ordered earlier. It looked like the siblings were going to stay a while. That was fine with Roisin. At least Jim would have company, and she wasn’t interfering in what had been planned as family time.
When Roisin played the songs Kayla had mentioned, Jim’s sister smiled and raised her glass in a toast. Roisin smiled back, glad she could make Kayla so happy with such a simple gesture. The rest of the set was spent humoring the older group that kept asking for traditional songs. Roisin was challenged at times by their requests, but she loved a good challenge.
The second set flew by until she was again being helped off the stage by her very own gallant gent. Jim escorted her to the table he was still sharing with his siblings. The place was a bit more crowded now, but it would be starting to empty out during her next set as the old-timers left, followed by those who were moving on to dance clubs for the next part of their weekend’s entertainment.
In fact, Roisin noticed that one old gent who had been requesting Irish traditional melodies all night and presented her with the rose was putting on his coat as the rest of his party was doing the same. He looked around the room until he spotted her, and then, he came over to chat for a moment before he left. Roisin wasn’t sure what Jim or his siblings would make of whatever the old man had to say, but she was always polite and wouldn’t be rude to the man. He’d been very sweet to her all night, and it was clear he enjoyed her music. Still, she braced herself as he walked over.
He placed one arthritic hand on the back of her chair and leaned down a bit to speak. He was positioned between her and Jim. Not trying to be stealthy, he addressed the entire table.
“Pardon the interruption,” he said, his brogue thick and musical. “I just wanted to thank the lass for humoring an old man by playing all his old favorites for him.”
“Not at all. It was my pleasure,” Roisin told him.
“I don’t get out much these days, but I had to come down tonight to hear you. My grandson bought your new CD for me as a gift, and it’s a real treat.”
Surprised by the old man’s words, Roisin smiled up at him. “I’m so glad to hear that.”
“My late wife’s name was Roisin, and she was the fairest of them all. Everybody called her Rosie when we came to the States, for that’s what Roisin means.” He produced another pink rose like a magician, handing it to her. “Rose.”
Delighted with the old man’s sleight of hand, Roisin stood and turned to kiss him on the cheek. “You’re a charmer, for sure. Thank you for the roses.”
“Thank you for the songs, lass. I can’t remember when I enjoyed a night out more.” He stepped back, his companions clearly waiting for him a few feet away. “You might consider recording ‘Wild Irish Rose’. You did a lovely job with it, for all it was meant for a man to sing. It could make a good album title for your next effort.” He grinned as he said it, winking at her as he tipped his imaginary cap before leaving with his party.
Roisin stared after him, bemused. He seemed familiar, yet…
“You have a fan.” Jim’s voice sounded near her ear as he placed his hands on her shoulders. He had stood also, coming up behind her. She felt the warmth of him against her back.
“Unexpected,” she agreed, turning slightly to look up at him. “I thought my music was more suited to a younger audience, but I guess I was wrong. I do take some liberties with the old melodies and arrangements.”
“Not enough to scare off a true music fan,” Jim said. “Besides, what you do to the old tunes makes them fresh and new. It’s nothing too drastic. It just helps keep them current with the times and sounds of today. Your voice is still the pure bell tones of Ireland.”
Jim wrapped his arms around her middle and kissed her ear and temple. She felt a little conspicuous, knowing his siblings could see them—as well as everyone in the pub. She also felt cherished in a way she never had before. Nobody had been so openly affectionate with her in too long to recall. She found she liked the easy way he handled her, as if they had every right to cuddle up to one another. Nothing unseemly, but still openly declaring that they were together. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“What are your brothers and sister going to think about us?” she whispered the thought uppermost in her mind.
“They’re probably thinking that I’m one damn lucky son of a gun.” He kissed her one last time on the cheek and let her go. He pulled out her chair for her and waited until she was seated once more before taking his own seat again, right next to her.
Just where she wanted him. For as long as they both shall live.
Hmm. Where had that come from? Maybe the old man’s devotion to his late wife had made her think of marriage and forever, but it was way too soon to think of such things with Jim. Wasn’t it? They’d only known each other for two days…well…a year, really, but they’d only been together on two occasions during that year.
But she’d thought about him for that entire year. Every day. That had to count for something, right?
“So, why didn’t you two stay in touch while Jim was away?” Kayla leaned in to ask Roisin.
“I didn’t know how to find him, and I promised myself I wasn’t going to act like a stalker.” She wasn’t sure why she’d said that last part except that Kayla’s manner invited confidences. She was easy to talk to and super friendly. Plus, she laughed easily—as she was doing now.
“I know he’s my brother and all, and I probably shouldn’t be saying nice things about him because he teased me mercilessly when we were kids, but if ever there was a man worth stalking, it’s probably big bro. Some woman will be lucky to bag him.” Kayla looked sideways at Roisin, their conversation kept in low tones while the men seemed engrossed in basketball once again. “The more I see of you, Roisin, the more I kinda hope you manage it.”
Pleased with Kayla’s revelation, Roisin smiled. “I kinda hope so too,” she admitted before peeking over at Jim, who was watching some key play on the television along with his brothers. “I really like him.”
That was the understatement of the millennium, right there, but she couldn’t really say more to Kayla before Jim heard it. Maybe. If Roisin worked up the courage to tell him what was starting to bloom in her heart.
It was too soon to start thinking about the L-word, wasn’t it?