CHAPTER FOUR
Eileen felt like she was in some sort of fantasy where the most handsome man in the room was waiting for her each time she took a break from the stage. She’d had a couple of admirers over the years, but none as dashing as Alan. And come to think of it, most of the guys who’d shown any interest in Eileen in the past had soon switched allegiances to Mary once she started smiling at them.
Eileen had always figured that she’d had a few lucky escapes, because if a man was so easily distracted, he would never stay true to her in the end. That’s what she wanted. What she craved. A relationship like the one her parents had shared for fifty-four years. Honest. Open. Loyal and true. To this day, her father insisted there would be no other woman for him. Ever. He’d had the best, and he wouldn’t settle for less, he often said.
Theirs had been a romance for the ages, but it was, sadly, something she hadn’t seen anywhere else. In this day of easy divorce and people moving so fast they seldom took the chance to put down roots, relationships were transient.
Eileen wasn’t that kind of person. When she went into a relationship, she went in fully. She thought about the future and whether or not there was a possibility of having one with a particular guy. She wasn’t really interested in Mr. Right Now as much as she was looking for Mr. Right.
She knew she was old-fashioned in her thinking, but that’s just the way she’d been built. Living in the shadow of her parents’ lifelong devotion had probably set her standards a little too high, but she couldn’t really do anything about that now. She just had to hope and pray that Mr. Right might be out there, looking for her the way she was keeping an eye out for him.
He might even be standing at the bar right now. A tingle went through her as she glanced over to see Alan still there, watching her. Handsome, dreamy Alan, who was some kind of superman if she’d heard what Jimmy had said about Alan being a Navy SEAL right.
About halfway through the band’s third set, she switched to keyboards and played the song Alan had asked for last week. The band followed her lead and did an even better job on the intro this week than they had last.
“Bells will be ringing…” she began to sing the first line, and the crowd quieted down to listen, which wasn’t something that had happened all that often since Mary had passed.
The band was getting better. Getting over the loss. Finding a new sound that seemed to resonate with the audience. All thanks to this song Alan had requested last week, that had made her start thinking about a new musical direction. They were still playing some traditional Irish music, but now, they put a slightly different spin on it that made it fresh for the listeners as well as those playing it. There was a new energy in the band right now, but time would tell if it was a passing phenomena or something that would last.
Either way, it felt good to stretch a bit and try new things. They might end up doing something totally different in the end, but whatever the case ended up being, Alan had been the impetus for a long-needed change. He was their angel, though he probably didn’t realize it.
And maybe… Just maybe… He might be something to Eileen in the future, as well.
*
“Hey. He came back.” The young spirit appeared at the angel’s side as they looked down at the action in The Rose. “I’m surprised.”
“Better than that, he’s already asked her on a date, and she said yes.” The angel’s tone was just a little bit smug.
“No way.” The spirit looked more closely at the mortal souls below. “I didn’t think she had the gumption.”
“It seems he’s got enough for both of them.”
*
This time, Alan had planned to stay to the end of the band’s final set. Leaving in the middle last week had been murder, but he hadn’t been able to politely decline hanging out with his buddies. Not when they’d gone out of their way to gather together and welcome him home.
Tonight, he was solo. His time was his own, and he was happy enough just sipping his beer and listening to the band. A couple of women had tried to engage him in conversation of the flirtatious kind, but he found himself uninterested in them. No, his focus was completely taken by the songbird up on stage.
He’d never been so attracted to a woman so fast. He’d spent all week thinking about her and making plans to come see her perform tonight. He’d turned down two different invitations from old friends so he’d be free to come here, and he hadn’t wanted to invite anyone along who might want to leave before the music ended. Tonight was his alone, to see if the attraction held.
Within moments of seeing her again, he knew what he’d felt last week was real—and very potent. She drew him like a magnet, and he was glad he’d come. Glad he’d taken the risk to find out whether or not that first encounter had just been a fluke. He had his answer now.
It was no fluke.
She really was as amazing as he remembered. She mesmerized him without seeming to try, and he could listen to her sing for hours. Which was pretty much exactly what he’d done. Sure, the band members traded off singing lead frequently, but even when she wasn’t singing the melody, she was harmonizing in the background, her voice blending beautifully with the others. They were a good mix of talents and voices, and he could easily hear why the band had been so popular.
They also played a mix of contemporary, old standards and Irish traditional, all with their own flair. They handled requests really well and seldom turned someone away because none of them knew the song. There was a lot of musical knowledge on that bandstand and they all seemed to get along together, nobody vying to be the star attraction, all working together as a team.
As a youngster, Alan had been involved in music. His family all sang in St. Iggy’s choir at some point. Even he had, before giving it up as uncool when he’d been in high school. His mother and sister still tried to lure him back, but he hadn’t been home enough in the past few years for them to actually succeed.
He’d also taken violin lessons from age seven. The violin wasn’t as cool as, say, the guitar, so he’d gone underground with it around the same time he’d quit the choir. He still played. He just hadn’t let anyone hear him play since then. It was his little hobby that helped him unwind. Not for public consumption.
Still, that early education had given him an eclectic taste in music and allowed him to appreciate good musicianship in a way most non-musicians wouldn’t understand. Not that he went around talking about the finer points of harmony and counterpoint with anyone. Although… Maybe Eileen wouldn’t laugh if he trotted out his arcane knowledge. She’d been receptive so far when he said a few complimentary things about the band.
She, of all people, might not think a big, hulking Navy SEAL playing the violin was funny. She might even respect his opinions more if she knew he wasn’t talking out of his hat. It was something to consider. Anything that put him on better footing with the lovely songstress, he’d be willing to try.
Because she mattered. Strange as that may seem after so little contact, she mattered to him in ways he hadn’t expected but didn’t reject. It had been a long time since anyone had drawn and held his interest in this way, and he couldn’t remember any woman doing it so intensely. It was like all he could see was her.
The Rose might be packed to the gills, but it felt like they were the only two people in the room. Especially when she looked into his eyes and time seemed to stretch out until it was almost standing still. There was a real connection there. Something solid and strong, the likes of which he’d never encountered before.
He didn’t quite know what it meant, but he wanted to find out. As the third and final set drew to a close, he wondered if he looked really goofy waiting around. Would she think he was some kind of crazy stalker? He totally didn’t want to give off that vibe. He knew he was a big guy. He’d been over six feet tall since high school, and then after joining the Navy and making the Teams, he’d bulked up a bit. He had to be careful. He didn’t want to scare her.
But it looked like the other band members looked out for her. Jimmy came over to the bar while the others began breaking down their gear. He ordered a soda from the bartender and stood next to Alan while sipping the bubbly drink.
“That bandstand is too small for us all to tear down our gear at once,” Jimmy said, an opening gambit for a conversation in which Alan wasn’t sure what to expect. “Last time I tried to work alongside Brendan—aka King Kong—over there, I got a black eye for my trouble.”
“He belted you?” Alan was truly surprised they’d come to blows over something like packing up their instruments. Maybe they’d had a bit too much of the free beer?
“You see that big black packing case he’s swinging around?” Jimmy tilted his soda glass toward the bandstand. “The corner of that sucker nearly broke my nose. I’ve learned to clear off while Brendan and that thing are on the bandstand together.”
“Ouch.” Alan could sympathize. He’d had his nose broken in training, and nothing quite compared with that particular brand of pain.
“So, you’re taking Eileen out?” The question was straightforward enough.
On the one hand, Alan wanted to tell the younger man to mind his own business. On the other, he could appreciate that Eileen had a good friend here who was willing to give potential suitors the third degree.
“She agreed to lunch,” Alan affirmed. “I thought we’d take things slow. See where they lead.”
Jimmy laughed. “Sitting here all night, listening to us caterwauling. That’s not slow, friend. You’ve just demonstrated dedication to this mission, wouldn’t you say?” Jimmy grinned over at him. “Did I get the soldier jargon right?”
Alan shook his head and chuckled. “Close enough,” he told Jimmy. “Yeah, I’m pretty dedicated, as you put it. Plus, you’ve got a good sound. I like the band. I wasn’t just sitting here waiting for it end. I was really enjoying the music.”
Jimmy raised his soda glass in salute, nodding at the compliment. “Good of you to say. Though, you probably should’ve heard us before. Mary was a talent like no other.” The younger man’s voice had gone gentle and sad.
“So I’ve heard,” Alan said quietly. “I’m truly sorry for your loss,” he told Jimmy, both of them somber. “But don’t discount what you still have. It’s clear you all have been working together a long time. You’ve got something there that’s worth saving.”
“You think so?” Jimmy asked. He looked around the room that was starting to clear out now that the entertainment had ended. “We figured most of these folks were just coming out to be nice, and that at some point, our notoriety would wane.”
“Maybe they were being charitable in the beginning, but I think, now, they’re continuing to come see you perform because you’re just good.”
Alan hoped Jimmy would believe what he was saying. It was becoming clear to Alan that the band had all had it rough since losing their lead singer. He hadn’t expected Jimmy to admit to this crisis of confidence, but he was glad he was there to say a few words that might help.
Jimmy drained his glass and placed it on the bar before turning to look at Alan. “Thanks, man.” He offered his hand for a friendly shake. “I appreciate what you’re saying.” They shook hands, and Alan felt he might’ve done some good for the other man. “You treat our girl right, you hear?” Jimmy added before walking away.
And just like that, it seemed Alan had gotten permission and warning all in one about his interest in Eileen. He wanted to laugh but quelled the impulse. Jimmy wouldn’t appreciate the humor. It’s just that Jimmy, strapping young lad that he was, was no match for a seasoned Navy SEAL. Still, it was nice of him to look out for Eileen, so Alan wouldn’t make the kid feel bad by pointing that out.
Eileen came over to the bar, glancing back a bit self-consciously at the work still going on around the bandstand. She ordered a soda, much as Jimmy had done, and took the chair next to Alan. He warmed, just having her near, a smile playing about his mouth that he almost couldn’t control. He was just…happy.
It was a strange sensation. He’d been a lot of things since his first deployment—the first time he’d seen real world action and suffered injury and loss to his Team. He hadn’t felt this kind of tingling happiness since before then, though he hadn’t really realized it until just this moment. It was quite the revelation, but he’d have to ponder it later. Right now, Eileen was looking at him with a shy sort of edge to her gaze that he found enchanting.
“I was thinking about it during the last set. Are you staying at your folks’ place while you’re in town?” she asked, seemingly out of the blue.
Alan nodded. “Yeah. I let my apartment go before my last deployment and stored my stuff back in my old room. Luckily, they hadn’t turned it into a den or something, though I understand it’s been used as a guest room in my absence. So, I guess I’m a guest with storage privileges.” He chuckled at his own observation.
“Jimmy says he knows where you live,” she offered, the devilish glint in her eyes making him wonder the exact context of that phrase when Jimmy had uttered it. “I think I should pick you up for lunch on Monday.”
He sat up straighter, a little surprised. “Isn’t that backwards? Usually, it’s the guy that picks up the girl. Unless things have really changed in the States since the last time I was home.”
“Well, this is the twenty-first century. Although I appreciate your old-fashioned values, you’re a self-professed guest here. You probably don’t have your own wheels, right?”
“No need to keep a car here when I was based thousands of miles away. I can always borrow one from the family, though,” he was quick to amend.
She leaned back on her bar stool and made a show of looking him over from the top of his head to the tip of his boots. “I’ve got a vehicle that will fit you, and I’m taking you out, since you’re the guest.”
“But I asked you,” he argued playfully, though he was pretty sure he was going to give in to whatever madcap plan she had in mind.
“Just trust me. I’ll get you to lunch and back again in one piece, and you’ll get to relax a bit and enjoy the scenery.” She still had that undeniable grin on her face so he wasn’t exactly sure what he was letting himself in for, but he was more than willing to give it a whirl.
“All right. You win.” He reached for the pen he kept clipped to his breast pocket and grabbed a clean cocktail napkin off the stack on the other side of the bar. He wrote out his parents’ address for her and slid the napkin over to her. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you. I have a big, nosy family.”
She laughed, folding the napkin and tucking it into her pocket. “Who doesn’t?”