Chapter 17

On the cliffs of Ballyhoo, Ireland, stood a beautiful castle. It wasn’t huge, and part of its elegance was its modesty. There was only one turret and one arched opening with a beautiful wood door. Jayce had been told that the majority of the living space was built into the cliffs.

Kristine took his hand. “Shall we go inside?”

“I suppose so. If for no other reason than to drop off our wedding gift and then be told where to wait.”

The two of them knocked on the beautiful door with its ornate brass knocker shaped like three dragons. A tiny window slid to the side, and a pair of dark-brown eyes seemed to light up with recognition. Then the window slammed shut, and the door opened wide.

Ryan pulled Jayce into a hug, and they slapped each other on the back. When Jayce stepped away, he clasped his brother’s upper arm and said, “Damn, it’s good to see you, Ryan.”

Ryan glanced past Jayce and smiled at Kristine. “This beautiful lady is still putting up with you?”

Jayce let go of his brother and put a hand on Kristine’s lower back, escorting her over to him. “Ryan, I’d like you to meet the future Mrs. Jayce Fierro, my fiancée.”

“No shit?” Ryan then slapped himself upside the head. “I’m sorry, Kristine. That’s no way to talk in front of a lady. What I meant to say was congratulations to you both.”

Chloe came up behind Ryan and slipped her arm around his waist. “What were you apologizin’ for, luv?”

Kristine chuckled. “He did nothing wrong. I’ve heard worse language every day at the firehouse.”

Ryan grinned. “That’s right! You’re also a firefighter.”

“All four of us are,” Jayce said. “You two, Kristine, and me.”

“You’ll have plenty to talk about at the reception, since you’re all being seated at the same table,” a female voice said from behind Ryan. He stepped aside and revealed Amy Scott…soon to be Amy Arish.

“Mom!” Kristine said. “I thought you’d be getting ready by now.”

“I was waiting for you, darling. Come with me.” Amy grabbed her hand and practically dragged her into the castle and around the corner where Jayce could no longer see her. He did, however, notice the incredible view on the opposite wall. A large Palladian window looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean.

“Well, are you going to invite me in or what?” Jayce asked his brother.

“Of course. Come on in, and I’ll give you a tour of my humble abode.”

Jayce burst out laughing. “Don’t even pretend you’re being humble. You live in a frigging castle.”

“Okay, you got me. I might be a little proud of my home.”

Chloe folded her arms. “You mean our home, don’t you? And we have a right to be proud, having done most of the work ourselves.”

“Yes, dear.” Ryan leaned close to his brother’s ear and whispered, “Learn those two words, and you’ll have a happy marriage.”

Chloe snorted. “It’s a good thing I know me husband’s teasin’. Jayce, can I get you something to drink?”

Before he had a chance to answer, she glanced outside and said, “Oh shite. The leprechauns are here. Who invited them?”

One little guy in brown and two in green approached. The brown one stepped up to the door. “No one invited us, me darlin’. But we believed it to be an oversight. We come bearin’ gifts, and we’d be grateful for the chance to make up for our bad behavior in the past.”

Chloe crossed her arms. “You realize we have a few humans here, Fagan. You aren’t allowed to perform any of your leprechaun magic.”

“And we won’t, Your Highness.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I don’t want any of that ‘Your Highness’ nonsense. Just call me Chloe, like everyone else does.”

“That seems fair, since I’m king of the leprechauns, and you insist on simply callin’ me Fagan.”

“Good.”

“Fine.”

“Grand,” the other two chimed in.

Ryan said, “I was just about to take Jayce around and show him the place. Will you excuse us, love?”

Chloe smiled. “Of course.”

Ryan leaned over and gave his wife a kiss before he clapped his hand on Jayce’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go this way.” He steered him to a spiral staircase leading down.

Jayce followed his brother down the stairs, which opened onto a large foyer. Another Palladian window looked out over the ocean. Hardwood floors matched the ones upstairs, and three arched doorways offered choices of moving left, right, or directly behind.

Ryan walked through the arch on the right and into a study with tall bookshelves and comfortable chairs. A desk faced the window. “Welcome to my office, library, or den, whatever you want to call it.”

“Man cave?”

“Anything but that.” He walked over to a piece of furniture that looked as old and ornate as the front door. “What can I get you?” He opened a polished rolltop to reveal a well-stocked bar.

Jayce smiled. “I don’t suppose you have any of that Arish whiskey, do you?”

“Of course he does,” Conlan said as he strolled into the room from the one beyond. “If he doesn’t, we’re not doin’ right by our cousin.”

Ryan lifted a bottle and used it to point toward Jayce. “Conlan, have you met my brother Jayce?”

Conlan laughed. “Jayce was there the day I met me bride.”

“Really?” Ryan chuckled. “It seems as if few introductions are needed. Drake knew everyone too.”

“Drake is here?” Jayce asked.

“Of course. He’s Amy’s younger brother…or something.” Ryan offered Jayce a glass with two fingers of whiskey already poured.

Jayce took the whiskey and raised it as if giving a toast. “What is it you say here? Slant?”

Ryan and Conlan laughed. “Slainte is the word,” Ryan said.

When all three of them had their glasses filled, Ryan raised his and said, “To family.”

“Slainte,” Jayce said.

“Cheers!” Conlan added.

The three of them laughed, clinked glasses, and sipped their whiskey.

“I was showing my brother around, but we didn’t get very far,” Ryan said.

Conlan groaned. “It’s just as well. The women have taken over the bedrooms on both levels. Below us, the kitchens are filled with caterers. And your banquet room has been locked against all intruders. I guess Amy and Amber had it decorated just the way they wanted it.”

“Speaking of the other bride, where’s Rory, the other groom?” Jayce asked.

“Rory is visiting with his sister Shannon and her husband, Finn. They also have a few humans to distract while the paranormals are lectured.”

“Lectured?”

“To keep their identities a secret.”

“Ah,” Jayce said. “I wondered how that was going to work.”

“If history repeats itself, it won’t work at all,” Rory said as he entered the room.

Conlan laughed and slapped Rory on the back. “I see me fellow bridegroom is as nervous as I, but mayhaps for a different reason.”

“How is that?” Rory asked.

“This place is, or was until recently, your home. With all the shenanigans that could happen when Irish families and paranormal friends get together, things could get ruined…not to mention if any one of us shows our paranormal abilities around a human, there will be hell to pay.”

“Don’t pay me,” Ryan said.

“You realize he’s talking about me.” A disembodied female voice resonated around the room.

“Gaia!” Ryan exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Mother Nature appeared. “I’m not…but I’m watching. I don’t want anything to ruin my muse’s special day. It’s bad enough she had to include two humans, but I understand they are her mother and sister. What I don’t understand, Rory, is why your brother-in-law Finn, Father Joseph, and the owners of the pub have to attend. They’re humans too.”

“Beggin’ yer pardon, Goddess.” Rory bowed reverently. “The good father is officiatin’, and I was the one who invited Finn. He’s married to me sister, Shannon, and didn’t faint when he learned about dragons and leprechauns. He should be fine. The O’Malleys are here to cater the dinner. As long as everything goes well during the reception…”

The Goddess closed her eyes and shook her head. “How little you know about weddings. That’s when everything bad happens.”

* * *

Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Amy slipped into her aqua silk dress. She couldn’t afford the genuine Vera Wang, so she had a costumer she knew from her stage career make one like it.

“Conlon offered to pay for any dress I wanted, but I wouldn’t hear of it.”

“Why not?” Kristine asked as she zipped up the back.

“Soon enough my finances will be tied to his.”

Kristine laughed. “Mother, you realize that’s like saying, ‘Soon enough I’ll hitch my little red wagon to his Maserati.’”

Amy admired herself in the full-length mirror. “I guess you’re right. I’ve never been able to depend on another person’s income, and it feels strange. I know you helped me pay our rent all those years, but even then I knew that someday you’d move out to live on your own or with someone else—speaking of which, have you worked out where you and Jayce will live?”

“Not yet. We haven’t had much time to just talk.”

Amy burst out laughing. “Yeah, I’ll bet. When the two of you come up for air, you probably have to make up for lost sleep.”

Kristine felt her cheeks heat. She didn’t discuss her sex life—especially with her mother! It was time to change the subject—or sidestep it a little.

“Jayce was cleared to go back to work. He offered to quit and move to Hell’s Kitchen—despite how much his family wants him to stay in Boston. And now that my family will be in Boston, it would just be pigheaded of me to insist on staying in New York.”

“So, you’re giving up everything you’ve worked for? The lieutenant position?”

“It was either that or let him do all the sacrificing.”

“He was really ready to give up his rank and his home and disappoint his family? All just to make you happy?”

“Yes. Amazing, isn’t he?”

The women smiled at each other.

“What about your degree?” Amy asked.

“I managed to almost finish it over the summer. I can do the rest online.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Every woman should have a fallback.” Kristine’s mother sat at the dressing table and began combing her hair.

“Let me do that for you, Mom.” Kristine picked up the brush and stroked her mother’s long, shiny red hair.

“That’s very practical of you…to have a fallback, I mean.”

Amy closed her eyes and almost purred. She loved having her hair brushed, and Kristine wondered if she’d ever get the chance to brush it for her again. Probably not for a while.

“I’ve always been more practical than you think. Acting may seem like a frivolous career, but waitressing put food on the table, and acting made me happy. I’d like to think I was a better mother because I followed my dream as best I could.”

“You absolutely were. You’re still a good mother.” Kristine leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Do you want to wear your hair up? Like this?” Kristine wound the hair around into a French twist and held it up for Amy to look at.

“Yes, you do that beautifully, and I have a special comb to hold it.”

Amy reached for her small white evening bag and extracted a beautiful gold comb with sparkling crystals and pearls.

“That’s beautiful, Mom! Where did you get it?”

“It’s from Conlan. Apparently his mother wore it before she passed.”

“She had to be a dragon too, right?”

“Yes, she was. She met with a dreadful car accident a few years ago. It may have been during the same time that Mother Nature revoked our immortality for a while.”

As Kristine inserted the beautiful comb, Gaia herself popped in. “Did I just hear my name?”

Kristine and her mother startled. “We didn’t mean to call you away from your…whatever you’re doing,” Kristine said. “We were just discussing something, and your name came up.”

“Yes, I know. I was about to come and see you anyway.”

“Oh? What about?”

“I finally have someone to train you, Kristine. My modern muses are quite busy. All the more reason to have more. I thought it best to add her to the guest list so she can keep an eye on things and make sure the paranormals don’t get out of hand. I’m much too busy to stick around in case of trouble.”

Amy turned enough to look at both of them. “She found someone to train you? In what are you being trained, Kristine?”

“I wasn’t going to tell you until after your honeymoon. The Goddess offered me a job as a modern muse. Specifically, the muse of wireless communication. Cell phones, radios, and the satellites that keep us in touch globally.”

“A muse? Like Amber and Chloe? That’s wonderful! I suppose you don’t need another job in Boston now. It sounds as if you’ll have your hands full.”

“I imagine so. Did you say you have someone to add to the guest list, Gaia? Have you checked with Chloe?”

Mother Nature jammed a hand on her hip. “Of course. Contrary to what you may have heard, I’m not totally rude, entitled, and pushy.”

Amy rose. “Goddess, I’ve not heard you called anything of the sort, and if I did, I would have to disagree.”

The goddess smiled. “That’s sweet of you, but you’ll learn. Meanwhile, Kristine, I’d like you to meet Brandee.”

A pretty young woman with a different shade of long, red hair appeared. Not like Amy’s bright-red or her own reddish-blonde color. She shook Kristine’s hand, and without letting go, she looked over at Amy.

“Oh. My. Gorgeousness! You must be the bride.”

Amy grinned and tipped up her chin in her regal pose. “That I am.”

Brandee glanced between Amy and Kristine and back again. “I can’t tell if you’re mother and daughter or sisters.”

Gaia waved. “Yes, yes. That’s all lovely, but we have to cut the chitchat short. I need to go push a tornado out of the way of a house in, uh… Kansas. Yeah. There’s a girl and her dog inside. If I don’t get there in time”—Mother Nature disappeared before she finished her sentence.

Brandee gave them an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to crash your wedding. Gaia thought that since Chloe would be busy playing hostess and Amber’s time would be consumed with being a bride and all, a less involved muse to keep an eye on things would be a good idea.”

“Oh, I’m fine with it,” Amy said. “I just feel bad that we’re taking you away from your muse duties.”

Brandee laughed. “This is the best part of my duties. I’m the muse of film and digital images.” Suddenly she was holding a very technical-looking camera. “Now I can really keep an eye on things.”

“And we get wedding photos!” Amy exclaimed.

* * *

The wedding was magical. Two beautiful brides, one wearing aqua and one wearing ivory, took their vows in the castle courtyard with their handsome princes, who were each wearing a kilt of Arish plaid. The design was woven with midnight blue, shamrock green, and gold wool. The same colors of the blue-and-green flag with three gold dragons on it flying from the high turret.

They had been blessed with a perfect sunny day. Not a cloud in the robin’s-egg-blue sky. When the wedding party and their guests descended the stairs to the kitchen and ballroom level, Jayce understood why it had been roped off before.

Opening the doors revealed an elegant room with one long dining table, set with white linens, crystal glasses, and silver flatware. Bowls of pink roses surrounded by petals graced the table every five feet or so. At one end was a kiddie table, set with the same decorations.

Jayce hadn’t noticed any children. Then he realized in horror that the table must have been put there for the leprechauns. Shit. This was the first time he’d met any, but he had heard they were quick to take offense and never apologized, even if they were dead wrong. Did that include at weddings?

He spotted his and Kristine’s names engraved on cards in ornate calligraphy and escorted her over to their places near the middle of the long table. Jayce held Kristine’s chair for her and pushed her in. He left his own chair out a bit just in case he had to jump to his feet to prevent a brawl.

No one else seemed too worried. People were smiling, chatting, and laughing. All except the Arish cousins seated across from them. Aiden and Eagan seemed on the edge of their seats too.

Finally, in came the leprechauns. They glanced up and down the long table, noting there were no seats left—except for two on either end, for the brides and grooms.

Chloe rose and hastened over to the little men. She bent down and whispered something, and pointed toward the kiddie table. The one wearing brown seemed too serious.

Uh-oh. This is it, Jayce thought.

When Chloe returned to her seat, she remained standing until all three leprechauns had found their places. Meanwhile, the photographer moved around the room, taking pictures from every angle.

Jayce didn’t even realize he was on high alert until he jumped when Chloe tapped her glass, interrupting any ongoing conversations with a musical tinkle.

“Thank you all for coming. I have the honor of introducing the Arishes. First, me brother, Rory, and me new sister, Amber…”

To the sound of enthusiastic applause, the happy couple entered from a side door and were seated at one end of the table. Jayce wondered if the humans hadn’t been present if they’d be referred to as princes and princesses—or clan leaders and ladies or whatever. Keeping it simple was probably for everyone’s benefit.

Then she introduced her cousin, Conlan, and his lovely wife, Amy. More applause made Amy’s grin grow even wider. If she had taken a stage bow, he wouldn’t have been surprised. As it was, she stopped and dropped a curtsy to Chloe, and Conlan offered a respectful bow.

It seemed as if all was well. At last he could relax and enjoy the festivities. Until…

Fagan rose, or at least he slipped off his chair. Clinking his glass, he announced, “May I have everyone’s attention please?”

Jayce wouldn’t have heard Chloe mumble shite if he didn’t have paranormal hearing. Unfortunately, he did.

“Before we get started, I’d like to present our gifts to the happy couples. We have a bit of mischief to make up for, so we wanted our gifts to be special.”

Rory mumbled, “Is that what being kicked out of me own country is called? Feckin’ mischief?”

If Fagan heard him, he ignored it. The O’Malleys came out with champagne and began pouring everyone’s glasses half full.

They did a double take when looking at the kiddie table full of little bearded men but politely continued on their way.

“One of our gifts is too large to show you here. It’s upstairs in the courtyard.”

Chloe rose, and everyone else rose with her. Fagan grinned as if very pleased with himself. He ran on his little legs to the door, with his two compatriots following. “Let’s go,” he called. The guests looked at each other, slightly confused, but followed politely. After climbing two sets of stairs, the leprechauns in green paused, one on each side of the big double door that led to the courtyard. Fagan waited until everyone had gathered in the grand foyer and then announced, “This is for Conlan and Amy.” They threw open the double door and revealed a sleek, black Maserati convertible.

Some of the guests gasped while others made impressed sounds like “Oooohhh…”

Amy leaned toward Kristine and whispered, “Do you think they heard us talking?”

Kristine shook her head and shrugged at the same time.

Fagan focused on Amy. “Come here. Admire it.”

Conlan took her hand, and they strolled over to it, making appreciative comments. Jayce noticed Conlan appeared hesitant.

“Where did this come from?” Conlan asked.

Fagan smirked. “Italy, of course.”

He bit his lip, as if holding in his thoughts. Chances were he suspected something but was too polite to bring it up in front of their guests.

Chloe cleared her throat. “Well, that is very generous of you, but I’m sure the O’Malleys have dinner planned, and we wouldn’t want it to get cold. So let’s go back down to the banquet room.”

Her subjects followed without question. The other guests lingered a bit, taking a longing look at the car and then trailing behind the rest downstairs.

The leprechauns jogged down the stairs to keep up with everyone. When all the guests arrived back at the ballroom and returned to their seats, Fagan and the other two remained standing.

Everyone lifted their champagne glasses.

“Wait. Before we begin the toasts,” Fagan called out, “we want to present our gift for the other couple. We know you’ll like it much more than a new car.”

Ryan put down his glass.

Rory and Amber glanced at each other.

“Well… Come here.” Fagan waved them over.

Brandee got herself in position to take a picture of their faces when they received whatever special gift they had coming.

Fagan spoke in a low voice so only the couple and those of paranormal persuasion could hear. “We know you can’t have children, so we found the perfect gift for you.” He swiveled, and when he turned back to them, he held a baby in his arms.

“Shite!” Rory said as he took a step back. Amber just stood there with her mouth and eyes wide open.

Jayce quickly glanced around the room and noticed the O’Malleys frozen in mid-step as they carried out trays of shrimp cocktail. The priest was frozen in place too. He checked on Amber’s mother and sister and noticed both of them gazing in the same direction, smiling and unblinking.

Brandee snapped her fingers, and her camera disappeared. She marched over to Fagan and gently removed the baby from his arms. “Now, tell me where you found this child so I can return him or her.”

Fagan looked deeply offended. “You would return our gift? Who are you to do such a thing?” He folded his arms and glowered.

Gaia appeared. “Thank goodness my muse was here to stop you from giving humans a glimpse into the paranormal world.” She turned toward Brandee. “Give the child to me. I know right where she belongs.”

Fagan bristled. “But the babe was in an orphanage. What kind of life is that for her? We were doing both her and the bride and groom a grand favor.”

Mother Nature leaned over them and rose off the floor a few inches. “I know exactly what kind of life she’ll have. In a few days, she’ll be adopted by a loving family. Yes, they’ll make mistakes, and she will probably wind up in therapy someday, but if she grew up as a human with paranormal parents, she’d be in therapy that much sooner.”

Fagan sighed. “Well, this is embarrassing… I suppose we’ll have to come up with something else now that we have everyone’s attention.”

Gaia frowned. “I’ll deal with you later, leprechaun. My muse will turn back time just enough to erase the humans’ memories. Now I’m off to do the same at the orphanage.” With that, Mother Nature and the baby disappeared.

Fagan scratched his head. “Feck. I thought we had the perfect gift for you,” he said to Rory.

Rory smiled. “It was a lovely thought. Fortunately, we have everything we need. Just that you hoped to do something special for us is all the gift we could want.” He put his arm around Amber’s shoulder, she slipped her arms around his waist, and they gazed at each other lovingly.

Fagan stamped his foot. “You see? You would have made very good, loving parents. I’m afraid I’m too upset to stay.” He turned to his brothers and said, “We shall leave now.” They nodded, and all three of them disappeared.

A collective whoosh of air suggested that more than one guest had been holding their breath. Various expressions of relief followed.

Brandee addressed Amber. “What now? How far should I back this up to cover the fact that they left?”

Amber sighed. “I wish we could back it up to before they came, but too many guests were already here and in mid-conversation. I guess we can back it up to the point where they closed the doors on the courtyard upstairs and everyone filed downstairs.”

“Then just pop them back to wherever they came from and make an excuse that they had a family emergency and had to leave—if anyone misses them.”

Suddenly Jayce and Kristine were descending the stairs again.

Jayce leaned over and whispered to Kristine, “Well, at least Amy and Conlan get to keep the Maserati.”