JFK to Dublin (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective Book 1) Page 9

"Aww, thanks," she said taking another look at it. "He said he got some others of me, but he hasn't been able to go through them yet."

  "You should make him get some pictures of you drawing," I said. "You could use them for your social media. I loved the ones he did for me."

  "I can't believe Collin wants to buy some of my art," she said. "I've never had a commission before. I'm nervous. What if he doesn't like what I come up with?"

  "He sees your style," I said gesturing at the countless works in progress she had in her little corner of the room. "You have a certain style, and he liked it, otherwise he wouldn't have asked you."

  "I can't believe you're dating Collin Ross," she said, shaking her head. "That's so weird."

  "Why's that so weird? I'm around famous people all the time, remember?"

  "Yeah, but he's different. He's… he's like a man," she said.

  I laughed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "I don't know. He's different. He's so business oriented. He's got all these plans and stuff going on."

  "I knowww," I whispered, dazedly as I thought about watching Collin interact with the staff and customers at his restaurant. "He wants me to go to Dublin."

  "Ireland?"

  "No. Dublin, Ohio." I was in an out-of-sorts mood, so I easily held a straight face when I said it.

  "Are you messing with me?" she asked.

  "About the Ohio thing, yes, but not about him asking me to go with him to Dublin."

  "He wants you to go to Ireland?" she asked.

  I nodded.

  "When?"

  I shrugged. "Coming up. I don't have the exact dates, but this month sometime."

  "Are you going?"

  I shrugged. "He just asked me like five minutes ago. I haven't even thought about it."

  "What's there to think about?" she asked. "I've heard you say you wanted to go to Ireland before."

  "I know."

  "So go."

  "I probably will," I said, feeling a sense of excitement starting to build.

  "Is he Irish?" she asked.

  "Who, Collin? No, I don't think so. I don't know, though. He can do an amazing Irish accent."

  "The name Collin is Irish, I think. Did you say he had an Irish accent?"

  "Just when he wants to," I said.

  She smiled longingly as she set the empty cereal bowl on the coffee table. "Did he really do an accent for you? That's so cute."

  "It was more hot than cute," I said, lifting the front of my shirt up and down to cool myself off.

  Lu giggled. "You are so adorable right now," she said.

  I smiled and shook my head, knowing I was blushing.

  "You have to go to Ireland," she said. "What if he asks you to marry him?"

  "When?" I asked, thinking she meant when we were in Ireland, which embarrassingly enough, had already crossed my mind.

  Lu shrugged. "Whenever," she said. "Like eventually. What if you two wind up getting married? I could say I was there when you met. I remember that day when he called you sunshine."

  "Yep. I remember. And I bet we will get married. Isn't that crazy?"

  "I can't believe you're acting like this, Sarah." She lifted her hands in surrender as if apologizing in advance for what she was about to say. "I mean I really thought I would have to move back in here after I finish my time at S&S just to keep you from dying alone."

  We both laughed. "Thanks a lot," I said.

  "No really, I'm so glad to see you like this."

  I shrugged. "I was scared," I said. "Even as recently as tonight I was scared. I took a cab home behind his back and was planning on not seeing him again. Then, all of a sudden, (a pause to snap my fingers) I just got un-scared. I know it seems crazy, but I prayed right before it happened, and I really think the two were related."

  "What are you saying? You did a 180 just like that and went back to not having trust issues?"

  "Yes," I said with a little laugh. "I can't quite explain it, but I did."

  I didn't bother telling Lu that it was deeper than that. I didn't tell her about the sequence of memories that led to my shift in perspective. One, because it was a bunch of shameful stuff, and two because I thought I wasn't usually one for getting deep and discussing my feelings.

  "How'd he like his necklace?" she asked after taking a few seconds to think about everything I had said.

  "He loved it," I said. "He told me thank you about ten times. I caught him touching it and turning it over in his fingers."

  "I saw he was wearing it," she said. "It looked good." She smiled, and her eyes got wide. "You think he's gonna wear it on the show?" she asked.

  I laughed at how giddy and impressed she was by the idea. "Probably," I said.

  "Speaking of show," she said, pushing at my leg. "Macy heard a rumor that Theo Duval was talking to Netflix about doing a documentary on Shower & Shelter."

  "Seriously? Is it true?"

  Lu shrugged. "She said she heard it from Lane, and his word is pretty dependable. But Macy said not to say anything. They haven't made any official announcements or anything."

  "What if they decide to do it when you're living there?" I asked.

  "I'm sure if they do it, it will be when I'm living there. I move in this August, and I can stay for up to two years as long as I don't get kicked out."

  "As if you would ever get kicked out," I said.

  "People have," she said. "They do. Their rules are pretty strict. They have to be that way to keep everything in order. Thirty artist in tight quarters on the same floor of an apartment building could easily get chaotic."

  "What do you mean strict?"

  "No overnight guests—not even boyfriends or girlfriends. Artists only sleep in the loft. Mr. Duval said he wanted to provide what he felt like he needed as a struggling artist and nothing more—a shower and a shelter. He's not trying to give us a place to stay so we can just sit around and party. Lane made a point of saying that."

  "I still don't quite understand why he does it," I said. "But I guess there's really no reason for me to even try. Maybe he really does just want to help people out, and there are no strings attached."

  "I keep telling you that, and you don't get it."

  "I might now. Or at least I'm willing to have a little faith that it might be the case."

  She reached out and pinched me with a teasing grin. "You are soooo bit by the love bug right now."

  "Whaaat?" I asked in a high-pitched voice.

  "You are. He did an accent for you. That's adorable. You have to go to Dublin."

  "Aye," I said. "I think I just might." I tried my best to make it sound like an Irish accent, but it came out a little too growl-y."

  "Arrrr, you sound like a pirate," Lu said, contorting her face in her best imitation of Captain Blackbeard.

  I cracked up, knowing she was right. "Arr, matey," I said with my hand in a hook position. "I must be sailin' the high seas for Ireland where I'll get my booty!"

  I totally meant it in a pirate booty way, but Lu and I both cracked up like a couple of little schoolgirls when the phrase came out of my mouth.

  "Oh my gosh, you can never, ever try an Irish accent on him," she said, regaining her composure after laughing. "You seriously turned into a pirate."

  My phone rang, and I put it to my ear, mouthing the name 'Collin' to Lu.

  "Hey," I said, once I knew the call connected.

  "Hey, I just found out I'll be in Dublin on the twentieth for three nights. Then I go back to London for a week, and then I'm home."

  "That's right after your birthday," I said.

  "I know. It's a good thing you already gave my present."

  "Yep, and it looks good on you."

  "Yes it does!" Lu called, leaning over to speak into the phone. She knew I was talking about his necklace, and I was fine with her yelling at him. She and I smiled at each other.

  "I tried to do an Irish accent for Lu, and it came out sounding like a pirate."

  Lu slapped a hand to her for
ehead at the fact that I was confessing.

  "Irish is close to pirate," Collin said in a serious tone, like he was familiar with my hardships. "They're in the same family, for sure."

  I was trying to think of something dry and witty, but I couldn’t hold back a giggle.

  "Does that mean you're coming?"

  "Does what mean I'm coming?"

  "You were trying to do the accent for Lu."

  "Oh," I said. "I think so."

  "You're coming?"

  "Yeah."

  "Good. I'll set up your hotel and flight. Just let me know when you're ready to book it, and I'll have someone take care of it for you."

  "I'm ready," I said, without even thinking about it. My heart started pounding the second I said it, and I made a wide-eyed expression at Lu, who returned it, but otherwise did her best not to seem too curious.

  "I'll get your reservations," Collin said.

  "I don't mind paying for it," I said.

  "You're my guest," he said. "I invited you."

  "I've always wanted to go there."

  Lu pressed her knee into my thigh even though we weren't looking at each other.

  "It's the twentieth, okay?" Collin asked.

  "Yep."

  "You sure that's okay?" he persisted as if he could tell I was slightly out-of-it and hadn't actually looked at a calendar.

  "It's fine," I said, since I would literally move anything on my calendar to go to Ireland and be with him.

  "I'm so glad you're coming," he said. "I have three days completely off. I'm not doing anything with a restaurant while I'm in Dublin, other than eating at them."

  "I can't wait."

  "Good. I'll call you tomorrow."

  "Okay," I said.

  I told Collin goodbye and disconnected the call, turning to look at Lu in the process.

  "Is he buying your ticket?" she asked.

  I nodded.

  "I tried to hear what he was saying, but I couldn't. I was just glad he didn't ask you to try out your pirate impression," she added, being silly.

  I laughed and sank my face into my hands at the thought. "I would never!" I said. "He was seriously hot when he did his. I just sounded like a big dork."

  "It really wasn't all that bad," Lu said. "If your dad ever makes a TV show about pirates, you could try out for it."

  "What's the weather in Ireland in March?" I asked since my thoughts were going in about a thousand different directions.

  "Google it," she said with a shrug.

  We both stared at our respective devices for a few seconds. "Looks like it's warmer there than it is here," she said. She glanced at me, and we both made wacky faces at each other.

  "I can't believe I'm doing this," I said.

  She shook her head at me. "I can. I'm so happy to see you happy. What if you get to see Stonehenge?"

  "I'm sure we're staying in Ireland," I said. "He said we'd only be there a few days."

  "I thought that's where Stonehenge was," she said.

  "I think it's in England."

  "Really? I always thought it was in Ireland. Are you sure you're thinking of what I'm thinking of?"

  I tilted my head at her. "The big rocks, standing on end in a circle?" I asked.

  She nodded.

  "That's in England."

  Her expression was genuinely confused as she shrugged. "Really?"

  I nodded.

  "You sure? England? The big rocks?"

  I nodded again.

  "Well, it should be in Ireland," she said.

  Chapter 14

  Collin wouldn't arrive in Dublin until the afternoon of the twentieth, but my flight got there pretty early that morning. It was a non-stop, overnight flight, so I managed to get a few hours sleep while we flew.

  I was scheduled to arrive at 9am, and knowing that Collin wouldn't get there until later that evening, I planned to check into my hotel room and try to get a little more rest. I wanted to see Dublin and everything, but more than that, I wanted to see Collin, and I didn't want to be completely exhausted.

  We had talked every day in the weeks since he had been London, and I was letting him into my heart in a way that I thought was lost to me. He was in my thoughts and plans, and I was absolutely overjoyed that I was about to see him.

  I had done some traveling in my life, but I had never flown into an airport where the land below was as lush and green as it was in Ireland. From the moment the plane started its decent, I had the feeling I had gone back in time.

  A driver was waiting for me at the airport, and he brought me to the hotel, a place called The Merrion, which was in the center of the city. I was taken aback by how small Dublin was. I always thought of it as a booming metropolis like New York, and it was far smaller than I anticipated.

  There was a lot of stone in New York, but nothing like Dublin, and that might have been what had me feeling like I had stepped into a time machine. The hotel had an undeniable old-world quality about it, too, with drawing rooms, fireplaces, and brocade fabrics.

  My room was immaculate, and I felt comfortable the instant I stepped into it. It was a one bedroom suite in the main house, beautifully appointed with light furniture and bedding. It was crisp and clean, and I felt like I was the Queen of Ireland.

  I flopped onto the bed, where I stayed for the next two hours. I was too excited to sleep, but I made myself try for two whole hours before I decided my attempts were futile.

  I freshened up before heading out for a late lunch. There were a thousand pubs in Dublin, so I had a plethora of choices within walking distance of the hotel. Most of the time, I would check reviews and make plans, but this time I felt like setting out and seeing where my feet took me.

  My plans to have anti-plans worked out when someone on the street saw that I was a tourist, pointed at a random pub, and told me I should have lunch there. I heeded their advice, and went into the pub, taking a seat at one of the few open stools at the bar. I took a picture of myself with the pub sign in the background and sent it to Collin along with a text that read, "I think I'm in Dublin."

  I knew his flight wouldn't arrive until later that evening, and before then, he had a lot going on, so I didn't expect to hear from him… I just wanted him to know I was excited to be there.

  The barkeeper was funny and entertaining, and I didn't feel the slightest bit awkward about being there alone. He recommended something authentically Irish for me to eat, and helped me make conversation with the people sitting next to me. They were all so nice, telling me things I should do and see while I was in Ireland.

  I sat there for the next few hours, talking and laughing with the barkeeper and the people coming in and out of the pub.

  Collin had made a point of telling me that, to him, Dublin was all about the characters who lived there, so I made an effort to take as much of it in as I could. I talked to a few people from other places in Europe, and one other American, but by in large, they were locals, which was so much fun for me. I loved an Irish accent and giggled every time I had to ask them to repeat something.

  On my right, was a man named John. He and his wife, Ellen, had been sitting next to me for about the last hour. They were the sweetest couple ever, and we had a fine time joking around and getting to know one another. We were all laughing at something Luke, the bartender, had said when a stranger came in and sat on the stool at my left.

  I was enjoying my conversation with John and Ellen, so I virtually had my back turned towards the person who sat down. I saw John and Ellen acknowledge him, so in friendly, Dublin-like fashion, I turned to do the same.

  "Do ya mind?" the man asked me, nodding as if to indicate that he was wondering if his stool was already taken.

  "It's open," Luke said, sliding a menu in front of the man.

  Collin.

  It was Collin.

  Collin Ross.

  My Collin was sitting in the barstool next to me, smiling at me casually like it was the first time we had ever met.

  "Her nem
e's Sarah," John said, leaning over to speak to Collin.

  It was apparent by the fluctuation he used in his tone that he was proud to introduce me—like he thought Collin might be impressed. Ellen elbowed him for this.

  "Sarah," Collin said, nodding at me like it was the first time he was making my acquaintance.

  His pretending not to know me wasn't even the most hilarious thing. The wildest part was that he was speaking with an Irish accent in front of all these real Irish people. I just stared at him, wondering how in the world he was so calm and collected when doing something so out-of-his-mind. His dark hair and light eyes made him look completely at home here. After being in Dublin all day, my conclusion was that Collin could easily pass as a handsome Irishman.

  "Collin," he said with a nod.

  "Cheers, Collin," John said. "Sarah here was just telling us she knows the people who bought the Banks estate," John continued with great pride. He had a Guinness with his lunch, and he had gotten chattier and chattier as the hour passed.

  "Aye, the Banks' place, eh?" Collin asked, acting like he knew what the guy was talking about.

  "Her da's a big Hollywood movie-maker." Ellen explained proudly.

  I looked at Collin, who was pretending to give me an appraising stare. I wanted to throw myself at him, but I held back. "So, you've got friends in Dublin?" Collin asked, since this was the first he had heard about me knowing someone there.

  "I found out my dad has an old friend who lives here," I explained in a voice that cracked with nerves. "I wasn't planning on seeing them on my trip, though."

  "She's here to meet her boyfriend," Ellen announced, a little more loudly than she intended.

  "Your boyfriend, eh?" Collin said, pulling back to stare at me with an appraising grin.

  "Aye, and ya better not get any big ideas," Ellen said, "because he's some big-time Hollywood actor, too."

  "I'm not scared of a Hollywood actor," Collin said contemptuously, continuing to use that perfect (thank goodness) Irish accent.

  I was terrified for him that he would break character and get caught, but he was completely, one hundred percent in character, and no one seemed to know the difference.

  My heart raced at the silly deception of it all, and I had to work to contain the giddy grin that constantly wanted to break across my face. He was far and away the most handsome guy in the pub, the most handsome guy I'd ever seen, and I just sat there and blinked at him, feeling dazed and all shaken-up.