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business, Trev, but that’s surely a mistake.”
“It’s not.” Brenna rapped a fist on his shoulder. “It’s brilliant. It’s perfect. But you’ve only bought three of his tunes so far, Trev.”
Trevor angled his head. “He’s only shown me three so far.”
“There.” Brenna socked Shawn again, with more enthusiasm. “You moron. He’s dozens more. If you come by the house you can have a look. He can play them for you. He’s got his piano crammed in what there is of our front room already. And his fiddle and—”
“Quiet,” Shawn muttered.
“Don’t tell me to be quiet when—”
“Quiet.” This time the order was sharp, and Brenna seethed, but subsided. “I have to think about it.” Flustered, he dragged a hand through his hair. “It’s a lot to think about.” At his wife’s annoyed hiss he simply looked at her. “Brenna.”
She quieted. His look was a plea for patience and understanding. How could she refuse? “I’ll just say this. You’ve so much to give, Shawn, and it shouldn’t worry you. But the fact that it does is likely part of why you’re brilliant in the first place. Make a bargain with me.”
He made a restless movement with his shoulders. “What bargain?”
“Let me pick the next, just one, to show Trev. I had fine luck with the first, didn’t I?”
“You did. That you did. All right, then. Brenna’ll bring you a song tomorrow so you can see what you think of it.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” Trevor hesitated. The trouble was, he realized, he liked these people. “I wish to God you’d get an agent.”
“Isn’t she bad enough?” Shawn countered, jerking a thumb at Brenna. “Hounds me day and night as it is, and read every word in the contract you sent twice over. My eyes would have bled. We’ll just go on as we are.”
“It keeps my end of it less complicated.” Trevor set the subject aside and turned back to Aidan. Businessman now to businessman. “The three of you are Gallagher’s, and Gallagher’s is Ardmore. The theater’s going to be part of that, and because of it will benefit all of us here. The two are linked, for the very practical reason that your business is already established, already considered a center for music. Bringing the three of you forward as the first act to perform will get us a lot of press. Press means tickets, and tickets mean profit. For Gallagher’s and for the theater.”
“I follow that well enough. But that we are Gallagher’s is another point. Running the pub is what we do.”
“And how much will it add to Gallagher’s reputation when the three of you perform, and record, Shawn’s music?”
“Record?”
“For Celtic Records. We’ll have the CD’s available at the theater,” Trevor went on smoothly. “And we have a reputation of our own—artists, packaging, promotion, distribution. You can’t manufacture this kind of hook. The three of you were born into it.”
“But we’re not performers, we’re publicans.”
“You’re wrong. You’re natural performers. I understand the pub’s your priority. I’m counting on that. But this could be, would be, a very interesting, profitable, and satisfying sideline.”
“Why does it matter to you?”
It was the first question Darcy had asked, and Trevor shifted his attention to her. “Because the theater matters to me, and I never settle for less than the best. It means profit,” he added. “Isn’t that the bottom line?”
Aidan said nothing for a moment, then nodded. “You’ll appreciate that this is a bit of a surprise to us all, and is something we need to think over and discuss. The five of us have to be agreed, one way or another, on the matter. The overall picture, so to speak, before we can even consider discussing details. Of which I can only imagine there are many.”
“Understood.” Knowing it was time to step back and let the idea percolate, Trevor got to his feet. “If you have any questions you know where to find me. Brenna, take your time coming back. I’m going to the site.”
“Thanks. I’ll be right along.”
Darcy tapped a finger on Aidan’s arm to keep him in place. “I’ll walk you out,” she said to Trevor.
There were so many thoughts whirling through her mind. She knew it was important, vital, to snatch the most significant of them and get a firm hold. So she kept all those thoughts to herself until they walked outside again.
“Sure and it’s quite the surprise you’ve brought us today, Trevor.”
“So I see, but I wonder why it’s such a surprise. You’ve got ears and brains. You’ve heard how the three of you are together.”
“Maybe it’s that I’ve already heard it.” She glanced back, knowing her family was already discussing the matter. Still, she wanted her own thoughts and feelings settled before she added them to the mix. “You’re not the impulsive sort, not with business.”
“No.”
“So this isn’t something that just popped wild into your head.”
“I’ve been playing the angles since the first time I heard you sing. You’ve got a voice that goes straight to the gut, right after it’s broken the heart. It’s quite a talent.”
“Hmm.” She strolled by, down the narrow path through Jude’s garden. “And this notion you’ve come to us with today, you’re thinking it’ll enhance our mutual concerns.”
“Not think, Darcy. I know. It’s my business to know.”
She turned her head, studied him over her shoulder.
“Aye, I suppose so. And how much would you be paying for this enhancement?”
Now he smiled. Trust her to get right down to the sharpest point in the quill. “It’s negotiable.”
“And what would be the floor of that negotiation?”
“Five thousand for the performance. The recording rights are a separate issue.”
Her eyebrows arched. One evening singing, and more than she’d earn waitressing for weeks in the pub.“Pounds or dollars?”
He hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans. “Pounds.”
She made a little humming sound again. “Well, if we decide we’re interested, Aidan will haggle with you over that pitiful amount, to be sure.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Aidan’s the businessman.” Keeping his eyes on hers, Trevor moved to her. “Shawn’s the artist.”
“And what would I be?”
“The ambition. Put the three parts together, and you’ve got a hell of a team.”
“As I said before, you’re a clever man.” She looked away from him and out to sea, where the waves rolled in slow and smooth. “I’ve ambitions, right enough. And I’ll be honest with you here, Trevor, and tell you this particular idea has never occurred to me. The singing for anything but my own enjoyment.”
He surprised her by trailing a finger down the line of her throat. “What you’ve got in there can make you rich. Famous. I can help that happen.”
“That’s quite an offer, and appeals to my basest of egos and desires.” She walked on a little farther, until she stood near the street of the village where she’d lived all her life. “How rich?”
His laugh was easy and full of pure pleasure. “I like you.”
“I’m growing fonder of you by the minute. I’ve a yen to be rich, and I’m not ashamed to say so.”
He jerked his head toward the house. “Talk them into it.”
“No, that I won’t. I’ll put in my thoughts, and I’ll shout if I need to be heard, and exchange the usual insults when they’re warranted, but I won’t pressure them to do anything that doesn’t sit comfortably. It’ll come from all of us, or not at all. It’s the Gallagher way.”
“Does it sit comfortably with you?”
“I haven’t decided, but I’m enjoying the trying of it on, so to speak. I have to get back in there, as the discussion’s hot and heavy by this time. But . . .”
“What?”
“I wanted to ask, as you’re in the way of being an expert on such things.” She laid a hand on his arm, looked into his ey
es. She wanted to see her answer there before she heard it. “Shawn. He’s brilliant, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
It was a simple answer, almost casually given. And perfect. “I knew it.” Tears swam into her eyes, shimmered beautifully against the blue. “I have to get over this before I go back in or his head’ll swell up so I won’t be able to connect with his brain next time I cosh him. I’m so proud of him.” A tear spilled over, made her sniffle. “Damn it.”
Caught off guard, Trevor stared at her, then dug in his back pocket for his bandanna. “Here.”
“Is it clean?”
“Christ, you’re a maze, Darcy. Here.” He dabbed at her cheeks himself, then handed the cloth to her. “You’d do it for him, wouldn’t you?”
She blew her nose. “What?”
“The performance, the recording. You’d do it for Shawn even if you hated the idea.”
“It’s not going to hurt me any, is it?”
“Stop it.” He took her arms, his eyes narrowed. “It wouldn’t matter what it cost you, you’d do it for him.”
“He’s my brother. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.” She let out a steadying breath, eased back, then handed him the bandanna. “But damned if I’ll do it for free.”
When she turned to walk away, he fought a little war with himself. Pride against need. And need won. “Get a night off. Damn it, Darcy, get a night off.”
