13
On Sunday, Aidan picked Lou and Jack up at the cottage and they drove to Inch. It was a grey, cloudy day, but mild and dry. Lou felt her eyes drooping as they drove. She’d been up early, preparing food for lunch. She was nervous about having the McBrides over and wanted to make sure that at least they’d be well fed.
As soon as they stepped into the warmth of Sheena’s kitchen, her nerves seemed to melt away. It was like walking into a hug. The kitchen was a hive of activity, everyone busy getting breakfast ready.
Sheena turned from the stove to greet them as they came in, and Aidan introduced her and Jack to everyone – his father Liam, his sisters Cara and Abbie and his brother Finn.
‘Nice to meet you, Lou,’ Finn said. ‘You too, Jack, but I feel like I know you already, we’ve heard so much about you from Bo.’ Finn was tall and rangy with a boyish, friendly face that was more endearing than conventionally handsome. His cheeky smile and the mischievous twinkle in his eye conveyed warmth and humour, and an easy-going boy-next-door vibe.
‘Yes, the famous Jack from Dublin!’ Cara said. ‘It’s great to finally meet you.’ Cara was petite and slender, with her mother’s colouring, whereas Abbie and Aidan’s dark hair and olive-toned skin clearly came from their father.
‘Well, sit down, everyone,’ Sheena said, waving to the table. ‘This is almost ready.’
Lou sat next to Aidan while everyone else bustled about making tea, passing around hot plates and setting dishes on the table before taking their seats.
‘Dig in, everyone,’ Sheena said when they were all seated. ‘Don’t be shy. Help yourselves.’
They passed around platters of bacon, sausages, fried eggs and tomatoes, and at the centre of the table there were plates piled with toast, home-made potato farls dotted with chives and thick slices of brown soda bread.
‘This looks amazing,’ Lou said when she’d loaded her plate, leaning over to help Jack butter his toast.
‘So now you’ve met the whole family,’ Sheena said to her as they ate. ‘Except Mary. She’s my eldest. She lives in New York.’
‘Spider-Man is her boyfriend,’ Bo announced proudly.
Jack jerked upright, wide-eyed. ‘Really?’
Bo nodded.
Sheena laughed. ‘It’s true,’ she said to Lou. ‘She’s going out with Evan Prentice from the TV show.’
‘You like that Spider-Man, don’t you?’ Lou said to Jack.
‘Yep.’ He frowned. ‘Is that real life?’ he asked her. ‘I thought it was just pretend.’
‘It is, but it’s a real-life person pretending to be Spider-Man on TV. It’s complicated.’
Jack nodded, seeming satisfied.
‘Mary’s boyfriend is a real-life person,’ Bo told him.
‘And you run a tour company?’ Lou said to Abbie. She had Aidan’s dark good looks, with long brunette hair and warm, brown eyes.
‘Yes, myself and my friend Aifric. You should come on one. Have you been around the peninsula much?’
‘No, I don’t have a car yet, so we’ve stuck to the town so far.’
‘That reminds me,’ Sheena said, addressing the table. ‘Lou’s looking for a car, so keep an eye out for anyone selling something decent. Cheap, but reliable.’
‘I might know of one that’s going,’ Liam said. He was a big bear of a man with a pleasant, rugged face. ‘I’d be happy to go with you if you want to take a look.’
‘Thanks, but if you just give me the details, that’d be great.’
‘I’m not being sexist, offering that,’ Liam said. ‘I’d say the same to either of these two.’ He tilted his head at Finn and Aidan.
‘He would,’ Aidan said with a grin. ‘We know bugger all about cars.’
‘But maybe Lou does,’ Abbie said to her father. ‘It’s sexist to assume she’d be as clueless as that pair.’
