When Grace woke up and headed for the kitchen the next morning, Quinn was already there getting a pot of tea heated before he left to go back to Dublin. There was an unsettled quiet between the two of them. Grace didn't know how to tell Quinn how much she would miss him, and Quinn didn't want to push Grace beyond her comfort.
Grace walked up behind Quinn and put her arms around his waist as he was pouring the water from the pot into their cups. He was so surprised that he almost missed the cup. He put the pot down and savored the fact that Grace had come to him first. She tightened her hold and he could feel her body close against him.
“So whose turn is it to surprise this time?” Quinn asked as he turned around in Grace's grasp.
“I'm going to miss you, Quinn,” Grace stated quietly. “How soon can you be back?”
Quinn wrapped his arms around Grace, “I'll be here on Friday afternoon and I'll be staying a bit longer this time. I know this week will be tough apart, but we'll make it, and it will make the weekend more special. I'll be calling you every day just to check in.
“I'll keep myself busy with making the changes to the website that you told me about, and with the guests who will be here during the week. I just wanted you to know I'd miss you,” Grace explained.
They finished their tea and some scones and Quinn headed to grab his overnight bag and leave to head back to Dublin. Grace was waiting at the door for him as he came down the stairs. She knew this would be difficult but never imagined how attached she had become to Quinn. Their good-bye kiss was long and passionate, something both of them would hold on to until the following Friday.
Quinn had not been gone long when Grace heard someone in the drive. It was Peter. Grace had not seen him for a bit and welcomed his visit. They spent a while talking about Peter and Chloe's upcoming wedding. Peter wanted to make sure that he could reserve the entire cottage for a week with all the family arriving and needing someplace to stay. Grace was thrilled that she would have a full house for both the weekend and the weekdays. While it was a few months off, she would need to make sure to plan for a full B&B for an entire week. She might even need to have some help to take care of all the necessities.
This was the kind of business that Grace had hoped to generate for the cottage. It was a busy cottage that would keep her solvent and even allow her to create some savings for those times that were sparse with reservations. If she could make this work, then this move to Swatragh would have been exactly what Aine had in mind for her. She even had an idea for pulling in some local businesses to help with a little catering to lighten the load for a full cottage. Most of her time was now taken up with thought about how to manage the cottage and fit in some time for herself.
Peter stayed for lunch while they continued to chat about the changes he saw for his life with Chloe. He was so different from the first time he had met Grace. That closed sarcastic lad was now open and confident. He was working as a trainer for some runners along with continuing his running in some larger competitions. At this point he was training for a local marathon in Cookstown. And to listen to him talk about Chloe was a joy. You could tell he was deeply in love with her. Grace no longer felt any anxiousness about never having that same kind of experience. Her feelings for Quinn drew deeper by the day, and she new he was the one love she had been waiting for all her life.
Peter noticed that when Grace spoke of Quinn she lit up. He wanted to ask Grace about their relationship, but knew this was not the right time. He had guessed things might change after the night that Grace called him when Quinn had been injured. Her concern was a little more than that of a concerned person. This made Peter very happy knowing that Grace had also found someone. She had seemed so closed and reserved when he first met her. This was a gentler, softer Grace.
After lunch when Grace had the cottage to herself again, she spent some time in the office working on the website with changes that Quinn had suggested. Little things that made the entire operation so much easier. Why had she not thought of these? She smiled to herself knowing that with Quinn's help things would be much better in all ways.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
All Roads Lead to Swatragh - Chapter 59
The weekend flew by with guests to be taken care of and a trip to the market to pick up food for Sunday dinner. Grace wanted to make something special to impress Donovan and surprise both Donovan and Quinn with a special dessert.
The menu included lamb stew with carrots and potatoes and a dessert of banofee pie. The pie was not difficult but did take quite a bit of time in the refrigerator. It had been years since Grace had enjoyed a banoffee pie, and she thought it would be perfect to impress both men.
Quinn busied himself with some work in the office and checking out the website for the B&B. Grace didn't want to take advantage of her relationship with Quinn, but he had offered, so she took him up on the offer. He made notes of all his suggestions for when he talked about it later with Grace. There were many ways that she could market the cottage better, and make taking reservations easier on herself that Quinn could help with. He also did a little of his networking for some of the businesses in Swatragh. He was finding that doing this freelance work was quite rewarding for him. Something he had not done for a long time.
Dinner time arrive and the cottage smelled of seasonings and warm cooked meat. Donovan arrived and Quinn greeted him at the door. After some introductions and the offer of a cold pint Donovan seemed to warm up to the idea of Quinn being around the cottage. Donovan could see the connection between Quinn and Grace and thought to himself how much the two of them reminded him of himself and Aine early on. Grace noticed Donovan looking at the two of them with a slight smile. She knew that Quinn met with Donovan's approval.
Dinner was everything that Grace had planned. The two men ate heartily sopping up the gravy from the stew with a fresh loaf of soda bread. Grace had thought there would be some leftovers for the next day, but not with these two. As they finished the main course, she was sure they would be too full for her dessert and was a bit disappointed.
“So what have you got for dessert?” Donovan asked as he was leaning back in his chair. “A cuppa would be nice, you know.”
“Of course I have some tea, Donovan,” Grace responded. “I don't expect you'll have any room there for a special dessert, eh?”
“I've always got some room for dessert.” Donovan touted. “Not that I do that everyday. Must be something really good for you to be pushing it on us.”
“Donovan, I'm surprised at your attitude. Maybe I'll keep my banoffee pie for myself!” Grace teased back.
“Holy cow! Banoffee pie! It's been....” and Donovan's voice trailed off.
“I'm always up for dessert,” Quinn popped in with his two cents.
Grace brought out the tea and banoffe pie to “oohhs” and “ahhs” from Quinn and Donovan. At least they held themselves to one piece of the sweet rich dessert, raving about how much they enjoyed it as they ate. Grace was pleased with her choice.
Dinner was followed by some discussion about how things were planned for the cottage for the foreseeable future. Donovan was courteous enough not to pry into Grace and Quinn's relationship, but could see that it appeared to be something that might become very permanent. He was pleased to hear how much Quinn enjoyed his time in Swatragh.
Donovan left a happy man, full to the gills, knowing things would be what he had hoped for. Grace and Quinn finished cleaning up from dinner and sat down on the sofa again, as if they had been doing this for years. They discussed the website for the cottage and talked about how Quinn would have to leave early the next morning to head back to Dublin. He planned to work a full week but leave early on Friday to return to Swatragh on Friday evening. The following week he would stay a little longer to meet with some business in Swatragh about their websites. He was glad to find the excuse to spend more time with Grace at the cottage. In fact, while he had not told Grace yet, he was working on a plan to spend as much time as possible in Swatragh.
The menu included lamb stew with carrots and potatoes and a dessert of banofee pie. The pie was not difficult but did take quite a bit of time in the refrigerator. It had been years since Grace had enjoyed a banoffee pie, and she thought it would be perfect to impress both men.
Quinn busied himself with some work in the office and checking out the website for the B&B. Grace didn't want to take advantage of her relationship with Quinn, but he had offered, so she took him up on the offer. He made notes of all his suggestions for when he talked about it later with Grace. There were many ways that she could market the cottage better, and make taking reservations easier on herself that Quinn could help with. He also did a little of his networking for some of the businesses in Swatragh. He was finding that doing this freelance work was quite rewarding for him. Something he had not done for a long time.
Dinner time arrive and the cottage smelled of seasonings and warm cooked meat. Donovan arrived and Quinn greeted him at the door. After some introductions and the offer of a cold pint Donovan seemed to warm up to the idea of Quinn being around the cottage. Donovan could see the connection between Quinn and Grace and thought to himself how much the two of them reminded him of himself and Aine early on. Grace noticed Donovan looking at the two of them with a slight smile. She knew that Quinn met with Donovan's approval.
Dinner was everything that Grace had planned. The two men ate heartily sopping up the gravy from the stew with a fresh loaf of soda bread. Grace had thought there would be some leftovers for the next day, but not with these two. As they finished the main course, she was sure they would be too full for her dessert and was a bit disappointed.
“So what have you got for dessert?” Donovan asked as he was leaning back in his chair. “A cuppa would be nice, you know.”
“Of course I have some tea, Donovan,” Grace responded. “I don't expect you'll have any room there for a special dessert, eh?”
“I've always got some room for dessert.” Donovan touted. “Not that I do that everyday. Must be something really good for you to be pushing it on us.”
“Donovan, I'm surprised at your attitude. Maybe I'll keep my banoffee pie for myself!” Grace teased back.
“Holy cow! Banoffee pie! It's been....” and Donovan's voice trailed off.
“I'm always up for dessert,” Quinn popped in with his two cents.
Grace brought out the tea and banoffe pie to “oohhs” and “ahhs” from Quinn and Donovan. At least they held themselves to one piece of the sweet rich dessert, raving about how much they enjoyed it as they ate. Grace was pleased with her choice.
Dinner was followed by some discussion about how things were planned for the cottage for the foreseeable future. Donovan was courteous enough not to pry into Grace and Quinn's relationship, but could see that it appeared to be something that might become very permanent. He was pleased to hear how much Quinn enjoyed his time in Swatragh.
Donovan left a happy man, full to the gills, knowing things would be what he had hoped for. Grace and Quinn finished cleaning up from dinner and sat down on the sofa again, as if they had been doing this for years. They discussed the website for the cottage and talked about how Quinn would have to leave early the next morning to head back to Dublin. He planned to work a full week but leave early on Friday to return to Swatragh on Friday evening. The following week he would stay a little longer to meet with some business in Swatragh about their websites. He was glad to find the excuse to spend more time with Grace at the cottage. In fact, while he had not told Grace yet, he was working on a plan to spend as much time as possible in Swatragh.
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