trimmings
in a bag with some new sailing clothes. In the shop he’d changed into new black
jeans, a black shirt, and a brown leather jacket with black boots. He’d
abandoned his old, worn clothes and shoes. They’d served their purpose.
After a wet
shave, he pushed back a lock of hair that dipped into his eyes. His surfer look
was at odds with his smooth jaw and his new wardrobe.
The barber
stood with scissors poised. “Now, what will we do with this hair?”
“Take it all
off.” Jack slouched confidently in the chair as the barber set to work.
Watching with satisfaction as Jack Miller, millionaire and advertising
executive re-emerged.
A vision of
Annie as he’d last seen her flooded his thoughts. She didn’t know how lucky she
was to have a family who cared about her, a place to belong. She was loved and
needed. A vital part of the intricate puzzle that formed a family. He’d been
part of a family once. Long ago, before his parents were stolen away in the car
crash. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it until her family had embraced
him as one of their own.
Meeting Mary
Byrne would be hard. He didn’t want to prejudge her, but couldn’t help it. She
was his blood. But she was also the woman who could have given him a home, and
instead had left him to take his chances.
Outside the
barbers, there were visions of love everywhere. Couples sat on the grass with
arms around each other and lay entwined in the rare Irish summer sunshine. He
ached to lie there with arms full of Annie. To bury his face in the fragrant
cloud of her hair, and trail his lips over her soft neck. He glanced at his
watch and cut through the laneway toward the car dealership. He would have to
get a move on if he was going to get back to Durna in time for five.
****
Jack fished
the black book and Annie’s camera from the rucksack, and ambled into the pub.
In the early evening’s warmth people lounged outside, gazing at the azure sea.
Many of them greeted him by name.
“Like the
haircut,” Niall said from behind the bar. “You look different.”
“I’ve a
business meeting in Dublin tomorrow. I thought I better brush up a bit. Annie’s
in Dublin today, so I’m in charge.” He tapped the book. “For what it’s worth.”
“A couple of
girls came in earlier. I told them the matchmaker would be in at five. You only
have a couple of minutes. Can I get you something?” Niall wiped the counter
with a beer towel, flicked out new beer mats like a croupier dealing cards.
Jack nodded.
“A coffee, please, Niall. I think I better keep my wits about me.”
“Good idea.”
He glanced toward the door.
“Oh, here we
go. You’re on.” A couple of young women lingered in the doorway, then linked
arms and approached nervously. They looked as terrified as Jack felt. When they
reached him, they stopped and looked him up and down.
Niall gifted
them with his best, friendly bartender smile. “Welcome back, ladies. This is
Jack. He’s standing in for our regular matchmaker, Annie Devine for tonight.”
“Hi.” It was
like being on a very uncomfortable blind date. Doubled. Way worse than facing
into a wall of water in the middle of the ocean. His shoulders tightened and he
concentrated on loosening them. He could do this. Annie was counting on him to
do her job for her, and he was damned if he would let her down. Sweat prickled
on his brow. He plastered a smile on his face, and prayed for Niall to help him
out.
The tall
redhead put him out of his misery. “I’m Sinead,” she announced. “And this is
Carol.”
“What’ll you
have ladies?” Niall took their orders, and then gave Jack a surreptitious wink,
as though he knew full well the agony Jack was suffering. “I’ll bring them
over.”
Feeling as
though he’d received a reprieve from execution, Jack pulled in a deep breath
and dived in. “Come on over.”
They followed
him to the matchmaker’s booth, where he set the book and camera down on the
table. He shrugged
in a bag with some new sailing clothes. In the shop he’d changed into new black
jeans, a black shirt, and a brown leather jacket with black boots. He’d
abandoned his old, worn clothes and shoes. They’d served their purpose.
After a wet
shave, he pushed back a lock of hair that dipped into his eyes. His surfer look
was at odds with his smooth jaw and his new wardrobe.
The barber
stood with scissors poised. “Now, what will we do with this hair?”
“Take it all
off.” Jack slouched confidently in the chair as the barber set to work.
Watching with satisfaction as Jack Miller, millionaire and advertising
executive re-emerged.
A vision of
Annie as he’d last seen her flooded his thoughts. She didn’t know how lucky she
was to have a family who cared about her, a place to belong. She was loved and
needed. A vital part of the intricate puzzle that formed a family. He’d been
part of a family once. Long ago, before his parents were stolen away in the car
crash. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it until her family had embraced
him as one of their own.
Meeting Mary
Byrne would be hard. He didn’t want to prejudge her, but couldn’t help it. She
was his blood. But she was also the woman who could have given him a home, and
instead had left him to take his chances.
Outside the
barbers, there were visions of love everywhere. Couples sat on the grass with
arms around each other and lay entwined in the rare Irish summer sunshine. He
ached to lie there with arms full of Annie. To bury his face in the fragrant
cloud of her hair, and trail his lips over her soft neck. He glanced at his
watch and cut through the laneway toward the car dealership. He would have to
get a move on if he was going to get back to Durna in time for five.
****
Jack fished
the black book and Annie’s camera from the rucksack, and ambled into the pub.
In the early evening’s warmth people lounged outside, gazing at the azure sea.
Many of them greeted him by name.
“Like the
haircut,” Niall said from behind the bar. “You look different.”
“I’ve a
business meeting in Dublin tomorrow. I thought I better brush up a bit. Annie’s
in Dublin today, so I’m in charge.” He tapped the book. “For what it’s worth.”
“A couple of
girls came in earlier. I told them the matchmaker would be in at five. You only
have a couple of minutes. Can I get you something?” Niall wiped the counter
with a beer towel, flicked out new beer mats like a croupier dealing cards.
Jack nodded.
“A coffee, please, Niall. I think I better keep my wits about me.”
“Good idea.”
He glanced toward the door.
“Oh, here we
go. You’re on.” A couple of young women lingered in the doorway, then linked
arms and approached nervously. They looked as terrified as Jack felt. When they
reached him, they stopped and looked him up and down.
Niall gifted
them with his best, friendly bartender smile. “Welcome back, ladies. This is
Jack. He’s standing in for our regular matchmaker, Annie Devine for tonight.”
“Hi.” It was
like being on a very uncomfortable blind date. Doubled. Way worse than facing
into a wall of water in the middle of the ocean. His shoulders tightened and he
concentrated on loosening them. He could do this. Annie was counting on him to
do her job for her, and he was damned if he would let her down. Sweat prickled
on his brow. He plastered a smile on his face, and prayed for Niall to help him
out.
The tall
redhead put him out of his misery. “I’m Sinead,” she announced. “And this is
Carol.”
“What’ll you
have ladies?” Niall took their orders, and then gave Jack a surreptitious wink,
as though he knew full well the agony Jack was suffering. “I’ll bring them
over.”
Feeling as
though he’d received a reprieve from execution, Jack pulled in a deep breath
and dived in. “Come on over.”
They followed
him to the matchmaker’s booth, where he set the book and camera down on the
table. He shrugged
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