school.”
Colin glanced with amusement at Finn. “Has it been that long?” He eyed me while taking a long drag of his cigarette and blowing it out the side of his mouth. “Finn was the favorite o’ the nuns, ye know, whereas I was the black sheep. But if the truth be known, Finn was always the instigator o’ trouble.”
Finn laughed. “Don’t pay him any mind, Lexi. Colin is the master of exaggeration…among many other things.”
Colin stared at me for a moment longer and I got the distinct impression that he was trying to figure out what a guy like Finn was doing with a girl like me. I didn’t blame him; I wondered the same thing myself. All the same, I shifted uncomfortably on my feet until Colin abruptly took my arm.
“Now why are we standing out here jabbing in the draft?” He pulled me along with him. “Come in, ye two, and take the weight off yer feet.”
Colin led us into the gallery and a blast of warm air. I took one look around and my mouth fell open. The building looked rather ordinary from the outside, but on the inside, the two-storied building had been architecturally redesigned to form one great room with vaulted ceilings, glass beams and a striking green marble staircase. A gorgeous crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room nearly touching the outstretched hand of an enormous, stunning white marble statue of a nude maiden sitting by a fountain. The fountain was real and sprayed water lit by a background rainbow of colors. But the sight that shocked me the most was the sea of black and white that filled the gallery. My heart dropped to my feet and stayed there.
“Are those priests and nuns?” I asked Finn, my voice sounding strained and squeaky.
Finn glanced at me. “Oh, did I forget to mention that proceeds from tonight’s gala are to be donated to Our Lady Queen of Ireland Parish?”
Boy did he ever.
“Um…I guess it must have slipped your mind.” A nun passed by me and smiled.
Finn shrugged. “Here, Lexi, let me take your coat.”
I stood frozen to the spot. I was dressed to kill in a sinfully low-cut gown and he wanted me to take my coat off in front of an army of God’s servants? I started to hyperventilate. I was going to kill Basia. I knew I should have chosen the black gown on the half-price rack.
“I…I…just…”
Finn slipped out of his coat as a young woman with spiked black hair, a nose ring and a stud in her lip arrived and quickly took it from his hands. I didn’t miss the look of pure appreciation she gave Finn or the look of disdain she gave me.
Finn tugged impatiently at my coat and I realized I couldn’t wear it all evening. Thank God, I still had my shawl. Finn helped me slip off my coat, while I made damn certain that one hand clutched the shawl tight around my chest. Finn looked at me a bit strangely but I pretended not to notice. I heard the studded girl give a snort at my death clutch, but she took off with our coats anyway.
“Would you like me to carry your shawl?” Finn asked gallantly.
“Actually, I’m a bit cold,” I said even though the room was well heated.
Colin introduced us to an elderly couple and went off to speak to someone. Finn captured a couple of flutes of champagne. Somehow I managed to hold my drink, keep a death clutch on the shawl and smile until my cheeks hurt. We mingled for a while until Finn excused himself to speak to someone and I was left alone. As I stood there at a loss, a jolly-looking priest with a shock of black hair, red cheeks and the hint of a belly beneath his priest’s attire approached me.
“Ye’re looking a bit lonely,” he said. “I’m Father Mulrooney, one of the priests at Our Lady Parish.” I judged him to be a bit over fifty, with a warm smile and eyes crinkled with laugh lines. “I’m mighty pleased to make your acquaintance.” He stuck out a pudgy hand. Since I was holding the glass in one hand and the shawl in the other, I couldn’t shake his hand. So, I just smiled
Colin glanced with amusement at Finn. “Has it been that long?” He eyed me while taking a long drag of his cigarette and blowing it out the side of his mouth. “Finn was the favorite o’ the nuns, ye know, whereas I was the black sheep. But if the truth be known, Finn was always the instigator o’ trouble.”
Finn laughed. “Don’t pay him any mind, Lexi. Colin is the master of exaggeration…among many other things.”
Colin stared at me for a moment longer and I got the distinct impression that he was trying to figure out what a guy like Finn was doing with a girl like me. I didn’t blame him; I wondered the same thing myself. All the same, I shifted uncomfortably on my feet until Colin abruptly took my arm.
“Now why are we standing out here jabbing in the draft?” He pulled me along with him. “Come in, ye two, and take the weight off yer feet.”
Colin led us into the gallery and a blast of warm air. I took one look around and my mouth fell open. The building looked rather ordinary from the outside, but on the inside, the two-storied building had been architecturally redesigned to form one great room with vaulted ceilings, glass beams and a striking green marble staircase. A gorgeous crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room nearly touching the outstretched hand of an enormous, stunning white marble statue of a nude maiden sitting by a fountain. The fountain was real and sprayed water lit by a background rainbow of colors. But the sight that shocked me the most was the sea of black and white that filled the gallery. My heart dropped to my feet and stayed there.
“Are those priests and nuns?” I asked Finn, my voice sounding strained and squeaky.
Finn glanced at me. “Oh, did I forget to mention that proceeds from tonight’s gala are to be donated to Our Lady Queen of Ireland Parish?”
Boy did he ever.
“Um…I guess it must have slipped your mind.” A nun passed by me and smiled.
Finn shrugged. “Here, Lexi, let me take your coat.”
I stood frozen to the spot. I was dressed to kill in a sinfully low-cut gown and he wanted me to take my coat off in front of an army of God’s servants? I started to hyperventilate. I was going to kill Basia. I knew I should have chosen the black gown on the half-price rack.
“I…I…just…”
Finn slipped out of his coat as a young woman with spiked black hair, a nose ring and a stud in her lip arrived and quickly took it from his hands. I didn’t miss the look of pure appreciation she gave Finn or the look of disdain she gave me.
Finn tugged impatiently at my coat and I realized I couldn’t wear it all evening. Thank God, I still had my shawl. Finn helped me slip off my coat, while I made damn certain that one hand clutched the shawl tight around my chest. Finn looked at me a bit strangely but I pretended not to notice. I heard the studded girl give a snort at my death clutch, but she took off with our coats anyway.
“Would you like me to carry your shawl?” Finn asked gallantly.
“Actually, I’m a bit cold,” I said even though the room was well heated.
Colin introduced us to an elderly couple and went off to speak to someone. Finn captured a couple of flutes of champagne. Somehow I managed to hold my drink, keep a death clutch on the shawl and smile until my cheeks hurt. We mingled for a while until Finn excused himself to speak to someone and I was left alone. As I stood there at a loss, a jolly-looking priest with a shock of black hair, red cheeks and the hint of a belly beneath his priest’s attire approached me.
“Ye’re looking a bit lonely,” he said. “I’m Father Mulrooney, one of the priests at Our Lady Parish.” I judged him to be a bit over fifty, with a warm smile and eyes crinkled with laugh lines. “I’m mighty pleased to make your acquaintance.” He stuck out a pudgy hand. Since I was holding the glass in one hand and the shawl in the other, I couldn’t shake his hand. So, I just smiled
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