“The buyer? Not much. Single mom, like I said. Relocating from down South. Works for the Goddess.”
When the newest location of the Celtic Goddess first opened its doors in the northeast a few years previously, owner/partner Aidan Harrison brought in staff from their other successful locations in Georgia and Chicago, as well as hiring quite a few locals. The Goddess was doing so well, surpassing so many expectations, that Aidan was currently adding on an entire new series of luxury suites as well. The remote mountain location and the panoramic view it afforded made it a natural progression, as well as a lucrative endeavor.
Something about the whole situation bothered him. Kieran rubbed absently at a spot on his chest, unaware that he was even doing so. The motion did not escape Shane’s attention, though.
“Something on your mind, little brother?” he asked.
“Yes. No. Maybe.” Kieran shook his head, not at all surprised that Shane had picked up on it. He was used to his brother’s uncanny senses.
“Feeling anxious, huh?” Shane prompted knowingly.
“Yeah,” Kieran admitted. “A little.” He exhaled and relayed all that had happened at Michael’s earlier.
Shane looked thoughtful. “That might explain it,” he said carefully, but his eyes watched Kieran, unconvinced.
“Yeah.” Kieran wasn’t convinced either. He was worried about Maggie, and the fact that she was unhappy with him at the moment didn’t sit well, but he couldn’t help feeling that there was something more to this strange apprehension he was feeling.
“So you’ll check it out?”
Kieran blinked, mentally backtracking to figure out what Shane was talking about. Right. The cottage. Electricity. Plumbing. “Yeah, sure.”
*
“How much longer?” Matt asked impatiently. They’d gotten off the very last exit of the turnpike extension a while ago, the roads getting progressively narrower and less travelled the farther northwest they went. They’d been on the road for nearly seventeen hours straight with only brief stops at interstate rest areas for bathroom breaks and tank fill-ups.
“Not much longer, I think,” she said, not minding the question at all. It was the first time he’d asked the entire trip. He’d been her stalwart copilot, studiously informing her on their progress as he navigated them through one state after another, map in hand. It wasn’t that difficult. Once they’d hopped onto I-95 North it was a straight shot up the coast till they hit Philadelphia and picked up the PA Turnpike. It was only since they had abandoned that that he seemed to have grown anxious.
In all honesty, she was feeling a bit anxious herself.
“Wow.” This time it was Faith uttering the exclamation as they rounded the final ridge and saw the entire valley spread out before them.
“Is that it, Mom? Is that Pine Ridge?”
A grin slowly spread across her face. “I believe it is.”
Matt let out a hearty whoop, making her laugh. “We’re home!”
Home, indeed, Faith thought, feeling the depth of it in her soul.
*
After dropping Ryan off with his sister-in-law Taryn, Kieran headed out to the little stone cottage at the outskirts of town. It was a nice piece of property, or at least it had been at one time. A decent parcel with a small house set back from the road, but within shouting distance of the nearest neighbors. It would have been described with words like “charming” and “cozy” and perhaps even “rustic” in a professional real estate ad. “Handyman special” was an understatement.
The place was not without appeal, however, Kieran thought as he got out of his sleek custom black Porsche. With significant amounts of money, labor, and time, it did have the potential to be very charming and cozy indeed. Kieran absently rubbed his chest again when the troublesome ache intensified. If it kept up, he might have to ask Mick about it, get it checked out.