Wild Chance (Wild Irish Universe)(6)

Saturday had always been laundry day. But, Mona was too excited to do much of anything. Instead, she put on her paint covered overalls, set up a new canvas and began working. What she meant to paint was a landscape she’d seen on one of her hikes but when she finally lifted her head to breathe, what was on the canvas was a rendition of Aedan Callahan.

“Well, shit.”

She reached for the canvas to destroy it, but she had a better idea. Luckily, she’d used water colours so drying time wouldn’t be as much as with the oils. If they had a second date, she’d give it to him as a gift. It would be weird to hand it to him on a first date—creep factor a hundred.

She set the painting to the side and forced herself to do the things she was meant to do on weekends. After putting in a load of laundry, she left the house for errands. She made sure it took her all over the city, away from Pat’s. The last thing she wanted was to seem like some stalker and they hadn’t even had their first date yet. Though getting her hair done wasn’t on the list of things, she stopped at the hair salon for a wash and curl, and then jetted off for groceries. The trip took her into the supplies store and she picked up a fresh canvas and a few brushes and paint remover.

Mona was barely in the front door when her cell began ringing. She bounced the door closed with her hip, then darted into the kitchen to put down the load of things before grabbing the cell. “Yelo?”

“Hey girl!” Esme greeted her. “Are you ready for your date?”

“No pressure, huh?” Mona laughed. “I’m not remotely ready. I just went over to buy the man a drink and now this?”

“Best case scenario, sweetie.”

“I guess. The thing is.” She began putting away the food she’d purchased. “I haven’t been on a date in a while. I mean, do they even still call it dating?”

Esme laughed. “Now, you’re just being dramatic. You went on a few when you just got here.”

“Yeah—when I just got to Baltimore. That was back in the stone ages.”

Esme sighed. “All you have to do is be yourself. Show this man that you’re fantastic. Besides, I’m sure he wouldn’t have asked you out tonight if he didn’t think you were stunning.”

“That’s because he hasn’t seen me with my messed-up hair, paint covered overalls and denial.”

“That—don’t do that tonight.”

Mona laughed. “Look, I have to get some stuff done before I can even think of getting dressed. I still have to check my emails to make sure I don’t have any commissions sitting in there. I mean, I spent the whole damn morning day-dreaming about the brown-haried stud with the green eyes.”

“Awww!” Esme giggled.

“You’re a bad influence—shoo.”

“Love you!” Emse laughed.

“Adore you to pieces too, my darling.”

Once she was off the phone, Mona kicked things into overdrive. She darted back and forth between switching wash to dryer and adding a second load. She then cleaned bathrooms in the house—including the one attached to her bedroom, the living room and the kitchen. She then folded the dried laundry, added the final washed load to the dryer then entered her bedroom to put things away. The final thing on her list was to fix her painting room with the new stuff she’d purchased that day.

By the time she was in the shower, it was well past seven and she was running behind. Panicked and tired, she managed to shave her legs without nicking herself, brushed her teeth and dried her skin. She lathered her body with rose scented body butter and dressed in the outfit she’d picked out to Esme’s approval the night before.

By quarter to eight, she grabbed her purse, phone off the charger and heels and darted barefooted to the car. Though the pub was only ten minutes away, she didn’t want to be late. Anyway, driving without shoes was more comfortable for her. When she arrived at Pat’s the place looked to be hopping as usual. Mona took her time to slip her feet into an open-toed pair of stilettos, strung her purse over her arm and checked her lipstick in her compact. She then darted across the street, stopped to breathe at the door before letting herself inside.

It took a little while for her eyes to acclimatize to the light but when they did, she glanced around for Aedan. She found him at the bar with the woman he’d been working with the night before.

Straightening her dress, she made her way through the people on the dance floor and tapped him on the shoulder. When Aedan turned, he smiled at her, pressed a large hand to the small of her back and kissed her cheek.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hello again,” Aedan replied. “Come on, I reserved a table for us.”

“Are you allowed to do that?” Mona asked.

“He has friends in high places.” The woman behind the bar leaned in to wink at her.

Mona laughed.

“Mona, meet Kiera Wallace.” Aedan said.

The two shook hands.

“Nice to meet you.”

“What are you drinking?” Kiera asked.

“For now—let’s keep it light—long island iced tea.”

Kiera nodded, and Aedan led Mona away from the bar with a hand against her back just beneath her neck. She fought off the urge to tremble at his touch and straightened her spine as long as she could to walk with pride before him. They left the main area and was seated in a quiet space. The hustle of the pub still seeped in, but it wasn’t as loud as the outer area. For some reason, Mona was happy for that. She glanced around the space as Aedan pulled out her chair and she fell in.