Saturday Snippet

This week, we're sharing romantic snippets. When I think of romance, I instantly think of Pat and Sunday from the Wild Irish series. They shared a life of love and happiness as they raised their seven children. In December, Wild Irish Christmas released and it shared the story of how this amazing couple met.

Snippet:

Once they were alone, Sunday looked at him. Patrick had never been the recipient of such a thorough examination. He stared back, equally as enthralled. He felt as if he was a blind man seeing for the very first time. He wondered if she felt the same connection.

"Why do you work so hard, Patrick Collins?"

No one had ever asked him that before. It was simply expected that he do his chores on the family farm, while Scully proclaimed him a born barman and assumed he worked at the pub because he loved it.

What no one in his family realized was—Patrick had a plan, a dream for his future that didn't include sheep or even Ireland. He took one look into her bonny blue eyes and revealed what—until he'd met Sunday—had been his deepest desire. "I'm saving up enough money to leave Ireland. I want to move to America. Scully has an older brother who lives in Maryland who's hoping to retire soon. He's agreed to hire me as a bartender while letting me gradually buy the business. One day soon, I'm going to get out of Killarney. I'm going to be my own boss in a pub in America."

He hadn't intended to share so much. Most young men he knew dreamed of moving away from this small Irish town, dreaming of a better life somewhere else. Very few of them ever managed to make it more than a mile away from their birth home. They continued to toil all day on the farms while drinking away their wages at the pubs each night. What if Sunday thought he was one of those wishy-washy dreamers?

She smiled. "I think that sounds wonderful."

He studied her face, trying to decide if she was humoring him, but he saw no deceit. Quite the opposite. She appeared impressed.

"You do?"

She nodded. "I suppose everyone dreams of going somewhere else, doing something special with their lives. You've set your goal and you're working hard to achieve it. That's admirable."

Patrick had never received such a compliment. It touched and humbled him. "Thank you." Her kindness encouraged him and he found all his private thoughts flowing out in a rush of words. He described his ideal pub, as well as pictures he'd seen of Baltimore and the Inner Harbor. At one point, Sunday closed her eyes as he spoke and he imagined she was letting him draw a picture of the place in her mind.

Finally, he paused, realizing he'd kept her sitting at the bar for nearly an hour. He picked up a glass and hung it from the rack above his head. "I suppose you have some big dreams as well. I mean, a woman with your singing talent could go far."

She rested her chin on her hand. "I do love singing."

"You're one of the best I've ever heard. You'll be famous one day. Mark my words."

Sunday laughed softly. "Maybe. Maybe not. You and I share a dream, Patrick. I hope to go to America one day too."

"Well, of course you do. I'm not surprised to hear it," he said. "Best place for a truly talented singer to catch a break."

Sunday took one last sip of her ale and glanced at her watch. "I suppose I should head home. My aunt wasn't too keen on me taking this job since it would mean staying out so late."

"If you give me a minute, I'll walk you. Not that Killarney is dangerous, but maybe it would set your aunt's mind at ease."

"Wouldn't that be out of your way?"

He shrugged. "I like walking in the moonlight. Gives a man some quiet time with his thoughts."

"And you have a lot of those?"

"A million," he confessed, enjoying their lighthearted banter.

"I think I'd like to hear a few."

"Well," he said, lifting the end of the bar and walking toward her. "You're in luck. Since I'm escorting you home tonight, you'll be privy to all my silly dreams and schemes." He pulled off his apron and placed it on the bar.

She picked up her guitar case. Patrick took it from her then reached out his free hand.

He struggled to contain his grin when Sunday placed her hand in his, allowing him to hold it during the entire trip to her aunt's house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I escorted Sunday home from that pub every night for three months, holding her hand as we shared our thoughts and dreams with each other."

Teagan sighed. "What a romantic story."

Wild Irish Christmas is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

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