and share.
âThank you,â they said together, as they left.
âIt was a pleasure,â Nick said and he meant it. Nothing beat fixing other peopleâs problems. It was the best feeling in the world.
Coming to live in Ireland was supposed to reduce her stress levels, Kelly thought as she closed her laptop, not increase them. She had spent the morning trawling around three architectural salvage yards trying to find a Belfast sink. Sheâd driven to Rathmines to pick up some fabric samples. Then sheâd taken the M50 out to IKEA to return two rugs a client had rejected.
It was great that Nickâs business was finally picking up because she was ready to take a break from all this. She closed her laptop, curled up on the sofa and switched on the TV to catch Nickâs slot on the OO show.
Every time Kelly picked up an Irish magazine, Oonagh and Owen Clancy were plastered across a double page spread talking about his hair transplant or her body issues but the only body issue Oonagh seemed to have today was that she was wearing another dress that was at least one size too small.
âSo! Letâs cut to the nitty-gritty, Nick.â Oonagh was purring. âWhat about sex? I mean, does it matter?â
Kelly felt a tiny twinge of possessiveness. Nick looked at Oonagh levelly. âIt depends. If youâre having sex, it doesnât matter much. If youâre not, it matters a lot.â
Kelly grinned. That was what she loved about Nick. He was just so straight down the line.
She had so nearly not met him that it scared her. Her roommate Haru had booked a self-help seminar called âYour Future Starts Hereâ, then sheâd caught flu and given her ticket to Kelly instead. It was way over on West 34th Street and it turned out to be a lotof New Age waffle about how you create your own reality and how the only thing to fear is fear itself. Kelly planned to leave at lunchtime and kill Haru later.
âLetâs do a little exercise before we break up,â the facilitator said. âI want you to walk up to someone in the room and ask them any question as long as youâre a hundred per cent sure the answer will be no.â
Kelly was seriously tempted to walk up to her and say, âCan I get a refund?â when a guy came over and stood in front of her. He was older. Five or six years at least, and he wasnât her usual type. He looked Irish with those freckles and that sandy hair, but half the people in New York looked Irish so it was a surprise when she heard his voice.
âWill you have dinner with me?â It was the accent that did it.
âUm,â she said, looking into his eyes. They were warm and brown and direct. âOK.â
He laughed. âYou were supposed to say ânoâ.â
âAsk me something else.â
âDo you have any idea how pretty you are?â
âNo,â Kelly lied.
She watched now while Nick taught the guest couple how to Hug Until Close and then do the Chakra Sexercise. Even Owen, who had been gazing at his fingernails since Nick started to speak, looked interested.
â Do try this at home,â Oonagh beamed to camera when heâd finished. âThanks to our coach on the couch, Nick Dillon. And thanks for all your calls saying how much youâre enjoying We-Fit. Coming up next, Coco the psychic cocker spaniel and a disturbing report on human trafficking. Donât go away now!â
âCan you hang around?â The production assistant caught up with Nick in the corridor. âShe wants to see you on her own after the show,â her eyes widened, âin their dressing room.â
A little ribbon of anxiety unravelled in Nickâs stomach. Heâd thought his slot had gone well but maybe heâd been wrong. âI am calm and relaxed,â he told himself. âAll is well in my world.â
âWord of advice?â The runner made a face. âDonât sit on the
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