Chapter 21

All Jo could think about on the drive to the hotel where the Christmas banquet was being held was that not only did Ian smell good, but he looked so handsome. She almost suggested that he should wear a suit and tie more often. She had worn her coat as the air was damp, but at least the rain had stopped. She was wearing her hair in a complicated updo with a lot of hairspray. It wouldn’t be a good idea to stand near an open flame. Bridie had made an appointment for her that afternoon at the hair salon in town to get her hair and makeup done. She rarely wore her hair up, and she usually wore minimal makeup to work, so it was fun to get all dressed up for a change.

Jo stole a glance at Ian in the passenger seat. He’d been quiet on the drive, and she wondered if he was having second thoughts. She hoped not. This would be good for him. Gradually, he was getting out of the house, and she bit her lip as she hoped that after she returned to the US, he wouldn’t retreat back into his shell. That once she’d gone home, he’d continue moving on.

As much as she tried not to think about returning home, it hovered there, always nearby. She wasn’t looking forward to leaving Ian, and she wondered how they would leave it. She could hardly entertain the thought of a long-distance relationship as they hadn’t even kissed or talked about anything like that. It would certainly make for a great vacation romance. She could only hope but she was unsure as to how Ian felt. And she wasn’t quite brave enough to ask Ian what would happen next.

“Why are you so quiet?” Ian asked, his voice disturbing the silence.

“I was wondering the same thing about you,” Jo asked.

“Just thinking,” he said.

“About anything in particular?” she asked.

“Wondering if this is a good idea,” he said. He turned his head to stare out the window.

“It’ll be fun,” she said. “You have food and Christmas music, what’s not to like?”

Although this garnered a laugh from him, he did not respond.

After a few minutes, she said, “Ian, we don’t have to stay all night. There’s no rule book here saying we have to stay until the bitter end.”

Ian nodded. “All right.”

“Just promise me you’ll try to hang on until after we eat dinner.”

Ian burst out laughing. “Where do you put it, Johanna? It’s all you talk about. Eating.”

“I know. I have a speedy metabolism. I’m always hungry.”

“It sounds more like a false appetite,” he mused with a smile.

At least he was smiling, she thought.

It was a start.

***

After dinner, Jo excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. She’d cleared off her plate. The food had been fabulous. Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. Creamy mashed potatoes. Roasted vegetables. For dessert, there was Victoria sponge with ice cream. When Ian pushed his dessert plate over toward her, she looked at him and asked, “Are you sure?”

“I am. I insist.” He laughed.

“Well, if you insist,” she said.

As she headed out of the dining room toward the restroom, she glanced back at him, but he was surrounded by former teammates and in the midst of conversation. She was glad. It had turned out to be a good night so far. People had been coming up to him continuously, and it appeared that he had been truly missed. They were sitting with Donal and Brian and their girlfriends. Both girls were friendly, and Jo didn’t feel like the outsider she was.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this happy. Here she was in Ireland at Christmas, and she’d met a guy she was truly interested in. In two days, her parents and her brother would be flying in for the holiday, and she couldn’t wait for them to meet Ian.

The new year was just around the corner and unlike other years, this one held so much promise.

It was all good.