Chapter Eight 

How was it, someone like Brendan ended up with a girl like Chloe? It'd had kept Niall up the previous night. Even more so how any self-respecting girl like her would allow him to treat her so badly.  

He paced back and forth outside Ashburger's waiting for her to arrive. He had one day with her and was determined to make an impression. An impression she may remember in the future that highlighted the proper way to treat a girl. It was a lesson Brendan could have done with learning.  

Her arrival stopped his pacing and froze his feet to the ground beneath them. She wore tights similar to the ones she had on the day before, a pattern stitched into the fabric. Her black boots came up and over her knees, no buckles and a red military style winter jacket wrapped around her snugly. She smiled and gave him a mitten clad wave.  

"Good morning," she said.  

It was a great morning. "Morning. Are you ready?"  

Chloe clasped her mittens together and held them under her chin. "I'm so ready. I've been waiting to see Dublin - more of it than the airport, since I was six years old."  

Niall offered her his arm. "Let's not wait any longer then, yeah?"  

He held the door to the car open for her. As they drove and the heat circulated through the small space, Chloe undid her jacket and removed her mitts. "I'm so excited that you agreed to take me."  

"I'm happy you agreed to come," he told her honestly. It was a pleasant and unexpected bonus of his holiday so far. He nodded to the dashboard. "You can pick something on the radio," he said. "If you want."  

Despite having removed her outerwear, Chloe sat ramrod straight with her hands folded in her lap staring straight ahead. She was rigid, nervous, maybe and the entire thing was making Niall uneasy. He wished she'd loosen up. He didn't like being the direct cause of making anyone anxious. 

"Brendan doesn't like when I touch the stereo. He's possessive of it."  

Niall thought better of it than to ask her if he resembled Brendan, instead stating, "Brendan is many things I am not. Go ahead. Put on some music that you like." He had motive, wanting to know more about Chloe, including the kind of music she was into.  

She leaned forward and began hitting each button, test driving each radio station. Her channel surfing came to an abrupt halt when she found a station that specialized in 50's music. A familiar Buddy Holly song filtered through the airwaves, genuinely surprising Niall. He grinned. "Chloe, I didn't peg you for a 50's girl."  

She leaned back, took off her shoes and set her feet on the dashboard. "You thought I was a Rock and Roll rebel, huh?"  

He thought of Brendan and all his tattoos and nodded. "Pretty much."  

"I get that a lot," she said. "But truly, I was born in the wrong time. I would love to rock the poodle skirts and bobby socks."  

Niall laughed. "You could pull it off," he said. "You're lovely, yeah? And gorgeous. I think you would look wonderful in a poodle skirt and bobby socks."  

"Maybe on Halloween," she said. "Maybe this year I'll go as a 50's diva."  

Niall cranked the wheel and looked at her. "Why wait? Live for the day. If you want to wear an old school skirt I don't think you should have to wait until Halloween. Wear it now."  

"Brendan says I'd look like an idiot."  

Niall rolled his eyes and bit in tongue. The boyfriend was the idiot, not Chloe. He decided it would be safer to change the subject than to discuss Brendan. "So," he said. "I reckon we didn't plan today to talk about Brendan. What's on your to-do list in Dublin?"  

A smiled danced in her eyes and finally reached her lips. "Oh I want to drink a pint of beer in a real Irish pub."  

"That seems like a reasonable goal."  

"And I'd like to see the coastline, maybe a real castle."  

"Good," Niall nodded. "We can do that."  

"And I want to go to the shops."  

Niall nodded. "Also very reasonable."  

Her face lit up. "I can't believe I'm going to Dublin!"  

"I can't believe I've brought a gorgeous girl with me to Dublin!" Niall joked. He tried to mimic her undeniable enthusiasm.  

By the time they arrived in the city, gone was the quiet, meek girl he'd picked up only to be replaced by a vivacious, outgoing and vibrant personality. She could talk a mile a minute, he wasn't sure his brain could commute everything she said, so he'd asked her to slow down a few times. In between her stories, she'd belt out a few lyrics in the car and even did a little jig with the top half of her body.  

He figured when Chloe was not trying to please Brendan, when she could simply be herself, she could shine.  

Their first stop was to 'Ale Mint' a favorite of the pubs he'd been to. He parked the car, walked around to her door and held it open. She shocked him by bolting out, standing on her tip toes and brushing his cheek with a kiss. "You're a great guy," she said.  

He smiled and took her hand in his, leading her to the door of the pub. He was parched from the drive and figured he had a full day of keeping up with Chloe so he'd be wise to settle in for a drink now. She said she'd be back, her pink make-up kit in hand as she headed to the ladies room.  

He ordered her a pint and a plate of chips.  

When she returned to their seats, the beer was in front of her spot and he nodded. "First thing can be checked off your list, love. A real pint of beer in a real Irish pub."  

Chloe picked up the pint, licked her lips in anticipation and took a sip. Niall watched as her face twisted, then distorted and she had a near coughing fit just trying to keep it down.  

"Y'alright?" he asked.  

"I'm fine." She extended her pointer finger to the glass of dark liquid. "That however, is the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted."  

Niall looked at her, horrified. "That right there is the best thing you could drink. I can't help but feel like you're cursin' to say such things."  

"Worst."  

"Hand it over then," he said. "Can't let it go to waste."  

She pushed the glass across the table and as he picked it up and drank it, she traced along the wood grain with a finger. "Brendan would lose his mind if I ordered something and didn't finish it. He doesn't like that."  

He set the glass down. "He doesn't seem to like much," Niall said. "I mean if we're being honest."  

Chloe nodded. "It's true," she said.  

"Why are you with him?" Niall asked. "You seem like the kind of girl who is a lot happier than a guy like him. No offense, but you don't exactly suit each other."  

"We were together for a long time and broke up recently but he said he missed me. He knew I'd always wanted to come here, to Ireland so the trip was his way of trying to get back together."  

"By bringing you to a foreign country and leaving you to check out a Pewter mill or wherever it is he went. Or by making stupid decisions on your behalf and telling you what you can and cannot eat."  

Chloe cringed at his words. "I know. It sounds really bad when you say it like that."  

"Like what?" Niall questioned. "Out loud? 'Course it sounds bad. That's because it is. You should never let anyone, especially a guy treat you like that," he added. "Surely you must know that."  

She continued to trace her finger along the table, unable or unwilling to look him in the eye. "I know," she whispered.  

"So why do you?"  

"I don't know." She did look up this time and he thought perhaps she looked a little bit teary and didn't' want to push his luck any further.  

They finished their meal and he paid for the bill. "Now," he said. "Didn't you say something about a castle and the coastline?"  

They ended up at the Malahide Castle so he could show her the coast and the castle she sought after at the same time. "This," Niall told her, "is one of the oldest castles in Ireland."  

She didn't say anything in response, but her eyes were filled with wonder as she took in the stunning architecture, the gardens and their surroundings. She had Niall stopping every hundred feet or so to snap a picture of her, of him or of the two of them together and before long, the afternoon was drawing to an end.  

It was beautiful but freezing and after only a couple of hours outside, he thought best if they head over to the shops.  

Stepping through the doors into Santa's workshop was nearly as magical as the castle itself. Manufactured snow, Christmas lights and toy trains, teddy bears and building blocks were everywhere and there, in the middle was an overstuffed green armchair with none other than the man himself. "Growing up," Niall said. "We always called him Father Christmas, not Santa Claus."  

"Father Christmas sounds better anyway," Chloe advised.  

"I don't mind either but if I were him," he nodded to the man with white hair who was as overstuffed as the cushion underneath him, "I'd insist on Santa. Father Christmas sounds ancient."  

Chloe turned and whispered. "Do you believe?"  

Niall smiled. "'Course I do," he said. "Who doesn't? What did you ask him for?" 

"Haven't got around to it just yet," she replied.  

He nodded ahead of them. "No time like the present. What are you waitin' for?" 

"I don't know," she said.  

Niall laughed and gave her a nudge. "C'mon. Are you afraid to sit on Santa's lap?"  

"I'm not afraid," she said. "Just too old."  

"You're never too old for magic. I'll go with you," he offered.  

The man dressed as Santa looked entertained that not one but two full sized individuals were about to have a seat. When they each sat perched on a knee, Santa smiled. "Have you been good?" 

"I can explain most things," Niall said. "But this girl here, she doesn't have a chance." He winked at Chloe.  

"Hey!" she protested. "I've been good Santa, don't listen to him."  

"What's your name dear girl?" Santa replied.  

"Chloe."  

"What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas, Chloe?"  

Her eyes settled on Niall's face and her smile evaporated. "A guy like him," she said. "One that would treat me right, instead of you know, one that doesn't."  

Were it up to Niall, he would have taken Chloe's hand then and there and whisked her away. Instead, he waited for Santa to say, "What about you, young man?"  

"I want a beautiful girl with raven colored hair to come and spend New Years Eve in London with me," Niall said. "What do you reckon the chances of it actually happening are?" 

Santa looked from one to the other and smiled. "Chloe, dear, I think that if you say yes, Santa might be able to make your Christmas wish come true as well." 

She smiled. "Do you think I should, Santa?"  

Santa nodded and Niall gave him a high five.  

"In that case," she looked at Niall.. "I'd love to. I'd love to spend New Years in London."