“Oh, please.”My cheeks heat.
“I was the second person in Lismore to meet this woman, back in April, when she was here for a girls’ trip.I liked her so much that I convinced her to buy my Aunt Clara’s old estate and turn it into an inn.”
I lean toward the mic.“That’s not entirely true.He didn’t like me then at all.He liked my friend.”
Everyone laughs at that.
“Alright, I’ll admit that while I thought she was impressive in April, it took me a few months to realize quite how impressive she was, but the second I did, I made my play.”He yanks me closer, his hand tightening on my waist.“So if I see any of you men talking to her later, you’re fired.”
Thankfully, everyone laughs.Funny as a joke—not if he’s serious.
“Many of you have heard me brag about how well her brand-new business is going.”
Some man from the back shouts.“Yeah, I can’t believe she’s forgiven you for unloading that pile of rocks on her.Poor unsuspecting Americans.”
Cillian laughs, and I’m beginning to think that they have a little too much fun at his offices.“Natalie certainly saw more potential in Clara’s place than I did.”
“Pick the prizes already!”Someone else shouts, a woman this time.
“I’m happy to see that people have been taking advantage of the open bar.”Cillian laughs, and everyone else laughs with him again.“But I do think it’s time for the lovely Natalie to reach into this box and pull some raffle tickets out.As you all know, the end of the year is a rough time to be in real estate.While it is the holiday season, there are always people trying to close deals before the clock strikes, and when there’s money to be made, Cillian Doherty will be right there in the center of things, making it.”
Even though people laugh, I suspect that’s actually true.I’m not going to lie—it’s hot, too.
“But I also reward the people who work for me handsomely, and as you’ll already have noticed when your winter bonuses hit last week, we had a very good year here.”
Lots of cheering.
“Now let’s see who won the five hundred euro Visa cards.”He has me draw five people.Their reactions vary from shouting, to jumping up and down, to simply smiling and walking up to take the card.People are funny, even in Ireland.
“And now, one of you will win a vacation to sunny Crete.Natalie?”He picks up the box and shakes it.
I reach in, and I pull out a name.When Cillian reads it, it’s the woman in the back, the ‘Pick the prizes’ lady.She screams so loudly, I almost reach up to cover my ears.
“That was exciting, Bridie,” Cillian says, once she’s finally calmed down.“And now, we have the two cash prizes.Natalie, why don’t you pick two names this time.”
When I draw them and Cillian reads them, a man from the same table as the last winner and the woman who runs Waterford both stand up.There’s a lot less screaming, and bizarrely, I miss it.
“Normally, I would say don’t spend all of this in one place, but I know you’ve been eyeing an Italian villa.”Cillian hands the envelope to the Waterford woman.“And I know you want a new car.”He hands it to the man.
“Was hoping to win big, but I suppose this’ll have to do.”The man takes the envelope and mutters some thanks.
It was a little rude, but I’m guessing he has a bigger prize that everyone knows is coming.
Cillian grabs the box again and shakes it several times.“And now, the moment you all wait for all year, it’s time to win the car.”
“A car?”I mouth.
“Ah, Natalie doesn’t know.”He lowers the box, and the people in the room, who clearly alldounderstand what’s going on, start grumbling.“We should at least explain what she’s choosing.Every year, I buy a fabulous car in January, and then at the end of the year, one lucky person can win it in a raffle.”
“Whoa,” I say.“Which car is it?”
“It’s the silver Audi R8 we took to dinner last week.”
“But I liked that one,” I say with a smile.“Now I’m sad.”
“I put your name in here.”He shakes the box.
Now the audience is booing.“You can’t give it to your girlfriend!”the woman in the back shouts.
