Page 47 of Coming Home to Inishbeg Cove

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‘It’s a quaint little place, isn’t it?’ Joe said as we entered the arched stone doorway and stepped into the cavern carved out of the rock, created by the sea over thousands of years.

I knew it was silly, but I couldn’t help feeling a tinge of defensiveness. ‘It’s probably the most unique restaurant in Ireland.’

We walked up to the front desk. Tadgh was bending over, explaining something on the menu to a couple at a nearby table. My heart rate quickened. What was I going to say to him? What would he think? He hadn’t seen us come in, which gave me a few seconds to study his broad physique before he noticed me. His angular jawline was dotted with dark stubble and he smiled easily as he chatted. I watched as he straightened up and saw us. His cool blue eyes met mine. I immediately felt heat creep into my cheeks as the smile left his face. I prayed Joe wouldn’t notice.

‘Penny, Joe, you made it!’ he said as he finally snapped back into restaurateur mode. He came towards us and put his hand out to shake Joe’s.

Joe clasped Tadgh’s hand and pumped it. ‘She finally brought me.’ He laughed.

‘Well, let me show you to a table.’

We followed Tadgh through the candle-lit chambers until we came to a stop beside a table in the middle of the restaurant. ‘Is this okay?’

‘It’s perfect,’ I said.

‘Actually, it might be a bit noisy,’ Joe said, looking around at the other customers. ‘Have you anywhere quieter?’

Inwardly, I cringed.

‘Sure,’ Tadgh said. We followed him to the back of the cavern, to a table tucked into an alcove at one side of the cave. ‘How about here?’

‘What do you think, Penny?’ Joe asked me.

‘It’s good with me.’

‘If the lady is happy, then I am too,’ Joe said, winking at Tadgh as if it was a man-to-man joke. Tadgh indulged him with a smile, but it didn’t quite stretch up to his eyes.

‘Now, here are your menus. Everything is available except for the hake; we ran out earlier. And the catch of the day is monkfish.’

Then he left us alone to study the menus.

‘Hmm, this looks good,’ Joe said in approval as he read through it. ‘Let me guess, Penny, you’re going to order the prawns, aren’t you?’

‘Well...’

Joe slapped the table in victory. ‘I know you too well.’ He laughed.

‘I guess I’m a creature of habit,’ I admitted.

Tadgh returned a few minutes later and took our orders. Joe ordered the crab claws while I went with my predictable prawn dish.

‘And any wine for you both?’ Tadgh asked.

‘Yes, actually, can we order a bottle of Sancerre too?’ Joe looked at me. ‘That’s okay with you, isn’t it, Penny?’ he asked as an afterthought.

‘Sure,’ I agreed. Tadgh wrote it down in his flip-top notebook.

‘So, how long have you known Tadgh?’ Joe asked as Tadgh retreated towards the kitchen.

‘We were in school together,’ I said.

‘Ooh, an old school pal! I wonder if he has any naughty tales about you.’

‘Don’t be silly!’ I spluttered. ‘Anyway, how did you and Lucy get on in the playground earlier?’ I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to the safer territory that was our daughter.

‘It was very funny, actually. There was a little boy there and the two of them hit it off. When it was time for us to go home, she ran over and gave him a kiss.’