Hot Property (Irish romantic comedy) by Susanne O'Leary

the morning.”
    “Sorry about that. I’ll get on to my dad. Tell him you want to sell.”
    “Okay.” Megan paused. “Thanks.”
      “I’d like to see you again,” Dan said after a brief silence. “Can I call around tonight?”
    Her knees shaking, Megan sat down on one of Beata’s kitchen chairs. “No,” she heard herself say. “I… Could we meet at the pub?” She suddenly didn’t want to be alone with him.
    “Cold feet?” he asked with a hint of laughter.
    “Mm. Something like that.”
    He laughed. “Okay. We’ll go back to the beginning. A first date.”
    “That would be nice.”
    “Mulligans at seven? We can have dinner there.”
    “Great. I’m sure the door will be fixed by then. But I’ll call you if there’s a delay.”
    “Okay. See you then.”
      Megan hung up. She knew she should get the tea tray ready for guests arriving soon, but she couldn’t move.
    Beata, carrying two shopping bags, pushed the back door open. “Who was that?”
    Megan smiled. “Hmm, yes ...” As if awakened from a deep sleep, she looked at Beata. “What?”
    Beata put the shopping bags on the table. “I asked who were you talking to.”
    Megan came back to reality. “Dan Nolan.”
    “Oh. Did he explain why your house was still out there on the Internet? And if the planning permission thing was true?”
    “Yes.”
    Beata leaned forward and stared at Megan’s face. “Hello? Anybody home? What’s wrong with you?”
    Megan played with the fringe of the table cloth. “Nothing. Everything. He asked me out.”
    Beata sat down. “What? Dan Nolan asked you out? Why is this a problem?”
    Megan looked at Beata. “I’m scared.”
    “Aha! Scared. Means you’re hot for him, yes? And that you feel if you get involved, he’ll hurt you in the end because of what that creepy husband did to you. And you don’t want to go all the way because sex with the hubby was so fantastic, you don’t think anyone can match that.” She drew breath. “Or… you’re afraid Danny boy will be an even better lay so, then you’ll be twice as hurt.”
    Megan laughed. “You must be psychic.” She sighed. “Yes, I’m scared. Not because of what he’ll do but because I might mess it up again. The break-up of my marriage was partly my fault. I think I was too critical and demanding. And maybe I should have given him more support when he started that new job.”
    “Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Beata soothed. “Even if you were too demanding or whatever, couldn’t it have been solved if you had talked about it?”
    Megan sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe. Stephen never wanted to discuss his feelings or mine. He didn’t like conflicts. But maybe he really didn’t want things to be resolved? Maybe he was happy to have an excuse to leave me?”
    “No use crying over that now,” Beata remarked. “This time you might be lucky. Or Dan might be the kind of guy who shares his feelings. But there’s only one way to find out. And that’s to go out with him and try to get to know him better.”
    “Probably,” Megan agreed. “I’m not sure what I want to do.”
    “Do you know what I think you should do?” Beata sprang up from the table. “First, a shot of vodka. Then a cup of coffee. Then we’ll get to work and serve tea to Mr and Mrs Lindholm from Sweden, who’ll be arriving in about half an hour.” She took a bottle and two shot glasses from a cupboard. “Then you’re going to tart yourself up and look absolutely ring-a-ding-drop-dead gorgeous and knock Danny boy’s eyes out. Sounds good so far?”
    Megan giggled. “Yes, apart from the last bit. Don’t think that will be possible.”
    Beata pushed a glass at Megan. “Here. Down the hatch. Gives you the courage of ten lions.” She knocked back her own drink. “ Ahhh . Great. Polish vodka. The best.”
    Megan picked up the glass. She looked at Beata and knocked back the drink. It hit her mouth like acid, then slid down her throat like a burning flame and