Nope. Definitely not the time.
Diarmuid turned, Carter clinging to his side like a monkey. ‘Carts, are these your friends?’
‘Yep, Grumpy. This is Aaron and that’s Tilly. They live here at CoalCliff. They’re kind-a-cousins and my best friends.’
Diarmuid strode across the kitchen and held out his hand. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet the BFFs of my Carts here. He’s talked lots about you.’ His long, musicians’ fingers curled lightly around each little hand that was offered to him, both kids blushing hotly and muttering greetings. Diarmuid beamed at them. ‘I was wanting a tour of this fine facility and knowing what Cart’s told me about you both, I think you’d be the best people to show me around.’ He looked down at Carter. ‘What do you think?’
‘Yes!’ Carter said, jumping up and down. ‘We can’t show you the climbing wall—it got a bit burned today and Flynn says we can’t go down there until it’s been checked out. But we can show you the corrals and the horses in the paddocks and you can meet Nat and Reid and the others and we can show you Rebel and he’s the new stallion that Aaron fell off which is why he’s in a sling and can’t go riding until it’s better.’
‘I didn’t fall off. He threw me,’ Aaron said, chin rising. ‘He’s not broken in properly.’
‘Of course he wasn’t,’ Diarmuid said, ruffling his hair and settling his upset pride all in one beaming smile. ‘Carts has told me you are the one who taught him all he knows about horses.’
‘I am.’
‘I have too,’ Tilly said, puffing her chest out. ‘I taught him how to feed them and look after them.’
‘Of course you did. Well how about you start teaching me too. I’m going to be here for a few weeks at least and it’s about time I brush up on my horsemanship.’
‘You know how to ride, Grumpy?’
‘Of course. We had horses at the farm I grew up on in County Cork and I used to ride all the time. I’m looking forward to having a ride while I’m here.’
‘We could go riding tomorrow,’ Carter said, looking up at Flynn. ‘Can’t we?’
‘Sure. There’s a ride on tomorrow afternoon, and Reid’s up in the barn getting things ready for it, but I’m sure Reid’d be happy to take you out. There’s plenty of day left.’ He shot a knowing smirk Prita’s way and she couldn’t help smirking back. Reid was a massive Diarmuid Brennan fan—something she found out the hard way when he discovered who her papa was and didn’t stop talking about him and his music the first few months they’d known each other and asking questions about growing up with him and if she’d been there when he wrote ‘Country Stars’, or ‘Golden my Love’, and ‘Blue Days’. It wasn’t until Barb and Nat ganged up on him and told him he was being a pain in the arse fan-boy that he apologised and limited his fan raving to once every now and then.
‘Are you talking about Reid Stratton?’ Diarmuid asked, brightening and rubbing his hands together. ‘Ooh, I’d love to talk to him about his climb up Everest and his musical choices for his shows. Whoever picks the music and writes the scores is a musical genius. Do you think he’ll mind if I ask him about his work?’
Lips twitching, Flynn said, ‘I think you two will get along just fine.’
‘Wonderful. Then let’s hop to it.’
‘You coming, Dad?’ Aaron asked.
Flynn’s gaze flickered to Prita and back. ‘How about you take Mr Brennan …’
‘Diarmuid,’ her papa said. ‘I’m not Mr Brennan—that was my papa. I prefer people to call me Diarmuid. Although—’ he went down on one knee, his arm hooked around Carter, ‘—Carts’ best friends can call me Grumpy too if you like.’
‘Could we?’ Aaron and Tilly said together.
‘Absolutely.’ He chucked both of them under the chin then stood again, clapping his hands together. ‘So, how about you show me up to the stables and introduce me to young Reid. And, Aaron, I expect you to help me choose the best horse for the ride.’
Aaron pouted. ‘I can’t go out with you.’
‘I can see that. But you can show me around when we get back. In fact, I know you’ll be the best for the job.’
‘Sure will,’ Aaron said, puffing up.
‘Let’s go.’
‘Okay, Grumpy,’ the three kids said at once, diving to grab a hand to pull him out of the kitchen, Carter latching on to one hand, Tilly the other and Aaron holding his wrist. Diarmuid went with them, laughing and happier than she’d heard him for a while. At the door, Carter and Aaron both stopped and looked back, saying simultaneously, ‘Are you coming?’
Flynn said, ‘I just want to have a quick word with your mum,’ at the same time she said, ‘Of course.’
Diarmuid, eyes twinkling, tugged on the hands holding his and said, ‘I know you need to chat, so you stay here and let the kids show me around.’ Prita shook her head at him, but his eyes twinkled more and his smile widened as he said, ‘That okay with you, kids?’
‘Yeah,’ the kids chimed and then they were gone.
Flynn turned to Prita as she turned to him.
‘Did you want to go with them? I know you want to stay with Carter.’
Prita sighed. It was good for Carter to spend time with just Grumpy and his friends. She didn’t want to ruin that for them. ‘No. I’ll just stay here and do some more work.’
‘What did you want to tell me?’
She froze in the act of turning away. ‘Uh, nothing.’
His hands slipped around her waist and she couldn’t help leaning back into him. ‘Are you sure it was nothing?’
She turned in his arms. ‘Just that I wanted to do this again.’ She reached up, her
