“She’ll throw a fit when she finds out you’re in the same country as her and haven’t called. She might even know you’re already there. She’s weird like that.”
“She won’t know a thing if you don’t tell her.”
“Why’d you fly in early?”
“The wedding.”
“Don’t tell me you’re still out to avenge the Devlin name?”
I sighed. Brody’s answer to everything was to take the piss. “Let me handle this. It’s not like I’m needed in the office. I have every confidence in my staff not to run the business into the ground.”
“Let it go. You’re not a wedding planner. It’s like me moving from building hotels to building playsets.”
I couldn’t, wouldn’t, let it go. Not yet. Tessa had weaseled her way into my consciousness, and I wanted to discover everything I could about her. “I’m staying for a few more days. See what happens.” I kicked the snowball between my feet, sending a mini avalanche to the pavement below.
“You’re a fecking eejit.”
“On that professional and grown-up note, I’m hanging up.” I hit the end call button.
I wished my brother wasn’t so laid back about everything and wished he understood my need to stay on top. And if I wanted to stay on top, I had to expand my business.
There was one other person I needed to talk to, my cousin Niall. If there was any dirt on Tessa, he was the man who’d find it.
On the third ring, Niall picked up. “How’s it going, stranger?”
“Can’t complain,” I replied.
After we’d caught up and promised to meet for a beer, Niall asked, “So what’s the real reason for this phone call?”
I chuckled. “You’re a detective for a reason. Can you do me a favor?”
“If I can, I will.”
“Heard anything about a woman called Tessa Maken?”
“Doesn’t ring any bells. I’m not in my office, but I’ll have a look tomorrow. Anything in particular you want to know?”
“Nah. I’ve been told a few things and want to find out if the information’s true.”
“No bother,” Niall said. “I’ll find out what I can and give you a bell.”
Part of me hoped Niall had a file on her a mile long, but a bigger part of me hoped she was as clean as the freshly fallen snow.
****
I needed an ice-cold beer. Fast. Snowmageddon meant the journey back to the castle took four tense hours. The heater in Tessa’s car spluttered and gave up the ghost twenty minutes in, and every radio station played Last Christmas on an endless loop. There was only so much Wham! a man could take.
I headed straight to the kitchen hidden in the bowels of the castle. The space was nothing like the rest of the building. Old blended with new and whoever had designed the layout had a deep passion for food.
Dark woods and natural stone contrasted with stainless steel appliances, and above me, a beamed ceiling curved slightly with gleaming copper pots and pans hanging from a rack. My mother would happily move in here and never leave.
Brendan stood by a thick butcher’s block dicing carrots and onions with quick, confident movements. The radio played more nerve-damaging Christmas music, but I shut it out and warmed my hands by a roaring fire large enough to roast a pig.
“You haven’t lost any of your skills.” I nodded toward Brendan’s fast-moving fingers.
“And what do you know about my skills?” Brendan asked, not taking his eyes from the curved blade.
“Everyone around here knows you’re one of Ireland’s best chefs.”
Brendan nodded and exhaled slowly. “That was before my wife passed away. God rest her soul.” He stopped chopping and blessed himself. “It’s been a while. Thirteen years now. She had big plans for this place, but life got in the way and… well, plans change.” He continued with his work, not once losing his hypnotic rhythm.
“Sorry for your loss.” I watched in silence as he scooped up the diced vegetables with the sharp edge of his knife.
“Thanks,” he said, dumping the vegetables into a copper pot. “Like I said, it was a while ago.”
“You were never tempted to sell the place?”
“I won’t lie,” Brendan said. “I’ve had offers, and I got close once, but I couldn’t bear to part with it. It’s not much, but it’s home.” He gave a small smile. “Tessa badgered me daily for weeks until I agreed to open the doors. She practically camped on the doorstep. Convinced me the place could be great again.” He shrugged. “Maybe it could, but everything’s in a terrible state.” Brendan threw the last of the vegetables into the pot and covered it with a lid. “She’s…” He hesitated as if searching for the right words. “Tessa’s a great girl. I wouldn’t want to see her hurt.”
“Are you warning me off?” I raised an eyebrow. The older man’s fatherly concern for Tessa shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.
Brendan chuckled. “I might be getting on, but I’m not blind. She wasn’t exactly over the moon to see you. God knows relationships are hard. There were times when living with my Mrs. was like living on a rollercoaster. Some months we were climbing to the top. Some months we were hurtling to the bottom with a few loops in between.” He gave a wistful smile. “Our fights would shake the windows.” A kettle on the gas stovetop whistled, and Brendan wiped his hands on a red dishcloth thrown over his shoulder. “Tea? Coffee?”
“I’ll have a beer if there’s one going.”
“There’s none till the delivery tomorrow. Only wine or whiskey for now.”
“An Irish coffee would hit the spot.”
“A man after my own heart.” Brendan went to the cupboard behind him and selected two flared glasses with handles. “The shock on Tessa’s face when she saw you told me something
