He laughed at the flurry of questions, the genuine excitement in her voice. “The kitchen is about the only thing we didn’t have to touch, so, yes, it’s finished.” He led the way.
She stepped inside and clapped with delight. “The stove is huge. And all this stainless steel looks brand-new.”
“There was only the one tenant before me, and they didn’t last long. It was considered in turnkey condition for a restaurant.”
She touched the gas stove with near reverence. “I would love to cook a meal on this. The one at Peter’s is a much older version.”
Luke regarded her with surprise. “That’s right, it is. You’ve cooked on it?”
“When we’ve been in a bind, yes. Waiting tables is my forte, but I have experience with a few dishes. Most of the pubs where I worked didn’t have the luxury of a huge staff, so we all knew a little of everything. Grandfather actually thinks my cooking is better than the regular cook’s.” She shrugged. “Of course, he’s bound to be biased.”
Luke nodded slowly. “Good to know.”
“Now show me the rest,” she said. “Pictures of the tables and chairs, everything. And I’ll want to see the paint color, too. Have you chosen it?”
“To be honest, that’s why I was late last night. I was painting test strips on the back wall to pick the final color, but after a while they all started to looked the same.”
“Show me,” she commanded, her eyes alight with interest.
He led her to the wall where it looked as if a mad artist had been testing every color from palest turquoise to darkest green with all the shades of blue and green in between.
Moira went straight to a shade of azure. “This one,” she said at once.
Luke immediately knew that she was right. He could already envision it on the walls, drawing the sea inside. “You’re right,” he said with amazement. “But why that one? What did you see that I missed last night?”
“For one thing, it was probably dim in here last night, so none of the colors looked the way they do right now. This one…” She tapped her finger against the chosen test stripe. “It’s the color of the sky and sea on a sunny day. With white trim, it will be bright and cheerful.”
“Most pubs tend to have a dark decor,” he reminded her.
“Reflecting the too-often dreary Irish weather, if you ask me,” Moira said. “People respond to cheerful, warm and welcoming. It’s the difference between a seaside town here and one in Dublin, just as the rest of Chesapeake Shores is. I felt it the minute Mick drove us into town. I told him exactly that.” She grinned. “I think he was pleased that I’d noticed.”
“I’m sure he was,” Luke said, equally pleased to have her impression of his hometown be so obviously positive.
She stepped closer and held his gaze. “Luke, it truly is going to be amazing,” she told him, then stepped back before he could steal the kiss he was suddenly longing for. “Now, put me to work. Let me look at the things you’ve chosen to get a sense of your style, and then I’ll get started sorting through those musicians. Do you have a CD player in your office?”
He nodded. “Are you sure you want to sit inside, rather than going out to explore the town?”
“I’m sure I’ll see everything there is to see eventually. For now, I’m exactly where I want to be, as long as you’ll promise to take a break for lunch. I believe I’d like to have it where we’ve a view of the water. Although your weather’s nothing like Ireland’s, I’ve been conditioned to take advantage of the sun whenever it appears.”
Luke smiled at the simplicity of her request. “Then that’s exactly what we’ll we do.”
He wrote down the websites from which he’d ordered furniture and supplies for the pub and gave her model numbers. He stacked the CDs beside her and showed her how to work the player, then he left her to it, marveling as he went back into the main room to work that she’d fit in so readily. Who on earth would have guessed that the impossible woman he’d met just a few months ago would turn out to be both undemanding and soothing to have around?
Nell drove Dillon into town just before lunchtime. She could hardly wait to show off both the community and the way O’Briens were so much a part of it. She found a parking spot on Main Street right in front of Flowers on Main. Bree had her usual colorful assortment of bouquets lined up in buckets on the sidewalk and a window display of more formal arrangements. It delighted Nell that her granddaughter had learned the art of flower arranging from her and made a success of it.
“This is Bree’s shop,” Dillon said as they exited the car.
She regarded him with surprise. “You remembered!”
He laughed. “It was just yesterday when Mick was bragging about it as we drove into town.”
“Ah, yes. I’d forgotten that. I probably shouldn’t say this, because it’s surely bragging, but Bree learned everything she knows about flowers from me,” Nell confided. “Of course, I must admit the student has surpassed the master now. Her arrangements are quite dramatic compared to the simple ones I do at home.”
“Don’t be selling yourself short,” Dillon scolded. “The bright flowers in your cottage are a welcoming touch. Better yet, I can see that they’ve come from your own garden.” He studied her. “Is that something you enjoy doing, Nell?”
She nodded. “My knees are getting a little creaky, so getting up and down is trickier these days, but I can’t imagine a time when I can’t care for my garden.”
“You can always hire help and supervise.”
“It’s not
