He called Jess, who apparently told him she’d be right down. “Take a look around while you wait,” Ronnie suggested.
Moira nodded, already intrigued by the coziness Jess had achieved with the inn. The old wood floors gleamed. The carpets added warm splashes of color and there were flowers on the tables and in many of the upholstery patterns. With huge windows letting in light, it was a sunny, welcoming place. No wonder it had become a success.
Jess eventually found her in the main parlor looking out at the spectacular view of green lawn, flowers and the bay beyond.
“You’re out early,” Jess said. “I’m so glad you’ve come by to see the inn for yourself. Did my bragging do it justice?”
“It’s fabulous,” Moira told her honestly. “I thought it was impressive from the outside, but inside it’s absolutely lovely. If Nell weren’t such a gracious hostess and her cottage so charming, I’d want to stay here.”
Jess beamed. “Considering how all of us treasure Nell’s cottage, I’ll take that as a huge compliment.”
“It’s meant to be,” Moira said. “Now, do I have it right that you serve breakfast? I’ve been wandering around taking pictures for a couple of hours, and have suddenly realized I’m famished. I was hoping you could join me.”
“I’d love it,” Jess said at once. “I have to tell you, though, that I had a panicky call from Laila a few minutes ago, and she’s on her way over. Since she’s usually not in the office here today, I got the sense that she needed to talk. If so, I might have to abandon you when she gets here.”
“Not a problem,” Moira said, then smiled. “I still think about how romantic her wedding was in Ireland. I’m so glad that Mum and I were able to have a small part in making it happen. I’ve never seen two people look happier than she and Matthew did that day.”
Jess laughed. “I think we all felt that way, as if it were magical. I was flat-out envious that my cousin Matthew, one of the greatest rogues of all time, pulled off such a coup.”
She led the way into a dining room, which, like the rest of the inn, had towering windows letting in the morning light. “Have a seat, and I’ll grab a couple of menus,” she said, then came back with coffee as well. “Would you prefer tea? We have a selection of that, too.”
“It would be sacrilegious to admit this in Ireland, but I love my coffee, especially first thing in the morning,” Moira confided.
Jess laughed as she poured, then set the pot on a trivet on the table. Moira noticed that she didn’t pour any for herself.
“No caffeine?” she asked.
“It doesn’t go well with my attention deficit disorder,” Jess admitted. “I’m scattered enough without it, so I try to avoid it. Gail will bring me some decaf in a minute. She’s our chef.”
“And Ronnie?”
“Ah, that’s right, you met him just now. He’s going to be an outstanding chef himself one of these days, according to Gail.” She leaned closer. “He sucks on desk duty, but he’s been trying harder in return for the inn picking up some of his tuition expenses at culinary school. He’ll graduate in a few months and then he’ll be our official sous-chef. I think it will be a relief for all of us.”
Just then Laila strode into the dining room. However, the tall, elegant, starry-eyed woman Moira remembered from her wedding day looked frazzled and out of sorts this morning. She stopped short at the sight of Moira.
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said, already backpedaling.
“What a lovely welcome,” Jess chided, causing Laila to turn pink with embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry,” she apologized to Moira. “I just came barreling in here with my own agenda. I never meant to be rude.”
“It’s okay,” Moira said, sensing that something was definitely amiss. As much as she’d like getting to know the woman who might one day be related to her if things worked out with Luke, she had a feeling that she was intruding now. “Jess explained that you were coming by. I’m the unexpected interloper. If you’d prefer to see her in private, I totally understand.”
For what seemed like an eternity, Laila looked torn. “Oh, what the hell,” she muttered and pulled out a chair. “The news will be all over sooner or later.”
Jess’s eyes immediately lit up. “News?”
“Coffee first,” Laila said, then sighed and put the pot back. “Never mind. I’ll have decaf.”
Jess’s mouth immediately dropped open. “You’re pregnant,” she guessed, looking stunned.
Laila stared at her in astonishment. “Am I wearing a sign on my forehead or something? I can’t possibly have a baby bump yet.”
“You turned down caffeine,” Jess explained. “You never turn down caffeine.”
“Congratulations,” Moira ventured, though it was dismay, rather than excitement, that seemed to be radiating from Laila in waves.
“Thanks, I guess,” Laila said without enthusiasm.
Jess regarded her with genuine concern. “Why aren’t you over the moon about this? I’ll bet Matthew is.”
“Oh, Matthew is ready to shout the news from the rooftops,” Laila confirmed. “You’d think he single- handedly invented pregnancy.”
Moira chuckled, then hid her face. It didn’t seem like the time to let her amusement show.
“Oh, go ahead and laugh,” Laila told her. “The whole family’s going to be laughing their fool heads off when they find out about this.”
“Why on earth would anyone laugh?” Moira asked.
“Because, like my sister-in-law Abby, I was supposed to be the ultimate career woman. I was supposed to be running the family bank by now. Instead, I’m keeping the books for a few businesses around town, and if Matthew has his way, I’ll be staying at home, barefoot and pregnant.”
This time it was Jess who couldn’t contain her laughter.
