“It’s my duty to look out for Ma,” Mick replied stiffly.
“And I can respect you for that,” Dillon said. “But your mother needs no protection from me.”
Nell decided it was time to step in before these two strong-willed men started some ridiculous turf war. “Enough, both of you. Mick, if I want to kiss someone, it’s my choice. I’m not a foolish teenager. Nor am I your child. I’m your mother. Allow me a little dignity.”
Mick stared at her in dismay. “I’m not trying to rob you of your dignity. Nor did I come by to embarrass you.”
“Then why are you here?” she asked.
When he had no ready answer, she gave him an amused look. “Since you’re silent, I’ll answer it for you. You came over to check up on me.”
“I did no such thing,” he blustered, then sighed. “At least I didn’t mean for it to seem that way. I’ve just gotten into the habit of dropping by.”
“Then I’m part of your usual route? Don’t think I don’t see how you make stops at everyone’s home or business during the course of your day.”
She stepped away from Dillon and touched her son’s cheek. “I love how you care for me, Mick, for this whole family. But just as you had to do with your children, you have to let me go.”
Her words seemed to alarm him. “Let you go? What does that mean? Are you planning to go back to Ireland, after all?”
“No. I’m just planning to live what’s left of my life in the way that seems right to me. While your opinion will always matter, it’s not what counts the most.”
Mick looked oddly thrown by her determined reply, but he nodded slowly. “Fair enough. I guess I’ll be going then.”
“Unless you’d like to stay and join us for a bit,” Dillon said, holding out an olive branch. “We can always retrieve another chair from the porch.”
“And be a third wheel? No, thank you,” Mick said, visibly shuddering. “But I do appreciate the offer. I’ll see both of you tomorrow. If you’d like, Dillon, Kevin has said if we can go early, he’ll take us out on the foundation’s research boat for a closer look at the bay.”
“I’d like that,” Dillon said at once. “Assuming you’ve no intention of tossing me overboard.”
Mick laughed. “Not a chance, especially with Ma and my son along as witnesses.”
“Then we’ll see you bright and early,” Dillon said eagerly. “I’ll ask Moira if she’d care to come along, if that’s all right.”
“It would be fine,” Mick told him. “She agreed earlier to take pictures at Henry’s birthday party, so she may need to make preparations for that. But since Kevin will want to be back in time for the party as well, I imagine she could do both. It’s up to her.”
“I’ll give her the option, then,” Dillon said.
Nell watched her son walk away and shook her head. “For a few minutes there, I felt like a teenager again.”
“He sounded a lot like your very protective grandfather, didn’t he?” Dillon agreed. He looked into her eyes. “Now, where were we?”
Nell stepped back into his arms. “About here, as I recall.”
“Ah, yes,” he said, then once more touched his lips to hers.
Moira stood at the rail of the boat Kevin had commandeered for the day from Thomas’s foundation. Originally having intended it as a charter fishing boat, Kevin had instead given it to the foundation and joined his uncle in the work there. Moira gathered that his decision had caused some friction with Mick, who’d felt his son was going over to the enemy—his brother Thomas.
Now, though, here was Mick, right alongside his son, so apparently this particular O’Brien rift had healed. It was yet another example of the family dynamics for her to ponder.
As she watched the passing scenery, her grandfather joined her at the rail.
“You’ve some color in your cheeks this morning and a sparkle in your eye. May I assume things are going well with you and Luke?”
She smiled at the diplomatic phrasing. “Quite well, as a matter of fact.” She grinned at him. “I’m assuming you’d rather not have details.”
He laughed at that. “No, the details are definitely none of my business.”
She turned to study him. “You seem especially cheerful and content this morning as well. May I assume that you and Nell are having a wonderful time?”
“We are,” he said. “In fact, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”
Moira stilled. Was he about to announce that they were marrying? She wouldn’t be that surprised to hear it, but what would it mean in terms of him staying on?
“About what?” she asked hesitantly.
“Nell’s asked me to stay on longer and I’ve agreed. I’ve left my businesses in capable hands, so there’s no need for me to rush back to Ireland. I can arrange for the extension, so I’ve decided to do it.”
“I see,” she said softly, not sure how she felt about the news. It meant she would be returning to Dublin alone.
He tucked a finger under her chin. “Don’t look so gloomy. You’ll be able to continue to live at my house in Dublin, if you like. That won’t change.” He held her gaze. “Or you could consider staying on here as well.”
As tempted as she was by the suggestion, Moira shook her head. “Not unless Luke were to suggest it,” she said insistently. “I came for a visit. That was the understanding.”
“I don’t think he’d object to your visit being longer.”
“Perhaps not, but he hasn’t asked me, as Nell asked you. Besides, there’s my work to think of. Peter has a few photography assignments lined up for me. I can hardly turn my
