“She mentioned it.” He studied her curiously. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy that he’s staying?”
“That’s fine, I suppose. It’s up to him, really.”
Luke watched her with a frown knitting his brow. “You’re saying all the right words, but you’re still not sounding happy. Is it the thought of flying home alone? Being in his house in Dublin on your own? What?”
“Both of those, I guess,” she said, because she wasn’t about to admit that she was perhaps irrationally hurt because it hadn’t once crossed Luke’s mind to suggest that she stay on longer. She told herself that wouldn’t have mattered had everyone stuck to the original plan. Nell’s invitation to her grandfather had changed things, though, and Luke had known about it. Yet he’d not felt at all compelled to suggest that she do the same thing. She knew she was being unreasonable, but her feelings were her feelings. She couldn’t always control them, and sometimes acting rationally was beyond her.
She put aside her pizza and stood up. “I think I’ll look at those pictures now, if you’re not planning to be on the computer.”
“That’s fine,” he said, though he continued to regard her with confusion. “Moira, what am I missing?”
“Nothing,” she said softly. “Not a bloody thing!”
Even as the words left her mouth, she knew only someone very dense would believe them. Luke wasn’t dense. Distracted, maybe, but never obtuse. Feeling foolish for giving away her distress, she left the room before he could ask whatever questions might occur to him and start a conversation it was probably far better for them to avoid. Letting him see that she was hurt was embarrassing enough. Letting him dig any deeper would be humiliating.
Luke stared after Moira as she hurried into the office. He’d obviously screwed up in some way, but it was beyond him how. They’d been talking about her grandfather and Gram. That’s when the temperature had cooled below freezing, but what did that have to do with the two of them?
It had been his experience that it was always best to resolve a situation like this immediately, but he’d had to learn with Moira to bide his time. Her temper needed to settle a bit before she’d open up with the truth. Otherwise, they’d wind up yelling to no avail.
Fortunately, he was able to give her plenty of space. Earlier he’d downloaded and printed a couple of dozen applications from potential employees. He’d scheduled the interviews for Monday, and now was the perfect opportunity to sort through the résumés and make a few notes for himself so he’d be able to see if experience on paper matched up with initial impressions in person.
He’d even found three people with a decent amount of kitchen experience who might be able to take over the cooking. All three had agreed to do a test run with a few of Gram’s recipes, so Luke wanted to narrow down those options to see which would provide the greatest challenge. This afternoon Gram had agreed to come in to taste the results and help him make his final choice. If Dillon and Moira joined them, they could make a party of it, he thought, turning the project into something he could actually look forward to.
He was completely absorbed in his work when he sensed that Moira was standing next to him. He hadn’t even heard her leave his office.
“Hey!” he said, blinking up at her. “What time is it?”
“Getting on toward eleven,” she said. “I think I’ll head back to your grandmother’s.”
He frowned at that. Obviously, the thaw hadn’t set in yet. “Is that what you want to do?”
She sighed and shook her head. “I just think it’s best.”
“Mind telling me why? Is this about whatever upset you earlier?”
She sighed and sat down beside him, then leaned forward, her expression earnest. “Luke, I’m trying really, really hard to understand your need to compartmentalize your life and proceed along at an orderly pace, but it’s hard. These circumstances make it hard.”
Though he didn’t yet understand, he nodded. “I’m listening,” he said, hoping to encourage her to go on.
Instead, she gave him an impatient look. “You should be able to figure it out. I’ve given you enough hints.”
He laughed, though he saw at once that that only irritated her more. “Sorry, but I’ve never professed to be a mind reader, Moira. And, to be honest, I’ve never been so involved with anyone that I’ve needed to practice being one.”
“And is that the case with me? That we’re not so involved that you have to waste any energy trying to figure out what’s upsetting me?”
He knew it was a trick question, one likely to land him in even hotter water, but he opted for honesty. “Frankly, one of the things I’ve liked the best about you is that from the beginning you’ve always spoken your mind. I always knew exactly where I stood. Even now, I know you’re thoroughly annoyed with me. I just keep waiting for you to tell me why.”
“I shouldn’t have to,” she said in frustration.
“But isn’t it easier to just say it than to try to prod me into guessing?” he replied, equally frustrated.
He held her gaze as he asked it, and eventually he saw the faint tug of a smile at the corners of her mouth.
“So I’ve reverted to being impossible Moira?” she suggested.
“Maybe just a little,” he said. “Don’t you know you can be straightforward with me by now? I’m trainable, Moira. I swear it.”
Now she did laugh and the tension broke.
“I think people have had it all wrong,” she told him. “You’re the impossible one. How am I supposed to stay mad at you?”
“Honestly, I wish you wouldn’t,” he replied. He reached for her hands. “Talk to me.”
“Okay, here it is.
