Finally, an invitation to stay! But coming only after she’d all but dragged it out of him, his response irked her. “Was this a job interview, then?”
He frowned at the question. “I suppose it was, in a weird way.”
“Then, no thank you,” she told him, politely but firmly.
He regarded her in stunned silence, then muttered, “No? Didn’t you just give an entire speech about why you wanted to work here?”
“You apparently heard only the part you wanted to hear,” she corrected. “I will not be just some little bit of Irish fluff meant to lend this place authenticity.”
“I never said that,” he protested.
“Didn’t you? That’s what I heard. I want more than that from you, Luke O’Brien.”
“We’ve yet to talk about money,” he said, obviously frustrated and clearly operating on some entirely different wavelength from the one she’d been on.
She stood up at that, and barely resisted the urge to use the nearby rolls of architectural plans to hit him. “Now you’re just being obtuse,” she said, stalking off.
Apparently, even in America, men of Irish extraction were doomed to be dumber than dirt when it came to women!
“I don’t get it,” Luke complained later that evening to his brother and Laila. “I offered her a job so she could stay here. I said we’d work out the legalities. I’m sure Connor could have figured out something.”
“And that’s when she stormed off?” Laila asked, her eyes twinkling. “Imagine that!”
Luke frowned at her sarcasm. “You’re taking her side?”
“I wasn’t aware there were sides,” Laila replied. “But if there are, then, yes, I’m on hers.”
“You’re going to have to explain that to me,” Luke said.
Laila rolled her eyes. “Obviously. Matthew, what about you? Do you get it?”
There was a definite challenge in the question. Luke saw his brother squirm uncomfortably.
“If I had to take a stab at this,” Matthew said, “and apparently I do, Moira was actually angling for a partnership, and not of the business variety.”
Laila patted his cheek. “Is it any wonder I gave in and married you? You’re so evolved. You actually get these things.”
Luke laughed. These two were a never-ending source of amusement for everyone in the family. Laila was more than ten years older than Matthew. She’d been considered by everyone, including herself, to be boring and stuffy and rigid. Matthew had been an irrepressible scoundrel. They shouldn’t have worked as a couple, but they did. Fantastically well, as a matter of fact. Luke was envious, especially now that they seemed to have resolved their differences over her pregnancy.
He met his sister-in-law’s gaze, wondering if she could possibly be right. “Moira wants a commitment? Immediately? I told her I have to focus completely on getting this business going right now. I didn’t close any doors, just explained the reality.”
“How incredibly romantic of you,” Laila said. “I’m sure her heart went pitter-pat at such a lovely declaration. I’m surprised she didn’t put you in traction before she walked out on you.”
Luke winced, then glanced at his brother. “It was really bad, wasn’t it?”
Matthew nodded. “I’d say yes,” he agreed, glancing at his wife for confirmation.
“Really bad,” Laila said emphatically. “Do you love her or not, Luke? Isn’t that the real issue here?”
“But the timing—”
“Maybe it sucks or maybe it’s just the way it is,” she said. “I wasn’t exactly ready to jump into this relationship with Matthew, you know, but there he was, all sexy and cute and persistent, and look where we are now.”
“Please God, don’t start seducing each other right here in front of me,” Luke pleaded, seeing the way Matthew’s eyes darkened at Laila’s words. He shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll be on my way now. Thanks for the advice.”
But even as he practically ran for the door, he realized they were no longer listening to a word he said.
Nell had detected Moira’s unhappiness when she came back from spending her day with Luke at the pub. The girl hardly made a secret of it when she was having a bad day. Her dark and gloomy expression told the story.
“Where’s my grandfather?” Moira asked.
“Resting,” Nell told her. “He helped me work in the garden this morning, getting it ready to plant. It took a bit out of him.”
Alarm immediately crossed Moira’s face. “I don’t understand. Grandfather never tires. Are you sure he’s okay? Maybe I should check on him.”
Nell held up a hand. “Let him rest. When you’re our age, it takes a lot longer to completely recover from jet lag than it does at yours. At the end of a week, we’re just beginning to get our feet back under us.” She smiled at her. “It’s nice to see you so concerned about him.”
“Well, of course I am!” Moira said with a hint of indignation.
Nell’s smile widened. “It’s not a side of you I saw in Ireland,” she said.
Moira flushed. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. I was in a terrible mood over the holidays, and intent on taking it out on everyone else. I’m afraid that became a habit of mine over the years. I’ll go to my room now, so you don’t get sideswiped by my temper as well.”
“Oh, I’m sure I’m tough enough to take it,” Nell commented. “Why don’t we have a cup of tea and you can tell my why you looked so unhappy just now when you got back from Luke’s?”
Moira looked as if she’d prefer to get into the garden and dig for snails to eat, but she clearly couldn’t come up with an excuse that wouldn’t be considered impolite. “Sure,” she said reluctantly, following Nell into the kitchen.
Nell always had a teakettle on the stove ready to be heated. While the water came to a boil, she put loose tea into one of her china
