“That’s good, then,” she said quietly, and snuggled closer. “Now, go to sleep or we’ll both be dragging through the day tomorrow.”
He grinned. “We don’t open until noon, which gives us an entire morning to sleep.”
Her expression brightened. “Well, in that case, then,” she said, moving into his kiss.
The weekend had been so frantic that it wasn’t until Monday that Moira had a chance to load the pictures she’d taken at the opening onto Luke’s computer and begin sorting through them. Once again, she was surprised by the way certain personalities had been captured in a single shot. She always hoped for that, of course, but until she saw the proof in front of her eyes she was never certain she’d managed it. More often than she liked, she hadn’t.
But today, here was Mick with his head thrown back in full-throated laughter. She’d caught Nell bending over a pot of Irish stew in the kitchen for a final sniff of the aroma, eyes closed, a smile on her lips. And Luke’s uncle Thomas with an arm around Connie’s shoulder, his hand resting on her enormous belly and a look of utter satisfaction and joy on his face.
Though there were dozens of photos she loved and at least half of those that she thought might be good enough for the walls of the pub or to share with the family, only a few were special enough for the portfolio she was putting together for Megan’s approval. She printed those out in snapshot size, then headed down the block to Megan’s gallery. Though it, too, was closed on Monday, like so many other tourist-oriented businesses in town, Moira knew Megan would be in back catching up on paperwork.
At her knock, Megan came out of her office and smiled when she recognized her.
“Please tell me you’ve come to show me pictures from the opening,” she said as soon as she’d unlocked the door.
“Right here,” Moira told her, still clinging to the envelope she’d brought along. “Just a few.”
“Judging from the size of it, that must be a mere sampling,” Megan said, clearly disappointed. “You could always let me look at all of them and be an impartial judge.”
Moira shook her head. “I want you to see only the best, and then choose from those the ones you think are really extraordinary.” She shrugged. “If any of them are.”
“Don’t be so modest,” Megan said. “We both know you have the talent for extraordinary.”
“You may believe that, but I’m still struggling with it,” Moira said. “Every time I load a new batch of pictures into the computer, I’m filled with doubts.”
Megan wiggled her fingers. “Hand ’em over. Let’s see what you have.”
Moira gave Megan the small test prints, then left her alone while she walked through the gallery. She’d been meaning to come by for a while to see the photography exhibit, but this was her first chance.
As she studied the shots, admiring the use of light and shadow in the photographs, she remained attuned to Megan on the other side of the room behind her desk. Each time she heard a small gasp, her heart leaped.
“Moira,” Megan said eventually.
She turned back, noted the neutral expression on Megan’s usually transparent face and felt her heart dip. Filled with anxiety, she crossed the room. “Well? Is there anything there that will meet your high standards?”
A wide, reassuring smile broke across Megan’s face. “I know I’m biased because these are people I know and love, but just as you did with the children in the park, you’ve brought them alive. I can hear Mick’s laughter and feel Thomas’s joy at the prospect of being a father. As for Nell, showing her in the kitchen, where she’s most at home, was a perfect choice. They’re truly remarkable, Moira. If you ever try to tell me again that you want no part of this, I’ll fight you. Moreover, I’ll have the entire family gang up on you. You have no idea how persuasive we can be when we’re all dedicated to the same cause.”
“You’re not just saying that?” Moira asked nervously. “Are you trying to be kind to me because of Luke?”
Megan shook her head at once, clearly impatient with the question. “This is business, Moira. Luke is completely separate. And, before we put that topic aside, let me say that I was impressed with how well you worked together at the opening. You do make a terrific team.”
Moira allowed herself a momentary hint of triumph. “Really? I mean about the photographs,” she asked, not quite daring to believe her.
“Really,” Megan reiterated. “You’ll need many more before we can put a show together, but since you’ll be in Chesapeake Shores for a while now, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to take pictures at various town events. I’d like you to take some in the businesses as well. Once we have a full complement, we’ll have a better idea of what to call the show. I’m still leaning toward The Faces of Chesapeake Shores, but The Heart of a Town might work nicely as well. It would travel better, perhaps, if the show were to be mounted in other cities.”
Moira felt the first faint stirring of real excitement. She hadn’t permitted herself to believe anything about this opportunity. Having her own show had seemed far too grand for someone like her. Taking pictures at weddings or baby showers had seemed attainable, but this? Viewing her pictures as art? It was completely unbelievable. What would Peter think when she told him?
“It doesn’t change what I really want,” she warned Megan. “This is exciting and more amazing than anything I ever imagined, but it’s still a family that I truly want.”
“You’ll have both, if it’s what you want,” Megan assured her.
Of course, Moira thought yet again, the family side of her dream—the biggest
