“I know.” Luke shrugged. “Go figure.”
“Well, since Moira’s not here, I’d better get back home. I’ll stop by Gram’s tomorrow and fill her in.”
Luke shook his head. “I’ll go by tonight and tell her myself. I’ll make sure she comes by your office first thing in the morning.”
“Okay, then. Make certain she does. We need to handle this as quickly as possible. Even though her tourist visa is still in effect, this paperwork needs to be approved before it does run out.”
“I’ll see to it,” Luke promised.
After Connor had gone, he muttered a curse about Kristen’s likely final act of pure spitefulness. Maybe Susie had been right about her all along and he was the one who’d been wearing blinders. What did that say about his judgment?
22
On her second night at Nell’s, Moira had gone to bed, but she hadn’t been able to fall asleep. She’d grown too comfortable falling asleep in Luke’s arms. Being all alone again felt strange and desperately lonely. Rather than trying to force a sleep that wouldn’t come, she got up and made herself a cup of tea, then settled on the sofa with a quilt and the TV remote.
She was trying to focus on some late-night comedian’s jokes when there was a knock on the door. Rattled, she tiptoed over. “Who is it?”
“It’s me. Luke.”
She swung open the door at once, delighted by the interruption. “I thought you’d ruled out all visits,” she said. “Believe me, though, when I tell you that I’m not complaining that you decided to break the rules.”
It dawned on her then that he didn’t look half as thrilled to be here as she was to see him. “You’re not here to make up for lost time, are you?” she asked with a frown.
He did smile at that. “We’ve lost little more than twenty-four hours,” he told her. “Surely we’re both strong enough to weather that.”
She sighed. “I’m not so sure. Well, no matter why you’ve come, I’m glad, and I’m not afraid to admit it.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s nice to be welcomed so warmly,” he said as he came inside.
“I could make the welcome even hotter,” she offered, grabbing his hand, prepared to take him to her room.
“Not so fast,” he said with a shake of his head. “We need to talk.”
Her heart stilled at his words and at the dire expression that went with them. “Is it grandfather? Or Nell? Has something happened to them?” She pulled away and began to pace. “I knew this trip was a terrible idea, that it would be too much for them. They’re far too old to be traipsing around in a big, unfamiliar city, battling with crowds and such.”
“They’re fine,” Luke said, catching hold of her and looking directly into her eyes. “They’re absolutely fine, and having the time of their lives from all reports.”
She wasn’t entirely ready to believe him. “You’ve spoken to them?”
“No, but Mick has. Nell’s called at least twice to keep him from chasing off to check on them himself.”
She finally allowed herself a sigh of relief. If her grandfather and Nell were all right, then nothing else could possibly be so bad.
“If they’re okay, why do you look so unhappy? And what does it have to do with me?”
“Connor stopped by the pub a little while ago,” Luke said, then filled her in on the issues with her paperwork.
As Moira listened, her temper stirred. “Now who do you suppose would be so jealous of me they’d file a report like that?” she asked angrily.
“Stop,” Luke commanded. “It would only be a guess, and it hardly matters now. The important thing is to fix this. You’ll need to see Connor in the morning and get Megan to vouch for you and the upcoming show. I gather it would be helpful if the date were set.”
Moira nodded. “Okay, that’s not so bad, I guess. We can do that first thing tomorrow.”
Luke held up a cautionary hand. “It’s not quite as simple as all that.”
She frowned. “There could be a problem even if Megan vouches for me?”
“Not with getting a temporary work visa, most likely, but it could mean you’d be expected to leave once the show is over,” he explained. “The show sets a time frame for your visit. The consultancy didn’t.”
She blinked at the news, her heart thudding dully. “I’d have to leave, just like that?”
“Connor seems to think so. He could be wrong, of course, but he thought it best for you to be prepared for the possibility.”
“But by then I’ll be back to working with you.”
“He seems to think that won’t fly a second time.”
Moira sank down on the sofa, stunned. “I’d have to go back to Dublin,” she said, her voice flat as she considered the magnitude of that. She met his gaze. “But it’s too soon. I’m not ready.”
“I’ve been thinking about that ever since I spoke to Connor,” Luke said, though he seemed to be avoiding her gaze. He sucked in a deep breath, then added, “There may be another alternative. We’d have to run it past Connor and see if I’m right.”
She studied him suspiciously. He didn’t look overjoyed by this alternative, whatever it was. “What?”
He finally looked her directly in the eye. “We could get married.”
Moira heard the words as if they’d come from very far away. They were the words she’d been dreaming of from the moment she’d arrived here. No, even before that. But not like this. Not just to play a game with immigration rules. Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks,
