An O'Brien Family Christmas (11 page)

“I haven’t really given it a lot of thought,” she claimed.

Matthew was skeptical. Didn’t women start thinking about that kind of thing about five minutes after they started imagining the kind of wedding they wanted?

“Really? Heather certainly knew exactly what she wanted Driftwood Cottage to look like when Connor was having that remodeled for her. Uncle Mick said she had a whole folder crammed with pictures. And, believe me, Susie had very specific ideas for her house with Mack.” He regarded her doubtfully. “You sure you’ve never thought about this?”

“I’ve thought about what I don’t want,” Laila admitted eventually. “I don’t want a house that’s so big and formal that people are scared to have fun in it.”

“Like your parents’ house,” he guessed.

“Exactly,” she said with a shiver. “I’m still surprised at the way Caitlyn and Carrie tear through the place without giving my mother a breakdown. I certainly never felt I could spill anything or leave my toys or schoolbooks lying around.”

“How do you like Susie and Mack’s place?”

Her eyes brightened. “What’s not to love? The views of the water are completely awesome. You did an amazing job of making the rooms airy and bright, yet incredibly cozy.” Her expression turned wistful. “I’d give anything to have a house on a piece of property by the bay.”

Matthew smiled. “Good to know.” Fortunately he had his own piece of property just like it a few feet down the shoreline, thanks to a very wise investment his father had made years ago. The land had been held for Susie, him and Luke. Now he knew exactly the kind of house to put on his lot, something similar to Susie’s, but distinctive in its own ways.

He reached in his pocket for an ever-present piece of paper and pen, then began to sketch. “Something like this?” he asked, shoving the paper in Laila’s direction.

Her eyes widened. “How did you do that with just a few strokes of a pen?”

“You like it?”

“Of course. It’s amazing. I really love the porch and the huge sunroom.”

“Anything you don’t like?”

She shook her head. “You’re a wonderful architect, Matthew. I’m sure it will be incredible. Where are you building it?”

“Next door to Susie and Mack.” He held her gaze. “Eventually.”

Once again, she looked startled. “You own the land next to theirs?”

“Technically Dad does, but he’s giving each of us a piece of it. There will be a sizable lot for Luke whenever he’s ready. Of course, if he persists in thinking he’s crazy about Kristen Lewis, living two doors down from Susie and Mack could be awkward.”

“When will you build your house?” Laila asked, her gaze still drawn to the sketch.

“When the time is right,” he said evasively, then grinned. “That could be just around the corner.”

“Matthew,” she cautioned.

“Not getting ahead of myself,” he insisted. “I’m just saying the property’s there and, thanks to you, I have a rough idea of what to build on it.”

“Sometimes you scare me,” Laila said candidly.

“That’s not my intention.”

“I know that. It’s just that you seem so certain about the future, about what you want, what you think is going to work out. How do you get to that place?” she asked wistfully.

“Do you really want to know?”

She nodded.

He touched a finger to her chin, forced her to meet his gaze, then said with quiet sincerity, “I look into your eyes. That’s all, Laila. That’s the secret. I look into your eyes and see everything I ever wanted.”

Her throat worked at his words. A tear leaked out and spilled down her cheek.

“How am I supposed to resist you when you say things like that?” she whispered in a choked voice.

He smiled at her evident frustration. “You’re not supposed to,” he told her. “You’re supposed to fall madly, passionately in love with me and live happily ever after.”

“I want to,” she admitted.

“What’s holding you back?”

“The part of me that doesn’t believe it’s really possible for dreams to come true,” she said.

“Give it time,” he told her. “Mine certainly have.”

He took her hand, felt her tremble. For a strong woman, she had so many vulnerabilities. He couldn’t imagine why that was.

Oh, some of the blame could be laid at her father’s feet, no doubt about that. Perhaps some belonged to the boys of Chesapeake Shores who’d been shorter than she was back in high school and hadn’t wanted to risk the humiliation of being seen with her.

Some of the fault was probably even his. He had his own well-known track record with women. It was going to take more than sweet words and sincere declarations to convince her that his intentions were not only honorable, but lasting. That was okay, though, because he knew his own heart, even if she didn’t.

“Let’s dance,” he said, pulling her to her feet.

It was a fast song, just what they needed to lighten the mood, but she held back.

“I’m not the world’s best dancer,” she warned. “I’m liable to step all over your feet. I’m renowned for my clumsiness.”

Despite her voiced reluctance, her gaze as she looked at the other couples on the floor was envious. Matthew persisted.

“I’m well-known for being quick on my feet,” he countered. “And we’re here where no one knows us. Who cares if we make complete spectacles of ourselves, as long as we’re having fun?”

She smiled then and followed him to the dance floor, her movements perfectly in time to the music, if not terribly practiced.

“See,” he said. “You’re not half-bad.”

“Which is barely more than half-good,” she said, laughing. “Once again you’ve worked your magic. You’ve gotten me past my fear of looking ridiculous.”

“That’s my mission in life,” he said solemnly. “I won’t be happy till you see yourself as I do.”

The music changed to something slow, and he drew her into his arms, held her close until she sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn’t quite as good as getting her into his bed, but he understood why some people thought of dancing as the next best thing to making love in public. She fit him perfectly, moved with him exquisitely. And stirred him as no other woman had ever done. Stirred him a little too much, if the truth was told.

He gazed into her eyes. “Let’s get out of here, okay?”

“And?”

“Go for a walk,” he said nobly.

She smiled. “Is that what you really want to do?”

“No, but I know the rules. And to stick to them right now a long, chilly walk back to the hotel is just exactly what I need.”

“I appreciate the effort,” she said solemnly.

“I surely hope so, because this could kill me.”

“I hope not, because I have big plans for you.”

Startled, he looked into her laughing eyes. “Big plans?”

She nodded. “Eventually.”

He sighed. “Now you’re just tormenting me.”

“Yes, I am,” she said proudly.

He was glad she was happy about that, because he found it a little disturbing that she had that much power over him. Or maybe what really terrified him was knowing that he had absolutely no desire to run away. He was in this for the long haul, no question about it.

7

N
ell had taken to slipping out of the hotel in the afternoon when everyone else assumed she was asleep in her room. She’d thought she was long past the days when sneaking around would appeal to her, but apparently even at her age she liked the idea of defying convention to slip off with a lover of whom her family disapproved.

Not that she and Dillon were lovers, of course. He’d stolen a few kisses, but that was more than enough for the time being. She couldn’t imagine the idea of sex at her age. Then again, he was a robust, healthy man, so who knew what might happen down the road? If Mick was upset by her seeing Dillon, what on earth would he think if he knew where her thoughts were wandering these days? She chuckled as she tried to envision that conversation.

“What has you smiling?” Dillon asked, as he poured her tea in the back room of the tobacco shop.

“Just wondering what my son would think if he knew I wasn’t sound asleep in my room at the hotel,” she said.

To her surprise, Dillon frowned. “I’m not sure how happy I am about these secret meetings of ours. We’ve nothing to be ashamed of, Nell. I’d like to meet your family, get to know them.”

“You’ve met Matthew,” she reminded him, suddenly feeling defensive. “And Susie, of course.”

“But not your sons,” he said. “Clearly their opinions are the ones that really matter. I don’t understand why you’re so reluctant to introduce us.”

Flustered by his apparent dismay, she set down her teacup and reached for his hand. “It’s not that I’m ashamed or embarrassed or anything remotely like that,” she assured him. “I think openness in a family is important. In fact, I was one of the first to speak out when I discovered that Matthew and Laila had been keeping their relationship a secret.”

Momentarily distracted from their situation, Dillon regarded her with bewilderment. “They’re so obviously in love. Why would they do such a thing?”

Nell shook her head. “I gather Laila was worried about the age difference and, to be honest, Matthew had a bit of a reputation as a ladies’ man. She held a responsible position at her father’s bank and worried that he would find fault.”

She uttered a sigh. “As it turned out, that’s exactly what happened. When Lawrence Riley discovered the truth, he ranted and raved about the appearance of impropriety, her lack of judgment and so on. Laila quit her job, then came to resent Matthew for the whole debacle. They split up. This trip is an attempt at reconciliation, this time with everything out in the open.”

Dillon gave her a thoughtful look. “And did you learn nothing from their experience?”

“Well, of course, I did,” she said impatiently. “Didn’t I just say that hiding things is a mistake?”

“And why does the same lesson not apply to us?”

She sighed. He had a point. She could hardly deny it. “It’s just that Mick, my oldest son, has a view of me that doesn’t allow for me being anything more than his mother and a grandmother to his children. I suppose it’s always been true that children have difficulty seeing their parents as individual men and women with their own needs and desires and dreams. I’m pretty sure Mick thinks all of that ended for me when his father died.”

“Do you suppose your other sons—Jeff and Thomas, is it—see it the same way?”

She smiled. “I doubt it. Thomas has just recently married for the third time. He’ll be tolerant, if only because he expected the same from me. And Jeff is the most easygoing of all of them. He’s also married to a very sensible woman.” She paused, smiling. “So is Mick, for that matter, but Megan has a harder time getting through to him. His stubborn streak is legendary.”

“I’d like to meet them all,” Dillon said. “You won’t be in Dublin forever, Nell. Before you know it, the holidays will be over and you’ll be heading home.”

Still she hesitated. In some ways she wanted to keep these stolen hours and days to herself, to create memories she could treasure, rather than deal with the risk of censure that was likely, at least from Mick. She wanted nothing to spoil this time.

“What is it now? What have you not said?” he asked.

“How would I explain you?” she asked simply.

A smile spread across his face then, and a booming laugh filled the small room.

“At our age, it’s hard to imagine that we need to be explaining ourselves to anyone,” he said, his lips twitching. “But you could start by telling them I’m an old friend. Or in the interest of total disclosure, an old flame.” His grin spread. “Or perhaps as a potential lover.”

She smiled. “That would definitely stir the pot, though I imagine Susie’s filled them in on what she knows of our past history. It’s the present I’m more concerned about, and suggesting that we might become lovers is most definitely a bad idea. I’m quite sure Mick would end up hospitalized right here in Dublin.” She gave him a pointed look. “Perhaps with you right alongside him.”

Dillon rested a hand against her cheek, his gaze softening. “Do we need a definition, Nell? We’ve a lot of feelings yet to explore, some old, some new. Until we’ve sorted them out, perhaps it’s best to stick with friendship. That much is undeniable.”

Ah, there it was, she thought, relaxing. Dillon was an old and dear friend who knew more of her past in Ireland than anyone else alive. There was a comfort in being with him, an ease that she’d never expected to find again. And the once-familiar twinkle in his eye, well, if that made her heart sing just a little, there was no reason to deny herself that.

She nodded slowly, coming to a decision. “Okay, my old
friend,
you’ll join us tonight.”

“I’ll pick you up at the hotel, then,” he said, looking pleased.

“You could meet us at the pub,” she suggested.

“And leave room for anyone to think it was a chance encounter?” He shook his head. “There’s an expression I’ve heard young people use, Nell. It’s ‘all-in.’
I’m
all-in, ready to go public. How about you?”

She hesitated one last time, then chuckled at the ridiculousness of it. She was in her eighties, not eighteen. She was the matriarch of this family, not a child to be watched over and controlled.

“Well, when you put it that way, what else is there to say?” she told him. “I’m all-in, too.”

But she just might give Megan fair warning so she could prepare Mick and assure he’d be on his best behavior. Otherwise the Dublin skies were likely to be lit up with unexpected fireworks!

“I hear dinner tonight’s a command performance,” Laila said to Jess when she, Connie and Laila had once again gathered for tea and more girl talk. Today Susie had joined them as well, though thus far she’d been mostly silent. “Any idea what that’s about?”

“Gram is bringing her beau,” Susie announced, her eyes alight.

“Oh, you’re all going to love him,” Laila said. “He’s a sweetheart.”

Jess’s gaze narrowed. “That’s right, you and Susie have already met him. Is Dad right to be worried?”

“For a man who couldn’t wait to marry off his children, Uncle Mick has some really old-fashioned ideas about Gram and romance,” Susie replied. “Laila’s been with them more recently than I have, but the look in Mr. O’Malley’s eyes when he first saw Gram made me want to cry. It was so sweet. She said they were old friends, but I suspect there was a lot more to it that we don’t know.”