Page 56 of What Love Can Do

Panic began to swirl through her right until she saw the piece of paper that was lying where the journal had been. With a trembling hand, she picked it up.

And smiled.

Heading downstairs, she raced to her car and took off, driving the five minutes it took to get to the bridge, where Quinn had asked her to meet him. It made sense. It was, after all, the place he associated most with his mother, the first place he’d wanted to visit when he arrived in Forestville. It was also the place where he and Lilly had made their own memories, talking, getting to know one another, and declaring their love for one another before making love in the shed. She imagined him waiting for her, dangling his legs in the river. But when she arrived, he wasn’t there.

Disappointed, she walked down the path to the bridge.

Then she saw it.

Lying on the wooden planks, in the spot where they’d sat together talking about life and laughing, was a bouquet of daisies. Tucked into the ribbon, a piece of paper fluttered in the breeze. Lilly pulled it out and unfolded it.

I love you, Lil. No matter what. Wait for me.

Twenty-Three

Quinn slowed his car to make the turn toward Langley Bridge.

After waiting an hour for Lilly to show by the bridge with no sign of her, Quinn had left to talk to Paul Brennan at Mulligan’s for the third time that day, but only after Quinn talked to all his brothers, including Con, about his plan to buy the pub and only after leaving Lilly the flowers he’d bought for her. By then, he’d known there was no way Lilly had left for good without telling him goodbye. She’d be back at some point, but just in case she got to the bridge before he returned, he’d left the flowers and his note. Now, things with Paul settled, knowing that he had his brothers’ full support and that they’d be helping him with renovating and opening the pub even if it didn’t mean they’d all stay in America for good, Quinn was determined to wait all day and all night for Lilly if he had to.

He turned down the road, driving the seventy or so meters before he saw her hazy form in the distance. In her hands were his flowers.

She waved tentatively. Heart beating hard, he parked next to her car. Without a word, walking as fast as he could, he made his way to her. Uncertain whether she was still angry with him, he stopped right in front of her, shoving his hands into his pockets when all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and kiss her. “Hi, Lil.”

“Hi,” she said.

He tapped the petals of one daisy. “I see you found the flowers. And my note.”

“Yes. Yes I did.” She hesitated a moment. Opened her mouth as if to say something. Then she shut it.

And launched herself into Quinn’s arms.

They embraced and kissed with urgency, as if they’d been separated for years instead of two days. It would always be this way for them when they were reunited, he thought.

Eventually, their kisses slowed and lightened to whisper soft caresses until finally, he pulled back. “Lil, I’m so sorry about the way I behaved yesterday. I was angry and stressed out of my mind wondering what to do with my life, but I had no right leaving the way I did.”

“God, no, Quinn. You had every right. I mean, holy crap, you looked to me for love and solidarity, and I couldn’t stand up to my mom right then. I’m sorry, Quinn.”

“It’s alright.” He came up to her and lifted her chin. What a doll face she had. He could never get over just how beautiful she was. “We’re together now. And that’s how I want it to stay. Even when it’s not possible to be physically together, I want our hearts to be one. Is that what you still want?”

“God, yes! I won’t lie. I’m still scared, Quinn. I never expected to fall in love right before going off on an adventure.”

“I never expected to fall in love right after going off on one.” Their lips touched again, and he soaked in the scent of her skin, the way her hair smelled. He tasted the saltiness of tears on her lips and cheeks and instinctively swiped across her eyelids.

She broke the kiss, pressing her forehead into his. “What have you done to me?”

“I can think of a few things.” A hard slap bounced off his arm. He laughed. “Ow, woman! I could say the same, you know. I don’t know what you’ve done to me, and it’s a cruel practical joke of life that you’re leaving just as I’m staying.”

Light brown eyebrows furrowed over spectacular diamond blue eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I’m staying, Lil. I’ve been with Paul at Mulligan’s and he’s selling it to me. Once they get here, my brothers are going to extend their trip to help me get the place renovated and up and running. We’ll have to change the name of it. Something like The Cranky Yankee but Irish, a little more upscale. I want to target a more professional crowd, young wine country tourists with money to spend.”

A smile spread across her cheeks. “The Bubblin’ Dublin?”

He laughed. “The Roguish Irish?”

He loved it when she clucked her tongue and smiled sexily.

“I like that. Hmm…what about The Stylish Irish? That sounds more trendy, doesn’t it?” Her hand slipped into his, as her cheek rested against his chest.

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