Page 117 of After Indigo Irish Nights
“Isn’t she dead?” Ellie asked, which made them all laugh.
Her brothers edged over as more crashes and curses came from the kitchen, Robbie leading the way.
“You’re Irish.” He gestured to Declan. “You know how to get rid of a ghost?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be standing here,” Declan said with an endearing grin.
And thank God, Kathleen thought, as her brothers exchanged another round of looks before rushing into the kitchen like linebackers, pots clanking loudly as chaos ensued.
Said ghost appeared beside them and grinned. “It’s important to have a good time while finding love. Now kiss her. I’ve got them good and distracted.”
Then she winked and disappeared.
Having a good time while finding love. Kathleen couldn’t think of anything better.
She leaned over and kissed Declan, their mouths moving slowly, relearning, rediscovering, all the while bedlam reigned in the kitchen.
When her brothers darted out of the kitchen yelling like little schoolgirls, she couldn’t help but laugh gustily. Declan was grinning from ear to ear.
“Welcome to the family,” she said, leaning in for another kiss.
The scent of oranges surrounded them yet again, reminding Kathleen of all the reasons home was where the heart was.
EPILOGUE
Busy, busy, busy.
That was Bets’ every waking hour right now, and she loved it.
She glanced at the open newspaper on her bed featuring an article on the Sorcha Fitzgerald Arts Center that had just run—inThe New York Times! Sophie’s press release had been like Helen launching a thousand ships. The artist was the new face of the arts center worldwide at the moment. She’d be arriving in late August before school began, and Bets was fielding interviews and inquiries right and left.
When this was what she focused on, it felt like life couldn’t be better.
She hummed along with some Bon Jovi she had playing as she fussed with the dress she was wearing for Kathleen and Declan’s wedding. Goodness, that couple! They’d gotten married in Boston last week and then sent out hasty invitations for another ceremony with their Irish friends and family, scheduled for today. Sorcha must be pleased.
“You’re not dressed yet, Mum,” Liam said from the open door of her bedroom. “We need to be at the church soon.”
She gestured to the rare curlers in her hair, ones she’d decided to use in a moment of vanity. “I only have a few more minutes before I can take these out. Don’t you look handsome.”
He tugged on the lapel of his blue suit and shot her that endearing smile of his. “Why, thank you. We Irish clean up pretty well. You finally ready to talk to me about why you asked me to be your date today?”
No, she really wasn’t.
She did her best not to scowl as she fussed with her curlers. It wasn’t that she wanted to deny that she and Donal were finished. They were. Everyone in the village seemed to know. After all, he had left for another long trip, this time to France with his father. It didn’t take a brainiac to figure out what that meant. Thankfully, the Irish were kind. Okay, everyone but Mary Kincaid and her lot. No one else was going to say a word to her other than the Lucky Charms—who had brought wine and comfort—and her son here, of course.
“Maybe not today,” she said, reaching for the first curler and unrolling it. “The Irish would say it’s bad luck to talk about a breakup on the day of a wedding.”
Liam came over and wrapped his arms around her. “I thought it was going that way with you and Donal, but we can talk of it another day if you want. You know I’ve been waiting for you to be ready.”
She loved that he never rushed her. “Thank you. I just want to focus on everything we have to do for the arts center right now and our good fortune. I mean, we have a wedding today and the baptism for Angie and Carrick’s daughter next weekend. Isn’t she a peach?”
“As beautiful as a star,” Liam said of Emeline Fitzgerald. “Carrick is already saying she clenches her tiny fist like her mother does when she holds a paintbrush.”
That got Bets to thinking. “I need to add kid paintbrushes to my list for the new children’s center. You have your hands full, building all these new sheds.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I have good help. We’re certainly going to be busy this summer with it all, won’t we?”
Yes, and Bets couldn’t be more thrilled. Because then she wouldn’t have to think about Linc and how much she missed him. He’d been keeping himself occupied with other things too. They’d fallen into a weird new routine of texting and emailing, and the professional tone of their exchanges was going to give her ulcers.
