Page 105 of Against Ebony Irish Seas

“And mobile homes,” she said with a laugh. “Linc is thinking we might become a premier children’s program in a few years if we manage to find the right teachers and physical infrastructure. Your mother has offered to teach, by the way, and is talking to other retired teachers about helping out this summer.”

He gave a soft smile. “That does my heart happy. Goodness, we’re going to need a bigger shed.”

Ireland and their sheds! “Linc is now contemplating having another world-renowned architect design a state-of-the-art school specifically for children. But that’s going to take time.”

“We have a lot of building ahead,” he mused as she took his arm and led him to the corner of the parking lot for more privacy.

They were close to finishing their business talk. Now she planned to do what Ghislaine had said and make up. She twined her arms around his neck as they stopped under a towering sycamore tree. He drew her closer, sighing with her as they felt the homecoming of each other’s touch.

“Wedohave a lot of building. Ours. I missed you, Jamie.”

He ran his hands up her sides longingly. “And I missed you every moment. With all my heart. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

She felt the catch of pain in her throat. He had, but he hadn’t meant to, and that made it easier to forgive. “I believe we’ve covered that. I was trying to steer us toward a reconciliation.”

“I thought we’d already— Oh, for the love of— Ah… How much reconciliation do you have in your mind,mo chroí?”

He was looking over her shoulder, wincing. When she tried to turn around to see why, he held her firm. “Jamie! What—”

“Were you truly hearing wedding bells earlier, or do you need more time to be knowing the way of things between us?”

His words held an urgency she didn’t understand. “With a matchmaking ghost behind us and the love I have in my heart, I’m pretty sure about us.”

“One hundred percent sure?” he pressed. “I need an answer now,mo chroí.”

“Jamie, for heaven’s sake, yes, I’m one hundred percent sure.”

His breath came out with fervor, and then he kissed her softly but swiftly on the lips. “Then stay here, I beg you, and don’t turn around until I tell you.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What—”

“Your promise, Sophie.”

He waited for her to nod, then kissed her again and left. Behind her, there was a flurry of whispered conversation she couldn’t make out and then the tick-tick-tick of something on the pavement.

“You can turn around,mo chroí,” he called out right as she heard the baying of a sheep.

Spinning around, she pressed her hand to her mouth as wonder and joy swelled within her. Jamie held a rope with four sheep tied together, and with the words painted on them, they asked a simple question.

Will you marry me?

He gestured to Keegan, who was standing off to the right, grinning as if he’d just shot a cow—or sheep—to the moon.

“Keegan says Sorcha told him to do this,” Jamie began, “so I can’t be taking credit for it. But since you’re one hundred percent certain, I’ll be asking the question, since I can’t have you marrying sheep. In all my days, I never imagined sheep would play a part in my proposal. She’s laughing for sure, Sorcha is.”

Right then, Sophie could have sworn she heard a trill of female laughter, but she couldn’t take her eyes from Jamie to look around for the ghost.

He walked over slowly, leading the sheep until he was standing in front of her. Then he sank onto one knee. The sheep in the front position took this as an opportunity to nuzzle his face, which he deftly tried to avoid by putting his arm around her neck. Then he lifted his gaze to Sophie’s, love brightening his cobalt eyes.

“Sophie, my one and only love, will you marry me?”

The sheep bayed and nudged him. “Her, not you,” Jamie said, trying not to laugh.

She edged a little closer and then, because she could see the scene in her mind so clearly, she called out to Keegan, “Do you have a sheep withYeson it?”

He pumped the air with a sturdy fist. “Yes! I’ll be just a moment.”

“Oh, don’t be encouraging him,” Jamie said with a groan. “He might not even have brought a sheep with the wordYeson it. We could be waiting another half hour before he arranges it.”

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