Page 23 of Against Ebony Irish Seas

Jamie didn’t think Bets believed a word of what she’d just said. No one did. But it did get him to thinking about the possibility of Sophie releasing her preliminary design to the public as well. He might mention it over dinner tonight. Only…

Should he talk about the arts center on their date?

He’d only ever been on dates with local women. Usually they’d gone to school together or he knew friends of hers. There were no surprising revelations. With Sophie, there were whole parts of her life swathed in mystery. Wasn’t that what he was supposed to ask about? If he talked about work, did that make it less of a date somehow? He turned to look at Carrick. Maybe he should ask his brother after the meeting.

“I’ll call Tom today,” Linc told them, chuckling when Bets wrote it down. “That’sT-O-M—”

“Oh, put a sock in it, cowboy,” she said, but her lips twitched as she wrote her note and held it up for him to see.

“Nice spelling job,” he said with another laugh. “I thought Tom might meet with the Irish construction company everyone says is the only company who can do the job we’re looking for on time and to budget.”

“We have one of those, do we?” Eoghan asked. “News to me. Usually contractors here—”

“Let’s not talk about the state of the Irish construction field,” Carrick said with a groan. “Trying to make an addition to our cottage is an ongoing nightmare. They were supposed to be finished by the time Emeline was born, and they only just started. I’m thinking I might need to build it myself in my spare time.”

“What spare time?” Donal asked with a smile. “Five hundred sheep and a new baby not filling the hours?”

Carrick rubbed his eyes. “If I sleep standing up like my sheep, it takes less time. Even so, I can meet at the pub with our nonvoting members. I want to do my part.”

Donal waved him off. “Forget it, man. Go home to your wife. Linc and I have this one since Dad is home with his sweetheart.”

“We’re babysitting Greta tonight actually,” Eoghan gleefully informed everyone.

Jamie wanted to crawl under the nearest table.

“Since our wonderful teacher and board member is taking Sophie out for dinner tonight,” the older man finished with his usual mischief.

“I thought I saw the way of things last night,” Donal said with a smile. “Good for you.”

“That’s enough of that,” Jamie said, holding up a hand. “Are we through here?”

“No word on hiring an assistant, Bets?” Nicola asked. “I would offer up my lovely daughter but I need her at the bookshop.”

“The candidates just aren’t…what I want from our last run in the county papers, and it makes me dread some of the future hirings I know we’ll need as we grow.”

Linc started ticking items off his fingers. “Like public relations and more teachers for—”

“Stop or I’ll start crying.” Bets made another note and then scratched it out. “I think we’d get better candidates from posting the job inThe Irish Times, but housing is part of the problem, and it’s just gotten that much harder.”

“Let’s cross that bridge when we get to it, as the Yanks say,” Carrick chipped in. “I say put it in the national paper and see what happens.”

“Then it’s decided.” Linc kicked back with a smile. “Anything else on your list, Madam Chairman?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” She gave a simpering look. “But no, we’re good at the moment. Lots of balls in the air—”

“And corrupt jackals circling for a kill,” Eoghan said, rubbing his hands together. “With me involved in my ninety-third year, having just moved in with my girlfriend. Isn’t life a wonder?”

Jamie did his best to hold on to his wonder as the group congratulated him on his date and wished him well. Finally, they all started making their way out, but he stopped Carrick by the door with a hand to his arm.

His brother waved to Donal before turning to give him his full attention. “What’s on your mind?”

If there was anything Jamie hated it was feeling unknowledgeable about a subject, but there was nothing for it. He needed help. “A question. I’m thinking about my date with Sophie tonight. I guess I’m…wondering… Would it send the wrong message to talk about the arts center and my ideas for the children’s art curriculum?”

“Like she’d think it was a work date or something?”

Jamie nodded, heat rising in his face.

“Tricky. I can see both sides. Wait a sec. I have an idea.”

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