Page 18 of The Bossy One

“Absolutely.”

As I walked out the bookstore, it occurred to me I no longer had only one friend in Ireland.

I had two.

5

DECLAN

“And then we saw a guy playing the violin who had an orange scarf, and we put money in his jar,” Catie said as she shoved gourmet macaroni and cheese into her mouth at dinner. When my chef heard Catie was coming for the summer, she’d enthusiastically embraced the menu challenge.

Olivia smiled at Catie with real affection in her eyes as she ate. It lessened some of the guilt I felt about essentially abandoning Catie with a stranger her first day in Ireland.

Catie was still talking. “And then we went to the bookstore, and we bought a book, and Miss Olivia made a friend, and then I asked if we could go in the toy store, but Miss Olivia said not today.”

Olivia stiffened.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Did she?”

Olivia shoveled macaroni and cheese into her face, her expression overly innocent. Her terrible poker face would have been cute, if I wasn’t annoyed at her for blatantly ignoring my instructions.

“Also, there was a stuffed animal dragon at the bookshop,” Catie continued blithely.

“Maybe they’ll sell it to me,” I deadpanned, mostly to get a rise out of Olivia.

Olivia’s eyes sparked. “Not everything’s for sale.”

“Most things are,” I countered.

“When’s my mom coming?” Catie interrupted. “Is she done at the hospital yet?”

Olivia and I instantly shifted our attention back to Catie.

“What do you mean, honey?” Olivia asked.

“Mom said she had to see a doctor while I visited Uncle Declan and Grandma, and that she would come here to get me when she was done,” Catie explained. “And it only takes a day for a doctor’s visit. Unless you break your leg, then you have to go back and take the cast off.”

My heart ached. That’s why Catie seemed to be handling everything so well. She thought her mum would be here soon. “The kind of visit your mum needs takes a lot longer than one day, love. I’m afraid she won’t be here till August. But I promise, we’ll have so much fun. And you can call her every night. She loves you very much, and I’m sure she misses you, too—but she needs this time to get better.”

Catie looked back and forth between me and Olivia, her voice rising in pitch. “What do you mean? Is she really sick? Is that why she has to stay so long?”

“No, no she’s fine,” I reassured.

“Then why isn’t shehere?”

Olivia’s face gentled. She took a deep breath. “Catie, your uncle’s right. The most important things for you to remember are that your mom loves you and that she is going to be absolutely fine. The truth is—”

“The truth is, your mum got an important work opportunity,” I cut in. “We’re all very proud of her, but it means she has to stay in the States for the next two months. But she’ll meet you here in August, just like I said.”

Catie thought this over, eyes big and uncertain.

Olivia opened her mouth, and I shot her aDon’t you darelook.

Olivia closed her mouth.

Catie nodded decisively. “I want to go home, then. Mom and I can come visit you together once her job is done.”

Shit, I thought. I hadn’t anticipated that. “That’s not realistic, love. Plane flights cost money. And besides, we want to let your mum focus on her important work. I promise we’ll have fun here. We can go to the toy store—”

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