“It’s far from a done deal,” Laila said quickly.
Connie and Jess exchanged an amused look.
“That’s what you think,” Connie said.
Jess nodded agreement. “Don’t you know by now that O’Briens always get what they want?”
Laila’s heart skipped a beat or two at the realization that they were exactly right. And what Matthew clearly wanted was her
and
a family.
“Good girl-talk?” Matthew inquired with an amused look when he picked Laila up in her room to go to Dillon O’Malley’s for dinner.
Laila frowned at the question. “How do you know about that?”
“Will told Mack he was having a perfectly wonderful afternoon with his wife when you called and Jess went running off to meet you in the bar. She came back a little tipsy, by the way. Mack mentioned to Susie that there was some kind of crisis and Jess and Connie were called in. Susie asked me what was going on.” He shrugged. “The usual grapevine.”
“I knew this was a bad idea,” she grumbled in an undertone.
“What?”
“Getting any more involved with an O’Brien. One of you is enough trouble. Together, you’re beyond daunting.”
“I can have them all back off,” Matthew offered. “Of course, you were the one who sent out the distress call today. What was it about, anyway?”
“Doesn’t really matter,” she said.
“Was it what we talked about this morning?” he persisted. “The whole kid thing?”
She seemed reluctant to answer, but she finally nodded. “The implication of the whole kid thing.”
“But you’re in a better place now? No more panic?”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far. Could we not talk about this right now? Let’s just focus on being supportive of Nell tonight. Aren’t you curious to see Dillon O’Malley’s home and to meet his family?”
“Not half as curious as Mick is. When he found out Nell was going over there at five, he wanted to follow her instead of waiting till seven like the rest of us.”
“Megan stopped him, I assume.”
“Not without a struggle. I believe Jeff and Thomas had to rush in and provide a little muscle.”
Laila stared at him. “Are you serious?”
“You know Mick. What do you think?”
She shook her head. “It’s promising to be quite an evening.”
“That it is,” Matthew said. “We could skip it.”
“Not on your life. If there are fireworks, I want to be there.”
“By the way, I told Luke he could ride over with us. Is that okay with you? He’s feeling like a bit of an outsider since everyone else in the family is paired off at the moment.”
“It’s fine with me. Where is he?”
“I sent him ahead to get a taxi. He should be waiting for us out front.”
Laila gave him a chiding look. “Why didn’t you say something sooner? I’ve been dawdling as if we had all the time in the world.”
“We do,” Matthew said. “Believe me, I’d rather be right here in this room with you than over there for the inquisition.”
She gave him a look of disgust. “It’s not going to be like that. We’ll see to it.”
“You have a lot more faith in our skills at mediation than I do,” he said as he followed her from the room.
Outside they found Luke waiting with a taxi, looking as unexcited about the evening’s prospects as Matthew felt.
“I still say we should have the driver drop us at a pub,” Luke said. “I even spotted a busy Italian restaurant over by Trinity College earlier. It was packed with people our age. You could smell the garlic and tomato sauce clear out on the street.”
“Not on your life,” Laila protested. “Give the driver Dillon’s address.”
The taxi took them to a nearby suburb with lush, if small, lawns and impressive houses. Matthew whistled.
“This place should allay some of Mick’s fears,” Matthew said. “It’s quite a few steps above a hovel. Obviously Dillon’s done well for himself.”
“Who knew a little tobacco shop could do this well?” Luke added.
“Dillon has a few other businesses,” Laila told them. “Which you would know if either of you had bothered to talk to him.”
Matthew regarded her with surprise. “What sort of businesses?”
“There are a few more tobacco shops in outlying villages,” she told him. “A wee bit of landscaping, as he put it, but I gathered it’s a whole lot more than that. In fact he and Jake have a lot in common. They were talking about it at the pub last night.”
Matthew shook his head. “There goes Mick’s last hope that the man was after Gram’s money.”
As soon as they rang the doorbell, it was opened by a young Irish woman about Luke’s age with a peaches-and-cream complexion, black hair and blue eyes that snapped with anger.
“You must be some of the visiting Americans,” she said. “Here to bring joy to the holidays.”
Matthew swallowed a chuckle, then noticed that Luke was studying her with evident fascination.
“You don’t seem all that happy to see us,” Luke commented. “And why is that? We’re harmless enough.”
“Moira, why are our guests still standing outside?” Dillon boomed, giving what had to be his granddaughter a chiding look. “That’s no way to treat company.”
“They’re your company, not mine,” she retorted.
Dillon shook his head as she walked away without an apology or a backward glance. He invited them into a large foyer that featured boughs of richly scented evergreen entwined with lights along the rails of a wide staircase. A large Waterford crystal bowl sat on a center table and was filled with lavish sprigs of holly and shining red Christmas balls.
While Matthew took in their surroundings, he noted that his brother’s gaze had followed Moira.
“Charming girl,” Luke said and actually seemed to mean it.
Dillon merely shook his head. “My granddaughter, Moira. She’s not happy about being here. In fact, as near as I can tell, she’s not happy about anything these days. Either that or she’s simply intent on seeing the rest of us miserable.”
“Perhaps I can coax her out of her mood,” Luke offered eagerly.
He handed his coat to Matthew, then went off in the direction Moira had taken, disappearing into what was apparently a living room with a large Christmas tree that twinkled with white lights and more decorations than Matthew had ever seen before. For a widower Dillon had taken great care with seeing that his home was festive. Matthew couldn’t help wondering if that was for his grandmother’s benefit, or just family tradition.
Dillon’s troubled gaze followed Luke. “I don’t hold out much hope for his success with cheering my granddaughter.”
“Oh, Luke has a way with women,” Matthew assured him. “Moira seems to present exactly the sort of challenge he’s been missing on this trip.”
“Has anyone else arrived?” Laila asked.
“Only Nell’s here so far. She’s in the kitchen trying to give my daughter, Kiera, a few pointers on entertaining a crowd of this size.” He shook his head, his expression gloomy. “That’s not going so well, either.”
Laila laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. Matthew, are you coming with me?”
“Maybe I should check on Luke.”
“Has your brother ever wanted or needed your help with a woman?” she asked.
“You have a point. Dillon, what else can I do?”
“You can help me get the bar ready, if you wouldn’t mind.”
Matthew nodded. “I’d be happy to.”
Matthew cast a look after Laila as she went in the direction Dillon had pointed out to her, then turned to their host. “It was very generous of you to invite all of us to your home. Are you sure it was a good idea?”
Dillon laughed. “I knew it would make Nell happy, and I wanted her to meet my family. I swear, though, they seem intent on making yours look downright welcoming by comparison. Moira’s sullen, Kiera’s rude and my grandsons have taken off for who knows where. Quite likely the pub down the street. I have no idea what Nell must think of us.”
“No one understands twisted family dynamics better than the O’Briens,” Matthew said, taking pity on him. “Gram won’t hold their behavior against you.” He gave the older man a sly look. “She seems quite taken with you.”
Dillon regarded him with amusement. “Are you asking whether my intentions are honorable, young man?”
Matthew shrugged. “I don’t have a lot of practice at that sort of thing, but I suppose I am.”
“My intentions were honorable enough to suit Nell’s grandfather when he allowed me to see her all those years ago, and they are now.”
“But you live in Dublin and Gram’s life is across the ocean now,” Matthew reminded him. “How do you intend to work that out?”
“You’re a step or two ahead of us,” Dillon said. “But if decisions need to be made, I assure you your grandmother and I are capable of making the ones that are right for us.”
Matthew understood that Dillon was warning him off, but he couldn’t help asking, “But you do foresee some kind of a future with her?”
Dillon smiled. “Some kind? Yes. It could be nothing more than a rekindled friendship with shared memories, or something more. As I said before, Matthew, we haven’t defined it, haven’t even discussed it for that matter. We’re content to be living in the moment. There’s a lesson to be had in that, I think.”
“And here all I can think about is the future,” Matthew countered.
“Because you’re young enough to have a long, open road spread out ahead of you,” Dillon said mildly. “Nell and I are at the end of ours. Neither of us knows what tomorrow could bring. Today is what we have. We’ll make the very best of it.”
He held Matthew’s gaze with a directness Matthew couldn’t help appreciating, then added, “And we’ll do it thoughtfully.”
Matthew smiled at his clear-eyed view of the situation and the carefully disguised hint of censure in his voice.
“For whatever it’s worth, you have my blessing,” he told Dillon. “You still have a sales job to do with my uncle Mick.”
“Believe me, I’m well aware that he’s going to be a hard sell,” Dillon told him. “But when it comes down to it, Nell’s approval is the one that counts the most. If I can make her truly happy, then I trust that she raised the kind of family that will be glad for her.”
They’d just managed to put the bottles of wine and whiskey out, along with an impressive variety of obviously expensive crystal glasses, when Moira came storming past, a scowl on her face.
“That man is impossible,” she declared, grabbing a coat off a peg in the hallway. “I’m out of here.”
“To go where?” Dillon demanded.
“Anywhere he isn’t,” she said, her heated gaze warning Luke to stay behind. The door slammed behind her.
“That obviously went well,” Matthew said, laughing.
Luke had the genuinely bewildered look of a man not used to rejection. “I think she actually hates me,” he said.
Dillon’s laughter joined Matthew’s. “Son, she hasn’t singled you out. Our Moira hates everyone today, and I’ve no idea why.”
Luke’s expression turned determined. “Well, I intend to find out.”
Matthew moved to stop him. “Don’t you think you should stay out of it? The two of you have barely met and it hasn’t gone well so far. Besides, the rest of the family will be here soon.”
“Oh, I’ll be back before dinner’s served,” Luke said, sounding grimly sure of himself. He gave Dillon a weak smile. “Hopefully in one piece and with Moira in tow.”
“I wish you luck,” Dillon said, then watched him leave. “Is he the kind of man who needs a bit of challenge in his life?” he asked Matthew.
“Seems that way. He hasn’t had nearly enough of them.”
“Well, if that’s what he’s after, he’ll not do better than Moira. She’s been turning her mother’s hair gray for years, and I’ve considered tearing mine out over her.”
Matthew chuckled. “Then they’re well suited,” Matthew assured him.
It was already turning out to be quite an eventful evening, and Mick had yet to put in an appearance.
11
N
ell thought she’d been demonstrating great restraint with Kiera. Because Kiera was Dillon’s daughter and this had once been her home, Nell took deliberate care not to lay claim to the kitchen and take over the dinner preparations. Her efforts at diplomacy were wasted.
She told herself Kiera’s obvious resentment of every carefully phrased suggestion was understandable. She’d come here expecting a traditional family holiday, and now she was about to be surrounded by strangers, one of whom shared a past with her father. It must be terribly disconcerting to discover her father had a history with someone other than her mother, a history she’d not even known about. Nell understood because Mick, Thomas and Jeff were struggling with the same knowledge in their own ways.
“I’m sorry that tonight’s dinner has overburdened you,” she said, trying yet again to reach out to the unhappily divorced woman who was only in her late forties, but looked older. “I’m willing to help with whatever needs to be done.”
“It’s my father’s house,” Kiera responded ungraciously. “He can invite anyone he likes here.”
“But you’d been expecting a family holiday, I’m sure. And now you’ve all these visitors descending on you.”
Kiera was silent for a moment, then admitted, “To be honest, it takes some of the pressure off, you know. My father and I haven’t always been close. We reconciled for my mother’s sake before she died.” She gave Nell a resigned look. “I imagine he told you that. It’s his way of letting people know not to expect a joyous family gathering.”
“He mentioned there had been some distance between you at one time,” Nell admitted. “He believes you’re closer now. At least, he wants that to be true.”
Kiera shrugged. “If the occasional holiday meal counts, then we are, but we’ll never be the traditional warm and fuzzy family.”
Nell laughed. “Few families are, at least all of the time. Believe me, we’ve had our differences in mine. My sons, who’ll be here tonight, were barely speaking for years. The holiday meals, which I insisted we all share, and the Sunday dinners were quite tense.”
Kiera looked vaguely intrigued by that. “Then why bother? Would it not have been less stressful to leave them be?”
“Less stressful, of course,” Nell agreed. “But in the end, family is the most important thing we have. These are the people with whom we share a history, the ones who’ll be there when needed without question.”