“Everyone, this is Mel. She and Liz have been friends since they were children,” Shane said. “Mel, this is my aunt Neasa, my uncle Colin, and my cousin’s wife, Tara.” Shane motioned to each person as he introduced them. “You met my cousin, Niall, out in the entryway. Of course, you already know Caitlin and Patrick.”

  “Hi, everybody.” Mel gave a wave of her hand in response to their greetings.

  “Conor, what a pleasant surprise it is to see you. It’s been a while.” Colin walked over to Conor and shook his hand. The two of them quickly engaged in conversation.

  Two boys dashed into the room, running up to Shane. Niall was several steps behind them.

  “Can we practice boxing since you’re here?” The younger boy looked pleadingly at Shane as he bounced up and down with excitement.

  “Not right now. We’re getting ready to have tea.” Shane ruffled the boy’s hair.

  “Shane spoils my boys.” Niall stood next to me, smiling. “They get excited when they hear he’s coming to visit. When Shane leaves, the boys want to know when he’ll be back. The one with the disappointed look on his face is Michael. He’s our youngest. Our older boy is Ronan. Boys, say hello to Liz.”

  “Hello,” the boys greeted me in unison.

  “Hello. It’s nice to meet you both.”

  “Shane, you’re here.” A dark-haired girl came bounding into the room. She ran up to Shane and hugged him. “Can we take the horses out for a ride?”

  “This is Patrick and Caitlin’s daughter, Glenna.” Shane put a hand on Glenna’s shoulder and spun her around to face me. “This is my future wife, Liz.”

  Glenna rushed over to me, giving me a hug. “Can I see the ring? I heard my mom helped pick it out.”

  “She did, and it’s gorgeous.” I held out my hand and showed Glenna the ring.

  “Shane spoils her too,” Niall said, laughing.

  “He does not,” Glenna said, pouting.

  “Tea is ready.” Maeve made her announcement from the doorway. She stood off to the side, motioning everyone down the hall.

  Shane led me into the formal dining room. It was large and stately in appearance but uniquely comfortable, containing small personal touches that kept it from being stuffy and over the top. The table had been elegantly set with silver tea sets, and a row of tiered tea stands filled with finger sandwiches, scones, cakes, and pastries lined its middle. A congratulatory banner adorned the wall, and a cake inscribed with “Happy Birthday Shane” was on a table in the corner, the original celebration blossoming into much more. Colin took his seat at the head of the table while Neasa took the chair at the other end, motioning for Shane and me to sit next to her.

  Maeve went to the sideboard to fill champagne flutes with something nonalcoholic based on the bottle’s label. She walked around the table, handing out the beverage.

  Colin raised his glass after everyone settled at the table. “Liz. On behalf of my family, it is with immense pleasure I welcome you and congratulate you and Shane on your upcoming nuptials. Would everyone please join me in a toast?”

  Everyone raised their glasses. Neasa beamed at Shane and me while the children giggled.

  “May you have love that never ends, lots of money, and lots of friends. Health be yours, whatever you do, and may God send many blessings to you.” Colin glanced around the table. “To Shane and Liz.”

  There was a round of clinking glasses and cheers.

  “Mo ghra. I look forward to spending my life with you.” Shane clinked my glass, and then he kissed me.

  “Ahh. Those two are so cute together. I knew it from the start.” Caitlin smiled at us from the other end of the table.

  The children giggled once again.

  “Liz, I understand you live in San Diego.” Neasa poured herself a cup of tea and selected a sandwich from one of the tea stands. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m an investment manager for a government agency. I oversee their cash and investments.” I stole a peek at Niall, sitting across from me, catching him raise an eyebrow at Shane.

  “Have you been there long?”

  “Twelve years. I started as an accountant and worked my way up.” I turned in my chair toward Shane. “I just realized I don’t know where you work. Dylan mentioned you were a lawyer for a government agency, but he didn’t give any details. I assume you work for a city or state agency.”

  “Not quite. It’s federal. I work for the Central Intelligence Agency.”

  “Seriously? You’re not secretly a spy or something like that, are you?”

  “No. Nothing colorful like that,” Shane said, laughing. “I started there as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel, working on employment and personnel issues. Management promoted me to Deputy Counsel in the Office of Inspector General a year ago. Now I conduct audits, inspections, and investigations relating to the agency’s programs and operations.”

  “Well, I’m impressed.” I gazed proudly at Shane.

  “Thank you. I’m impressed with yours.”

  “So, Liz. I understand the cost of living in California is extremely high. What’s the average rent where you live?” Niall eyed me from across the table.

  “I honestly don’t know. I own my home.” I suspected Niall’s question was an attempt to draw information from me regarding my finances and stability. It made me wonder what he was going to ask next.

  “Conor, I understand you opened up a distillery in Kilkenny,” Colin said, switching the conversation over to Conor.

  “I have. It took about a year to get the place up and running and the doors open. But the business is doing grand.”

  “Well, I’m proud of you, son. That’s been your dream for quite some time.”

  “It has. I appreciate the kind words, Mr. Moore.”

  I took a finger sandwich and a scone from the tea stand, listening to the discussions around the table. Shane’s family seemed like wonderful people, and I was delighted to become a part of it. After acknowledging Shane’s birthday with the cake and a song, the children began to get restless. Glenna excused herself and left the room, and the two boys quickly followed suit. The rest of us continued our stories and conversation as the afternoon slipped away.

  Conor pushed his chair back, gaining everyone’s attention. “We’ve enjoyed the celebration, but Mel and I need to crack on.”

  “Are you sure? We’ve not seen you in a while. You’re more than welcome to stay,” Neasa said, looking disappointed.

  “We’d like to, but Mel and I are going to a concert at Saint Canice’s Cathedral tonight.”

  I snapped my head toward Mel, catching her grinning at me.

  “Liz and I will walk you out.” Shane stood and waited for me to join him.

  Mel got up from her chair. “It was nice to meet everybody.” She gave a little wave in response to the round of goodbyes and followed Conor from the dining room.

  Shane and I walked them to Conor’s car.

  “Thanks for coming up here to join us.” Shane shook Conor’s hand.

  “I wouldn’t have missed it. Congratulations again.” Conor clapped Shane on the shoulder, and then he stepped toward me. He gave me a huge hug, squeezing the air from my lungs. “Liz. Shane’s a fine man, and I’m happy for the two of you. Mel and I need to head on, but I don’t want you to worry. I’ll take care of her.” He gave me a sweet smile as he took a step back, waiting for Mel.

  I couldn’t help a grin. Conor was indeed a giant teddy bear.

  Mel hugged me and whispered in my ear, “He wants me to stay with him tonight. I can’t wait. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She pulled away and walked over to Shane, hugging him goodbye.

  I waved as they drove away, thrilled to see Mel so happy.

  “Check out the boys. They’re playing by the pond and being mischievous like usual.” Shane pointed toward the small body of water a short distance away. He laughed as the boys chased each other with Super Soaker water guns through a small stand of trees behind the wood gazebo.

  Michael gave Ronan a good soaking and dashed across the bright red wooden footbridge as Ronan returned fire. He reached the concrete path on the other side and ran toward us with Ronan in hot pursuit.

  “I need to ask the boys something. Hang on a minute.” Before Shane could say anything, I hurried across the manicured lawn, reaching the boys as they chased each other around a group of bushes. “Ronan, can I borrow your water gun for a minute? I’ll give it back.”

  “Okay.” Ronan eyed me suspiciously as he handed me the water gun. “What are you going to do with it?”

  “You’ll see.” I strolled toward Shane while pretending to examine the water gun. “Ronan says this thing isn’t working right. Can you look at it?”

  “Sure. But Ronan was doing pretty well with it.” Shane reached out to take the toy.

  I swiveled the gun in my hands and pointed it at him, hitting him with several blasts of water. Then I bolted across the grass, my laughter carrying through the air.

  Shane stood there sputtering, looking completely surprised. Recovering, he chased me up and down the lawn as I kept dodging out of his reach. Finally gaining hold of me, Shane tried to pry the water gun from my fingers.

  I tripped, taking him with me as I tumbled to the ground. I laughed as we rolled around the grass, fighting for the water gun.

  Shane ended up haphazardly on top of me. He stopped moving and looked at me, his expression suddenly changing as he leaned down and kissed me.

  I let go of the toy and wrapped my arms around his neck, ardently returning his kiss.

  Michael squealed with delight, blasting me in the face with water as he let loose on us with his Super Soaker.

  “Ow,” I cried, covering my nose with my hand. I had jerked my head to the side to avoid the deluge of water right as Shane tried to block it, his hand hitting me in the face.

  “Damn, are you okay? I swear. I didn’t mean to hit you.”

  I touched my face. There was no blood, and I could wiggle my nose with my fingers without too much pain. “I’m fine. It just stings.” I looked for Michael, spotting him running down the lawn with his back to us. “Umm. I think Michael’s expecting you to chase him. You better go after him.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to leave if you’re hurt.”

  “I’m fine.” I started laughing as Michael continued running down the lawn. “You better get him before he reaches the stables.”

  Shane jumped up, grabbed the water gun I had taken from Ronan, and ran after Michael toward the horse facilities. Their laughter pierced the air.

  I sat in the grass, watching them chase each other around the property as they drenched each other with water. A shadow suddenly appeared on the ground in front of me. I turned my head, finding Niall standing behind me.

  “May I join you?”

  “Of course.” I motioned to a spot on the ground next to me.

  Niall took a seat on the grass and stretched his legs out. “I owe you an apology.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because of what I said to Shane on the phone earlier. I know you heard me, and that was not my intention, nor was it to hurt you. And I have to say, in the short time I’ve witnessed you and Shane together, it’s become pretty clear there is something genuine between you. It’s also impossible to miss how much you love one another.” Niall held his hand up before I could say anything. “But in my defense, Shane hasn’t had the best history. He tends to get involved with women with an unsuitable character. And he’s like my little brother, so I’ve become a bit protective of him.”

  “I’m not going to hurt him. If you’re worried I’m in this relationship for some unsavory purpose, please get that thought out of your head. I have a career. I own my home, and I’m self-sufficient and independent. I’m not with Shane because I want something from him. I’m with him because I love him.”

  “I can see that now. So, if you don’t mind, can we start over, and let me express my heartfelt congratulations and welcome you to the family?”

  “I would like that.”

  “Thank you. Welcome to the family, Liz. And I truly mean that.”

  “I appreciate that, Niall.”

  “Well, I better go save Shane from my boys. They can be relentless.” Niall got up and jogged across the lawn toward Michael.

  I sat there, wondering if anyone else would voice reservations about our hasty engagement.

  CHAPTER 12

  GLENDALOUGH

  Shane and I left the stables and headed back to the house after our morning horseback riding tour of his family’s estate. Although a delightful excursion, I couldn’t help feeling saddened by the knowledge that this was our last day together. Mel and I were flying home tomorrow while he was staying for another week. Resigned to the inevitable, I pushed my melancholy thoughts aside, determined to enjoy the day.

  “I had fun on the horseback ride,” I said, smiling. “Hopefully I wasn’t too bad in the saddle.” My skill level was intermediate, as I’d ridden horses occasionally since I was a girl. Although I looked more like a novice compared to Shane. It was evident that he was an expert on a horse.

  “You rode pretty well. I could tell you’ve been on a horse more than a few times.” Shane reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward him. “Watch where you step. That pile on the ground would have made a mess of your boots.”

  “Thanks. I didn’t even see it.” I passed through a gate as Shane held it open for me. The front of the house was visible in the distance. “I didn’t expect the property to be so huge. You said Niall helps your uncle run the stud farm. Do they also manage the acreage with the cattle and sheep? There was a good-sized house next to one of the fields.”

  “Colin does, with the help of a farm manager, Mr. O’Hara. He lives with his family in that house you saw on an eighty-acre parcel. I should mention that the house, livestock, and acreage are mine. I inherited it when my parents died in the train accident. It went into a trust that Colin managed until I reached twenty-one, and now I operate it with the help of Mr. O’Hara and Colin. That’s one of the reasons I visit several times a year. I check on the property and the business.”

  “That’s yours? Why didn’t you say something when we were there?”

  “I don’t know. Would you have looked at me differently if I did?” Shane was eyeing me strangely as he asked the question.

  “Of course not. But it would have been nice to know. Do you have any other surprises you’d care to share?”

  “No. That was it. I don’t have anything to do with the stud farm. It’s all Colin’s, which will go to Niall and Caitlin. The stud operation started at about the same size as my farm, but Colin purchased the surrounding land over the years and expanded. That’s why I had to hire Mr. O’Hara. The stud operation got so big, Colin couldn’t manage my property on his own anymore.”

  “I’m impressed but still clueless why you didn’t tell me you owned the property when you showed it to me.”

  Shane stopped and turned to face me. “Honestly, mo ghra, I didn’t tell you at the time because of habit and a few bad experiences. I’ve learned the hard way to keep my finances private. When I was in college, I made the mistake of telling my girlfriend that I owned the farm. Not long after that, she kept trying to get me to marry her. I thought it was because she loved me. Then I realized it was because she wanted my property.”

  “That’s horrible.”

  “It was, but that’s the type of woman I seem to attract. That’s why I’d never seriously been in love until you came along. I knew none of them truly cared about me. Sadly, I also made the mistake of letting Anna find out about my holdings here in Ireland, and as soon as I did, she changed. We went from a casual date here and there to her wanting to move in with me. It wasn’t hard to figure out that all Anna wanted was a piece of my assets. That’s why she was so desperate to hold on to our relationship.”

  “You don’t think I’m that way, do you?” I fidgeted with the pendant necklace I was wearing, almost afraid to hear Shane’s answer.

  “Absolutely not. You’re not that type of person and never could be. I saw you were different right away. You’re honest and down-to-earth, and I adore that in you. We’re partners in this relationship, and I want to spend my life with you. I’ve spent years trying to protect my privacy. Now, I need to learn to share.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “All right. Enough said. How do you feel about taking a hike in the Glendalough National Park? It’s a forty-five-minute drive from here. We can pack a picnic lunch and hike to the lower lake. What do you think?”

  “That sounds like fun. When I was planning this trip, I saw Glendalough listed online as one of the must-see places in Ireland.”

  “I’m not surprised. It’s breathtaking. Let’s go in the house and see what we can pack for lunch.”

  Shane and I went into the kitchen, finding Maeve preparing a meal for the family. She seemed startled to see us, especially when Shane poked his head in the refrigerator.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Maeve stood in the middle of the kitchen, wiping her hand on her apron as she gave Shane a pointed look.

  “I’m taking Liz on a hike in Glendalough. I want to pack a lunch so we can picnic at the lake.”

  “Get that head of yours out of the refrigerator. I’ll make it. Now, get out of here. Go on. Off with you.” Maeve waved her hands, shooing Shane away from the refrigerator. She turned toward me and smiled. “Shane always was my favorite. He’d come in here and keep me company when he was a boy while I made dinner.”

  “You’re kicking me out? So much for being your favorite.” Shane jumped out of the way when Maeve reached out to swat him. “Okay. We’re going.” He grinned and took me into the living room. We took a seat on the couch as we waited for Maeve.

  “It’s so quiet in the house and quite different from yesterday. Where is everyone?” I said.

  “The boys are in school, and Niall and my uncle should still be at the office over at the horse facilities. Tara is at work. She teaches history at the secondary school in Newbridge. My aunt should be in her office in the house’s west wing. Today is one of her volunteer days with the Genealogical Society of Ireland.”

 

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