Page 21 of Just Say Yes
‘Ten?’
‘Yep.’
‘Wow.’
‘More in yours, then?’
‘About thirty odd.’
‘Well, yeah, that would make it more difficult to bond like we all did.’
I nodded and looked down, an unexpected wash of emotion rolling over me. I jumped as one large hand touched my own. ‘Maddie? Are you all right?’ His words were soft, concerned. The gentle lilt of his accent wrapping around the deep voice felt as soothing as the hot chocolate had done a few moments ago. The noise around me receded and suddenly it felt as if it were just me and Lorcan. Alone. I looked up and met the intense eyes, felt the comforting weight of his hand on my wrist.
‘I…’
He moved his head, leant a little closer, the line between his brows deepening as his frown grew.
A baby’s piercing tired and hungry scream shattered the moment, and the world immediately zoomed back in on me. I dropped my gaze, focused for a moment on the warmth of his hand on my arm and then moved my hands, placing them together on my lap.
‘Maddie?’
‘Yes?’ I asked, forcing normality into my voice as I locked those memories back in the box they had momentarily escaped from.
‘Where did you just go?’ he asked, his voice still soft, his eyes locked on me.
I looked around and then back at him, confused. ‘Nowhere.’
He lifted his hand and very gently touched my temple with his index finger. ‘No, I mean where did you go in here?’
His navy eyes had an almost hypnotic quality and for a split second I nearly told him. But then I remembered where I was, and who he was.
‘I don’t know what you mean,’ I said, forcing a small laugh into my voice. ‘I was right here. You don’t get rid of me that easily.’ My eyes were now down, looking at the pages in front of me as I flipped onto the next day in my paper planner. ‘So, we have the cake-tasting at ten o’clock tomorrow morning and then, if it’s convenient, we could go to have a look round the castle straight from there. That way I can get a real idea of the space and liaise with Patrick and Peyton. I gather the photographer is someone they know too. Do you know anything about them? Are they local?’ I asked as I lifted my hot chocolate and gave a glance Lorcan’s way.
Our eyes met and he held the gaze for a moment before giving the tiniest headshake and lifting his mug to drain the last of his coffee.
‘No, I don’t. I don’t think Patrick knows too much about him either. Someone Peyton knows from back home apparently. I guess she knows what she’s doing.’
‘Hmm.’ I tapped my pen against my lip. ‘I always like to meet the contractors prior to the wedding if at all possible. Still, we can make it work, I’m sure. Do you know if he’s been over to visit the location at all?’
Lorcan shrugged and bent down to check on Bod.
‘OK. I’ll ask Peyton. If he hasn’t, I wonder if there’s any way we could get him one of these 360-degree videos? I mean, I assume he’s going to be coming over a few days prior to the wedding to check out the location in person. At least, I hope he is.’ I made another note on my planner.
I was talking to myself more than Lorcan, which was just as well as he clearly wasn’t listening. Bod was now on his lap, surveying the surrounding area much as his owner had been doing a short time ago. The dog looked so tiny sitting there.
‘How much bigger will he get?’
Lorcan’s eyes remained on Bod as his hand gently and lazily stroked over the dog, almost covering his entire body each time.
‘A little, but he’s almost there.’
‘He’s fully grown?’
‘Yep.’
‘He’s a poodle, yes? He’s very small.’
‘Size isn’t everything, Maddie.’ Lorcan looked up as I let out a sigh.
