Page 3 of Just Say Yes
‘No, not me. Still a bachelor, I’m afraid, Betty.’
‘Is that so?’ I saw the mischief slip back into her smile. ‘We live in hope of hearing that Maddie’s finally arranging her own wedding—'
‘Thanks ever so much for the goodies, Betty,’ I said, interrupting her, my face suddenly hot. ‘That was very kind of you. I’ll have to do an extra lap of the lake to burn those off.’
Betty waved my protestations away. ‘Oh, hush. There’s barely anything of you, is there, now, Mr O’Malley?’
Oh, Lord, the last thing I wanted was Lorcan O’Malley’s opinion on my figure.
‘Well, we’d better get on,’ I said, gently hustling Betty away from Lorcan before he could reply. ‘The bride and groom will be here any moment.’
‘Oh! Yes, yes. Sorry, duck.’
‘No, it’s fine. Really. And thank you so much again for the treats. You really shouldn’t have.’
‘Got to feed you up a little bit, dear,’ she said, touching my cheek gently. ‘All this worrying about the business and the house repairs has done you no good at all.’
I smiled, ushering Betty to the front door before she revealed any more about my private life to my visitor. Closing the door behind her, I took a deep breath and returned to the kitchen.
‘Sorry about that. Usually I don’t answer as I’m in the office, so she just knows to leave stuff in the kitchen. I assumed it would be Patrick and Peyton.’
‘They’re going to be about another fifteen minutes,’ Lorcan replied, looking up and waggling his phone. ‘He just messaged me. I can only apologise for their appalling timekeeping. Have you got more appointments today?’
‘No, it’s fine. I cleared the afternoon for them.’ The truth was the afternoon, and in fact the rest of the week, was far too clear for my liking.
He nodded. ‘Betty seems nice.’
‘She is.’
‘Keen to hear news of you arranging your own wedding, by the sounds of it.’
‘Yes, I think that would make her day.’
‘No sign of that, then?’
I gave him a look.
He shrugged. ‘Just making conversation.’
I remembered how badly I needed this job and pasted on a smile. ‘Yes, I know. I’m sorry. I just prefer to keep my private life private, that’s all.’
‘Fair enough.’ He finished the last of his lemonade and stood to take the glass to the sink.
‘Just leave it there, it’s fine.’
He washed it up anyway.
‘Do you ever do anything you’re told?’
He turned and gave me that smile again. ‘Now that, Maddie, would depend entirely on the situation.’
I felt a flush tinge my cheeks as Lorcan’s smile grew. God, he was infuriating… and way too sexy for his own good. And certainly my own good. Where were my clients?
‘I see what you mean about needing a path,’ Lorcan said, having now moved to the patio doors. His eyes took in the large muddy puddle that had once been the walkway to the garden office.
I sighed. ‘Yes. I’m sorry about having to hold the meeting in here. I know it doesn’t look the most professional.’
‘Ah, don’t be daft. It’s perfectly lovely. Feels like a real home.’
