Page 50 of Just Say Yes
I felt his eyes on me as we travelled up the driveway. ‘Is that a good oh or a bad oh?’
‘It’s a good oh,’ I confirmed, beaming at him before returning my gaze to the view in front of me. ‘Definitely a good oh. It’s incredible! No wonder Peyton wants the wedding here. You can practically feel the history washing over you.’
‘Yep, she was pretty excited about it when they came to take a look.’
‘I can imagine. I’d have liked to have seen that.’
He huffed out a laugh. ‘She doesn’t hold back when she’s enthusiastic about something. That’s for sure.’
‘I don’t think that’s a bad trait.’
‘No, I agree. It wouldn’t do for us all to be reserved.’
His words bounced around in my head. Was that aimed at me? I certainly got enthusiastic about things, but I did try and keep it all within a professional realm and, if I was honest, that characteristic might have morphed into my private life far more than I intended it to. And now that it was there, it was hard to remove it without suddenly seeming fake. Inside I knew I was excited and enthusiastic about things but did the people who should know realise that?
‘Come on, space cadet,’ he said, pulling on the handbrake. ‘Let’s take a look inside. Calum’s already here, by the looks.’ He nodded at a small, bright green car.
‘Gosh! You wouldn’t miss that coming towards you, would you?’
‘No. And Calum is much the same,’ Lorcan said, opening one of the heavy front doors. ‘Ladies first.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, my eyes already scanning the surroundings as I did my best not to hobble too much. Thank God I’d packed some flat shoes.
‘Here.’ Lorcan offered his arm. ‘Just to help with the weight, like the doc said. The longer you go against his directions, the longer it will take to heal.’
He had a point, so I took his arm and continued taking in the scene around me. ‘This is amazing!’
‘Glad you like it. Think you can do something with it?’
I turned to him, the laughter in my eyes matching his. ‘I’m pretty sure I’ll manage.’
‘Good to hear,’ he said, squeezing my arm gently with the tease.
17
‘Lorcan! Darling! There you are. And this must be the gorgeous Madeleine everyone is talking about.’
‘They are?’ I glanced up worriedly at Lorcan but he merely shrugged and gave one of those enigmatic half-smiles he was so good at, which at this point was entirely unhelpful. ‘I mean… umm, yes.’ Calum was barrelling towards us in black trousers and a beautifully embroidered, fuchsia-pink waistcoat over a white shirt. ‘Hello. Pleased to meet you. Madeleine Hart,’ I said, holding out my hand to shake his. My actual feet might be on the ground, but my mental ones were sliding all over place as I tried to get a grip and regain my composure following Calum’s disclosure I was the talk of the village.
‘Calum O’Shea. So good to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.’
‘You have?’
‘Oh, yes. Peyton and Patrick were raving about you the last time we spoke and, of course, Lorcan here.’
‘I see. Well, feel free to believe my clients but please take whatever Lorcan says with a pinch of salt. We don’t always see eye to eye.’
‘Is that so?’ Calum raised an eyebrow so groomed I had serious brow envy, and cast a glance at Lorcan and me. ‘And what’s happened here?’ he said, looking down at my leg.
‘I tripped yesterday and I’m supposed to take care of it for a couple of days but I’m too busy, so this is the compromise.’
‘Oh, no! Here, let me get you a chair. Lorcan, why didn’t you say? Honestly.’
‘No, really. This is good. I’m happy to get on with things.’
‘Are you sure?’ Calum asked, laying his hand on my free arm.
‘Perfectly. But thank you.’
