Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“Yes, ma’am, thank you. All thrifted.”
Her gaze moves to Connor’s, and then back to me. “Billie, I’m quite sure my son would be happy to buy you any labels you want, new from the shops.”
“Oh, I know he would.” I nod, not shy in the least. “Connor’s incredibly generous, but I have to tell you, going on the hunt for designer labels through consignment and at a thrift store I found in a neighboring town is one of my favorite hobbies.”
Maeve’s green eyes don’t look convinced, so I chuckle and lean over to take her hand.
“Honest, you’d be shocked at what I find. Most of the garments still have tags on them and have never been worn. I love the game of it, the thrill of the hunt, I guess you could say. And I’m obsessed with fashion. This is how I feed that obsession, which I’m happy to do on my own. Connor is already generous enough with his time, his affection, and so many other things. I don’t need him to splurge on shopping.”
“So tell me,” she says, leaning in closer. “What else have you found? I want to hear about it all. And next time you’re in New York, I’ll meet you there and join you, if you don’t mind.”
I rub my hands together, thrilled to share my secrets with Connor’s mom. I love that she’d like to go with me.
“Oh, I’d love that. Okay, I found so many amazing things. Do you remember …”
Maeve and I spend the next thirty minutes talking about bags and shoes and clothes. When it’s time for dinner, it’s not Connor wrapping his arm around my shoulders to guide me to the dining room, but Patrick.
“You’re a fine thing,” he says with a soft smile. Connor resembles his father. “And a beautiful one. How have you been, Billie?”
“I’m doing well, thank you. And you?”
He looks down at me, almost as tall as his son, and appears surprised that I’d ask him how he is.
Does no one ask powerful people how they’re doing? It boggles my mind.
“I’m grand, thank ye,” he replies, showing me to my seat at the table.
“Are you enjoying retirement?” I ask him as I set my napkin in my lap.
“Goodness, no,” Maeve says, shaking her head with a laugh. “He’s bored out of his bleedin’ mind.”
Connor’s eyes sharpen on his father. “Why didn’t you say something?”
Patrick shakes his head. “I’ll find things to fill my time. Golf isn’t it for me.”
“Da, you can come back—”
“No, lad.” Patrick shakes his head again. “That’s for you now. The truth is, I don’t want to go back to the office. We enjoy being in Galway, and now that both you and Skyla are in Montana, we’ll come out there more often.”
“Perhaps, if someone would give us wee babies to hold and smother with love, we wouldn’t be so bored.” Maeve stares at her son, and I hide my smile behind my glass of wine.
“You’re not as subtle as you once were,” Connor says to his mother.
“I’m running out of time to be subtle,” she insists. “I want babies to hold and love before I leave this earth, Connor Declan Gallagher.”
I can’t hold back the bubble of laughter that escapes, and Maeve turns her attention to me.
“Do you want children, Billie?”
Connor mutters, “Christ,” under his breath, earning a glare from his mother.
“Sure, one day. For now, I spoil my niece, Birdie. Did you hear that Dani and Bridger are going to have another baby?”
“No, we hadn’t heard,” Patrick says, eyeing his wife with tender love in his green eyes. “That’s lovely then.”
“I’m sure your parents are filled with joy,” Maeve says, her eyes welling with tears.
“You know what I think is really great?” I ask her, and she turns her attention to me, sniffling against her napkin. “That you don’t have to be related to someone by blood to show them affection and love. I know, without a doubt in my mind, that my brother’s new baby will need all the attention they can get. So please feel welcome to come to Bitterroot Valley anytime to get all the baby snuggles you need. Dani doesn’t have parents of her own, but that baby will have a lot of people around to shower him or her with affection. And Birdie is the sweetest little thing, as you know. If I remember correctly, she loved hearing the Irish stories you told her, Patrick, when we were in London.”
“We’ll have to go soon. And then spend the holidays there as well,” Maeve says to Patrick, who nods while watching me.
Connor takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles as dinner is served.
Chapter Twenty-Five
CONNOR
“Christ, you’re a vision.” Taking Billie’s hand in mine, I lift it to my lips and pepper the back of her hand with kisses. She’s in another off-the-shoulder black dress, but this one is shorter, hitting just above her knees and hugging her delicious curves.