Sherryl Woods - The Summer Garden

Riding in the front with Mick while her grandfather rode in back with Nell, Moira had a million questions, but found she didn’t need to utter a one of them. Mick provided a running commentary as they drove south, eventually making their way onto narrower roads and then to the community of Chesapeake Shores itself. Her first view of the bay, seen at the end of Main Street in a charming downtown, immediately captured her fancy and reminded her of villages back home.

“It’s like home,” she exclaimed with delight. “Yet it has a unique look of its own, brighter and a bit more modern and up-to-date.” She turned to him with amazement. “And you created this, the whole town, from nothing?”

“I did,” Mick confirmed.

“And is it Matthew that I remember is following in your footsteps?”

“One of these days he’ll be even better than I am,” Mick confided, “but don’t tell him I said that.”

She took in everything—Bree O’Brien’s Flowers on Main with its buckets of brilliant bouquets on the sidewalk, the quaint bookstore she learned belonged to Shanna O’Brien, Mick’s daughter-in-law, a boutique called Seaside Gifts and, at the end of the block, a store with a hodgepodge of things for every vacationer called Ethel’s Emporium. They all faced a town green brightened with beds of red tulips and a few stray leftover daffodils from earlier in the spring.

“Where are Megan’s art gallery and Heather’s quilt shop?” she asked Mick as she gazed eagerly out the window.

“Just around the corner on Shore Road,” he told her. “You can come into town tomorrow for the complete tour. For now, though, I’m sure your grandfather would like to get to Ma’s so he can rest a bit before everyone descends for drinks and dinner a bit later. If you’re not in need of rest, I’ll take you for a walk along the bay, if you’d like. You’ll begin to get your bearings.”

“That would be perfect,” she said with delight. “I’m far too excited to sleep.”

Though she wanted desperately to ask if Luke would be at tonight’s gathering, she held back. She’d heard tales about Mick’s meddling. It was probably best if he remained in the dark about her real reasons for making this trip. Not that there was much question that he’d already have his suspicions.

As he turned off the road into a narrow driveway, she couldn’t seem to suppress her delighted gasp of pleasure. It was like coming upon a doll’s cottage by the edge of the sea. The yard was filled with flowers just beginning to bud. A white picket fence with climbing roses tumbling over it surrounded the yard and created a colorful backdrop against the bay just beyond. She had to admit, it looked exactly like something Nell would have created—warm, cozy and inviting. She turned to tell her that and caught her grandfather holding Nell’s hand. He winked at her.

“So, what do you think, Moira? Is Chesapeake Shores the way we described it for you?” Nell asked.

“It’s wonderful,” she admitted. “And your house is like something from a storybook. I think I’ve fallen in love with it straight off. You’ve a great talent for gardening as well.”

Nell regarded her with real pleasure. “Thank you. I hope you’ll see it in summer when everything’s in full bloom. And I truly hope you and your grandfather will be comfortable here.”

“Of course we will,” her grandfather said at once. “And we thank you for having us.”

“It was very generous of you to include me,” Moira told her.

Mick made quick work of getting their things inside. Though Nell offered her tea, Moira declined. “Mick said he’d show me the way to the beach, if that’s all right.”

“Of course it is,” Nell said. “While you’re here, you’re to go and come as you like. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing little enough of you after tonight’s party.”

Moira gave her a quizzical look, but didn’t respond. Had her grandfather told Nell that she was here because of Luke? She sighed. Of course he had. Or Nell had put two and two together for herself. With them there was little point in denying her reasons for making this trip.

What remained in question was how Luke would react when he discovered that she’d invaded his turf. For one fleeting second, panic made her wish she was back in Dublin, serving pints of ale at McDonough’s or launching that photography career at full throttle.

But then she thought of Luke, of the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d touched her and held her, and her heart raced with anticipation. Tonight’s party couldn’t begin soon enough.

5

Luke was late. He’d gotten totally absorbed in completing the painting of the wall that would be behind the bar, twice changing his mind about the color. The foreman Uncle Mick had put on the job had finally lost patience with it and told him to work it out in his head, then do it himself or leave it till morning. He could hardly blame the man. He suspected that Mick himself would have said far worse.

In the end, he’d raced home, showered and changed and was now walking up the driveway at Gram’s over an hour after most of the others had arrived. In fact, several of his cousins who had small children were already leaving.

“Someone’s in trouble!” Connor called out in a singsong taunt as he and Luke crossed paths.

“Stop it!” Heather told her husband. “Don’t be spoiling the surprise.”

“Heather’s right,” Shanna said just as Kevin looked as if he was going to add his own comment. “Quiet, both of you!”

Luke looked from one man to the other. Weren’t cousins, especially guys, supposed to stick together? “What am I missing?” he asked them.

“The party,” Shanna said firmly, scowling first at Kevin, then at Connor, apparently to ensure their silence. “But you already know that, so you’d better hurry.”

Connor grinned at the direct order, but Kevin merely shrugged as if he had zero control over his wife.

“Sorry, man,” he muttered as he passed Luke.

As Luke got closer to the house, he heard noise coming from the backyard, so rather than going inside, he walked around the side of the house.

“There you are!” Mick boomed in a way that was far more welcoming than usual. “It’s about time.”

Luke frowned. “Why is everyone making such a fuss because I’m a little late?” he asked just as the crowd seemed to magically part, leaving him with a clear view of his grandmother, Dillon and, at Dillon’s side, Moira. Luke’s heart seemed to come to a complete stop in his chest as she met his gaze, her expression a familiar mix of defiance and fear. He knew that look all too well. She was scared to death about his reaction, but trying hard to pretend otherwise.

Luke crossed the lawn, unable to take his eyes off her. “You,” he said softly. “You’re here!”

“So I am,” she said, her gaze searching his face. “Are you pleased?”

“Stunned, as a matter of fact.” Her eyes clouded at his words, so he quickly added, “In a good way, Moira. In a very good way.”

In fact, it was just about the best surprise he could ever recall…and that flat-out terrified him.

Her lips slowly curved into a smile at his words. “Well, I suppose that’s a warmer welcome than I gave you on the night we met in Dublin.”

Luke laughed. “There was no welcome,” he reminded her. “You’d have been pleased if I’d turned right around and left for the hotel. In fact, you did your best to see that not only I, but all of us, did just that.”

“My manners and my disposition have improved since then,” she told him. “Though I have a few things to say to you about yours.”

Luke winced. “I know I’ve been neglecting you.”

“And me,” Dillon said, interceding. “It’s good to see you again, Luke.”