Chapter 6

After unpacking the suitcase Gwen had so kindly brought to her, and realizing that her friend had gone on a massive shopping spree at Marks & Spencers rather than packing the perfectly serviceable clothes in Ellie’s closet, Ellie quietly descended the stairs, hoping to steal out the kitchen door to the back garden. It looked to be a beautiful day, and her jet lag hadn’t yet caught up to her. Perhaps it was because she’d had a fantastic night’s sleep on the private jet.

She shook her head in disbelief. The kind of money Aidan MacWilliam had was mind-boggling. Before they left for Heathrow, she overheard him talking about some real-estate deal for a new restaurant. She knew next to nothing about business, and even less about real estate, but apparently Emma’s husband was a lot more than a pretty face.

An incredibly handsome face, she amended. Now that she was a bit removed from the whirlwind of the press conference, she wondered how she’d managed to speak any words at all, being surrounded by so many beautiful men. The testosterone levels were off the charts—and she had been much more nervous about the press conference than she’d let herself believe.

Reilly was the largest man by at least a few inches, both in height and shoulder span. When he had greeted Gwen, she all but disappeared in his embrace. His hair was black and his eyes were an indefinable shade of hazel. But there was something else to him—his teasing manners aside, he radiated power, as though the world was just waiting for him to take it. And Aidan…Ellie smiled at the thought of him. He had piercing green eyes that were always zeroed in on his wife. He looked every inch a man in love, and he wasn’t worried about showing it. That was the Irish, for sure. Aidan had an edge to him, though, and Ellie couldn’t place her finger on it, but for all his lovestruck looks, something else simmered beneath the surface. He was almost uncivilized.

And then there was Colin. Ellie suppressed a sigh as she caught sight of him, his back to her, as he worked the giant coffee contraption in the kitchen. He looked like the best of America—Hollywood had nothing on him. His dark blond hair was almost too long, and it was usually swept to the side. She stared unabashedly at the tee shirt he wore. It clung to wide, muscled shoulders that tapered into biceps that would have made most men weep. He wore low-slung, well-fitted Levis that made it hard for her to keep her eyes on his classically handsome face.

And, though she’d only seen them the one night weeks ago in Reilly’s garden, Colin had the deepest dimples known to mankind.

He turned, and she quickly descended, unwilling to be caught staring.

“Do you like coffee?” he asked as the machine sputtered out some delicious-smelling brew.

“I do, but I don’t need a caffeine rush at the moment, thanks.”

“Sure. I have a meeting in my office in a couple of hours, but I have to get some stuff done before that. Make yourself at home.” He took the steaming cup from the machine and pointed down the hallway. “My home office is there, if you need anything.”

“I don’t think I saw that room,” she noted. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to take a walk around your neighborhood, get some fresh air.”

“It’s a nice day. Definitely check out the area. I have to do a couple things here before heading out.” He reached into his pocket, and her eyes tracked the movement. He withdrew a cell phone and a set of keys. “Here, take this. Key to the front door and my personal cell. Just call the ‘office’ contact if you get lost; it’ll send you right to my business phone.” He flashed her a small smile. “While you might not use a phone while on your walks in Ireland, here I think you’d be better served with a GPS.”

“Thanks,” she replied, blushing.

He paused before leaving the kitchen. “You are a mysterious woman, Ellie.”

She turned to him, surprised. “Me?”

“Yes. I can’t figure you out. Which one is the real you? The woman you are in London, or the woman I met at Reilly’s house?”

Her mouth worked for a moment before she could respond.

“I-I don’t know. I’m both, I suppose. I’m just me.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I like just you. But I think you should know…the world is a brighter place when you’re speaking up.”

He walked into the office, leaving her speechless. Since Andrew, she had not once been comfortable with anyone aside from her aunt and best friend.

Until Colin.

Damn him, anyway. She’d kissed a few men, sure. But never had any of them looked at her the way Colin did that night. She hated and loved that their kiss replayed itself so frequently in her brain; she still felt a thrill when she remembered the look on his face in the split second before his lips touched hers. No one had ever looked at her with such intensity and raw desire before. When their mouths joined, she could swear that time itself stopped. There existed only the two of them in the universe, made for exactly that moment.

Logically, she understood why the kiss haunted her dreams, both day and night. It was a new experience, a fantastic one, and she longed to repeat it. Colin, it seemed, had no such longing, if his silent refusal to kiss her in his library had been any indication. And the truth of it all was painfully obvious.

Ellie didn’t know anything about love. Once upon a time, she thought she did, but her relationship with Andrew, and the subsequent fallout, had been such a disaster that she knew she wouldn’t recognize real love if it tapped her on the shoulder and handed her a business card.

She wanted love—to feel it and have it reciprocated. Colin O’Rourke knew all about love—it was his business, after all, and a successful one at that. If he was backing away from their mutual interest, it was probably for a good reason.

She just wished she had more experience so she could understand it.

She touched the phone screen, and a password field popped up. Heading into the room Colin had just entered, she began, “Colin, there’s a pass…word…oh my God, what happened in here?”

He glanced up from behind a stack of papers that looked as though they would fall over if he breathed the wrong way. A laptop sat atop a large desk, the surface of which was covered with various papers, folders, pens, pencils, coffee cups, and sticky notes.

Lots and lots of sticky notes.

The floor also had piles of papers everywhere she looked. The only things in the room that weren’t overwhelmingly messy were the two chairs in front of the desk, and the man sitting behind it, who was looking at her with a sheepish expression.

“Turns out, I am terrible at filing. But I’ll get to it eventually.”

Ellie blinked. This room, so very different from the rest of the house, was a disaster. Terrible at filing? Did he even know the meaning of the word?

“Ever thought about joining the twenty-first century and going digital?” she asked.

He sat up straighter. “I plan to eventually hire someone to come in and organize all this for me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Famous last words. I can see the advert now: Organizer wanted. Must love sticky notes, filing, and general cleaning. Rubber gloves required.”

“It’s not as bad as that.”

She raised an eyebrow and pointed to a plate on top of a filing cabinet. “That looks rather dated.”

He peered at it. “I’ll give you that one. Chinese food from a couple weeks ago.”

“Ew, Colin!”

“My housekeeper doesn’t come in here,” he admitted.

“No,” she replied in mock seriousness. “I’d have never guessed.”

“Are you offering to file for me? If so, have at it.”

Ellie didn’t mind clutter. She definitely wasn’t the most organized person in the world at home, but in her bookshop, she had everything in its place. No one should have to work in these conditions.

And it smelled a little. Time to make her escape.

“While that does sound scintillating, I would prefer a walk right now. But I can’t unlock your phone.” She showed him, and he gave her the passcode. “All right, then. Happy working.”

“Happy wandering.”

• • •

Colin sat back in his chair, mentally and physically drained. Celtic Connections didn’t need the investors stateside anymore, but he certainly needed them if international expansion was going to happen. And his current set of investors was not pleased with him.

He knew he hadn’t fully convinced them to stay the course with the UK and Ireland mess, but for now they were content to let him try his hand at Emsworth’s challenge. Emma had been on the call and detailed how they planned to use the publicity to their benefit, and Colin again went over the numbers.

It was enough. For now.

He only had to meet with some employees before he could head home for the day. The afternoon meeting had gone way over, and he noticed it was well past six o’clock. By the time he finished with Mike and Candice, it would be after seven.

His phone rang. “O’Rourke.”

“Welcome back, Colin. I thought you might need some food, as I’m going to just go ahead and assume you weren’t able to stop and pick anything up before heading into the office.” His mother’s voice held no censure, and he smiled into the phone.

“Thanks, Mom. Be warned, though…there’s someone over there.”

“Oh?”

The word held so much hope in it, Colin cringed. “She’s a—”

“She?”

“Mom, please. It’s not what you think.” He gave a brief explanation of Ellie’s situation.

Evelyn O’Rourke was silent for a moment. “Well. The poor girl. If you want me to stay away, I will. But I can drop some food off and check in on her, see if she needs anything?”

Colin glanced again at the clock. “That’s not a bad plan. Will you stay until I get home?”

“Of course!” she exclaimed, delighted.

He laughed. “Well then, by all means bring some food over, Mom. Ellie is a quiet woman, but she’ll enjoy your company. Who wouldn’t?”

“You’re a sweetheart.”

“I know. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

“Does she drink wine?”

Beer was on the tip of his tongue, but he merely replied, “She does.”

“Perfect. We’ll see you when you get home. Good bye, dear.”

They hung up, and Colin lifted the phone to call Ellie to let her know about her upcoming visitor. But Mike knocked on the door, poked his head in, and said, “You look like I feel. Can we fire a client?”

Colin grinned. “Firing clients seems like poor business practice. Come on in, shut the door. Tell me how it went in LA.”

Mike obliged, then sprawled in the chair facing Colin. “He demanded a mixer.”

Colin snorted. “As in, one of those awkward parties held on college campuses?”

Mike nodded wearily. “He said he saw it on TV. Wants his choice of ladies.”

“We’ve given him plenty of choices. Unfortunately, they all seem too good for him.” Colin frowned. “What’s his new game plan?”

Pulling out his phone, Mike quickly forwarded an email to Colin. “There, you can read it yourself, but he’s thinking LA women aren’t for him. He wants someone from the East Coast.”

“Why?”

“Why not?” Mike asked sardonically, opening his hands wide, then shook his head in defeat. “I asked him the same thing, and those were his words, not mine.”

“Fine. Throw him a party. Ten women—but reinforce that this is not an episode of The Bachelor.” Colin rolled his shoulders. “Ugh. I haven’t done one of these parties in years.”

“And may we never have to do one again,” Mike added, with feeling.

• • •

Ellie peered out the peephole at the woman standing on the front step. She held a paper bag full of groceries and had a smile much like Colin’s, right down to the dimples.

The woman’s bright brown eyes sparkled when Ellie opened the door. “Hello, Ellie. I’m Evelyn, Colin’s mom. I figured he didn’t have any food in the house…”

Ellie rushed to take the bag. “He doesn’t yet.”

Evelyn followed her into the kitchen, tsking. “I raised him better than to leave a woman stranded at his house without any food. I swear I did.”

Ellie, feeling the need to protect him, protested, “Oh, no, this was a very last-minute thing. He had an important meeting to get to, and I didn’t even expect to travel, much less internationally. He hadn’t any time to get food, and it’s not his responsibility to feed me. I can take care of myself.”

“Well, I hope you’ll forgive an old lady’s visit, but I thought I could come by and make something for you. And him, of course, but he’ll have to be happy with leftovers.”

Ellie smiled, but wondered what universe this woman lived in to consider herself old. She was maybe in her early sixties, and her blonde hair was streaked with silver, but the vitality that radiated from her belied all of it.

“Have you been out exploring yet?”

“I have,” Ellie admitted. “I found a lovely street full of shopping, though the shops were very much out of my price range.”

“That’d be Newbury Street,” Evelyn replied knowingly. “They have delicious pizza there—”

“Yes! I had some for lunch. It was very good.” Ellie busied herself with unloading the bag—fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, and chicken. Not much, but enough to get them started. She opened the cavernous refrigerator and let her eyes roam the interior until she found a bottle of lemon juice, then she held it up. “Lemon chicken?”

“One of my specialties.” Evelyn began to wash some of the potatoes. “So, Ellie, what do you do over in London?”

“I own a bookshop.”

“Wow! What’s it called?”

“Tail Feathers and Ashes.”

Evelyn turned the water off and raised an eyebrow. “That’s an interesting name. Is there a story behind that?”

“Well, in mythology, once it dies, the phoenix is reborn from its ashes. And the tail feathers are those which are sometimes thought to regrow last, and are the most beautiful feature of the bird.” I grew stronger from the loss of my innocence, and was reborn from the ashes of that process. “I think that’s beautiful.”

“It certainly is. So tell me, do you have any family over there?”

• • •

Colin walked into the house to the smell of dinner and the sound of two women laughing. He dropped his bag in the foyer and headed into the kitchen, where his mom and Ellie sat at the island with half-drunk glasses of wine in hand.

“Hello, ladies.”

“Oh, Colin, you were such a troublemaker.” Ellie wiped the tears from her eyes. “You and your brother tortured poor Brianagh! Oh, gosh, the cat!”

And the two women dissolved into giggles again.

Colin rolled his eyes in mock irritation, but he felt a warmth in his chest at the sight of Ellie and his mom together. “Telling stories, Mom?”

“Only the good ones,” she chuckled. “Dinner’s just about ready.”

“It smells amazing.” He poured himself a glass of wine and joined them at the island.

“How was your meeting?” Ellie asked, pushing a small bowl of olives towards him.

He popped one in his mouth and shrugged. “I calmed the investors for now and our latest problem client demanded her newest matches have specific initials. So all in all, a typical day.”

“Why would you request specific initials?” Ellie asked, mystified. “Is that even something one could request?”

“Celtic Connections clients can request anything they want.”

“So,” Evelyn asked, “if Ellie wanted a man who trained Bengal tigers, and had the initials TIG, you could deliver?”

Colin smirked. “I didn’t say that. I said clients can request anything they want. But ultimately, the matchmaker has the final call as to what candidates are brought forth for consideration.”

“I don’t get to go through the database and choose my own at all?” Ellie asked, sounding disappointed.

“Nope, sorry. You gave me a list of desirable qualities, and it’s then up to me to determine who seems like a good fit. Then I’ll interview each candidate until I have a few that I think might work well with your personality and hold an event.”

“An event?” Ellie didn’t like the sound of that. “Will there be more cameras?”

“No. Closed door. And each candidate has to sign all sorts of extra documents if they’re interested in matching with you. Non-disclosure agreements that hold them fiscally responsible if any news about the dates goes public.”

“I’m suitably impressed,” Evelyn declared. “I was wondering how you’d get around the media frenzy over there. NDAs are a great idea.”

“The lawyers insist upon it,” Colin replied as Ellie pulled the chicken from the oven. His mouth watered at the sight of the food, and he took down plates from the cabinets. He began to set the table as he continued, “That’s their job. Mine is to find Ellie a partner. Your happiness is the most important thing, Ellie. You won’t find that if all we have are gold diggers and fame hunters.”

“If you’re struggling to find people in Europe to sign up for your services, how do you plan to match me?” Ellie wondered. She grabbed the bottle of wine and topped off everyone’s glass. “It was my understanding that my aunt’s article was quite damaging.”

Colin wagged his eyebrows. “We said we had trouble getting clients, not candidates. I have a very large pool of men and women interested in being candidates for our clients.”

He went on to discuss the screening process and background checks that went into each candidate, and the conversation continued throughout dinner. When they finished eating, he cleaned up as the women sat at the island, still chatting.

A deep sense of contentment settled into Colin’s bones, and much as he knew he needed to ignore it, to push it away, he couldn’t.

• • •

Colin ensured his mom got into her car safely, then he closed the door and turned the locks. Wandering into the living room, where Ellie was curled up on the leather sofa, he gave her a sidelong glance and settled down on the opposite side of the couch.

“What?”

He shrugged. “I thought you said you were shy around new people?”

Ellie smiled. “Your mother is lovely. Is she always like that?”

“She is. She brings out the best in people, though she usually does so over a cup of tea.” He paused. “How did you find the city today?”

“Oh, it was lovely! It’s much warmer here than at home, and the city is so much smaller. I love the cobblestones,” Ellie mused. “I enjoyed it very much.”

“You sound surprised. Did you not expect to enjoy it?”

“No, of course I did. But sometimes, as I’ve been raised an Englishwoman, it’s hard to remember that this is my home country. That I’m American.”

“When did you go to live with your aunt?”

Ellie sat silently for so long, Colin thought she wouldn’t answer the question. “I was seven. Just old enough to have memories of my parents, and just young enough to miss them.” She stared at her hands. “Both my parents were in and out of jail for drugs and weapons. But they were never in at the same time until they decided to rob a convenience store together. They were caught before they even left the building. I was in school at the time, and I remember the principal coming to get me. There was a stranger there, some authority figure from social services. I was made to go with her, and I remember I had to stay the night at her house. The next day, Winnie was there, and I left for England a few days after that. She convinced my parents to sign over parental rights to her.”

Colin gave a low whistle. “That’s a lot for a child to deal with. But, if you were seven, how did you so fully lose your American accent?”

“When I started back at school in London, I was bullied because I sounded different. When my aunt found out, I begged her to teach me to speak as a proper English girl would. So she did, and the next year, I switched to a new school. No one was the wiser, and now it’s all I know,” she finished with a half shrug.

Colin nodded. “It worked. When I met you, I thought you were English.”

She smiled. “I am, mostly. I’m caught between two cultures—the one I was born into, and the one I choose to live in. Neither is better than the other, just different. Does that make sense?”

More than you know. “It sure does.”

They lapsed into companionable silence, the only sound coming from the music Colin had put on during dinner.

“I’m knackered. I think I’ll head up to bed.” Ellie gave him a small smile. “Do you plan to be in the office all week?”

He did, but the look of hope she so desperately tried—and failed—to hide had him saying, “I don’t. Most days, yes. But not all of them.”

“Excellent! I’d love to really see Boston the way your mother spoke of it tonight. I enjoyed wandering today, but I think I missed a lot.”

“Definitely. And, good news, we should be good to head back to Ireland in a couple of days. The paparazzi have backed off a little, as they have something a bit bigger to concentrate on.”

“Ah yes. The new royal girlfriend.”

“I truly feel for that family,” Colin replied with feeling. “I can’t imagine having cameras on me every moment of the day. But yes, we should be fine to head back and get you started on your dates. But before that, I thought you might like to meet the rest of my family while we’re here.”

“I would like that very much.” She hesitated. “Does your family often meet your clients?”

“No. But as my mother adores you, she’s invited us over. It’s a family tradition that we have breakfast together on Sundays, when possible. And with my older brother in town, she’s determined to have all her children under one roof for at least a meal.”

Ellie’s face became nervous. “I’m not good around other people, Colin. You know I’m not. I fall all over myself, I spill things, I go silent and—”

He placed a finger over her lips to silence her, and he somehow managed not to flinch at the jolt that traveled up his arm at the contact. “You won’t be judged, Ellie. My mother would like to introduce her new friend to her husband and son. That’s all.”

Her face softened. “That’s a lovely thing to say. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And while you’re in a thankful mood, I have a favor to ask of you.” Ellie’s eyebrows went up, and he forged ahead. “On Saturday night we’re holding a party for one of Celtic Connections’ clients. He’s flying in from California, and we’re supposed to have ten women at this event for him.”

“Oh, good Lord,” Ellie groaned. “That sounds so…what’s that show where one man kisses all the women and sends someone home with a flower?”

“Yes, I know, it sounds very reality TV-esque,” Colin agreed. “But the client requested it, and the women attending have all agreed. However, one of the women has had to cancel, which leaves us one short.”

Ellie’s eye widened. “Oh, please don’t ask me to fill in…”

He gave her his most charming, hopeful smile.

“Colin, I’m terrible in social situations! And dating a man who wants a plethora of options seems so…desperate!”

“You don’t have to be anything but yourself,” he pleaded. “Look, you’ve reduced me to begging.”

“Oh, dear me. The all-powerful Colin O’Rourke is begging.” She rolled her eyes, but ruined the effect with a giggle.

“I’ll take you around Boston tomorrow,” he bribed. Then he wagged his eyebrows, and she laughed in defeat.

“Oh, go on then. I’ll do it. But only because I’m apparently a people pleaser. And because I want to see this city.”

He grinned, relieved. “Thanks, Ellie. And who knows? Maybe you’ll like him.”

“Oh, from everything you’ve said about him, he sounds delightful.”

“He’s a bit high maintenance,” Colin replied mildly. “Perhaps you’ll enjoy his personality?”

“Hmm. Perhaps. I won’t yet add this little escapade to my what-the-hell-was-I-thinking-agreeing-to-this list.”

“Is that one full?”

She snorted. “Most definitely. Good night, Colin.”

“Good night, Ellie. Sleep well.”

She smiled again, then disappeared up the stairs. Colin relaxed back on the couch and tried not to dwell on the unfamiliar feeling of contentment that washed over him.