Bébhinn, of course, knew Lee. Lee didn’t let on that he was shocked at who Dagr’s date was. He spoke to her like the caring granddad that he was. He did give Dagr a brief look, which was meant to convey that he expected an explanation.
Dagr was under no illusion that Lee would insist on the details of their relationship. He only wished he knew what those details were.
“I know I’ve told you this, but your father is a man that I will remember the rest of my days. He is very missed by me and my staff.”
Cheeks flushed with emotion, she gave a small, circumspect hug to his friend. “I appreciate that, Lee.”
“You haven’t contacted me yet, like I thought you would.” Lee raised his bushy brows in question.
“I will. Soon. I promise. Dad said he left me a package, but I just wasn’t ready to have it all over with yet.”
“In your time, Miss O’Faolain,” he said, patting her hand. “Though I admit, my curiosity might be greater than yours.”
“I’m sure Dad left me something special, which I will appreciate, but I know it will make me cry. I’ve just…put it on a back burner. If you would bring it to the next board meeting, I’d appreciate it, Lee.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” the older man assured.
“I’m so glad I got to see you while I was in town. You and Dagr must know each other?”
“Oh yes," Lee nodded. “Your man, here, is one of the best solicitors I know.”
Dagr cut in. “At least the one you know that you can still beat at poker,” he teased.
“There is that,” he chuckled. “Your father couldn’t make it, Dagr?”
Rolling his eyes, he admitted, “You know, Dad. He’d rather chew on nettles than attend such a ‘ridiculous waste of time.’” He air-quoted the last.
“Your father has never fallen in line a day in his life. Good to know that Ulf is still very much, Ulf. Did he?—”
A young man breezed up, interrupting Lee. He was a twenty-something adonis straight off a Paris runway, his presence instantly irritating Dagr. “Bébhinn. My God, I can’t believe you’re here. I wish I had known. We could have come together.”
“Harry,” Bébhinn whispered back.
forty
THE WATCHER
He had lostall interest in going on the weekend excursion with the club, but he knew if he stayed home, he would only stew on what she was doing and who she was doing it with.
He pitched in where he could, threw rocks in the ponds with the kids, and helped with the meals. It was torture to be doing all those things without Bébhinn.
He did them anyway, because he planned for them both to stay club members. It was their thing, after all, a beloved hobby that was all theirs.
She was with her boyfriend…that had to be a lie. It had to. He would have seen evidence of a relationship with the bedroom camera if that were the case.
No. She made up the story because she forgot about the trip, and spending the weekend with a “boyfriend” was an easy story for the other members to believe.
But what if she did have one? She had clearly packed a large suitcase. He’d seen it for himself. However, the case was big, toobig for one or two days. Maybe she was packing for storage, or she had loaded stuff to take to her mother’s flat.
He stoked the fire while other campers added wood. He smiled and chatted, but his thoughts never strayed from her. He was done waiting for her to choose him, even though they had an undeniable connection.
There was another problem that he was struggling with. Rent was due in three weeks on their flat, and his funds were tapped.
He’d put everything on his credit cards to outfit the place. He wouldn’t take her to a new home filled with shabby seconds. She was used to a certain level of wealth.
Once they were married, her money would become his, and he could pay off the debt. He was beginning to panic because his timeline had been upset twice now. He couldn’t afford to wait.
When he got back from the hiking trip, and she was back from her…weekend getaway, he would be waiting.
