Kerry looks floored. “I had an interior designer help?—”
“Fire them. Ruin their business. They’re awful at their job.” I can’t help but snicker.
My laughter makes Kerry look at me and arch a brow. “I assume, based on your reaction when I took you on a tour through the home, that you agree?”
I don’t want to lie to him, but I don’t think Alessandro needs any help criticizing the place, so I just shrug and nod.
“Aha! I knew I liked her. See? Ask her for help. Toss it all out and start over. You need life! Color!”
Kerry sighs and scratches the back of his head with his free hand. “I had done it on purpose to just be for show. But you’re right, with things changing, I guess that’s what we’ll be doing.”
Alessandro clicks his tongue. “Hm, yes, a show for howblandyou want people to believe you are, yes? I saw your office. You do not have bad taste like the rest of this house suggests. I’m sure Amy can pick out something much better.”
Kerry turns to look at me to see my reaction. I just shrug at him again and he sighs. “Okay. We'll do that.”
“We don’t have to,” I tell him quietly, squeezing his hand.
Alessandro gives a sarcastic scoff. “No, but youshould.”
Kerry pinches his brows, looking from me to Alessandro and then back again. “Maybe a change would be good. After the cottage, I’m rethinking a lot of things.”
That piques my interest, but I know now isn’t the time to be discussing things. Besides, the sounds of hammering and electric drills are making me wince. I can feel the overstimulation building already. “Okay. We can talk about it later, once the ball is done.”
A look of relief crosses over Kerry’s face, as if he’d been expecting to hash it out and come up with a plan to redecorate in the next five minutes. “All right.”
“I expect an invitation to the housewarming party once you are finished, yes?” Alessandro winks at us before turning andhurrying off before either of us can answer. “No, no, terrible placement! Move it over! And change the color,che schifo!” I can’t help but laugh and shake my head at the man’s antics. I don’t have the heart to tell him that most people don’t have a housewarming party just for redecorating a place.
Kerry pulls me into his side and kisses my head. “Let’s take our luggage up to our room and get away from all this noise, hm?”
Now it’s my turn to be relieved. “Yes, please.”
I help Kerry carry the bags inside and up the stairs. But once we reach the end of the hallway, we both pause. The heavy wooden double doors are already open, revealing that the room is filled with Kerry’s missing plants. “That bastard. I’m going to kill him,” Kerry growls, but I can tell he’s not serious. Not much, anyway.
I, on the other hand, am trying not to laugh. “Well, it seems it’s going to be as wild as a jungle in our bedroom for a while.”
Kerry grins at me and squeezes my hand. “You’re damn right it will be.”
“I didnotneed to hear that.” A feminine voice sounds from behind us, making us turn around. A woman I’ve never seen before with dark blonde hair and forest green eyes stands at the top of the stairs. She’s wearing a floral blouse and jeans, and there’s a potted plant in her hands.
Kerry chuckles and lets out a short breath. “O’Brien. Sorry you had to hear that.”
The woman shakes her head and laughs, walking around us to go into our bedroom. “No worries. I’m just glad you’re back, boss.” She has a strange accent. I thought it was American at first, but there’s hints of the Irish accent in there, too. I assume it’s just wishful thinking of meeting someone from home in a foreign land.
Kerry pulls me by the hand to follow her, dragging our suitcases with us. We have to find a place in the usually spacious room to set them down because of all the plants that now litter the area. “You’ve been on holiday since I was gone, it can’t have been that bad.”
O’Brien scoffs. “Then you’re clearly underestimating De Matteis.”
Kerry pauses and then nods. “Fair point. That man is relentless. O’Brien, this is my wife, Amy. Amy, this is one of my best men, Kieran O’Brien.”
The woman laughs as she sets down the pot on the floor and turns to me, dusting off her hands. “One of your bestmen,hm? A bit antiqued, don’t you think?”
Kerry just shrugs in reply.
I meet her halfway to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Kieran.”
She arches her brow at my accent. “American? I didn't expect that. Haven’t been around someone from home in awhile.”
Now it’s my turn to raise my eyebrows. “You’re American? I wondered. Your accent…”
