Page 111 of Never Too Late to Date

Seamus’s tone of voice told her he was just humouring her.

‘Will you let me buy half the sanctuary?’

‘What?’

‘I’ve got money invested, a legacy from my parents, and I’ve been looking for some time for something worthwhile to do with it. I can’t think of anything more worthwhile than this.’

Her heart was racing, but it wasn’t fear coursing through her veins; it was excitement.

Maeve looked at her husband.

‘It’s a lovely thought, but do you have any idea how much this place is worth and what the running costs are?’

They obviously didn’t dare to hope she could afford it.

‘Not exactly, but tell me how much you were hoping for?’

Seamus named a sum that was well within her budget and left plenty over for a deposit for a house for her daughter Tasha, plus a contingency fund. Her parents’ wish that their granddaughter should leave university debt-free had been carried out, and the rest of the money had always been hers to do what she wanted. And this was very much what she wanted. More than that, it was what she’d been searching for since relinquishing her job, signing the divorce papers and waving her daughter off to the other side of the world. It was something just for her. It was time to be selfish.

She reached over to take their hands.

‘I have that and more.’

The tears in both their eyes set her off too. Maeve squeezed her hand hard.

‘Are you serious?’

‘I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. It’s a genuine offer. Obviously, you’ll need time to think about it…’

Vicky watched Maeve and Seamus’s faces carefully. The look that passed between them was one of mutual love and trust. She’d never really had that with anyone, that almost telepathic level of communication. A brief nod and they both turned back to her. It was Maeve who spoke first.

‘We don’t need to think about it. We trust you, and we’ve seen how much you care about the animals. It’s a yes from us!’

Seamus beckoned her over.

‘Group hug, I think it’s called.’

After they’d hugged the life out of each other and sat down again, Seamus fished about in the desk drawer and brought out a bottle of whiskey and held it up.

‘It’s the proper stuff we’re drinking, whiskey with an “e”. None of that Scottish muck.’

He carefully poured an inch into each of their teacups.

‘Sláinte!’

‘Sláinte!’

‘Here’s to a successful partnership.’

The whiskey hit the back of her throat and warmed her empty stomach. Every nation had its own version of a soother, mused Vicky. She quickly dismissed the memory of drinking Metaxa with Alex and what it had led to. Her mind was already ablaze with everything that would need to be done.

‘We’ll have to get it all drawn up properly with lawyers, for both our sakes, and it will probably take me a little while to sort out the finances with the bank…’

‘Sure, sure.’ Seamus leant back in the chair. ‘But take the weight off a moment there. We need to celebrate a terrible day turning into a joyous one. Let’s forget about work and go for a long lunch at the café on the beach.’

After so long in a different country, Seamus was more Greek than he probably realised. Maeve got up from her seat.

‘Good idea. They do a great kritharoto, the seafood risotto with orzo pasta instead of rice.’