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“Excellent. We’ll just make sure he knows to pick Georgie up.”
Georgie just shrugged in answer. Her mind drifted off as the conversation turned to wedding flowers. She meant it when she said she wasn’t in the market. Although if she were going to be, a certain hot Irish doctor would definitely be first on her list. But she wasn’t. So there was no point thinking about it.
* * *
Ryan was laying out a plan of action. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror, scraping the razor over his whiskers as his mind pondered. He knew Georgie had been thrown when he told her what he did for a living. It was essential from here that he didn’t overwhelm her. The situation needed a slow and steady hand. She was rail thin, she barely ate, she was dogged by pain, which she didn’t take any medication for. And while he couldn’t be sure what her exact injury was, from the way she walked, it appeared to emanate from her hip. Ryan understood the miracle of modern medicine pretty well. He’d be surprised if there wasn’t some surgery available to help her. So he knew, Georgie Quinn needed sorting out. And he was just the man to do it. Satisfied, Ryan splashed water on his face, toweled off and went to get dressed, then walked down the track to Georgie’s cabin, bottle of wine in hand.
She was coming out of the bathroom as he stepped up on the veranda. She saw him standing at the door and smiled. His heart squeezed. She was wearing dark jeans and a pale green shirt. Both were bagging on her. It seemed to Ryan that there was a time when these clothes fit her well, but then she’d lost a lot of weight. Not surprising, given the stress she’d been under for he knew not how long. She limped to the door and he opened it for her. “Ready?”
“Yep.”
He tucked the bottle of wine under his arm and held his other hand out and she put hers in it, holding tight as she stepped off the veranda. They walked slowly along the dimly lit track. Little solar lights edged the pathway, providing just enough light to outline the path. Ryan adjusted his pace to Georgie’s. They crossed the car park to Juniper and William’s cottage under a half moon. Mikayla swung the front door open before Ryan had the chance to knock.
“Ah, it’s my favorite Irish doctor.”
“Do you know many Irish doctors?”
“Nope, but even if I did, you’d still be my fave.” Ryan grinned. He liked this one. He liked her a lot. “Come on in.” Mikayla stepped aside, ushering them through the entrance hall and into the loungeroom. Juniper came forward and took the wine, giving Ryan a kiss on the cheek in welcome. He was introduced to Mikayla and Callum’s parents, Nora and John. Then William was welcoming them and guiding Georgie to the large sofa nestled in the bay window that overlooked the ocean. Ryan didn’t fail to notice Mikayla giving Callum the stink eye, as he was already seated on the sofa. Taking the hint, Callum got up so that Ryan could sit next to Georgie. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop from grinning as he sat down.
He’d barely leaned back before Billy came over. “Can I sit with you?”
“Sure.” Ryan was expecting the little boy to sit between himself and Georgie, whose attention had been caught by Leah, coming to sit on a chair next to the sofa. But Billy surprised him by climbing straight up into his lap.
“I like you,” Billy said, his blue eyes solemn.
“I like you, too,” Ryan replied, giving him a gentle tickle and smiling when Billy giggled.
“I like Georgie.”
“I like Georgie, too.”
“I know you do.”
“And how would you be knowing that?”
“I can tell from your colors.”
“Well now, isn’t that interesting? My colors, is it? And what are they?”
Billy shrugged. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Sure you can.”
Billy put his hands on Ryan’s face and turned his head, leaning close and whispering, “Georgie likes you too.”
Delighted, Ryan whispered back, “Is that so?”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t want to. She’s trying to stop her colors.”
“Well, I’ll thank you for letting me know.”
Billy leaned back. “I like the way you talk.”
“I like the way you talk.”
Billy giggled then squirmed to get down. Ryan lifted him off his lap and onto the floor, then draped his arm along the back of the couch, behind Georgie.
“So, Ryan, whereabouts in Ireland are you from?” Mikayla asked as she crossed the room to hand him and Georgie a glass of wine each.
