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Taylor cocked her brow, and he could all but feel her letting him decide. He rose fluidly, reaching for his calm as he stepped up next to her at the podium. She touched his back supportively before speaking into the microphone. “Be nice to Mr. O’Hanlon, folks. He’s had as weird of a week as I have. But first, let me ask Liam the question on everyone’s minds. Can you describe the man everyone seems to think is Veritas?”
He had to give her credit for the wording. “I can’t actually. I didn’t see the man.”
Taylor shrugged to the crowd. “I’ve been to other press conferences after a Veritas mural popped up, and the MO here is the same, I’m afraid. I’m sorry to say we won’t be unmasking Veritas today.”
“Only Veritas received permission from Mr. O’Hanlon,” a reporter shouted out. “Thatisdifferent.”
Taylor smiled at him before answering, “Actually, it’s been done before. Always through an anonymous email account. Same here. Right, Liam?”
He nodded with a short smile, greatly aware of how much he felt like a fish out of water while she looked radiant in her power. Then again, she would need nerves of steel to be Veritas.
“What can we say? Veritas is really good at covering their tracks. Now, I think we’re a little late with the Kindness Sheep segment, and from what I’ve heard, those sheep don’t like to wait. So if you’ll head to the windows…”
She was already leading Liam away from the podium, much to his relief. “You did great,” she assured him in a low voice.
He touched her arm. “You were the showstopper. I’m only romantic eye candy.”
“Yes, you are,” she replied with a laugh, kissing his cheek. “Got any ideas for a quiet place to watch the sheep and talk to Arthur and company? I don’t want to be overheard or seen to be playing favorites among reporters. They can be a sensitive lot about exclusives.”
All the things he was learning…
“I recommend the second floor from one of the classrooms. Do you want me to get them and meet you there? Ghislaine is waving you over, it seems.”
She looked over, the red highlights in her hair flashing under the lights. “She’s with the artist Ellie was going crazy about. I’ll only be a minute. Thanks, babe.”
“Sure thing,a stór.”
She caught his hand before he could step away. “Thanks for trusting me to help you up there. With the Veritas thing.”
His smile was easy at last. “I’ll always trust you. See you shortly.”
He managed to catch their party as they were walking down the long aisle of chairs toward the windows. “Hi, I’m Liam O’Hanlon. Taylor wanted to invite you to a better view upstairs if you have a moment.”
The older man held out his age-spotted hand and gave him a hearty handshake. “I’m Arthur Hale, and I’m old as dirt and don’t have too many moments left, so a better view would be great.”
Arthur’s beautiful wife clucked her tongue. “I’m Clara Merriam Hale, Liam, and my advice is not to take anything this cranky old man has to say seriously. If I did, he’d still be walking with a cane.”
The older man waggled silver brows over light blue eyes filled with humor and wisdom. “She took it away from me when we started dating. I fell down for days.”
He had to fight the urge to laugh at their banter. They had the gift for gab, as they’d say in Ireland.
“I’m Trevor Merriam, Liam,” said the tall, dark-haired man. He shook Liam’s hand with a firm grip. “I agree with my aunt. You can’t take Uncle Arthur seriously, but he is one hell of a reporter.”
“Which is why you’re here,” Liam managed, “something we all appreciate. If you’ll come this way.”
Taylor was waiting at the top of the stairs with a huge smile on her face. “I snuck away faster than expected. Hey, Trev! Nice of you to swing up this way. Been an age since the last time we hung out in Rome.”
The camaraderie between them was obvious, and Liam liked the chance to see more of the Taylor he was madly in love with.
“You mean the night you and J.T. decided we needed gelato at three in the morning and dragged me into the streets to find a place that was still open?” He stopped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders, smiling broadly. “Good to see you, Taylor. J.T. said to kiss you Rome style for him, but I’m too Irish now for that. So you get a hug.”
“I’ll take it.” She squeezed him tightly enough to make him grunt, then nudged him in the ribs. “Now, introduce me.”
Liam had to smile at the playful demand, and so did the man Taylor had described as her hero. A heady thing, meeting one’s hero…
He swept out his hand grandly, earning a harumph from Arthur. “My aunt and uncle, whose names you already know. Beware. Your life will never be the same after you meet these two. I’m hitched and running a bed and breakfast in Ireland with llamas in my yard. Llamas,plural.”
Liam fought a chuckle. An odd animal to be raising in Ireland. He sensed a story.
