My eyebrows rose. “I thought she’d retired to raise her babies?”
“She stopped helping me, but she never retired from her business. She’s a designer.”
“Clothing?”
He shook his head. “Interior stylist.”
The toast popped, so I dropped it onto the plate then slathered it in butter. “Unusual business for a Tàileach.”
“She is an unusual woman.”
Admiration laced his reply, which was totally natural given said woman was his sister. I certainly admired the hell out ofmy brother. And yet... suspicion stirred, even though it had absolutely no reason to. None other than the Eye’s continuing pulse, anyway. I grabbed the jam out of the cupboard above my head, spread it over the still-melting butter, then picked up a slice and faced him again.
“You want me to pick you up at the airport?”
He shook his head. “I’m not coming back until late Sunday, and I daresay that now you’re out of hospital, the council has you hunting again.”
“Yeah, they do.” I gave him a brief rundown about the bank then added, “You didn’t have an account there, did you?”
“No, I remain with Paribus.” He glanced at his watch, then drained his coffee. “I should get going, given the traffic to the airport is usually dreadful.”
“You don’t want a shower first?”
He hesitated, then shook his head. “I’ll grab one in the airport lounge. I’d risk missing my plane if I had it here.”
“You’re presuming I’d deign to join you in said shower.”
“I am indeed.”
“Mighty bold of you.”
He laughed. “I’m French. Boldness is second nature.”
“That is definitely a truth,” I said dryly. “You’ll call Monday?”
“I will.” He placed his cup in the sink, wrapped an arm around my waist to draw me close, kissed me soundly, then headed back into the bedroom to finish getting dressed and collect his things.
While he did all that, I ate my toast, sipped my tea, and contemplated why the fuck the Eye seemed to have a hate-on for him. After bidding him goodbye, I listened to the building’s song until I was sure he had left, then rang my brother.
“Bethany,” Lugh said, his deep voice filled with warmth. “How are you this fine morning?”
My eyebrows shot upward. “You’re in a particularly good mood this morning, aren’t you?”
“We won the bid on a relic we’ve been after for a decade.”
“From a private collector?”
“Estate auction. Three other museums were after it.”
“Well, congrats, brother. I hope you’re taking Darby out somewhere nice to celebrate.”
“I am indeed. Viridis, in fact.”
Viridis was one of five “dining sensations” within Deva, and one of only twenty-three restaurants in the UK to be given a Michelin green star for high levels of gastronomy and sustainability. I’d been there twice now, once with Cynwrig and once with Eljin, and it had indeed been a divine experience.
“Who’d you bribe to get a table there at short notice?”
He laughed. “No bribery needed when you know the maître d’.”
