There’s still nothing from Cormac regarding his decision about staying in New York.
Fucking typical.
Ciara turns then, finally meeting my gaze as she clutches her mug of coffee. “What am I supposed to do all day?”
Her voice is sharper than I expect, but I don’t let it faze me. I have much more important things to deal with today.
“Make yourself at home.” I get to my feet and pocket my phone.
Ciara’s lips part, like she’s about to say something else, but I beat her to it.
“I have business to attend to in the city, but I’m sure you’ll find some way to… amuse yourself.” I flash her a wink, and her cheeks instantly color at the subtle suggestion. “But don’t have too much fun without me.”
After my morning meetings,I head to a café in a quiet spot near the docks to meet Lorcan. I find him already waiting for me, sipping on a black coffee and reading the newspaper, looking as though he doesn’t have a care in the world.
This café was a regular meeting place for my father and me, so a heavy weight settles on my chest as I walk to our usual table and see his brother sitting in his place.
I’ve been brought up around death, and it has never affected me much. Maybe because my father taught me to distance myself well from it. But I can’t seem to find it in me to distance myself from his. I might have three brothers and an uncle to lean on, but my father was always the man I went to for advice. He knew me better than anyone, and I can’t quite believe that I’ll never get the chance to speak to him again. Never get the chance to talk to him about the woman he wanted me to marry. The woman I can’t seem to get out of my head.
“Morning,” Lorcan says as I approach the table, not looking up from his paper.
“Lorcan.”
He finishes scanning the article he’s reading before setting the paper down and gesturing to the seat across from him.
I unbutton my suit jacket before taking a seat and running a hand through my hair.
Lorcan watches me closely, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “How is the honeymoon phase going?”
I shoot him a look. “What do you think?”
“Not well, considering howhappythe poor girl looked yesterday.”
I bristle at his words.
Did Ciara really look that miserable?
“There’s something you need to know. About the will.” I cut to the chase, if only to avoid talking about Ciara.
Lorcan’s smile fades as he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Go on.”
I explain everything the lawyer told me about Seamus’s conditions about the split control of the business as well asCormac needing to return to New York permanently, otherwise we lose everything.
Lorcan whistles as he shakes his head. “That old bastard really knew how to keep you all on a leash, huh?”
“He did what he thought was right.”
“Does Cormac know about this?”
“I told him some of it at the funeral, and he said he’ll let me know.”
Lorcan seems anything but happy about this snippet of information. “And what do you think?”
“About which part?”
“About taking over as head of the family?”
“I think it’s a big responsibility, but I want it.”
