“You could be talking about yourself.”
A warmth spread through Sean’s chest. It felt good to be here, to share what had been happening in his life with someone who cared. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant in any other way. You have a family who love you and friends who would do anything for you. That’s a treasure many people would be pleased to possess.”
“You’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives, too.”
“I try to. From when I was a little girl, I saw the difference the gift of a pretty bouquet can make. My gran used to tell us we weren’t in the business of flowers; we were spreading love and kindness. I didn’t realize how right she was until I was older and saw some of the tragedies people live through.”
“I feel the same way about my work in the search and rescue team. When there’s an accident or someone goes missing, our job is to find them and make sure they have the best possible care.”
“I imagine they are extremely grateful for what everyone has done for them.”
Sean knew they were, but it didn’t make the stress of what he saw any easier to bear. “Did you miss Molly when you moved to Montana?”
“More than I thought. Being here without Molly or Gran was difficult. It made me appreciate the friendships I made and the people I worked with. Without them, I would have been even more lonely than I was.”
That surprised Sean. “I can’t imagine you being lonely. You always have something positive to say and a smile for everyone.”
Becky looked across the yard at the pink and purple sky. “Looks can be wickedly deceptive. More than once, I regretted leaving Ireland. I thought living here would be easy, but the words you use, the food, and the way you think is completely different. Some days, my head spun just taking it all in.”
“How do you feel now?” Sean held his breath while he waited for her reply. He couldn’t leave Montana, not with the ranch and everything that involved. If Becky ever wanted to return to Ireland, he couldn’t go with her.
Her eyes filled with laughter. “I’ll sound like a little old lady, but I feel settled and happy. I can’t imagine living anywhere else, especially with Mary. And speaking of Mary, thank you for bringing the farmyard set with you. She had a grand time building her own ranch.”
“She wasn’t the only one. I enjoyed it, too.” He took a sip from his drink. “How are you finding looking after her?”
“’Tis a lot easier than when she first arrived. I’d never looked after any children let alone a five-year-old who was grieving for her parents and away from all that was familiar to her.”
He could only imagine what it must have been like. “You’re doing an amazing job.”
Becky sighed. “Sometimes, it doesn’t feel like it. Adam, my lawyer, asked me not to tell Mary about what her grandma is doing. As if I could ever tell our little girl she might live somewhere else.”
Reaching out, Sean held her hand. “A judge would be crazy to give Mary’s grandmother guardianship of her.”
“There’s no guarantee she will stay here.”
“Has Mary seen the therapist you were telling me about?”
“She spoke to her this afternoon. Until tonight, I haven’t asked Mary if she enjoys living with me. But she said she does, so that’s all I need to know.” She turned in her seat and stared earnestly into his eyes. “You have a wonderful way with Mary. Do you want children of your own?”
“One day. It was hard to think about starting a family when I hadn’t met anyone I could fall in love with.”
A blush washed across Becky’s face. “You were looking in the wrong places.”
He tightened his hold on her hand. “The flower shop changed that. I like you, Becky. More than like you. How would you feel about going out to dinner or to a movie together?”
Becky looked at their linked hands. “I’d like to spend more time with you, but I have a complicated life. My first priority has to be Mary.”
“I understand and I wouldn’t expect you to say anything else.”
“But, just so you know, I really like you, too.” A smile appeared on her face. “Especially when you bring chocolate cream pie for dessert.”
“If I brought pie for dessert each night, would you like me more?”
Becky’s smile turned into a dimpled grin. “Of course. And if any of your desserts include cupcakes, Mary will be your friend for life.”
“I like that idea.” Lifting his hand to the side of her face, he stared into her eyes. “I’m thirty-five years old, Becky. I’ve never met anyone I want to spend more time with than you. You’re beautiful, amazing, and so perfect I never want to leave after we’ve spent time together. I can’t believe we didn’t meet sooner.”
