It’d paid off. I’d had trust funds that matured at various ages and I hadn’t blown through what I got. The house in Oxfordshire was bought with my funds and Rachael’s trust, but the rest had been re-invested over and over.
Money worries were ones I didn’t have. Everything else was fair game.
“I don’t need to draw down. I have cash. No mortgage needed.”
He looked at me with an expression that was a mix of pride and curiosity. “Very well. Take the time off. I was surprised you didn’t have more time away after Rachael’s death, to be honest. Your mother was worried about you.”
Not him. My father rarely showed emotion other than pride and happiness. Men didn’t feel sad in his world, we were too stoic for that.
“She probably had reason to be.” I wasn’t going to allay that fear. “Is there a reason I should know about this dinner tonight?”
“Old friends. Old rivals. I’ve known Joseph Green since we were both in short trousers and couldn’t wipe our own arses and it’s not often we come up against them so why not celebrate it. Don’t worry – we’re not thinking of merging the companies.” He gave me a grin that made him look like an older version of me.
“You’ve considered that then?”
He shook his head. “Only when we’ve had too many whiskies and we’re watching sunrise at some stupid time in the morning. Nothing serious, so don’t worry – you won’t need to share your inheritance with the Green kids.”
“Marie Green’s pretty talented.” I put a toe in the water. “She was excellent in the mediation.”
“I heard she was good. When Claire’s older, you should introduce her to Marie. She’d be a good role model and Claire’s already got the makings of a good solicitor.” He chuckled fondly, probably thinking of the last time he’d seen his granddaughter and she’d had more questions than he could answer.
My father was a much better granddad than he’d been a dad. He and my mother had helped out with the kids when they could, with my mother stepping in next week when my aunt had to go back home for some appointments.
“I think it’s too early to say what job Claire’s going to have. I’ve got to keep her alive for a few more years yet.” Which was a challenge in itself. Yesterday she’d gone missing, only to be found up a tree by Maxwell. She couldn’t get down, so my eldest had taken it upon himself to fix the situation by sourcing a ladder, carried by him and Jackson, and Claire had climbed down that.
I’d asked my aunt why Claire had managed to go missing for so long and the response hadn’t been helpful. Callum was a handful and looking after him was a full-time job, I’d been told. She couldn’t be responsible for the other three if she was having to look after Callum, because the other three were usually on the other side of a field or in a stream or up trees.
Case in point.
“She’s a wild one.” My dad seemed happy with that. “Anyway, we need to go. Car’s waiting outside.”
The restaurant was ridiculously swanky and totally different to where Marie and I had been eating for the last few days. We’d been grabbing falafel from stalls or eating in small Italian restaurants where the lighting was dim and no one was listening.We hadn’t bothered with the high-end places, keeping it casual in all senses.
I followed the host to the bar where champagne fizzed over the sides of glasses, the popping of another bottle the soundtrack. Nerves clogged my veins, the champagne doing little to erase them, although I didn’t know why.
Maybe it was because I was telling myself I was in love with Marie when I knew that couldn’t be true. I was in lust and I liked her a lot.
More than liked her.
My jaw hit the floor when I saw her. I was used to seeing her in suits and jeans, or naked most of the time, not like this.
Her hair was piled up on top of her head, cascading down her back in styled curls, a back that was bare, her dress cut down to the waist, the front of it high necked lace. It was a deep navy blue silk and it made her look like a movie star rather than an Irish girl who missed the wild tides and fierce seas of Ballybunion.
She tipped her chin as she caught my eye, a soft knowing smile crossing her face because she probably knew the effect she was having on me right now.
“Miss Green.” My father greeted her first. “You look wonderful. Grant was telling me how amazing you were in the mediation as well.”
I gave my dad a shiny star for complimenting her on her work and not just how she looked.
She teetered on high heels as she moved towards us, a glass of champagne already in her hand.
“Thank you.” She leaned in for a kiss from my father. “Your son’s not too shabby either.”
Then it was my turn for a kiss. I didn’t try to help it, placing my hand on the swell of her hip and letting it linger there for a moment longer than I should.
Her eyes glittered. I’d hear about that later.
“It’s good to see the next generation of solicitors coming into their own. Soon it’ll be the two of you leading on cases like Barnett versus Kush.” He nodded at Marie. “Your father must be very proud with how you’re doing.”
