Hannah laughed.
‘Sure, it’s a madhouse round here,’ said Aidan, ‘but I wouldn’t change it. If I thought you’d move, I’d offer you a partnership, like, yesterday. Business is growing and with Sorcha off on maternity leave, I’m going to be swamped.’
‘You know me,’ said Hannah, shaking her head vehemently.
‘Indeed I do. The only way you’ll leave Ingrams is in a coffin,’ he observed, with a mournful twist to his mouth. ‘You know it would be dead easy for you to come here.’
‘I don’t know anything about the Irish law system.’
‘Ah but that’s the good thing. It’s very similar to the UK; all you need is a certificate of admission.’ He turned puppy dog eyes on her. ‘They’re easy to get.’
Hannah laughed. ‘Not buying. I’m happy where I am.’
‘You’ll find someone,’ said Sorcha patting his hand and exchanging a wry smile with Hannah. ‘He’s almost as bad as you are. Wanting everything to stay the same.’
‘I just want someone I know I can work with.’ Aidan pulled a face. ‘That won’t let me down and knows how to make a decent cup of tea.’
‘Not worried about their legal qualifications then?’ teased Hannah.
‘Lord, no. As long as they can read my writing and make tea, they’ll be grand.’
They all laughed. Hannah knew for a fact that Aidan, like Sorcha, was extremely meticulous and methodical in his work, which was why the three of them had always got on so well.
‘So how’s your dad?’ asked Hannah with a deliberate change of subject.
‘He’s a new man. In fact if I hadn’t seen him all grey and wizened in the hospital, I’d a thought he was faking it, just to get me to come home but he was fierce poorly. He says retiring is the best thing he’s ever done.’
‘That’s because he spends all his time on the golf course,’ chipped in Sorcha. ‘You’ll need to find someone in the office soon otherwise you won’t be having your Friday golf days with your daddy.’
‘They’re business strategy meetings,’ said Aidan with a cocky wink.
‘Sure they are.’ Sorcha said peaceably. ‘That’ll all stop when the baby comes.’
‘No, I’ll get one of those pouch things. For sure, you can still swing a golf club. I’ll be super dad and you can take the day off.’ He stood up, stuffed a tea towel in a bundle down his shirt and mimed taking a shot.
‘I think you’ll probably decapitate the baby,’ said Hannah, trying to hold back her laugh. ‘I’ve just realised how much I missed you guys. Itisso good to see you.’
‘You, too.
‘Now tell us what’s the famous Conor Byrne like. Have you met him? He’s a handsome devil,’ Sorcha held up her hand as Aidan began a mock protest. ‘Nearly as handsome as you, my darlin’.’
Hannah huffed out a breath. ‘He might be handsome but he knows it.’ Her face creased in a naughty smile, ‘Although I didn’t have a clue who he was. I don’t think that did his ego much good.’
‘Honest to God, Hannah. What are you like? He’s proper famous.’ Sorcha patted her hand pityingly.
‘You know me.’ Hannah shrugged. ‘I’ve never been into all that celebrity stuff.’
‘Jesus, even I’ve heard of the man,’ said Aidan. ‘Without the aid of Google. They all talk about him round here.’
Hannah resolved as soon as she got back to the cottage to Google him to find out just what the big deal was. Was he really that famous?
‘An’ what’s your sister up to these days?’ asked Sorcha. ‘Still throwing the best parties?’
Hannah shot them both a grin and began to tell them exactly what Mina had been up to in the last year.
By the time she left the house, promising to come back very soon, her stomach ached from so much laughter. It was amazing; with true friends it didn’t matter how long ago it was since you’d seen them, you could always pick straight up where you left off. She might not have seen Aidan or Sorcha for three years but it hadn’t stopped them talking non-stop for the last three hours. With a pang she realised how much she’d missed them. There was nothing like being with people who really knew you. Funny that it had taken her coming here to see them again. They seemed so settled and happy, especially Sorcha who, despite the Irish name, was Kent born and bred. Hannah couldn’t imagine moving to a different country, even though her own sister had made the move to Switzerland. Hannah had never even considered it. She’d always thought she was quite content with her life the way it was. Now she was beginning to wonder.
Chapter Thirteen
