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“Huh,” Cordelia said as they walked. “I’ve got two missed calls from Toby.”

“Should you call him back?”

“Not yet,” she said, slipping her hand into his. Her phone rang again. “Ugh, god, Toby,” Cordelia muttered, silencing it.

“Call him,” Niall said.

“I will. I just need a glass of wine first. I feel another Big Brother Lecture coming on.”

“That can be arranged, I think,” Niall said, opening the door to the pub.

There was a tall woman at the bar with Róisín, her back to them, wearing a big furry hat and a peacoat.

“Ah, there she is,” Róisín said, pointing. The woman turned around.

“Cordelia!” she exclaimed.

Cordelia’s mouth fell open. “Mom?”

“Cordie, look, your mam’s come all the way from Russia to see you,” Róisín said, giving a sardonic glance at Louise’s hat. “How’s the weather in Moscow, Louise?”

Niall choked on a laugh but Cordelia was in a complete state of shock.

“Well, come give your mother a hug,” Louise said. Shauna was staring unabashed from behind the bar, wiping the same glass over and over again. “Gary’s just in the bathroom. This place is so cute! And you,” Louise said, looking Niall up and down. “You must be Niall.”

Cordelia still hadn’t moved. Niall prodded her gently in the back, then took her elbow when that didn’t work. Cordelia felt like she was walking on wooden legs.

“I am,” Niall said. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you too,” Louise said.

“What are you doing here?” Cordelia demanded, finding her voice at last.

“I told you we were going to come visit,” Louise said.

“You did not,” Cordelia said. “Mom, you did not tell me that.”

“We talked about it when I was at the cabin with Nikki and Toby.”

“That—that was like a month ago!” Cordelia cried.

“You know, if you’d actually pick up your phone when I call this might not have come as such a surprise,” Louise said tartly. She turned to Niall with a Cheshire cat smile. “Now, Niall—” she began.

“How do you know about Niall?” Cordelia said.

“Cordelia, I follow you on Instagram,” Louise said. “Besides, your brother told me. Toby can’t keep secrets.”

“Traitor,” Cordelia muttered.

“I should probably get—” Niall began, but Louise cut him off.

“Oh, but Niall, you’ve got to meet Gary. Gary!” Louise motioned to a burly man with thick graying hair. “Gary, this is Niall, Cordelia’s boyfriend.”

“Mom!” Cordelia said loudly. “I don’t … I thought I told you not to come.”

“Yes, but that was then and this is now. You have a boyfriend I needed to meet! And anyway I found a fabulous deal for the hotel on Groupon. Oh, don’t make that face, we’re only here for one night and then we’re off to tour Dingle.”

“Dingle’s grand,” Niall said. “You’ll love it. Very beautiful.”