undemanding and soothing to have around?
Nell drove Dillon into town just before lunchtime. She could hardly wait to show off both the community and the way O’Briens were so much a part of it. She found a parking spot on Main Street right in front of Flowers on Main. Bree had her usual colorful assortment of bouquets lined up in buckets on the sidewalk and a window display of more formal arrangements. It delighted Nell that her granddaughter had learned the art of flower arranging from her and made a success of it.
“This is Bree’s shop,” Dillon said as they exited the car.
She regarded him with surprise. “You remembered!”
He laughed. “It was just yesterday when Mick was bragging about it as we drove into town.”
“Ah, yes. I’d forgotten that. I probably shouldn’t say this, because it’s surely bragging, but Bree learned everything she knows about flowers from me,” Nell confided. “Of course, I must admit the student has surpassed the master now. Her arrangements are quite dramatic compared to the simple ones I do at home.”
“Don’t be selling yourself short,” Dillon scolded. “The bright flowers in your cottage are a welcoming touch. Better yet, I can see that they’ve come from your own garden.” He studied her. “Is that something you enjoy doing, Nell?”
She nodded. “My knees are getting a little creaky, so getting up and down is trickier these days, but I can’t imagine a time when I can’t care for my garden.”
“You can always hire help and supervise.”
“It’s not the same,” she said sadly. “Not at all. Jake would come and do whatever I ask, but I like the feel of the earth between my fingers and knowing that I’ve coaxed something from seed to blossom.”
“Or you could boss me around a bit,” he offered. “I’ve some experience in the landscaping business, you know.” He winked at her. “You might enjoy telling me what to do.”
She laughed then. “I might at that. Shall we go inside and say hello to Bree?”
“Of course,” he said at once. “I want to tell her how impressed I am.”
Once they’d spent a few minutes with Bree, Nell led the way to Shanna’s bookstore next door. She had to admit that she was relieved to take a seat in the café area and accept the cup of Earl Grey tea that Shanna brought her while Dillon explored the shelves for a supply of books about the region.
“I have most of those at home,” Nell told him when he showed her his selections. “Thomas sees to it that I read everything on this area. He’s always turning up with the latest book he feels supports his cause to save the bay.”
“But I want to give Shanna the sale, and these can be shipped over to Dublin, so I’ll have them on my own shelves.”
His words sent a cold chill through her. “Are you already so anxious to get back home?”
He looked stunned by the question. “Good heavens, no. Why would you ask such a thing?”
She hesitated, then said, “The truth is that I’ve been hoping to convince you to stay longer. I didn’t want to broach it just yet, but there it is.” She met his gaze. “Will you at least consider it?”
Dillon reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “I thought we agreed—”
She cut him off. “I know what we agreed,” she said impatiently, “but sometimes things change. People change.”
Worry carved deeper lines in his forehead. “Nell, this isn’t the first time I’ve sensed that something’s wrong. Will you tell me what it is? Please. I’m worried. Are you ill?”
She sighed at having been caught so easily. “It’s nothing, really. Nothing specific, anyway. When I came home, for the first time ever, my blood pressure was high. The doctor put me on medication and insisted I monitor myself. I know, in the overall scheme of things, something like that shouldn’t be a shock at my age, but it was to me. After years of avoiding most medications, I’m now taking something that leaves me
Nell drove Dillon into town just before lunchtime. She could hardly wait to show off both the community and the way O’Briens were so much a part of it. She found a parking spot on Main Street right in front of Flowers on Main. Bree had her usual colorful assortment of bouquets lined up in buckets on the sidewalk and a window display of more formal arrangements. It delighted Nell that her granddaughter had learned the art of flower arranging from her and made a success of it.
“This is Bree’s shop,” Dillon said as they exited the car.
She regarded him with surprise. “You remembered!”
He laughed. “It was just yesterday when Mick was bragging about it as we drove into town.”
“Ah, yes. I’d forgotten that. I probably shouldn’t say this, because it’s surely bragging, but Bree learned everything she knows about flowers from me,” Nell confided. “Of course, I must admit the student has surpassed the master now. Her arrangements are quite dramatic compared to the simple ones I do at home.”
“Don’t be selling yourself short,” Dillon scolded. “The bright flowers in your cottage are a welcoming touch. Better yet, I can see that they’ve come from your own garden.” He studied her. “Is that something you enjoy doing, Nell?”
She nodded. “My knees are getting a little creaky, so getting up and down is trickier these days, but I can’t imagine a time when I can’t care for my garden.”
“You can always hire help and supervise.”
“It’s not the same,” she said sadly. “Not at all. Jake would come and do whatever I ask, but I like the feel of the earth between my fingers and knowing that I’ve coaxed something from seed to blossom.”
“Or you could boss me around a bit,” he offered. “I’ve some experience in the landscaping business, you know.” He winked at her. “You might enjoy telling me what to do.”
She laughed then. “I might at that. Shall we go inside and say hello to Bree?”
“Of course,” he said at once. “I want to tell her how impressed I am.”
Once they’d spent a few minutes with Bree, Nell led the way to Shanna’s bookstore next door. She had to admit that she was relieved to take a seat in the café area and accept the cup of Earl Grey tea that Shanna brought her while Dillon explored the shelves for a supply of books about the region.
“I have most of those at home,” Nell told him when he showed her his selections. “Thomas sees to it that I read everything on this area. He’s always turning up with the latest book he feels supports his cause to save the bay.”
“But I want to give Shanna the sale, and these can be shipped over to Dublin, so I’ll have them on my own shelves.”
His words sent a cold chill through her. “Are you already so anxious to get back home?”
He looked stunned by the question. “Good heavens, no. Why would you ask such a thing?”
She hesitated, then said, “The truth is that I’ve been hoping to convince you to stay longer. I didn’t want to broach it just yet, but there it is.” She met his gaze. “Will you at least consider it?”
Dillon reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “I thought we agreed—”
She cut him off. “I know what we agreed,” she said impatiently, “but sometimes things change. People change.”
Worry carved deeper lines in his forehead. “Nell, this isn’t the first time I’ve sensed that something’s wrong. Will you tell me what it is? Please. I’m worried. Are you ill?”
She sighed at having been caught so easily. “It’s nothing, really. Nothing specific, anyway. When I came home, for the first time ever, my blood pressure was high. The doctor put me on medication and insisted I monitor myself. I know, in the overall scheme of things, something like that shouldn’t be a shock at my age, but it was to me. After years of avoiding most medications, I’m now taking something that leaves me
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