sounded slightly less combative. “I have a terrible feeling she’s meeting me in Dublin instead of Shannon. I take it you haven’t seen her? She’s not here?”
Emma shook her head. “We only just got into Declan’s Cross ourselves.”
“I’ve called and texted her but nothing. I must have screwed up. Right now I just feel stupid more than anything else.”
“A little late to feel stupid,” Colin said.
Julianne scowled at him. “Always count on a Donovan to make you feel better.”
“You barely know this woman,” he said, obviously not about to let Julianne off the hook. “You have no idea if she’s reliable.”
“I know that, Colin. I got here alive, didn’t I?” She tightened her shawl-like sweater around her and sighed at the view. “What a great spot. It’s going to be a fantastic two weeks.” She turned to Emma. “Thanks for the welcome, but you and Colin can go on your way now.”
Emma could see that Julianne was rattled and tired from her long, unexpected drive from Shannon, on little sleep, and she was defensive around Colin. Probably should have left him at the hotel, Emma thought, then said gently, “We’re staying in the village. Just overnight. The O’Byrne House Hotel. It’s really lovely. I hope you’ll stop by before we leave.”
“Wait, what? You’re staying in Declan’s Cross?” Julianne’s dark hair blew in the wind, the last of her ponytail coming loose. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, ma’am,” Colin said, blunt as ever. “Get yourself settled. We can talk later.”
She stiffened visibly. “I’ll do exactly as I please.”
He turned to Emma. “That spa’s looking better and better.”
Julianne ignored him and headed up the walk to the bungalow. She tried the front door. It was unlocked, and she went in without so much as a backward glance.
Emma stood next to Colin by the little car. “You and Julianne go back a long way. I’ll go talk to her and let her know how to reach us. Why don’t you stay out here and count sheep?”
“I remember her bossing us around when she was six. She liked to carry around a bucket filled with seaweed and periwinkles.”
“Not afraid of her, are you?”
He grinned. “Terrified. I have to remember she’s almost finished with her master’s in marine biology. She’s always been smart. Andy is, too, but he never was a student. He dropped out of the only college that accepted him.”
“Is that why he and Julianne aren’t together anymore?”
“I haven’t asked. Won’t, either. He doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder.”
“Not that a Donovan ever would,” Emma said. “He does well as a lobsterman, and his boat-restoration business seems to be getting off the ground. Do you think he’s worried about keeping Julianne in Rock Point, somehow limiting her horizons?”
“I have no idea. They both do what they want. Always have.” His tone softened. “Go on. I’ll grab her suitcase. She won’t thank me for it. You watch.”
He seemed more amused and expectant than annoyed. Emma hoped Lindsey Hargreaves had left a note in the cottage to explain why she hadn’t met Julianne at the airport. That would ease Julianne’s mind. Colin’s, too. He clearly didn’t like that this woman hadn’t shown up.
Julianne had left the front door open, and Emma stepped inside, entering a living room with a tile floor, throw rugs and IKEA-style furnishings in neutral colors. There was a fireplace, next to it a bin of kindling and peat.
A pine table served as a divider between the living room and a sunlit kitchen on the opposite end of the little one-story bungalow. Julianne stood by the table, looking out double windows at the front yard and across the lane to the sea.
“Sorry I snapped at Colin,” she said, sounding more tired than apologetic. “Not that he can’t take it.”
Emma walked over to her. “We didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t. Really. I’m just frazzled. If I’d known Lindsey
Emma shook her head. “We only just got into Declan’s Cross ourselves.”
“I’ve called and texted her but nothing. I must have screwed up. Right now I just feel stupid more than anything else.”
“A little late to feel stupid,” Colin said.
Julianne scowled at him. “Always count on a Donovan to make you feel better.”
“You barely know this woman,” he said, obviously not about to let Julianne off the hook. “You have no idea if she’s reliable.”
“I know that, Colin. I got here alive, didn’t I?” She tightened her shawl-like sweater around her and sighed at the view. “What a great spot. It’s going to be a fantastic two weeks.” She turned to Emma. “Thanks for the welcome, but you and Colin can go on your way now.”
Emma could see that Julianne was rattled and tired from her long, unexpected drive from Shannon, on little sleep, and she was defensive around Colin. Probably should have left him at the hotel, Emma thought, then said gently, “We’re staying in the village. Just overnight. The O’Byrne House Hotel. It’s really lovely. I hope you’ll stop by before we leave.”
“Wait, what? You’re staying in Declan’s Cross?” Julianne’s dark hair blew in the wind, the last of her ponytail coming loose. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, ma’am,” Colin said, blunt as ever. “Get yourself settled. We can talk later.”
She stiffened visibly. “I’ll do exactly as I please.”
He turned to Emma. “That spa’s looking better and better.”
Julianne ignored him and headed up the walk to the bungalow. She tried the front door. It was unlocked, and she went in without so much as a backward glance.
Emma stood next to Colin by the little car. “You and Julianne go back a long way. I’ll go talk to her and let her know how to reach us. Why don’t you stay out here and count sheep?”
“I remember her bossing us around when she was six. She liked to carry around a bucket filled with seaweed and periwinkles.”
“Not afraid of her, are you?”
He grinned. “Terrified. I have to remember she’s almost finished with her master’s in marine biology. She’s always been smart. Andy is, too, but he never was a student. He dropped out of the only college that accepted him.”
“Is that why he and Julianne aren’t together anymore?”
“I haven’t asked. Won’t, either. He doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder.”
“Not that a Donovan ever would,” Emma said. “He does well as a lobsterman, and his boat-restoration business seems to be getting off the ground. Do you think he’s worried about keeping Julianne in Rock Point, somehow limiting her horizons?”
“I have no idea. They both do what they want. Always have.” His tone softened. “Go on. I’ll grab her suitcase. She won’t thank me for it. You watch.”
He seemed more amused and expectant than annoyed. Emma hoped Lindsey Hargreaves had left a note in the cottage to explain why she hadn’t met Julianne at the airport. That would ease Julianne’s mind. Colin’s, too. He clearly didn’t like that this woman hadn’t shown up.
Julianne had left the front door open, and Emma stepped inside, entering a living room with a tile floor, throw rugs and IKEA-style furnishings in neutral colors. There was a fireplace, next to it a bin of kindling and peat.
A pine table served as a divider between the living room and a sunlit kitchen on the opposite end of the little one-story bungalow. Julianne stood by the table, looking out double windows at the front yard and across the lane to the sea.
“Sorry I snapped at Colin,” she said, sounding more tired than apologetic. “Not that he can’t take it.”
Emma walked over to her. “We didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t. Really. I’m just frazzled. If I’d known Lindsey
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