pink. “He may have a limp, but he’s as quick as lightning and amazingly strong.”
“I suppose ye might consider Sam quick and strong for a man his age.”
Those cheeks went from pink to red. “
I’m
almost his age.”
Niall gave her a wink. “But much prettier.”
Hazel blinked at him, then burst into melodious laughter as she took another swat at his arm. “And you, sir, are a shameless flirt.” But she just as quickly sobered and brushed at the drying mud on her jacket. “Could you do me a favor, Niall, and not tell Birch that I walked into town alone?”
“Your secret’s safe with me, Hazel.”
That got him a small smile. “And if Noreen tattles and Birch should ask if you ran into me, I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention that I fell and
especially
that you saw me talking with Sam.”
Niall shot her another wink. “Well now, should she find out—would Sam ambushing you with a cup of cocoa in hopes of getting his store a loyal new customer not be the truth?”
“Oh, yes, that’s an excellent way to put it,” Hazel said, her worry turning to excitement. “Although I’m not surprised you came up with the perfect story for me to tell Birch, since I know you highlanders are naturally protective.”
Niall lost his smile. “What exactly am I protecting ye from? Why mustn’t Birch know you were talking to Sam?”
“She might think I deliberately came into town to flirt with him.”
“And that would upset her?”
Hazel nodded. “My daughter would probably jump to the conclusion that I’m already looking for my next husband, and feel compelled to remind me that the ink isn’t even dry on my latest divorce papers.”
“Your, ah . . . latest divorce papers?”
Hazel leaned closer. “You don’t have to worry I’m going to break the law, Niall. Birch already told me people can only get married four times in America.”
Niall ran a hand over his face to hide his frown. Hazel had been married four times, and Birch was afraid her mother was already hunting for husband number five? He lowered his hand once he’d wrestled his grin back into place. “You’ve been married and divorced four times?”
“Well, my first husband died. I only divorced the last three.”
“So Birch’s father is deceased?” he said gently.
Hazel shook her head. “I never married Claude. When I got pregnant with Birch, my father threatened to disown me if I compounded the problem by marrying him.”
“He didn’t want ye to be with the father of your child?” he said in disbelief. “But that shouldn’t have stopped Claude from fulfilling his duty to you.”
“Oh, Niall,” she said with a soft laugh. “Your heritage is showing again. I wasn’t about to go against my father for a boy I barely knew. I only went to the prom with Claude because he’d just transferred to my high school and hardly knew anyone. And even though he probably couldn’t afford it, he hired a limousine and took me to a fancy restaurant, and was so handsome in his cadet uniform that I . . .” Her cheeks turned a soft pink again. “I guess I got wrapped up in the magic of the night. And even though he did offer to do the right thing when I went to his house and told him I was pregnant, he was already packed and leaving for the military academy.” She shrugged. “Not marrying Claude was probably the only smart decision I’ve made concerning men. It was bad enough Birch had to go live with him and his family when she was six; I can’t imagine she would have survived with her spirit intact if I hadn’t managed to get her back four years later.”
Niall scrubbed his face with both hands as he wondered how to respond, only to drop them when he felt Hazel touch his knee.
“My
mémère
Hynes always said, ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,’ and I personally think Birch turned out wonderful.”
“Aye” was all Niall could think to say.
“So now you know my dark little secret, and also why Birch
“I suppose ye might consider Sam quick and strong for a man his age.”
Those cheeks went from pink to red. “
I’m
almost his age.”
Niall gave her a wink. “But much prettier.”
Hazel blinked at him, then burst into melodious laughter as she took another swat at his arm. “And you, sir, are a shameless flirt.” But she just as quickly sobered and brushed at the drying mud on her jacket. “Could you do me a favor, Niall, and not tell Birch that I walked into town alone?”
“Your secret’s safe with me, Hazel.”
That got him a small smile. “And if Noreen tattles and Birch should ask if you ran into me, I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention that I fell and
especially
that you saw me talking with Sam.”
Niall shot her another wink. “Well now, should she find out—would Sam ambushing you with a cup of cocoa in hopes of getting his store a loyal new customer not be the truth?”
“Oh, yes, that’s an excellent way to put it,” Hazel said, her worry turning to excitement. “Although I’m not surprised you came up with the perfect story for me to tell Birch, since I know you highlanders are naturally protective.”
Niall lost his smile. “What exactly am I protecting ye from? Why mustn’t Birch know you were talking to Sam?”
“She might think I deliberately came into town to flirt with him.”
“And that would upset her?”
Hazel nodded. “My daughter would probably jump to the conclusion that I’m already looking for my next husband, and feel compelled to remind me that the ink isn’t even dry on my latest divorce papers.”
“Your, ah . . . latest divorce papers?”
Hazel leaned closer. “You don’t have to worry I’m going to break the law, Niall. Birch already told me people can only get married four times in America.”
Niall ran a hand over his face to hide his frown. Hazel had been married four times, and Birch was afraid her mother was already hunting for husband number five? He lowered his hand once he’d wrestled his grin back into place. “You’ve been married and divorced four times?”
“Well, my first husband died. I only divorced the last three.”
“So Birch’s father is deceased?” he said gently.
Hazel shook her head. “I never married Claude. When I got pregnant with Birch, my father threatened to disown me if I compounded the problem by marrying him.”
“He didn’t want ye to be with the father of your child?” he said in disbelief. “But that shouldn’t have stopped Claude from fulfilling his duty to you.”
“Oh, Niall,” she said with a soft laugh. “Your heritage is showing again. I wasn’t about to go against my father for a boy I barely knew. I only went to the prom with Claude because he’d just transferred to my high school and hardly knew anyone. And even though he probably couldn’t afford it, he hired a limousine and took me to a fancy restaurant, and was so handsome in his cadet uniform that I . . .” Her cheeks turned a soft pink again. “I guess I got wrapped up in the magic of the night. And even though he did offer to do the right thing when I went to his house and told him I was pregnant, he was already packed and leaving for the military academy.” She shrugged. “Not marrying Claude was probably the only smart decision I’ve made concerning men. It was bad enough Birch had to go live with him and his family when she was six; I can’t imagine she would have survived with her spirit intact if I hadn’t managed to get her back four years later.”
Niall scrubbed his face with both hands as he wondered how to respond, only to drop them when he felt Hazel touch his knee.
“My
mémère
Hynes always said, ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,’ and I personally think Birch turned out wonderful.”
“Aye” was all Niall could think to say.
“So now you know my dark little secret, and also why Birch
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