The Christmas Bouquet

“Stepfather,” Trace corrected.

Mick rolled his eyes. “We both know you’ve been more of a father to that girl than Wes Winters ever was. Why are you hesitating about doing what we both know is right?”

“Because this is Caitlyn’s decision. If she has second thoughts about marrying this man, maybe there’s a reason for that. I think we need to meet him and then decide on the best course of action.”

Mick took his son-in-law’s suggestion under advisement. “You could be right,” he admitted eventually. “We’ll know more tomorrow, then first thing Monday we can get busy making plans. Maybe I’ll call the priest this afternoon just to get the ball rolling.”

Trace laughed. “So much for waiting until we know more.”

Mick waved off his sarcasm. “Oh, we both know that Caitlyn’s smart as a whip. If she’s involved with this man, then we’re going to approve of him, too.”

“Probably so,” Trace conceded.

Mick nodded, satisfied. “Then we have a plan.”

“Well, at least you do,” Trace said. “I just hope it doesn’t blow up in your face.”

“Now, why would it do that?” Mick asked, bewildered.

“Because you seem to be forgetting one thing. Caitlyn is your granddaughter. She has a mind of her own.”

Now it was Mick’s turn to sigh. That was, indeed, a little worrisome.

* * *

In the kitchen of Nell’s cozy cottage overlooking the bay, a fire had been lit to take off the morning chill. Dillon O’Malley was waiting for them, the water already hot for tea.

“How did you read my mind?” Caitlyn asked him, giving a hug to this man who’d come back into her great-grandmother’s life only a few brief years ago.

“How are you, you darling girl?” he asked, studying her closely with his perceptive gaze. “Do I detect a certain glow about you?”

Nell regarded him with amazement. “What makes you ask a thing like that? The girl just told us not a half hour ago that she’s pregnant.”

Dillon winked at Caitlyn. “I’d love to have you believing that I’ve a touch of second sight, but the truth is Abby called to fill me in. She said it had turned awfully damp and cool to be walking outside and thought you might want a bracing cup of tea when you got here. I’ve herbal for you, Caitlyn.”

A pleased smile spread across Nell’s face. “Is there any question about why I fell for you so many years ago and all over again when we went to Ireland for Christmas a few years back?” She turned to Caitlyn. “If your young man is half as thoughtful, you’ll have a good life.”

“Noah is patient, kind and considerate,” Caitlyn assured her. She smiled at Dillon. “But it probably wouldn’t hurt if you want to give him a few lessons in catering to a woman’s needs.”

“I’d be happy to,” Dillon said. “Will we be seeing him soon?”

“Tomorrow more than likely,” she said. “I called him before we left to walk over here. He’s coming for Sunday dinner, unless I’ve scared him off with all the warnings about the interrogation he’ll likely face.”

“Why don’t I stick close and see that he’s not overwhelmed,” Dillon offered. “I know all too well what Mick can be like when he’s feeling protective. I imagine he’s a little crazy right now.”

Caitlyn laughed. She recalled her grandfather’s reaction when he’d discovered that his mother was being courted by an old flame in Dublin. He’d been all but impossible to reason with.

“We’ll both be keeping a sharp eye on Mick,” Nell promised. “Now, let’s get to that stew. I’ve all the ingredients ready to go. Do you have paper and a pen?”

Caitlyn took them out of her pocket. “Right here.”

Apparently satisfied that she and Nell were warmed up from their walk back to the cottage, Dillon left them to their cooking.

“You really did luck out with that man,” Caitlyn told Nell.

“I was twice blessed,” she replied. “You didn’t know your great-grandfather, but he was a fine man, too. I think that was one reason it took Mick so long to warm up to the idea of Dillon being back in my life. He loved his father. I think he thought I’d always mourn him.”

“But he finally realized that we have an unlimited capacity for love, didn’t he?” Caitlyn said. “Do you think the O’Briens mate for life like a few of the creatures in nature? You’re with the first man you ever loved, even after having a whole family with another man. Grandpa Mick and Grandma Megan got back together after years of being divorced. Even Mom eventually came back to Trace, her own first love.”

“Are you really wondering if this Noah of yours is your soul mate?” Nell asked gently. “Or if you’re going to be acting too hastily by marrying him just because of the baby?”

Caitlyn was relieved to have Nell recognize her real worry. “Exactly,” she said.

“Only you know the answer to that,” Nell said as she diced vegetables and put them into a pot of water on the stove along with various spices. As they began to simmer, filling the air with a wonderfully rich aroma, she sat across from Caitlyn. She took a sip of her tea and waited, then smiled. “Since you haven’t had a word to say to that, I assume you don’t know the answer.”

Caitlyn shook her head, yet another batch of tears forming in her eyes. At this rate, she’d be dehydrated throughout her pregnancy.

“I don’t,” she whispered. “I really don’t. It’s disconcerting. It seems as if I’ve always understood what I wanted to do professionally, what I was meant to do, but when it comes to love, I never had a plan at all. I certainly didn’t have any idea how to combine the two.”

“Then you won’t make a decision until you do. And we’ll all of us wait for that moment, even your grandfather.”

“Grandpa Mick’s never been very patient,” Caitlyn said with a sniff. “He’s going to push to book the church. You know he is.”

Nell squeezed her hand. “This time he’ll find a way to wait for your decision, and that’s a promise from me to you.”

“Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary,” Nell said. “This is your life to lead as you think best. If you want our guidance, you’ll ask for it. As for our support, that’s a given.”

Caitlyn looked into her great-grandmother’s blue eyes, faded now with age, and felt better than she had at any time since she’d first read that positive pregnancy test.

“I love you,” she said, hoping she’d have years and years left to say those words to Nell, praying that her child would have time to get to know this wise and wonderful woman.

“Now don’t be getting all sentimental on me,” Nell said briskly, though she wiped away a tear of her own. She tapped a finger on the blank page in front of Caitlyn. “Start writing or your second attempt at making traditional Irish stew won’t be any better than the first.”

Caitlyn pushed aside all other thoughts and started writing down the recipe, just the first of many that would connect her to her Irish roots.

* * *

Despite all of his brave declarations about facing the O’Briens at Cait’s side, Noah was decidedly nervous as he drove into Chesapeake Shores and followed her directions to her grandfather’s house on a cliff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

Before he made the turn onto the shoreline road, he caught a glimpse of the town green, which was still bright with the few remaining yellow daffodils in the May sunshine. It was just as Cait had described. There were shouts of childish laughter coming from the colorful playground at one end of the green. He couldn’t help thinking what a wonderful place it would be to raise a child. He doubted, though, that Cait was ready to hear his thoughts on that or on the research he’d done that revealed that the nearest local doctor’s office was miles away.

As he approached Mick O’Brien’s impressive home a few minutes later, he sucked in a deep breath. Even though Cait had assured him she’d paved the way by speaking to both her grandfather and her stepdad, Noah couldn’t help feeling he was about to walk into the lion’s den, albeit a cozy-looking one with a sprawling front porch crammed with rocking chairs and old-fashioned wicker furniture. Fortunately, it was a little too cool for those chairs to be occupied by shotgun-bearing O’Briens.

As he pulled to a stop, Cait must have spotted him from inside the house because she emerged and ran across the grass to meet him. He studied her face, trying to guess how things might be going inside.

“You okay?” he asked, taking the time to kiss her thoroughly despite whatever prying eyes might be watching.