Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
SELENE
Through the front window of the townhome, I spotted my boss striding from his car toward the front door.
He held his phone pressed to his ear, looking as he always did, tall and impeccably put together with a tailored coat and pressed trousers.
The man carried the quiet confidence of someone who had nothing to prove.
I left the others behind as I hurried to the front door to greet him. I pulled open the new replica of the previously worn door and stepped into the damp daylight, grateful the light mist wasn’t the epic downpour we’d experienced the previous night.
Cillian had stopped at the bottom of the steps and stood with his back to me as he continued his call. I halted, not wanting to interrupt him.
“The situation in Dublin has shifted,” he said into the phone as he adjusted the watch on his wrist. “The variable we discussed has arrived.”
I tilted my head, caught between wondering if I should go back inside and curious about which variable he referred to.
My boss paused, his shoulders remaining squared toward the street. “Yes,” he said quietly. “I realize the implications.”
He turned and caught sight of me standing in the doorway. For a fraction of a second, he stilled. Then he lifted one hand in greeting.
“I’ve just arrived at the site,” he said smoothly into the phone. “Let me call you back.”
Cillian ended the call immediately, not giving the person on the other end a chance to respond.
He slipped the phone into his coat pocket and approached me with an almost aristocratic air.
The silver threading subtly through the dark hair at his temples matched his attire, and there was something reassuring about the steadiness of him.
I’d never known my father, but I’d like to think he’d be a man like Cillian.
“Good afternoon, Selene.”
I offered him a bright smile. “Good afternoon. We’re all very excited to show you what we’ve done.”
“As am I to see it.” He gestured with an open hand. “Please lead the way.”
A spark of approval hovered in his dark eyes as he dipped his head, greeting my co-workers. “Murphy just called to tell me how pleased he was.”
I smiled and said nothing. He had not been speaking with Mr. Murphy. I was certain of it. His cadence had been wrong, and his tone was too careful for a client call.
I turned toward the drawing room and let the thought go. Or tried to.
My boss gazed around the space, nodding his approval. “At first glance, I’d say Murphy has reason to be.”
We followed him as he wandered through the rooms, his fingers tracing over the close-trimmed beard along his jawline as he surveyed with thoughtful nods. “You respected how the house was built and worked with it, I see. You listened to the old girl instead of imposing. Most people never bother.”
A small bit of pride bloomed in my chest, and it wasn’t until that moment that I realized how important his assessment was to me. He was a man with vast knowledge and impeccable taste, and I knew from the beginning he wouldn’t be easy to please.
Cillian turned his gaze to me, warm and approving. “That’s rare. Though I can’t say I’m surprised.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just smiled.
He paused and studied the restored molding above us before settling his gaze back on me. “There have been many Sullivans throughout our country’s history who had an eye for creating beautiful things.”
Something about the way he said it made me glance at him. It wasn’t his compliment, but the tone behind his words, as if he were recalling rather than speculating.
A faint ripple moved through the air, so slight I might have imagined it. The light near the window shifted silver for the briefest moment before settling again. I glanced toward the glass, expecting to see the sun break through the clouds, but the sky remained the same dull gray.
By the time I glanced back at Cillian, he’d already moved on, studying the fireplace. I told myself that what I’d noticed was simply the way he spoke. He always sounded like a man who had read more history than most. And, of course, there had been and were many Sullivans who lived in Ireland.
When he complimented me again, I raised a hand in protest. “I can’t take all the credit. Everyone worked hard, and these ladies are amazing.”
For half a second, I feared Maeve would throw her arms around me, too, but she only beamed. Clara gave me a small nod of appreciation as a hint of a smile played on her face. “Take the credit, Selene. You deserve it.”
The corners of Cillian’s eyes crinkled. “I agree. As for the other two, they know how much I appreciate them too.”
I didn’t argue. It felt good to be acknowledged for my work for once.
My boss took another slow look around the room before he waved us all closer. “I stopped by because I wanted to see the final outcome, but I also need to talk to you about your next assignment.”
Clara nodded, as if she was already mentally pulling up potential costs for the assignment. “We’re ready to dive in tomorrow if that works for the client.”
I nodded my agreement, followed by Maeve exclaiming with excitement, “This is the boutique hotel in The Liberties, right? I’ve adored that place forever and can’t wait to get my hands on it.”
Cillian chuckled, but then quickly sobered. “Not tomorrow. In fact, the client asked us to hold off for a few days. Someone scheduled an event at the hotel without checking the calendar, yada-yada. I told them it wouldn’t be a problem. As for the three of you, enjoy your reprieve.”
I blinked. “Reprieve? We won’t be working at all?”
He consoled me with a nod. “It’s nothing to worry about. Your pay won’t suffer and you don’t need to fill the gap.”
I glanced at my two cohorts and spoke for them without asking. “There’s always something smaller to do. We don’t mind helping on other projects.”
Clara narrowed her gaze. “How many is a few days?” She sounded as disappointed as I was.
Maeve, on the other hand, widened her eyes. “Wait. Like…no work?”
Cillian shrugged. “Not unless you insist on inventing some.”
I hesitated, not particularly wanting downtime. Without work to fill the hours, my thoughts wandered into unwanted places. Staying busy was better. “Isn’t there anything I can do?”
Cillian met my gaze, humor sparkling in his. “I suppose I can find something. But if one works, all three do. Are you rejecting paid leave on behalf of your co-workers, Selene?”
A deep groan filled me, but I held it in. Once again, he’d framed the choice so that there was only one reasonable answer. I slowly shook my head. “I guess not.”
Maeve turned to me with a huge smile. “Think about it, Selene. This is perfect for you. You’ve been here six months and have seen none of Ireland beyond job sites and cafés.”
“That’s not entirely true,” I protested. “Plus, I’ve been to several excellent hardware stores.”
“And twelve coffee shops,” Clara added dryly.
A smile quirked at the corners of my mouth. “Some of them more than once.”
I heaved a resigned breath. “Fine. I suppose there are still many historic places I want to visit, so this will give me a chance.” Perhaps they would give me inspiration for our next undertaking.
Cillian regarded us with quiet amusement. “If you’re going to explore, you should do it properly. I don’t believe you’ve been to the south of the island.” He pinned Maeve with a direct look. “You would be a proper tour guide.”
Maeve straightened. “Me?”
Her expression flipped to bright, unfiltered excitement in an instant. “Yes, me. I would love to show you around, Selene.” Her nods grew more excited with each passing second. “Clara should come too. It’ll be good for us to take a breather.”
Clara was quick to reject the offer with a shake of her head. “Sorry. I’ve been saving for a down payment on a house. Paying for a vacation is not in my budget.”
It was Clara’s turn to be under Cillian’s scrutiny. “I have a place in Killarney, if you’re interested in going there. It’s a few hours away, but it’s peaceful and tends to leave an impression.”
“Killarney,” Maeve breathed, as if the word alone carried promise.
“It’s a bit far,” Clara said cautiously.
I’d only seen photos of the picturesque place, but I suddenly wanted to go. I liked the ladies I worked with, and it would give us a chance to unwind. Maybe even play a little.
Gods, had I really thought that?
Though I did admit it had been a while since I’d done anything other than focus on work. “I can drive, and I’ll pay for the gas.”
Clara snorted, but quickly covered her mouth, speaking from behind it. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Last time I rode with you, you turned onto the wrong side of the road, and we nearly had a head-on collision.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” I muttered under my breath. “I slammed on the brakes in time. No one was hurt. And that was months ago.”
Since then, I’d learned to navigate driving on the wrong side of the road while sitting on the wrong side of the car. Yes, I’d had a few close calls, but I was competent now. Mostly.
Maeve shrugged, easily accepting my answer, and doubled down on her efforts to convince Clara to join us. “We can cook. You’d have to pay for groceries anyway. So, it will cost you nothing but time, and I promise it’ll be unreal.”
Cillian and I focused on Clara, and she caved under the pressure. A slow, unguarded smile that I didn’t see often lit her face. “Okay. I haven’t been since I visited Killarney as a teen. I remember it being gorgeous and green, and I’d love to go back.”
Maeve clasped her hands together. “Yes. Mountains. Lakes. Fresh air. We need this. No, we deserve this.” She wiggled her brows. “We might even encounter fairies.”
Cillian smiled, obviously appreciating Maeve’s charming personality. He reached into his pocket and produced a key ring, setting it on the side table beside him rather than pressing it into anyone’s hand. Clara picked it up.
“I’ll send the address shortly,” he said. “The house is well-stocked. Make yourselves at home.”
He buttoned his coat and glanced once more around the restored drawing room. “You did good work here. The house recognizes it.”
He said it simply, the way someone might note the weather, and strode toward the door, leaving us smiling in anticipation of our unexpected girls’ trip.