“I’m fond of your American lawyer. Matthew and I have been friends since law school and he speaks very highly of you,” Brian said, patting his new client on the back. His smile was genuine and Drew felt himself relax. Maybe it would be okay.
“Matt’s been my lawyer for almost ten years. After I won the Olympics I needed someone trustworthy to watch out for me. He’s proven himself many times over.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve followed your career young man, although I don’t ski anymore,” he said patting his paunchy stomach. “I was actually there when you won that gold medal. You were representing Ireland, after all, and it was something to see. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For bringing glory to our small country.”
“I will be forever grateful for the chance Ireland gave me. I’d never have been selected for the U.S. team. There was too much competition, so it’s you that I should thank.”
“You’re too modest, Mr. O’Connor.”
“Drew, please.”
“All right. Drew it is and so to business.”
Before Morgan said another word, his new client closed the door between the inner office and reception. “You understand my need for confidentiality.”
“Of course. I should have done that myself.”
Drew took a breath and sat again. “You need to know that your niece and I once met. She…” he hesitated.
“Go on, lad, out with it. There can be no secrets between us if I’m to do my job.”
Drew rubbed the back of his neck and studied the lawyer. Could he trust this man? His instincts told him he could. “I came to Galway a few weeks ago with the woman I intend to marry. Your niece flirted with me in the hotel bar and our picture ended up in one of those tabloids. It was totally innocent on my part, but it hurt my girlfriend and caused a big problem for me. She’s your family, but I have good reason not to trust her. I’m uncomfortable knowing she might have any part in what I need your help with.”
The lawyer nodded and folded his hands together before leaning toward Drew. “Thank you for your honesty. I assure you she won’t have any involvement with you or your case. I can put her on leave if that puts your mind at ease. I pride myself on protecting my clients’ interests above all else — even family — but if you decide to find another lawyer, I can recommend a few. It’s up to you.” He leaned back in his squeaking chair, steepled his hands, and waited.
“I don’t have the time to interview other lawyers. Matt said you’re the best. If he trusts you, then I do too, but I don’t want your niece even to know why I came to see you. It would be too extreme to ban her from the office; just keep her away from me and my business. All right?”
“Done. You have my word. And now, I understand that you have a wife you’d like to be rid of.” The lawyer’s chair squeaked again when he tipped it back.
“That’s a little harsh, but yes. I married Erin when we were teenagers because we thought she was pregnant. She wasn’t. We haven’t lived together for more than ten years. Despite asking for a divorce or annulment several times, she’s refused. I never forced the issue, but now I have reason to.”
“Ah, spoken like a man in love,” Brian said. He smiled warmly and his blue eyes twinkled.
Drew grinned. “Very much so. I want to marry her, but I can’t do that until I’m free.”
“Do you know why your wife won’t agree to a divorce after all this time?”
“She’s a devout Catholic and insists that we’re married for life. I think she might accept an annulment from the Church. Those haven’t been easy to come by, although I’m told that the process has eased recently.”
“A devout Catholic who engaged in pre-marital sex. Hmmm,” Brian said, rubbing his chin. “Sounds like the young lady picks what tenets she follows from an a la carte menu. How old did you say she was when you married?”
“She was seventeen and I was a year older.”
“Underage. Did her parents approve?”
“Approve? Her father would have shot me dead if I didn’t marry his pregnant daughter. Anyway, I’m not the kind of man who would abandon her and our child.”
“And once you learned there was no babe? Then what?”
“I was relieved. Although I had feelings for her, it wasn’t love.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Without a child, I saw no need to stay married, so I left. It would have been smarter to be sure that she was pregnant before saying ‘I will,’ but I’d been careless about using condoms so there was a good chance...” He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead he just raised his palms as if to say what else could he do?
“She didn’t show you a test? One of those stick things?”
“No. That was stupid move number two on my part. I had no reason to doubt her word, especially seeing how upset she was. My brain barely functioned at that point.”
Morgan furrowed his brow, deep in thought. “So we could say that you were deceived from the beginning and that’s grounds enough for an annulment if she forces our hand. Once the Church dissolves a marriage, it’s as if it never existed, although you’d still need a civil divorce.” He raised his eyes to Drew. “What I fail to understand is why a young woman would hold on to a man who abandoned her and doesn’t love her. Is it revenge for what she sees as your betrayal or perhaps money she’s after? You’re a wealthy man.”
Drew stood and began to pace. “When I offered a very generous settlement she was insulted that I thought she could be bought.” He rubbed his eyes. “She said that would make her no better than a whore.”
“That’s too bad, but I anticipated this based on what Matt told me. We’ve no time to waste, so I’ve arranged for Erin and her lawyer to meet us here tomorrow morning. I promise that we will get this settled so that you can get on with your life. This woman has held you hostage long enough.” The earlier sparkle was gone from the lawyer’s eyes, replaced by fiery determination.
“I hope you’re right,” Drew said. “I’ll be in the countryside this afternoon to see a dear friend of my grandmother’s, but you can always reach me on my mobile.”
“Just steer clear of your wife and her family until this is over.”
“They live in Dublin, so there’s no chance of running into them. Erin’s brothers almost killed me before they realized I wanted to marry her. That beating almost ended my future as a skier before it began.”
“No fists needed this time ‘round, lad. By noon tomorrow, you should know that your freedom is within reach.”
Drew released a relieved sigh. “I have to believe you. Thanks.” When he left the office, the lawyer’s niece was gone.
Instead of immediately driving to his grandmother’s town, Drew wandered aimlessly along Galway’s narrow streets. He walked with his head down, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans while he debated whether to tell Kate that the redhead who’d caused them so much trouble worked for his Irish lawyer,
She’d warned him that the girl was after more than an autograph, but he’d written her off as an enthusiastic fan until she manipulated him into a situation that almost made him lose Kate. He was still afraid that she’d decide that he wasn’t worth the public humiliation and doubt that came with fame. Even a wedding ring never stopped fans from pursuing a celebrity crush. In fact, that could make him more of a challenge.
Although Kate wanted zero contact with him, he had no idea what mischief his lawyer’s niece would come up with this time. He’d promised Kate honesty, so he pulled his phone from his pocket, made the call, and hoped she’d answer.
“Sorry to wake you,” he said as soon as he heard her sleep-hoarse voice. ‘Shit, I forgot the time difference.”
“S’okay,” she slurred, barely awake. “What time difference? Where are you?”
“I’m in Ireland. I’ve hired a lawyer to end my sham of a marriage once and for all.”
“Oh.”
“But there’s a complication…”
Kate pushed a pillow against her back, sat up,
and stated the obvious. “Erin still won’t divorce you.”
“No, that’s not it. I’m pretty sure that whether she wants it or not, this time it will happen.”
“Then what’s the complication? I don’t understand,” she said and yawned loudly.
He spotted Morgan’s niece crossing the street on her way back to the office and ducked into a doorway. He wouldn’t give her a chance to interrupt this conversation.
“Drew? Drew? Are you still there?”
“Yeah, sorry.” He rubbed the stubble on his jaw and took a breath. “Remember how upset you were by that picture of me and that girl after your boss ordered you back to New York?”
“Of course, I do. We almost split up because of it.”
“Well…that same woman works for the lawyer who’s handling my divorce here.”
“And…is there more?”
“No. No, of course not. I explained our history to the lawyer and he guaranteed that she would have nothing to do with my case and wouldn’t even know why I’d come to see him. He understood the awkward position I’m in.”
“Can’t you get a different lawyer?”
“He’s the best and has already arranged a meeting with Erin and her lawyer tomorrow. I want this over already. I love you. I want to be with you. I hate that we can’t be together.”
She sighed. “I’m glad that you shared this with me, that you were honest about it. I’ve missed you, Drew. Maybe I shouldn’t have…”
“Katie, no. I respect that you don’t want to be with me until this mess is over. So are you okay with that woman working for my lawyer? She’s his niece, so he’s not going to fire her.”
“Yeah, I guess. As long as she doesn’t stick her tongue in your ear again,” she said and laughed, but Drew knew the hurt was fresh enough that she wasn’t joking.
“Never. The only tongue I want anywhere near my body is yours.” The words set his libido into overdrive and he discreetly tried to reposition the start of an erection in his tight jeans. “I need to ask you something. If Erin accepts that the marriage is over, and we request an annulment, can we see each other before it’s finalized?”
“I don’t see why we should keep torturing ourselves if we’re sure your marriage is ending. How long will you be in Ireland?”
“Maybe a few days. I’ll know more after tomorrow. Right now, I’m on my way to see my gran’s oldest friend and…” he glanced at his watch, “you probably need to get ready for work.”
“Oh, shit, it’s already seven.” Fully awake, she threw off the covers and ran to her closet. “I thought you’d called in the middle of the night. Let me know when you’re coming home…and Drew?”
“Yes?”
“I still love you.”
His face flushed with emotion and he whispered, “I’ll be home soon. Can’t wait.”
“Me either. Bye.”
CHAPTER 27
The picturesque, lakeside town where his gran had lived was smaller and more run down than he remembered. Over the years, his imagination had idealized it into a paradise that no real place could equal, but to an emotionally hurting boy, it had indeed been the stuff of dreams.
Drew’s pulse quickened as he drove past his grandmother’s cottage. He slowed while he debated whether to stop, but decided to remember the house as it was when she’d lived there. He took a right at the next corner. The shops around the town center were mostly unchanged and he parked near the bakery. It would be good to bring a sweet to Maeve and buy something to fill his empty stomach. The familiar scent of freshly baked scones and soda bread triggered a flood of memories. He knew just how each would taste and wasn’t disappointed when he bit into a warm currant scone. Its combination of tart and sweet almost brought him to tears. Christ, he missed those innocent summers, but most of all he missed the love of his grandmother.
He nibbled on another scone as he wandered the town until he reached the garage owned by the family of one of boys he’d been friends with. A man wearing grease-stained jeans had his face hidden under the hood of a Fiat. He peered around the edge when he heard Drew’s footsteps approach. “Help you?”
“Sean?” Drew thought he recognized the voice, if not the face, but he wasn’t sure.
“Well, I’ll be damned. It’s Andrew O’Connor himself come to call,” he grinned.
Ignoring the grease on Sean’s hands, Drew wrapped his arms around his old friend and kissed his cheek. “Sean O’Hara. Jesus, Sean, I’ve missed your face.”
“It’s been right here where you left it,” he replied, tapping his chin, but the smile that accompanied those words was warm. “What are you doing in our little town? Once your granny died, bless her soul,” he added and both men crossed themselves, “I never expected you to come back.”
“I want to see Maeve and there’s some business I need to take care of.”
“Whatever it is that brought you here is a good thing, although you won’t find old Maeve at home. She’s gone to Belfast to care for her sister who’s ill.”
“Damn, I’m sorry to hear that. I’d hoped to surprise her and I guess now the surprise is on me.”
“You’re here, so you’ll come to supper at my house. My folks will be thrilled to death to see you. I think my mother has a bit of a crush on you and will want to hear all about the famous people you know.”
“Are you sure your ma won’t mind an extra mouth to feed?”
“It’ll be like old times. You ate more of your meals at our table than your own.”
“I guess I did.” Drew smiled at the memory, then looked away for a moment. “I shouldn’t have disappeared from your life. I’m sorry for that.”
Sean waved his hand in dismissal. “We understood that your life took you in a different direction from all of ours. No one holds it against you. We’re damn proud of what you’ve accomplished.”
Later, as they sat around the O’Hara’s table sipping tea after a wonderful meal, Mrs. O’Hara leaned toward Drew and clasped his hands. “I’ve enjoyed hearing about your adventures, but tell me this. Why aren’t you married?”
“Ma,” warned Sean. “Leave him be.” She directed the same question to him often enough, but he didn’t want her to spoil this unexpected reunion with his old friend, who, although famous, was the same Drew O’Connor he remembered.
“He’s handsome. He’s wealthy. He’s a dear boy and I simply wonder why there’s no ring on his finger as yet,” she teased, her green eyes twinkling. “Seriously now, I remember you were sweet on that Donnelly girl. The family summered here for years and then suddenly — I think it was the same year you left — they listed their vacation cottage and never returned. Odd,” she frowned and ran her fingers through her gray curls. “Some thought the two of you would head to the altar when you were a bit older. Now what was her name?”
Sean had the answer. “It was Erin, wasn’t it, Drew?”
“Yes. That was a long time ago.” He had to change the subject before Sean’s mother continued to interrogate him.
“I better be on my way back to Galway,” he said and pushed his chair away from the table. “I’d accept your offer of a bed, but I have an early meeting tomorrow. Thank you for a fine meal, Mrs. O’Hara and please give my love to Maeve when she comes home. Tell her I’m sorry to have missed her.”
“Ah, lad. There’s your reason to come back again and soon. Maeve isn’t getting any younger, you know.” Mary O’Hara gave Drew a direct look, then pulled him in for a hug and planted a kiss on his forehead. “Life has a habit of moving on when you’re not paying attention. Keep your eyes open, so you don’t miss what’s important.”
CHAPTER 28
When Drew entered his lawyer’s office promptly at nine the next morning, he was disappointed to find the man’s niece at her desk, but this time she was all business. “Mr. O’Connor,” she said and nodded. “The others are waiting for you in the conference room. I’ll show you the way.”
He could hear several voices as they walked down a wid
e hallway to a set of open double doors. The young woman gestured toward them and left. Drew hesitated, suddenly nervous, but he straightened his back and strode into the room where his future would be determined.
His eyes went immediately to Erin who sat with hands folded beside her lawyer. He’d wondered if he’d still feel lust or love or maybe even anger, but when he looked at her he felt none of those things. The lovely girl was a stranger, a beautiful woman who appeared tired and older than her twenty-eight years.
Brian gestured to the chair beside his and Drew sat. He closed his eyes and tried to visualize Kate’s face, but when he looked up the one that captured his gaze was Erin’s.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s introduce ourselves,” Drew’s lawyer began. “I’m Brian Morgan and I represent Andrew O’Connor.”
The man beside Erin introduced himself as Dennis Flaherty and said his client was Erin Donnelly O’Connor. Erin inclined her head, but her face remained expressionless.
“Let’s begin,” Brian said. “We’re here today to petition the Church to nullify the marriage of Andrew and Erin on the grounds that Mrs. O’Connor was under the legal age of consent, the marriage was based on false assumptions, and that Mr. O’Connor deserted his wife, has lived apart from her for ten years, has repeatedly committed adultery, and has no intention of adhering to his vows. I think that’s enough,” he concluded. The lawyer didn’t like making his client look like a bastard, but Drew had insisted. Brian removed his reading glasses, laid them on the table beside his papers, and waited for the other lawyer to respond.
“Mrs. O’Connor has no objections. We can proceed with the petition.”
Drew’s eyes widened in shock. He was stunned that after ten long years she’d finally agreed to an annulment without a fight. Would he ever know why she’d held on to him for so long or find out what had happened to change her mind? Probably not.
Before Drew’s lawyer could respond, Flaherty cleared his throat and glanced at Erin as if to ask for permission to continue. She nodded and fixed her gaze on her soon-to-be ex-husband. “We have but one request,” he said.
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