April Fools

by Mari Carr

  Pop Pop stepped next to her. “Love never dies,” he whispered, aware of which photo had captured her attention. “The people may go away, but as long as they’re in our hearts, they live.”

  He placed his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder, taking his words to heart and trying to let them comfort her.

  Try as she may, she worried every time one of her visits ended and she returned to California. While Pop Pop was generally healthy, it was easier for her to see that he was slowing down than it was for the others, simply because they saw him every day and the changes were gradual. Fiona was often away for months at a time. That made his aging more apparent to her.

  Fiona couldn’t—wouldn’t—consider a life without her Pop Pop. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t careful to make sure she always saw him before she left to tell him she loved him.

  They stood like that for a few minutes, then something caught her eye. She lifted her head from his shoulder. “Hey, where’s my picture?”

  Pop Pop chuckled. “Just noticed, did you? I was wondering when you’d spot it was missing.”

  He walked back to the small table Riley had set up in his room and retrieved a frame. “I just finished putting it back together when you got here. Didn’t have a chance to hang it up again.”

  He handed it to her. “Maybe you’d like to do the honors.”

  She laughed when she saw the new picture. It was her, Teddy, Owen and Asher standing next to the bar the day after they’d filmed the finale. Owen and Asher were both sitting on stools. Fiona stood between Asher’s outstretched legs, his arms wrapped around her waist as she leaned against him. They, and Owen, were all laughing. Teddy, meanwhile, was bent over in front of Owen, Incredible-Hulk style, flexing nonexistent muscles and wearing a look of pure powerful aggression.

  “Oh my God. This is my new picture?”

  Pop Pop nodded, then gestured toward the empty nail. “Yep. Want to look at it and know you’re safe and sound on that other coast with your other family.”

  “I have a lot of family, don’t I?”

  “You are truly blessed, my dear.”

  She put the picture on the wall, straightening the frame, and then they both stood back to admire it.

  “He’ll treat you good, Fiona. He’s honest, thoughtful, and he loves you. You picked a fine young man.”

  Fiona smiled as the two of them looked at Asher. Her grandfather’s approval meant the world to her. “He reminds me of you. Funny and loving and kind.”

  Pop Pop turned quickly, and she thought she saw him bat a tear away. He walked over to the antique record player he’d insisted on bringing from the apartment above the pub, even as Riley insisted it was better suited for the dump.

  “I can’t believe that thing still works,” she said, following him.

  “I have another surprise for you,” he said as he turned the player on, lifted the arm and placed it on the album. “Found this in my pile of old albums.”

  Fiona’s eyes widened as strains of “Waltzing Mathilda” began to play. It had been her favorite as a child. “I haven’t heard this in years.”

  She fought back a few of her own tears when Pop Pop turned and gave her a slight bow. “Fancy a turn on the floor with an ancient beast?”

  Fiona was in his arms in a second, and the two of them laughed as he held her hand high enough that she could twist and twist. “I wish I had my Belle dress,” she teased.

  They danced to the song two more times before she left.

  “I love you, Pop Pop. See you soon?”

  “I’ll be here awaiting your return, my fair Fiona.”

  Dear Reader

  I promised after the heartbreak of March Wind that I would write something a little more lighthearted. I hope I delivered with April Fools. Like you, I needed to laugh after the tears spent on Padraig and Mia.

  Saying that, I suspect there were some of you who were anticipating this to be a happily ever after for three people because y’all know how I love my ménage stories. To you, I simply wanted to say…APRIL FOOLS!

  Enjoy April Fools?

  Please consider leaving a review.

  Other books in the Wild Irish series

  Come Monday

  Ruby Tuesday

  Waiting for Wednesday

  Sweet Thursday

  Friday I’m in Love

  Saturday Night Special

  Any Given Sunday

  Wild Irish Christmas

  And read more about the next generation in Wilder Irish

  January Girl

  February Stars

  March Wind

  About the Author

  Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she set out to see that goal achieved. Too many years later, her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends and she has nearly eighty published works.

  Virginia native and high school librarian by day, Mari Carr is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller of contemporary erotic romance novels.

  Join her newsletter so you don't miss new releases and for exclusive subscriber-only content.

  Find Mari Carr on the web at

  www.maricarr.com

  mari@maricarr.com

  Other books by Mari Carr

  Compass

  Northern Exposure

  Southern Comfort

  Eastern Ambitions

  Western Ties

  Winter’s Thaw

  Hope Springs

  Summer Fling

  Falling Softly

  Into the Fire

  Heaven on Earth

  Still Waters

  Second Chances:

  Fix You

  Dare You

  Just You

  Near You

  Reach You

  Always You

  Sparks in Texas:

  Sparks Fly

  Waiting for You

  Something Sparked

  Off Limits

  No Other Way

  Whiskey Eyes

  Trinity Masters:

  Elemental Pleasure

  Primal Passion

  Scorching Desire

  Forbidden Legacy

  Hidden Devotion

  Elegant Seduction

  Secret Scandal

  Delicate Ties

  Beloved Sacrifice

  Masterful Truth

  Masters’ Admiralty

  Treachery’s Devotion

  Big Easy:

  Blank Canvas

  Crash Point

  Full Position

  Rough Draft

  Triple Beat

  Winner Takes All

  Going Too Fast

  Boys of Fall:

  Free Agent

  Red Zone

  Wild Card

  Clandestine:

  Bound by the Past

  Covert Affairs

  Scoring

  Mad about Meg

  Cocktales

  Party Naked

  Screwdriver

  Bachelor’s Bait

  Screaming O

  Cowboy Heat

  Spitfire

  Rekindled

  Inflamed

  Farpoint Creek

  Outback Princess

  Outback Cowboy

  Outback Master

  Outback Lovers

  June Girls:

  No Recourse

  No Regrets

  Just Because:

  Because of You

  Because You Love Me

  Because It’s True

  Love Lessons

  Slam Dunk

  Happy Hour

  Madison Girls

  Kiss Me Kate

  Three Reasons Why

  Scoundrels

  Black Jack

  White Knight

  Red Queen

  What Women Want

  Sugar and Spice

  Everything Nice

  What Women Want

  Individual Titles: />
  Power Play

  Rough Cut

  Seducing the Boss

  Tequila Truth

  Erotic Research

  One Daring Night

  Assume the Positions

  Do Over

  Bundles

  Cowboy Heat

  What Women Want

  Wild Irish Boxed Set

  Trinity Masters Boxed Set: Volumes 1-4