Wild Irish Dreamer (The Mystic Cove Series Book 8)

by Tricia O'Malley

  “Please see her home safe,” Luis said, as if he were allowing Liam to escort her.

  “Naturally,” Liam said, his smile more a baring of his teeth, and then they were gone.

  A taxi waited conveniently out front and Fi dropped into it, grateful to be out of the dance hall and more than ready for bed. Emotionally charged situations were draining for her, and this one had too many elements for her to decipher.

  “Fi…” Liam began, and she turned her head, simply looking at him. He caught her glance and shut his mouth, seeming to innately understand her need for silence. Instead, he reached out and squeezed her hand once before letting it drop.

  Why she felt bereft at the loss of his touch was a question Fi didn’t want to examine further.

  Chapter 32

  The next morning, the uneasy feeling stayed with her, but Fi did her best to push it aside and focus on her work. Today was the big day – the final translations and the signing of a multi-million-euro contract. Fi had finished all the contract translations and passed them over to Liam; however, she had been told there would be a few more changes to the clauses after further negotiations today.

  As the afternoon drew late, Fi paced the small conference room at the boatyard where they’d stashed her to be available to finalize any information. Fi found it a bit odd that they hadn’t asked for her in the last round of negotiations, but it seemed Luis felt confident enough in his English to handle the discussion. For now, Fi simply waited, as was her job, and hoped they’d wrap things up soon enough.

  She’d promised Grace she would be home by this weekend, so despite her telling Luis they might have time for a date when business was over, Fi was likely to book a flight for tomorrow. She always waited to book her flights until she knew that a contract was officially signed and business was closed; she’d seen more than her fair share of deals fall through at the last moment. It didn’t matter to her one way or the other if a deal went through, but she often felt bad for the people who had spent months negotiating only to come to an impasse.

  The door opened, and Fi looked up and smiled when Luis entered carrying a laptop with him.

  “Hello, Fiona. You are well?” They’d barely had time to speak today, so Fi nodded at him and smiled.

  “I am well, thank you. How are negotiations?”

  “I think this will be the last of it. Just a few things to change, which I’ve highlighted in red in the document.”

  “That’s good to hear. I’ll look over this and finish it up for you,” Fi said, taking the laptop from him. She got a little buzz in her head when her hand touched his, and caught herself glancing at him.

  “Yes?” Luis asked, catching her look.

  “Oh, nothing.” Fi shook her head, but the uneasy feeling still held and she almost – almost – dropped her shields and read his mind. Shocked that it had even flashed across her mind to do so, Fi blinked at the screen and forced herself to focus. This was a business arrangement, and really the last place she should be trespassing on someone’s thoughts. What did it matter anyway? Luis had made it clear to her that he liked her; there was no need to violate the man’s privacy just to assuage her doubts.

  When she finished, Fi handed the computer back over.

  Luis straightened from where he’d been checking his phone against the wall. “All done?”

  “Yes, that should be the last of it.”

  “Wonderful. The car is out front to take you to your hotel.” Luis held up his phone to indicate he had requested it.

  “Should I wait for Liam?”

  “He’ll likely be another hour or two. You can wait, of course. But I suspect you’ll be more comfortable in your hotel. Tonight we celebrate, yes?”

  “I’m sure we’d all enjoy that,” Fi said.

  “Of course, of course. Dinner on me this evening. Until then,” Luis said and left the room. Fi gathered her purse and looked around to make sure she’d left nothing behind. She still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had hung over her shoulders all day, but with nothing left to do but return to the hotel, she did as she was instructed. Once there she decided to indulge in something she rarely took the time for – a nap.

  When she woke, blurry-eyed and confused, Fi blinked at the darkness around her. It had been light when she’d lain down, and clearly, she’d slept much longer than planned. Surprised that her phone hadn’t rung to wake her, Fi picked it up from where it charged on the bedside table.

  “Nine!” Fi said, shocked at the time. Typically, she would be meeting Luis or Liam for dinner by now, yet there were no messages on her phone. She decided to just call Luis, and waited while it rang before eventually going to voicemail.

  “Hi Luis, this is Fiona. I’m just checking to see what time dinner is for tonight,” she said, glancing down at the robe she’d fallen asleep in. With any luck, she’d have time for a quick shower. “Just shoot me a text message and let me know. I’m going to hop in the shower.”

  She sent a similar message to Liam, assuming he would know about dinner as well, then waited a few minutes. When no response came, she shrugged and made a beeline for the bathroom. Enjoying the shower, she hummed to herself as she dried off, her thoughts on Grace’s wedding next week. There was still loads to do, but she was grateful she’d have a whole week to help Gracie with all the finishing touches. When a knock sounded at her door, she grabbed her robe and wrapped it around her, pushing her hair back from her face.

  “Yes?” Fi asked, easing the door open an inch. Seeing it was Liam, she unhooked the chain and opened it further. Her mouth dropped open when he shoved the door open and slammed it behind him to pace the room.

  “Liam!” Fi said, censure in her tone as she studied the man who now prowled her room. His face was a storm cloud of fury and his shoulders hunched like he wanted to punch something. If ever she’d seen an angry man, this was one.

  “You,” Liam bit out and then turned away from her to stare out the window at the city lights below.

  “Liam, what’s happened? You seem so upset. Tell me,” Fi said, moving across the room to put her hand on his arm. She gasped when he wrenched his arm away and when he turned, she took two involuntary steps back at the look on his face.

  “You…” Liam’s breath came out in shaky puffs.

  “Liam, you’re scaring me. Is somebody hurt? Is it Grace? Or Dylan? Please, tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I didn’t expect this from you. I guess I should have – as I’ve learned, some women can’t be trusted,” Liam said and let out a little laugh, shaking his head at himself as he paced.

  “Excuse me?” Fi drew herself up, her eyes narrow as anger rushed through her. “Sure and you can’t be saying what I think you’re saying?”

  “Oh, don’t be pulling your high-and-mighty act with me, Miss Fiona. I might have fallen under your spell before, but I see you for what you are now.”

  “And what’s that, Liam?” Fi said, her voice dangerously low.

  “A liar.”

  Fi’s mouth dropped open but no words could form. She simply stared at Liam in shock.

  “I should have guessed it. I really should have. Oh, you played it so neatly, didn’t you? No, Liam, I don’t want to mix business and pleasure. No, Liam, I promise we’re just colleagues. Please! What. A. Bunch. Of. Shite!” Liam barked, and Fi’s back went up.

  “It was not a bunch of a shite. You want to know what’s shite? You are! Storming into my room to yell at me with no explanation?” Fi fisted her hands at her waist. “How dare you?”

  “How dare I? How dare I, she asks!” Liam raked a hand through his hair.

  “Yes, how dare you? You have no right to come in here and accuse me of being a liar. None at all. Why won’t you tell me what the hell is going on?”

  “Oh, I love that you’re trying to play as if you don’t know what this is about. But fine, princess, I’ll tell you – you’re a master manipulator, aren’t you?”

  “To hell with you, Liam,” Fi hissed, fed
up with whatever game he was playing.

  “Oh, and same to you, sweetness, same to you. I bet you didn’t know that I have a back-up translator to read all the contracts, to ensure that everything we’ve signed is the same on both fronts.”

  “I’m not surprised. That’s smart business.” Fi shrugged a shoulder. “And?”

  “And she discovered that the contracts didn’t line up. Not only in the shipping clauses, but the costs of shipment and fuel. Really a small number when looking at it, buried underneath everything else, but calculated over time, it’s going to put about an extra three million euros in your man Luis’ pocket.”

  “What!” Fi said, her mouth dropping open again. “There’s no way. I went over those contracts front to back.”

  “Nice try, sugar. I’ve been down this road before, remember?”

  “Liam! What in the world are you talking about? How… you can’t possibly think that I would do something like that! You’re mental. I would never, ever, do something like this. Ever. The fact you even could imply that I would…” Fi trailed off at the look in his eyes.

  For a second, doubt seemed to cloud Liam’s face. Fi just looked at him, willing him not to believe this of her. He had to know she wouldn’t have done something like this.

  “I… Fi, I know I may be jumping to conclusions, but what other explanation is there?”

  “You don’t trust me,” Fi said, her heart cracking.

  “I’ve been down this road before, Fi. You’ve always kept me at a distance – never letting me too close, never letting me all the way in. And now this? I can’t take any chances. It’s hard for me to see what’s right. I have to protect Dylan. I can’t risk letting my feelings cloud my judgment.”

  “At my expense? You give me no benefit of the doubt? I thought we were friends.” Fi blinked back tears.

  “This is business, Fi.” Liam looked away, his face like granite.

  “Aye, I see,” Fi said, straightening her shoulders. “Let me call Luis. I’m sure there’s an explanation for this,” she said, making her voice as cool as his.

  “Try it,” Liam said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the door.

  Glaring at him, Fi crossed to her phone and picked it up, putting it on speaker. Dialing Luis, she let the phone ring and ring until his voicemail picked up. Fi tried again. And again. And then once more. Each time it went to voicemail.

  “Liam, I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for this.”

  “The only explanation I can see is that Luis swept you off your feet and you turned a blind eye.” With that, Liam left the room, shutting the door quietly and leaving Fi shattered.

  She kept trying to call Luis. When it finally set in that he wasn’t going to answer her calls, Fi dropped to the bed and did the only thing she could.

  She called Grace.

  Chapter 33

  “He says he’ll be here. As I’m sure you understand, there’s a lot he has to deal with right now,” Grace said, squeezing Fi’s arm before crossing her kitchen to the tea kettle that screamed for relief on the stove. Fi commiserated with the kettle; she felt like screaming too.

  “It’s not my fault,” Fi began, repeating the refrain she’d said over and over since Liam had stormed from her room yesterday. She’d booked the first flight out and, unable to reach Dylan, had gone straight to Grace. Aside from everything else – protecting her reputation, making sure Dylan’s company would be okay, and smoothing things over with Liam – she needed to see Grace first. It was as important to her as her next breath that Grace knew Fi would never hurt her this way.

  “That’s quite enough of that, now, isn’t it?” Grace whirled in the kitchen, hands on hips, and glared at Fi. “I understand you’re upset. And I know this needs fixing. We’ll hash it all out, together, I promise you that. But if you think for a second that I’d be doubting you or be best friends with someone who would pull an underhanded snake move like that – well, then I don’t really think you’ve a very high opinion of me, do you?”

  “I love you,” Fi said, hearing the thunder roll in the distance. Grace’s moods notoriously kicked up the weather, and it sounded like this time was no different. “I’m sorry this happened and I’m sorry Dylan’s company is having to deal with this.”

  “He’ll handle it. It’s what he does. He’s a good businessman, and he has a team of solicitors that can take over the world if need be. I’m more worried about you, Liam, and what all happened in Barcelona. I had such high hopes…”

  “High hopes for what, Gracie?” Fi sighed, accepting the mug Grace handed her. She took a sip and almost spat out the liquid. Gasping, Fi fanned her mouth.

  “I thought this was tea.”

  “It’s a hot toddy. Seems a dash of whiskey is what’s called for in this weather.”

  “You’re the one who called the weather,” Fi said, taking a cautious sip of the toddy.

  “I didn’t call it. It just happens to respond to my moods.” Grace and Fi winced as lightning flashed close to the cottage and thunder shook the shutters. Rosie whined and buried her nose in her blanket on her dog bed. Deciding she needed some comfort in the form of puppy snuggles, Fi left the table and crawled onto the dog bed with Rosie. The dog happily curled onto her lap, and Fi stroked her fur while staring into the flames of the fire crackling from the stove in the corner. For a moment, her eyes caught a form in the worn wooden rocking chair across from the fire. Fi tilted her head, and when the chair moved subtly, she smiled for the first time that day.

  “Fiona?”

  “Aye, she’s here. But the electricity in the air is making it tough for her to come through at full power. She wants you to know she loves you.”

  “I love you too, Fiona,” Fi said, a sheen of tears covering her eyes.

  “She also says stop crying. Chin up, fix this, and go get your man.”

  “What? She did not.” Fi glared at Grace.

  “Something close to that.” Grace turned and began arguing with the empty chair. “Well, seeing as how I’m your interpreter, I can interpret as I want. Don’t get mad with me, it’s essentially what you said. I swear… you are a finicky old woman. Fine. Fine!”

  Fi pressed her lips together when Grace turned to her again.

  “Fiona says to trust that this path is taking you where you are meant to go.”

  “To financial and career ruin?” Fi wondered.

  “Oh stop, no. To Liam.”

  “This is not about Liam,” Fi said, stroking Rosie’s soft ears. “This is about everything I have worked for in my life coming crashing down around me.”

  “Fine, let’s take Liam out of it for a second. Even if everything did crash down around you, would that be so bad? Sometimes things shatter so you can put the pieces back together in a different way. It may not look the same, but the process will have taught you something.”

  “Doesn’t sound all that fun, Grace.”

  “Life isn’t fun. I mean, it can be, but not always. Tough stuff is just that – tough stuff. You don’t learn by having it easy your whole life. It’s when things fall apart that you see who you really are.”

  “A sniveling mess?” Fi said, hugging Rosie closer.

  “Sure, right now. But that’s normal too. You cry because you care. You should care. It matters. But once you’re done crying, you get up and fix things.”

  “I’m nervous about Dylan,” Fi admitted.

  “Well, he’s arrived, so no time left to be nervous.”

  “How do you know that?” Fi wondered, but Rosie had left her lap and was standing by the door. Grace had turned to watch the door as well, and her face lit up when Dylan walked through. He immediately went to her, embracing her even though he was wet from the rain, while Rosie danced at his feet and demanded attention.

  “Where’s Fi?” Dylan asked, bending to give in to Rosie’s demand.

  “On the dog bed.” Grace pointed. “She thinks she’s in the doghouse.”

  “Jesus, Grace, I
was just sitting with Rosie is all. She’s a comfort to me,” Fi said and made a move to stand, but Rosie raced back over and plopped in her lap.

  “Sit, sit. Rosie loves the attention,” Dylan said, taking off his coat and hanging it on a hook by the door. Taking the towel that Grace handed him, he wiped off his face and hair before leaning to kiss her once more.

  “I made you a hot toddy,” Grace said, bringing a cup over to Dylan. He nodded his thanks and pulled a wooden chair over to the sitting area. Fi noticed he didn’t sit in the rocking chair, and wondered if he did that instinctively or if he knew that Fiona sat there. Grace settled on a bench by the table and together they looked at Fi.

  “Why don’t you tell me what happened?” Dylan asked, his eyes patient and understanding, and Fi immediately burst into tears.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t usually cry over business stuff,” Fi said, accepting the tissue Grace handed her. “It’s just that it’s you and it’s Grace, and it really really matters to me what you think.”

  “I’ll know better what to think if you can explain your side of the story,” Dylan said, taking a sip of his hot toddy and raising an eyebrow at Gracie.

  “What? I figured we needed a heavy hand with the whiskey.”

  “No comment,” Dylan decided and put his mug on the floor at his feet. “Go on, Fi.”

  “I don’t really know what to say, I was absolutely shocked when Liam barreled into my room and started shouting at me.”

  “That is very uncharacteristic, for him to respond like that. He’s usually quite even-tempered. In fact, even more so when he’s about to go for the jugular. Was there anything else that contributed to his reaction?”

  Fi could see why he was good at business. He kept the conversation on track and asked questions in a non-accusatory manner.

  “I think… well, it might be a mix of business and personal that clouded his judgment. Though to be fair, I tried to keep it business.”