Page 25

“Subtle, Evelyn.” Connor O’Rourke, the family patriarch, sighed and folded his newspaper down.

“Ex-wife.”

Colin dropped his fork at James’s pronouncement. “Hailey left me for a nurse.”

“She left the head of the emergency department for a nurse ?” Colin quickly explained to Ellie, “Absolutely nothing wrong with the profession. But even the best nurse wouldn’t be enough for Hailey.”

“Even if the nurses actually run the floor,” James added.

“Hailey has always been about the status, and the head of the emergency department is higher in rank than any nurse,” Colin continued.

“Colin!” Evelyn exclaimed.

“It’s a fair point,” James agreed, taking a loud bite of the toast. “She married me for the money and the status. And her cheating isn’t as crazy as it sounds; the higher the rank, the bigger the responsibility.

I worked all the time. She found someone who had better hours, and when I came home last week, I caught them together.

For a long while, she had the best of both worlds—a sugar daddy and a playboy. ”

Colin never liked James’s wife, but he never would have imagined the gold-digging woman would cheat on his brother.

James was kind, decent, all sorts of fantastic—and Hailey always believed anything less than the best would be lowering herself.

In fact, James had taken his current position as chief physician for the emergency department of one of California’s top hospitals just to please her.

Hailey always enjoyed the title of “the doctor’s wife,” even if she didn’t play the part well.

Colin blinked at his brother. Did you know it was coming? was on the tip of his tongue, but he checked himself. Instead, he placed a hand on his shoulder. “That was shi—”

“Colin Seamus O’Rourke, we have a guest ,” Evelyn warned.

“I’m so sorry,” Ellie said quietly, drawing James’s attention. “That was poorly done of her, regardless of your work hours. Vows are sacred.”

James gave her a sad smile. “Thank you. I wish everyone thought that way.”

Connor offered Ellie the plate of sausage. She gently shook her head, but offered a smile so sweet it made Colin’s heart skip a beat.

The lucky man she ends up with will have her loyalty. The thought pained him, but Colin embraced the pain. Better his misery than hers—he’d endure all sorts of torture to ensure she led a happy life. She deserved at least that, especially after all she’d already been through.

“How long are you in town?” Colin asked as his dad helped himself to more sausage.

“I already set up a sabbatical. One year off, starting last week. The day I walked in on them, actually. I planned to surprise her, take her on a world adventure.” James cleared his throat and looked up at his mom, who was wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Don’t be sad, Mom. Things happen for a reason. We’re not right for each other.”

“I’m sorry, bro.” Colin reached out and gave him a brotherly slap on the back .

“Colin, knock it off and say what’s on your mind already. Your maturity is showing.”

“Bummer. I was just about to noogie you, too.”

Ellie snorted into her napkin. “Were they always like this growing up?”

“Worse,” Connor confirmed. “Instead of Colin holding his tongue, as he is so wisely doing right now, things would get a bit loud.”

“Loud?” Evelyn scoffed. “That was the least of it. Everything in this house, at one point or another, has been broken in a scuffle between these two.”

Colin watched Ellie joke with his parents, listening to their stories of his childhood. Her face glowed, and her eyes sparkled whenever a particular bit of mischief was revealed.

“She’s something special,” James murmured, as Evelyn dragged Ellie to the living room to show her one of Colin’s unfortunate school pictures on display.

Colin snapped his gaze to him. “Stop.”

“You deserve happiness, Col. It’s obvious how you feel about her.”

“Then I better work harder to hide it, because I’m not going there.” He clenched his jaw. “Ever.”

“…Ireland tonight.” Ellie glanced at the brothers as she reentered the kitchen. “I’m not sure what time we leave, though.”

James pushed back from the table and headed for the sink, plate in hand. “I guess being a big shot CEO means you can leave pretty much whenever you want to, doesn’t it? Is Les driving?”

Colin laughed. “Yes, Les is flying us. After the paparazzi caught us off guard, I wanted to be sure they couldn’t trace us back to Ireland. Emma said they’re on watch over in England at her aunt’s house still, but no one is anywhere near her Ireland house yet. ”

“Will you be staying with Reilly?” Evelyn asked, worry in her eyes.

“That’s the plan,” Colin confirmed.

Evelyn turned to Ellie. “Reilly is a wonderful man. Between him and Colin, you’ll be well-protected.”

“MacWilliam, too.”

“Oh, Aidan is such a sweetheart!” Evelyn exclaimed. “With those three, no one will get near you.”

“We’re scheduled to leave this afternoon,” Colin said to James. “If you brought your passport along, you’re welcome to join us.”

James nodded slowly. “World tour, remember? Of course I brought it. Count me amongst Ellie’s personal guard.”

Colin shot him a warning glance.

“Personal guard?” she squeaked. “That seems a bit over-the-top.”

“Long line of warriors,” Connor explained. “It’s in our blood. Both sides.”

Evelyn beamed at them, making Colin squirm a little.

He loved his mother, but sometimes her pride in them made him a little uncomfortable.

She waxed poetic about his job, but the truth was, Brianagh set him up very well before she left.

The foray into international waters was the first time he could take full credit for something at Celtic Connections, and he didn’t want to fail.

One more reason to get Ellie matched and married as soon as possible. Then, he could be done with being around her all the time, and continue on with his life.

“How do you know Aidan?” Ellie inquired.

Evelyn smiled. “Well, he’s family.”

Colin could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears as she tried to figure out the relation.

“My maiden name is MacWilliam,” Evelyn said gently, and Ellie nodded in understanding.

Colin groaned inwardly, because she couldn’t possibly have any understanding at all. Aidan MacWilliam was his mother’s great-great-many-more-great cousin, due to the most convoluted family tree in the history of time.

James smiled into his orange juice. “Yes, Ellie will be just fine with the entire clan protecting her.”

Only until she’s matched, Colin silently amended . And then I’ll be just as fine without her as I was before I met her.

He felt Ellie watching him, and when he looked up, she gave him a tiny, trusting smile that struck him dead center.

Yeah, right.