Page 13 of Where We Bloom (The Blackwells of Montana #3)

Chapter Six

CONNOR

“ W hy am I in bloody fecking Dublin?” My board of directors shifts uncomfortably in their seats, looking at each other and out the window. Basically everywhere except at me.

Because they know they’ve fecked up.

Fiona, our real estate lawyer, clears her throat. “We called you in because the new property in Stockholm is exceeding budget forecasts. Environmentalists are upset about water rights, and building the structure close to the lake is causing an issue with ground stabilization.”

“It would be best if you could make a trip over there,” Ronan, my chief of marketing, bravely adds. “You have the magic touch with people, Connor.”

I stare at them both and feel the others in the room shift in their seats again.

“I explained to you all that I’m in Montana for the next two years.

” I stand and walk to the windows, looking out over the city of Dublin, then turn back to the room.

Nine faces stare back at me. These are the people who I work side by side with to keep Gallagher Hotels running.

They represent everything from legal, marketing, and hospitality to regional market knowledge and construction.

I’m the head of financials, but I have more people for that, too.

We run an empire, and since my father retired three years ago, I’m the head of that empire.

And right now, I’d like to fire all of them for calling me here the day after I dropped my bumble bee off at her house after being drugged by that piece of shite.

“I’m not the only one on this board capable of doing site visits,” I add.

“No, but you’re the one who has done the majority of the site visits for the past decade,” Fiona reminds me. “More than that, actually. The people in our hotels know and respect you.”

“They’ll learn to know and respect the others on this team,” I counter.

“Because I’m not going to bend on this. The Bitterroot Valley and Big Sky properties are my focus for the next couple of years, with quarterly trips back to Dublin for meetings with all of you.

I’m not flying to the Maldives, or London, or bloody Stockholm to smooth over ruffled feathers. ”

“You’re expected at a site visit in Maui next month,” Sean, my head of contracting says. “We just bought the property, and you need to approve the plans so we can start construction.”

I just stare at the man I’ve worked with for ten years .

“He’s gonna blow,” Ronan mutters, looking at Fiona, and she stands to address the rest of the room.

“Please give us a few moments with Mr. Gallagher,” she says. “We’ll reconvene in thirty minutes.”

The rest of the table stands and exits the room, leaving me with Fiona and Ronan.

“What in the bloody hell has gotten into you?” Fiona asks, scowling at me. “You’re a grumpy bastard, but you don’t usually speak to your board that way.”

I pace next to the long table, then walk back to the windows and stare outside.

This isn’t the view I want to be looking at.

“What’s up with the site visits?” Ronan asks.

He’s been my best mate since we were at university together. We played rugby together, and because he’s the best in the fucking world at what he does, it was a non-issue to bring him into Gallagher Hotels.

When I came to the head of the board, I brought Ronan with me.

He even married my ex-wife. The woman sitting directly across from him.

“Now he’s not speaking to us.” Fiona sighs.

“I’m fecking pissed,” I reply and turn back to them. “I didn’t need to be brought in here for this. It could have been handled with a Zoom call, and you know it.”

“Stockholm is an issue,” Fiona presses. “They’re threatening lawsuits, Connor.”

The words I don’t bloody give a shite almost leave my mouth .

And I’ve never said something like that when it comes to business. Never.

Instead, I take a breath. “It’s time to start delegating this out. I won’t pull back completely, but I’ve been traveling the world nonstop for fifteen years, as you said, Fi. I’m fecking tired.”

Her pretty blue eyes widen, and she tilts her head, looking at me closely.

“You’ve met someone, Connor Gallagher.”

I shake my head, but Ronan chuckles. “I never thought I’d see the day. Who is she, then? Obviously, she lives in Montana if you want to stay there.”

But I study Fiona. We were married for less than five years, and I admit that the relationship ended because of me.

Because I wouldn’t sit still.

Because the business was more important.

But she doesn’t look hurt.

“Stop it.” She reaches out to pat my shoulder. “You’ll not hurt my feelings for this. You and I weren’t meant to be married, and that’s the truth of it. I could have traveled with you, and I chose not to. Besides, I married the love of my life?—”

“That’s me, mate,” Ronan says with a wink.

“—ten years ago, have two gorgeous children, and am perfectly, blissfully happy. So get over yourself and just be bloody honest about what’s going on here.”

“I am being bloody honest,” I counter. “For the first time in my life, I don’t want to travel so much.”

“And you met her ,” Ronan adds, but he’s not ribbing me now.

“And I should be there, right now, rather than here for a meeting that could have been an email. I have meetings with the city and the county this week. I’m meeting with the architectural firm.

I am working in Montana, you know, building a brand-new resort from the ground up, spending nearly half a billion dollars.

And I want to be hands-on with this one. ”

I know that the resort in Bitterroot Valley will be special, and I want my hands on every piece of it.

And that has nothing to do with wanting my hands on every inch of a certain bumble bee.

“We’ve seen the schematics,” Fiona reminds me. “It’s going to be bloody gorgeous, and I can’t wait to see it in person. But I’m personally asking you to go to Stockholm on your way back to Montana to spend one day taking meetings and talking to the people there. One day.”

“It won’t be one fecking day, Fi. It’ll turn into a week or more, and we both know it.”

She’s already shaking her head. “One day. I promise. I’ll tell them you have a family emergency or something, and we’ll get you out of there. Twelve hours of meetings.”

“Twelve hours.” My eyebrows lift.

“I said it would be one day. I didn’t say it wouldn’t be a long one.”

“I’ll work on finding someone else to do the majority of the site visits,” Ronan adds. “Or we split them up among the board. The properties should know all of us, not just you. You’ve just never had a problem with the travel before.”

No, I didn’t have a problem with it. I thrived on it. I still enjoy travel and am proud of our properties, but I no longer want it to be my lifestyle.

Of course, the woman I want in Montana won’t give me the time of bleeding day, but I’m working on that.

“Tell us about her,” Fiona says as if she can read my mind. “We’re your best friends, Connor.”

“There’s not much to tell right now. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.”

They both stare at me for a moment and then, because they’re a couple of arseholes, they start to laugh.

Not just a chuckle.

No, face down on the table, laughing until tears drip down their faces.

“I hate you both.”

That makes them start again, and I fist my hands and pull out my phone. It’s still the middle of the night in Montana, but I miss my angel.

And I left Miller behind to keep an eye on her. If I can’t be there to make sure she’s safe, the one man I trust most in the world will do it for me.

In fact, a message from Miller waits for me.

Miller: She’s safe, sleeping in her bed. She smiled when the flowers were delivered. Didn’t work a full day. Looked tired when she went home around two. Hasn’t left since. I’ll check in on her tomorrow.

I was pissed that she went in to work at all. If she were mine, I would have insisted she stay home to heal.

Her work ethic rivals mine, which is one of the things I’m attracted to in her.

“Are you two quite done?” I lift an eyebrow as they wipe their faces. Fiona pulls a compact out of her handbag to dab at her makeup.

“This is the best day of my life, no offense, my love,” Ronan says to his wife.

“None taken, as it might be mine as well,” she says with a wide grin aimed at me. “A woman, with a heartbeat and breathing the air around her, has told you no? The irresistible Connor Gallagher?”

“Shut up.”

“Obviously, she’s brilliant,” Ronan adds. “A bloody goddess who knows her mind if she isn’t willing to put up with your shite.”

“I don’t know why I call you my friends.”

“Because we love you, and you know it.” Fiona walks to the wet bar in the conference room to make herself some tea. “You can be quite charming when you want to be. But if you want it to work for the long term, you’re going to have to open up to her. ”

I scowl at my ex-wife, but she just smiles.

“And that’s not something you do,” she finishes.

No, it’s not something I did with her.

Or anyone else.

And the thought of opening up to Billie scares the fecking shite out of me, but I know that she’s right because the woman basically said the same thing herself.

“I’m not saying that to bring up old hurts,” she adds. “It’s simply the truth of it.”

“Listen, I didn’t come here for advice. I came because someone”—I eye Ronan, who simply smiles at me—“made it sound like the bloody world would end if I didn’t get my Irish arse to Dublin straight away. Now I find out you just missed me.”

“That’s not true.” Ronan shakes his head. “Stockholm?—”

“Jesus bloody hell,” I grumble, rubbing my hand over my face. “Fine, I’ll go to Stockholm for one day. One, Fiona, or I’ll fire your arse.”

“You can’t.” She bats her eyelashes at me. “I promise, I’ll do my best to have you out of there in less than twenty-four hours.”

“You promised me it would be that not half an hour ago.” I glare at her, but she doesn’t even pretend to look intimidated.

Because she’s not.

“I’ll do my best.”