“No, of course not.” Puzzled, he settled his cap on his head. “That’s a stupid question. A friend doesn’t stay away from a friend who’s grieving.”

“That’s what I thought,” she murmured, then stared at him long enough, hard enough to have him rubbing the back of his hand over his chin searching for crumbs.

“What?”

“Nothing. I was—” She lifted her cup and laughed at both of them. “Woolgathering.”

More puzzled than ever, he returned her smile. “I’ll see you then. You’ll, ah, come to the ceili, won’t you?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Chapter
Fifteen

Music was pouring out of the farmhouse when Shannon arrived with Brianna and her family. They’d brought the car as Brianna had made too much food for the three of them to handle all of it, and the baby, on a walk.

Shannon’s first surprise of the evening was the number of vehicles along the road. Their wheels tipped up onto the grass verge left just enough room from another car, with a very brave or foolish driver, to squeeze through.

“From the looks of this, he’ll have a houseful,” Shannon commented as they began to unload Brianna’s dishes and bowls.

“Oh, the cars and lorries are only for those who live too far away to walk. Most come on foot to a ceili. Gray, don’t tip that pot. You’ll spill the broth.”

“I wouldn’t tip it if I had three hands.”

“He’s cross,” Brianna told Shannon, “because his publishing people have added another city to his tour.” She couldn’t quite keep the smugness out of her voice. “Time was the man couldn’t wait to go roving.”

“Times change, and if you’d come with me—”

“You know I can’t leave the inn for three weeks in the middle of summer. Come on now.” Despite the load they both held, Brianna leaned forward to kiss him. “Don’t fret on it tonight. Ah, look, it’s Kate.”

She hurried forward, her call of greeting floating on the air.

“You could always cancel the tour,” Shannon said under her breath as she and Gray followed.

“Tell that to her. ‘You’ll not be neglecting your responsibilities toward your work because of me, Grayson Thane. I’ll be just where you left me when you get back.’ ”

“Well.” Shannon would have patted his cheek if her hands hadn’t been full. “She will. Cheer up, Gray. If I’ve ever seen a man who’s got it all, it’s you.”

“Yeah.” That lifted his spirits a little. “I do. But it’s going to be hard to feel that way when I’m sleeping alone in Cleveland next July.”

“Suffering though room service. In-room movies, and the adulation of fans.”

“Shut up, Bodine.” He gave her a nudge to send her through the door.

She hadn’t realized there were so many people in the entire county. The house was full of them, alive with their voices, crowded with their movements. Before she was ten paces down the hall, she was introduced to a dozen, and hailed by that many more she’d already met.