“Rogan, I never agreed to contracts.”

“Of course you haven’t.” His smile was easy, his tone all reason. “You haven’t read them. I’d be happy to go over the terms with you, or I can recommend a lawyer. I’m sure you have your own, but you’d want one locally.”

She found a copy of the contracts dumped neatly in her hands. “I already have a job.”

“It doesn’t seem to stop you from painting. I’ll want my secretary to contact you in the next week or so, for background. The sort of color and information we’ll need for a biography and press releases.”

“Press releases?” She put a hand to her spinning head.

“You’ll see in the contract that Worldwide will take care of all publicity for you. Depending on your inventory in America, we should be ready for a showing in October, or possibly September.”

“A showing.” She left her supporting hand where it was and gaped at him. “You want—a showing?” she repeated, numb. “In Worldwide Galleries?”

“I’d considered having it in Dublin, as we’d had Maggie’s first there. But I think I’d prefer the gallery here in Clare, because of your connection here.” He tilted his head, still smiling politely. “What do you think?”

“I don’t think,” she mumbled. “I can’t think. Rogan, I’ve been to shows at Worldwide. I can’t even conceive of having one there.”

“Surely you’re not going to sit there, look me straight in the eye, and claim to doubt your talent?”

She opened her mouth. But the way he’d phrased it, the way he looked at her as he waited, had her shoulders moving back and settling firm. “It’s simply that I’ve never thought of my painting in a practical vein.”

“And why should you? That’s my job. You paint, Shannon. You just paint. I’ll handle the details of the rest. Ah, and as to details . . .” He tipped back, already savoring victory. “We’ll need some photographs. I use an excellent man in Dublin for such things. I need to be back there for a couple of days this week. You can fly out with me and we’ll get that taken care of.”

She closed her eyes, but try as she might, she couldn’t trace back the steps to the beginning of the exchange and pinpoint when she’d lost control. “You want me to go to Dublin.”

“For a day or two. Unless you’d like to stay longer. You’re welcome, of course, to stay in our house there as long as you please. I’ll see that you have an appointment with a lawyer while we’re there, to look over the contracts for you and advise you.”

“I minored in business in college,” Shannon mumbled. “I can read contracts for myself.”

“As you please then.” Though he had no need to, Rogan went through the motions of flipping through his desk calendar. “Would Tuesday suit you?”

“Tuesday?”

“For the trip? We can arrange for the photo shoot for Wednesday.”

“Your photographer might be booked.”