“You’re determined, aren’t you?”

“There’s a stubborn streak in the family. Ah, here they come. Maggie, see the lads wash their hands, would you? I have to serve in the parlor.”

“Cream tarts.” Gray pounced. “Where’d you hide them?”

“You’ll not eat my food with dirty fingers,” Brianna said calmly as she finished loading a rolling tea tray. “Help yourself, Shannon. I’ll be back as soon as I’ve seen to my guests.”

“Sit.” Maggie waved to the table as soon as she’d washed her son off in the sink. She plopped Liam down in a high chair, gave him a toast finger to munch on. “Will you have sugar in your tea?”

“No, thank you,” Shannon returned, equally stiff. “Just black.”

“You’re in for a treat,” Gray said as he piled his plate. “New York may have some of the best restaurants in the world, but you’ve never eaten anything like Brianna’s cooking. You’re with Ry-Tilghmanton?” he asked, taking it on himself to heap Shannon’s plate himself.

“Yes—oh, not so much—I’ve been there over five years.”

“They’ve got a good rep. Top of the line.” Happily he bit into a sandwich. “Where’d you train?”

“Carnegie Mellon.”

“Mmm. Can’t do better. There’s this bakery in Pittsburgh, maybe a half mile from the college. Little Jewish couple runs it. They make these rum cakes.”

“I know the place.” It made her smile to think of it, and easy to talk to another American. “I hit it every Sunday morning for four years.”

Since Maggie was busy with Liam and all Murphy seemed capable of doing was staring at her, Shannon felt no qualms about ignoring them in favor of Gray. “Brianna told me you came here to research a book. Does that mean your next one’s set here?”

“Yeah. It’s coming out in a couple of months.”

“I’ll look forward to it. I enjoy your books very much.”

“I’ll see you get an advanced copy.” When the baby began to fuss, Gray lifted her out and into the curve of his arm where she fell cozily silent again.

Shannon nibbled on her sandwich—which was good, certainly and filled the hole she hadn’t realized hunger had dug. Satisfied but not overly impressed, she nipped into a tart.

Her whole system signaled pleasure of the most acute and sinful.

Gray merely grinned when her eyes drifted half closed. “Who needs heaven, right?”

“Don’t interrupt,” she murmured, “I’m having an epiphany.”

“Yeah, there’s something religious about Brie’s pastries all right.” Gray helped himself to another.

“Pig.” Maggie wrinkled her nose at him. “Leave some for me to take home to Rogan at least.”

“Why don’t you learn to make your own?”

“Why should I?” Smug, Maggie licked cream from her thumb. “I’ve only to walk up the road to have yours.”

“You live nearby?” Shannon felt her pleasure dim at the idea.

“Just down the road.” Maggie’s thin smile indicated she understood Shannon’s sentiments completely.

“Rogan drags her off periodically,” Gray put in. “To Dublin or one of their galleries. Things are more peaceful then.” He snuck Liam a sugar cookie.