‘I’ll go and pay,’ he said, giving my hand a final squeeze before dropping it gently and striding across the stripped wooden floor, his Italian leather shoes making a small tap with each long step he took. I let out the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and plopped back onto the sofa, disturbing Bod, who shuffled round and climbed onto my lap. I cuddled him to me.

‘Your owner is far too… everything for his own good. More to the point,’ I added as Bod listened intently, ‘he’s far too much of everything for my own good. I need this job to go well and I definitely don’t need a broken heart, so you’re going to have to help me, OK?’

Bod studied me for a moment, then did a massive yawn that ended with a squeak, flopped back down on my lap and looked out of the window, fuzzy brows twitching occasionally as something interested him.

‘Good,’ I said, running my hand down his back. ‘Glad to see you’re on top of things.’

‘Everything OK?’ Lorcan asked, returning to the table as he tucked the folded receipt into the back of his wallet.

‘Yes, thanks. All good. Just impressing Bod with my scintillating conversation.’

‘He’s a great dog but not always appreciative of the good things in life.’ Lorcan gave a wink, lifting his pet with one large hand and grabbing his case with the other. ‘Ready to go?’

‘Definitely.’

More than you know…

26

Thankfully the flight home was far less eventful than the trip over and, despite me trying to insist on Lorcan taking it, I was once again sitting in the window seat, staring out at the green patchwork of Ireland as we lifted off, leaving the sunset behind us as we headed back home.

‘So, what did you think of Ireland?’ Lorcan asked as we sipped a whiskey each that he’d advised we must have to toast my first trip to the Emerald Isle. I’d given him a small eye-roll but agreed anyway and was now enjoying the smooth taste as it warmed its way down.

‘It’s very beautiful. There’s definitely a magical feel about it. I think the wedding is going to be gorgeous.’

‘I wasn’t asking what you thought about it as a backdrop for weddings,’ Lorcan said, studying me. ‘I want to know what you think about the place – not Madeleine the wedding planner.’

‘Oh… well, I suppose I think the same.’

‘You suppose?’

I took another sip of whiskey and pondered the question. Every place I saw, every view, every village I drove through I saw from a work perspective and how it could feature in a wedding. I hadn’t even realised I did it until Lorcan pointed it out.