‘Aye, I should have known with a woman this gorgeous around, you wouldn’t be far behind, you eejit,’ the man said, laughing as he shook hands warmly with Lorcan. ‘I’d have warned you off him,’ the man said, turning back to me, ‘but it looks like I’m too late.’

‘No, not at all. Our connection is purely work. Lorcan’s not at all my type.’

The man let loose a roaring laugh. ‘Now, there’s something I bet you don’t hear too much, O’Malley. I like this one.’

‘You would. What are you doing here anyway, apart from making the place look untidy?’

‘I’ve just come over to see the folks and see what’s for lunch.’

‘Some people have only just had their breakfast…’ Lorcan eyed me, his unfortunately tempting mouth tilted in a provocative smile.

‘Ah, that’s all right. That’s what the weekend’s for, isn’t it?’

Before I could say much else Liam’s mum came back into the room and began fussing around me. Having eventually been persuaded that I was more than full enough and had drunk enough tea to float a battleship, she began to clear the breakfast away, roping in Liam to help her.

‘Right, where should I meet you for the cake-tasting this afternoon? You did say two o’clock, didn’t you?’

‘I did. And where are you hurrying off to? I thought we were going sightseeing.’

‘As lovely as that might be, as I said before, I have things to do.’

‘Such as?’

‘I already told you,’ I replied, tilting my head to meet his eyes as I tried to work out whether he was winding me up or if he truly did not comprehend the full situation.

He folded his arms across his chest, stretching the fabric of the black tee shirt he wore over the faded jeans that I’d noticed fitted his bum just perfectly. Not that I’d been purposely looking, of course. What can I say? It’s part of my job to take note of details.

‘I’m trying to plan a wedding practically from scratch in very little time, and we’re not exactly in London.’ I raised an arm to encompass the view from the window.

‘Your point?’

‘My point is, as I said, suppliers aren’t exactly abundant and I’m having to search out new ones as my network doesn’t cover this far west.’

‘Are you saying you’re out of your depth?’ he asked, taking a seat back at the table.

I narrowed my eyes at him. ‘No,’ I said, slowly. ‘Merely that, unlike some people this weekend, I need to work.’

‘I’m working this afternoon and tomorrow. And I’m not even getting paid for it.’ He shrugged solid, square shoulders.