“For the purpose of recording, eventually.”

“But I was under the impression that you build things.”

“One of the things I’ve built is a record company. Celtic Records.” He paused, and sounded amused when he spoke again. “Do you want references, Miss O’Toole?”

“Well, now, could I be getting back to you on that? I’ll need to discuss this with Shawn.”

“Of course. My New York office knows how to reach me.”

“Thank you for your time and consideration, Mr. Magee. I hope to meet you in person before much longer. I . . .” She simply ran out of words. “Thank you.”

The minute she hung up the phone she let out a shout of triumph, then raced through the house to the front door. “Ma, I’ve got to go! I’ll be back when I can.”

“Go?” Mollie dashed out of the back bedroom to the top of the stairs in time to see her daughter’s lorry bullet into the road. “That girl. If it’s not the first thing it’s the second. Go where, I’d like to know, and is my roof finished or isn’t it? I’ll give her both sides of my tongue if I have to listen to water plopping into buckets one more night.”

Before she could go back to work, she saw Shawn’s car pull in. “All this coming and going around here,” she muttered and started down the steps. “It’s making my head spin.”

She pushed open the door and waited while Shawn made his way to her. “Good morning to you, Shawn. I’m afraid you’ve just missed Brenna. She went tearing out of here not a minute ago like her trousers were afire.”

“Ah, well.” He cleared his throat. “I wasn’t actually coming by to see Brenna.”

“Weren’t you now?” She gave him a considering look, but knew better than to wait for him to explain himself. That, she knew from experience, could take half the day, and she’d as soon be sitting down for part of it. “Well, then, I’m all that’s left. Come inside, why don’t you, and we’ll have a cup.”

“I’d be grateful.” He ducked inside behind her and trailed her into the kitchen. “I don’t want to take much of your time.”

“Lad, you’ve been in and out of this house since you could toddle. No one’s ever booted you out the door before, and I’m not after starting now.” She waved a hand toward the table and went about the business of making tea. “Brenna’s a heart and mind of her own. As I’m sure you know.”

“That I do. I thought I should come ’round to see if . . . to make certain you . . .”

She had to take pity on him. “Are you afraid I don’t love you anymore, my handsome lad?” The worry in his eyes faded away as she reached over and scrubbed a hand over his hair, as she’d done as long as he could remember. “There’s no danger of that changing. Now if you’d taken up with my Katie, I’d have boxed your ears to the back of your head.”