Tilly nodded. “Vaguely.”

“Well, welcome back to two thousand and four. Contrary to the Chinese Zodiac, it appears to be the year of the rabbit.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Kate, do you know that Tilly has mermaid hair?”

Looking up from her steak, Kate locked eyes with Lily across the table. Briefly, her gaze flickered to Tilly, sitting beside the little girl. Her hair was freed tonight, curled slightly with its natural wave. Kate smiled. “I do.”

“Lily,” Declan said, a playful lilt to his voice as he tapped lightly at his daughter’s hand, “Stop touching Tilly’s hair and eat your peas.”

Lily sighed. “Okay,” she said. “It’s just shiny, that’s all…”

“I know it’s shiny,” Declan said, winking at Tilly from the head of the table, “but I’d like you to eat your dinner. Look how much your brother has already eaten. See what happens when you don’t talk so much?”

Kate glanced beside her. Seated between his father and Kate, Mason looked like he was enjoying the dinner just as much as Kate.

With a sigh, Lily picked up her fork. “Good girl,” Declan said, but before he could return his eyes to his own meal, Lily’s fork found the placemat again.

“Kate,” she started again, shifting in her booster seat, “did you hear that I’m going to be in the Christmas play? At mass?”

“You are?” Kate asked, reaching for the gravy boat. “And what role are you playing?”

“An angel,” Lily said. “I even have a…what’s it called, Dad?”

“A halo,” Declan said.

“Yeah,” Lily said, drawing an imaginary circle around the crown of her head, “a halo.”

“That’s beautiful, Lily,” Tilly said, rubbing at the little girl’s forearm. “You’ll make a lovely angel.”

“Your costume is a tad too large, isn’t it?” Declan asked Lily.

Lily nodded. “I tripped.”

“We’ll have to get it mended,” he said, “won’t we?”

The comment didn’t bypass Kate. Subtly, she chanced a glance at Tilly.

“I could fix it,” Tilly offered.

“Really?” Declan asked.

“Of course,” Tilly said.

“You don’t have to do that,” he said. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”

“It’s no trouble,” Tilly said. “The sisters have a sewing machine. After dinner, I’ll get Lil to try it on and I’ll take it home with me.”

“Or, we could just give it to the wedding tailor,” Declan suggested jokingly. “She’s charging enough as it is for Lily’s flower girl dress.”

Kate’s heart lurched at the comment. They had a tailor? Already?

“I’m going to be flower girl,” Lily said.

Kate swallowed over a clump of half-cooked potato. “That’s exciting.”

“My dress is just like Tilly’s. We match.”

Kate reached for her water glass. “I’m sure you’ll both look beautiful.”

“Did you have a wedding?” Lily asked.

Kate looked up. Lip worried between her teeth, Tilly’s gaze was focused on her dinner plate. “No,” Kate said. She set eyes on Tilly. “Have you started thinking about setting a date?”

Slathering his potatoes in butter, Declan smiled. “We’re well past thinking. We’ve decided on sometime in March. Date yet to be determined.”