He glanced around at the sound of leaves crunching and grinned at Seamus, whom he’d tied to a nearby tree. The dog’s tail was waving enthusiastically, rustling a pile of dry leaves, as a squirrel scampered by. He and Seamus visited Mia’s grave together several times a year, on her birthday, which was also their wedding anniversary, the anniversary of the day they met, and today.
He always brought flowers and he always talked to her. It was Pop Pop who’d encouraged him to speak to Mia during his visits, confiding he’d been conversing with Sunday for decades about the kids and grandkids and life in general.
Padraig had felt silly the first time because he knew she wasn’t really there, but…well…maybe he had too much of Pop Pop’s belief in Irish magic flowing through his veins because he never failed to feel her presence.
“I’ve met someone,” he said. “Her name is Emmy. She’s a romance writer.”
Padraig chuckled, recalling Mia’s love of soap operas. “You’d love her books. And her. Seamus is crazy about her. She’s so sweet, Mia. She’s become a good friend the past couple of years. She’s been there for me, helped me get through the times when I was missing you so bad, I physically ached with it.”
He dropped from his knees to his ass, sitting in front of her tombstone. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine the two of them sitting across the kitchen table from each other. Mia had always been easy to talk to. It was one of the many things she and Emmy had in common.
“I’m in love with her, Mia,” he confessed. “I didn’t know…I wasn’t sure I could fall in love after you. Colm always talks about the Collins curse, about how members of my family fall fast and forever. It certainly happened that way for you and me. And I’m going to love you forever. I don’t want you to think that’s changed. It’s just…I love her too. Cursed twice,” he said with a chuckle. “Normal people might think that sounds unlucky, but I feel like the luckiest man alive. To have had you in my life. And now her. I think you’d understand that.”
A breeze rustled the leaves and one took flight, landing right on his lap. He smiled at her name, engraved in the granite. “Yeah. I knew you would.”
Colm would give him shit for thinking the leaf a sign, but Pop Pop would agree wholeheartedly that he was interpreting the leaf as Mia’s response correctly.
When the gray clouds held back the rain he’d thought imminent when he’d first arrived, he sighed contentedly and settled in for a longer visit, telling her about the pub rebuild, Fergus’s new baby, and all the family gossip.
An hour later, he rose to leave.
“I’m going to go for now, Mia. I’ll be back soon, promise.”
He’d just unhooked Seamus from the tree when the clouds broke and the first ray of sunshine Baltimore had seen in days broke through.
Bright and yellow and…happy.
He gazed heavenward, then smiled back at Mia’s grave.
“I love you too,” he whispered.
13
Padraig walked into the pub, aware he was late. It was his first day back at work since walking away from Emmy on Thursday. Uncle Ewan had called him yesterday to say they were going to start holding Monday morning meetings—as part of his grand scheme to increase business at both the pub and the restaurant.
While Padraig and his dad had spent the time after the fire touring Ireland, Ewan had put that time away from work to even better use, capitalizing on improvements, researching marketing, and throwing a serious amount of energy behind creating special events, like the upcoming blowout he had planned for St. Patrick’s Day in two days’ time.
Padraig hung his jacket behind the counter, then followed the sound of voices over to Sunday’s Side, shocked to discover this meeting was a bit bigger than he’d expected. He’d anticipated it would be him, Dad, Riley, Keira, and Ewan. To his surprise, Killian, Sean, and Teagan were also in attendance. It was rare to see all seven of the Collins siblings together in one place, with the exception of holidays and weddings.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
They’d pushed two tables together in the restaurant, the top of them covered with cups of coffee and a large platter of doughnuts.
Dad glanced up, a Boston Crème halfway to his lips, and said, “You’re late.”
“I’m aware. Where’s Yvonne?” Padraig asked. She appeared to be the only person missing from this powwow.
“Reba had a fever last night. She’s taking her to the doctor this morning. Thinks it might be an ear infection,” Ewan replied.
Keira stood up and placed her hand against his forehead, in true concerned aunt form, uncaring that he was a thirty-four-year-old man. “How are you feeling? You still look a little pale.”
“I’m fine, Aunt Keira.”
Teagan eyeballed him as if unconvinced. “Your voice sounds hoarse. You sure you don’t need another day of rest?”
“I’m good,” he reassured his aunts, grinning at the way his uncles and father were rolling their eyes. All of the men in the family were used to being coddled by the females. Padraig figured it was a fair trade, considering the males were infamous for their overprotectiveness when it came to the women in their lives.
Tit for tat and all that.
“Good,” Sean said. “Then sit down and grab a doughnut before your father eats them all.”
“I’ve only had three,” Dad said gruffly. “Riley made four dozen, for God’s sake.”
“Because I planned to take the leftovers to the precinct for Aaron and his men. But between you and Killian, I’ll be lucky to have half a dozen left.”
Killian gave her a wide smile as he popped the last bite of a jelly-filled into his mouth. “I regret nothing,” he said as he reached for another.
Riley rose from her seat farther down the table, reaching for the platter, intent on taking it away from them, but Sean pulled it out of her grasp before she could grab it, blowing his sister a playful kiss to show he’d won when he helped himself to a coconut doughnut.
Riley threw up her hands, then lunged quickly, managing to grab a glazed doughnut for herself. “The cops can fend for themselves,” she joked, though there wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t know that merely meant she’d make another batch for them later.
Padraig had just reached for his own doughnut when Riley smacked his hand away. “Hey. I haven’t even had one,” he complained.
“And you’re not going to until you tell me what I want to hear.”
Padraig glanced around the table and realized there wasn’t a person there who didn’t know exactly what Riley was referring to. It warmed his heart to know they were all as crazy about Emmy as he was. “Pop Pop already talked to me yesterday.”
“Mmm-hmmm,” Riley said. “Him talking doesn’t tell me a damn thing about you listening.”
“Riley,” Dad murmured. “Paddy doesn’t need you interfering in his love life.”
“I listened to him,” Padraig reassured her.
“I’m glad,” Teagan chimed in. “I would hate for you to let your fears stand in the way of your dreams. I almost lost Sky because I was too afraid to leave home, and look at the life I’ve led since then.”