A Baby For The Billionaire. Maureen Child

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       Seven

      Dina was being treated like a princess.

      And she felt like a fraud.

      For heaven’s sake, she’d been whooshed through security, bypassing the thousands of people lined up at the other terminals, in favor of the charter jet area that was practically empty in comparison. That’s when she discovered that flying on a KingJet was a far different experience than flying coach on a regular airliner.

      The KingJet boasted comfy leather seats, a full bar and three cribs bolted to the floor to accommodate sleeping triplets. There was room to wander around and a bathroom—complete with shower—that was as luxurious as the rest of the plane. During the long flight to Ireland she’d relaxed by watching movies on a big-screen TV while Connor buried himself in work.

      Once they landed, they were all once again hustled through customs without having to wait like every other human being on the planet and ushered to a limousine complete with a liveried driver. The ride from Shannon airport to Ashford Castle took an hour and a half, but Dina was so busy with the triplets and admiring the view out the windows, she hardly noticed time passing.

      Just the day before, she had been at home, scrambling for work—and now she was in Europe. Sadly, she hadn’t had to do much in preparation for this trip. She had no immediate jobs lined up and so no reason to tell Connor she couldn’t go with him. And now, as the beautiful countryside streamed past the car windows, she was glad for that.

      Connor had been in Ireland before and enjoyed playing tour guide. “In a day or two, we’ll drive over to Cong and take the kids for a walk through the village.”

      “Okay,” she said, smiling. “What’s Cong?”

      He laughed. “Just a really beautiful village in Ireland, but they filmed The Quiet Man there. You know, the John Wayne movie?”

      “I love that old movie,” Dina said.

      “Yeah, me, too. They’ve got a statue in the village commemorating the film, too. Plus, you can visit a perfect replica of the cottage they used. There’s nice shops, some good restaurants and great pubs. You’ll like it.”

      She was sure she would. What she wasn’t sure of was why Connor cared if she was having a good time or not. But that question went unanswered as the limousine turned in to a long, graveled drive at the end of which the castle waited.

      Once the car stopped, Dina stepped out and right into a fairy tale.

      The castle was amazing. Weathered gray stone, trailing ivy, glorious flower beds in vivid colors, forests and a long, winding drive. There was a fountain in the center of the yard and a lake spread out in front of the castle, where sunlight glinted off the surface like handfuls of diamonds.

      Dina stood in one spot and did a slow turn, trying to take everything in and failing. It would take months to appreciate the whole picture. She had never seen so many different shades of green, though. Standing there, it was like being inside an emerald and watching sunlight play among the shadows—cool and warm at the same time.

      “It’s a rare day for Ireland in June,” Connor was saying. “Usually the skies are gray and the wind is cold and generally it’s raining. The sun must be shining today just for you.”

      She laughed, delighted at the thought, even though it was ridiculous. Then she shook her head and, speechless, stared at the castle itself, from the ground all the way up to the battlements, where she guessed ghosts still walked.

      “You like it?”

      “Oh, I really do,” she admitted.

      “It’s the oldest castle in Ireland,” he said, “and that’s saying something. I think it dates back to twelve hundred something.”

      “And it’s still here,” she mused, and her fingers itched to СКАЧАТЬ