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СКАЧАТЬ for Laila’s isolation. “How did this turn into such a huge mess? “

      Susie didn’t hesitate. “Because the two of you kept everyone in the dark about your relationship,” she said readily, always eager to enumerate his many flaws as she saw them. “You snuck around town for who knows how long like a couple of criminals. It left everyone to conclude that even you knew that your dating was somehow wrong. It made it seem as if this were just another stupid fling for you and that Laila was ashamed of being another one of your conquests. If you’d been open about it in the first place—”

      “I wanted things out in the open,” he snapped. “Laila thought it was a bad idea. Seems to me she was right. The minute her stodgy parents got wind of what was going on, all hell broke loose.”

      “Whatever,” Susie said, not one bit swayed by truth or logic. “You’re the only one who can get through to her now. Apologize, grovel, beg, heap on a boatload of guilt about how the trip won’t be the same without her, whatever you need to do. Just don’t take no for an answer. You have to get her to come to Ireland. You got her into your bed, which, given how sensible she usually is, had to take some smooth talking. Surely you can convince her to go on a family vacation.”

      “The only way I’m likely to pull it off would be to tell her I’m staying home,” he said realistically.

      “Not an option,” Susie declared. “Find another way. I mean it, Matthew. You love her. She loves you. This standoff has to end.” She leveled a look into his eyes. “I expect you to handle it. Do not let me down.”

      With that she flounced out of his office. He stared after her, wondering when she’d turned into such a demanding woman, sure of her convictions. It probably had a lot to do with the grit and determination she’d found to fight ovarian cancer, to survive it against all odds. Nothing much scared her anymore, certainly not her brother.

      A few months ago he’d have said he shared his sister’s intrepid, determined nature. In the face of Laila’s uncompromising rejection, in the wake of her stubborn stance that they were destined to ruin each other’s lives, he was no longer half so sure of himself. He’d thought they could weather the fallout from people finding out about their relationship, but they hadn’t. Laila hadn’t even wanted to try. She’d barely stuck it out a few weeks before calling it quits.

      He’d found her attitude annoying, insulting and demeaning. It trivialized what they had, in his opinion. What he hadn’t been able to figure out was why he loved her anyway.

      Still, he had his pride. Groveling, apologizing, begging, all those things his sister had recommended were out of the question. He’d put his heart on the line. He’d made his case. More than once, in fact. If that hadn’t been enough, then why would he go back for more ego bashing?

      Besides, being in Ireland with Laila, knowing that he’d intended to make it the most romantic holiday of their lives, that he’d planned to propose to her there on Christmas Eve … it would be torture, and he was no masochist. This was Susie’s trip. If she wanted Laila along, then she was going to have to find some way to convince her to go.

      And if she did? Well, he’d worry about that only if Susie managed to pull off some sort of holiday miracle.

      “Well?” Nell O’Brien demanded as she sat in her cozy kitchen with two of her precious granddaughters. The Irish-breakfast tea was strong, the blueberry scones fresh from the oven.

      She’d sent Jess and Susie on a personal mission to straighten out this ridiculous standoff between Matthew and Laila, but it was obvious from their troubled expressions that they’d failed.

      “Laila refuses to go,” Jess admitted. “I know she wants to, but she’s as stubborn as any O’Brien.”

      “As for my brother,” Susie said, “he’s actually hurt that she dumped him. As badly as he wants Laila in Ireland with the rest of us, he refuses to do a thing to make sure she goes.” She shook her head. “Men and their stupid pride! Heaven save us.”

      Nell knew exactly what she meant. Her grandchildren had inherited many fine qualities from their parents and from her, but stubbornness wasn’t among them. Unfortunately, they all had it in spades. She supposed it was handy in certain situations, gave them the stick-to-it strength and resolve to weather many tough crises, but most of the time it interfered with their happiness. They’d be far better off with a little more tolerance and a little less bullheadedness.

      “Do the two of you have any ideas?” she asked. “I will not have this family trip ruined because we’re all thinking about the one person who isn’t there.”

      “I don’t think Laila views herself as indispensable,” Jess said. “Or as a member of the family. She’s pretty down on herself and her own judgment these days. And she’s not overly fond of anything O’Brien, either.”

      “She’s down on herself because she fell in love with Matthew?” Nell asked incredulously. “Nonsense! I’ll admit to having a few reservations when I first heard about those two, but she was good for him. Anyone could see that.”

      She thought about her grandson and the changes she’d seen in him after he’d gotten involved with Laila. “She steadied him, made him want to settle down. I think it worked the other way around, as well. Her life needed a little shaking up after growing up with stuffy old Lawrence Riley for a father and trying to meet his old-fashioned expectations. Just his reaction to her relationship with a fine man like Matthew speaks for itself about how out of touch he is. Matthew put some color in her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. Lawrence should have been singing his praises for that, not condemning the two of them.”

      She gave her granddaughters a bewildered look. “What kind of man doesn’t put his own daughter’s happiness first?”

      “I don’t think Mr. Riley thinks much beyond what’s good for the bank,” Jess said. “Look how he coerced Trace into working there, even though anyone could see how miserable he was. He loves being a graphic designer. Thank goodness, he was able to get back to that.”

      “Well, it’s about time Mr. Riley thinks about what’s good for Laila,” Susie said vehemently. “And there’s no question that my brother was very good for her. The first time I saw them together, once I got over the shock, I realized how perfect they were for each other. They complemented each other, just as you said, Gram. Matthew couldn’t keep his eyes off her, and Laila looked like a teenager. She couldn’t stop blushing.” She paused reflectively. “Of course, maybe that had something to do with the wine I kept pushing on her to get her to open up and tell me what was going on.”

      Jess nodded slowly. “So we all agree that Mr. Riley is the real problem here, right?”

      “Looks that way to me,” Susie said.

      “Okay, then,” Jess said. “Do you suppose if Laila’s father changed his mind, maybe gave them his blessing, it would help?”

      Nell shook her head. “That would be like getting a tiger to change his stripes. Lawrence has never admitted to a mistake in his life. He’s all but publicly disowned Laila now. He’s not going to back down.”

      “Maybe Mrs. Riley,” Susie began, but again Nell shook her head.

      “She’s a lovely woman, but she’s always done exactly what her husband expected of her,” Nell said.

      “Then you could talk to him,” Jess suggested. “He’d СКАЧАТЬ