The Christmas Bouquet. Sherryl Woods

what I wanted to do professionally, what I was meant to do, but when it comes to love, I never had a plan at all. I certainly didn’t have any idea how to combine the two.”

      “Then you won’t make a decision until you do. And we’ll all of us wait for that moment, even your grandfather.”

      “Grandpa Mick’s never been very patient,” Caitlyn said with a sniff. “He’s going to push to book the church. You know he is.”

      Nell squeezed her hand. “This time he’ll find a way to wait for your decision, and that’s a promise from me to you.”

      “Thank you.”

      “No thanks necessary,” Nell said. “This is your life to lead as you think best. If you want our guidance, you’ll ask for it. As for our support, that’s a given.”

      Caitlyn looked into her great-grandmother’s blue eyes, faded now with age, and felt better than she had at any time since she’d first read that positive pregnancy test.

      “I love you,” she said, hoping she’d have years and years left to say those words to Nell, praying that her child would have time to get to know this wise and wonderful woman.

      “Now don’t be getting all sentimental on me,” Nell said briskly, though she wiped away a tear of her own. She tapped a finger on the blank page in front of Caitlyn. “Start writing or your second attempt at making traditional Irish stew won’t be any better than the first.”

      Caitlyn pushed aside all other thoughts and started writing down the recipe, just the first of many that would connect her to her Irish roots.

      * * *

      Despite all of his brave declarations about facing the O’Briens at Cait’s side, Noah was decidedly nervous as he drove into Chesapeake Shores and followed her directions to her grandfather’s house on a cliff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

      Before he made the turn onto the shoreline road, he caught a glimpse of the town green, which was still bright with the few remaining yellow daffodils in the May sunshine. It was just as Cait had described. There were shouts of childish laughter coming from the colorful playground at one end of the green. He couldn’t help thinking what a wonderful place it would be to raise a child. He doubted, though, that Cait was ready to hear his thoughts on that or on the research he’d done that revealed that the nearest local doctor’s office was miles away.

      As he approached Mick O’Brien’s impressive home a few minutes later, he sucked in a deep breath. Even though Cait had assured him she’d paved the way by speaking to both her grandfather and her stepdad, Noah couldn’t help feeling he was about to walk into the lion’s den, albeit a cozy-looking one with a sprawling front porch crammed with rocking chairs and old-fashioned wicker furniture. Fortunately, it was a little too cool for those chairs to be occupied by shotgun-bearing O’Briens.

      As he pulled to a stop, Cait must have spotted him from inside the house because she emerged and ran across the grass to meet him. He studied her face, trying to guess how things might be going inside.

      “You okay?” he asked, taking the time to kiss her thoroughly despite whatever prying eyes might be watching.

      “Getting there,” she said, a little breathless from their kiss.

      “Does everyone inside know what’s going on?”

      “I’ve only told Mom, Gram, Trace, Grandpa Mick and Grandma Megan, but I think we can assume the word has spread. I was getting an awful lot of speculative looks just now.”

      “What about Carrie? Is she around?”

      “Nope, she’s at some fashion thing in Milan or Paris.” She shrugged. “Someplace in Europe. I’ll tell her next time she calls.”

      He grinned. “Are you sure you two are identical twins?” he asked, checking out her loose-fitting linen slacks and oversize sweater in a shade of purple never intended to be worn with her coloring. He thought she looked amazing, but he imagined her fashion-conscious sister would have been appalled.

      “I know what you mean,” she said, glancing down with a rueful expression. “I’m a mess.”

      “Not even close,” he objected. “Just oblivious to the designer racks, thank goodness. I think you look perfect.”

      “And that’s why I love you,” she said, linking her arm through his. “Are you ready to do this?”

      “Are you?”

      “I think so,” she said. As they neared the house, she leaned close and whispered, “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, I’ll protect you.”

      Noah smiled at that, then stopped her when she would have opened the door. “Cait, have you made any decisions?”

      She shook her head. “I told you I wouldn’t, not until we’d talked. Did you think I’d go back on my word?”

      “No, it’s just that you seem more at peace than you did the other day.”

      She paused, her expression thoughtful. “I think I am,” she admitted, sounding surprised. “It must be the Chesapeake-Shores effect.”

      Whatever it was, if it had put a sparkle back into her eyes, Noah counted that as a blessing.