Lilac Lane (Chesapeake Shores #14)(56)

“What?” she asked innocently, pulling out a chair and joining them,

“Your timing is impeccable as usual, Gram,” Bree noted. “Kiera’s just left so I have a feeling your arrival was no coincidence.”

“You know I like visiting with all of you here from time to time,” Nell responded.

“Agreed,” Bree said, then waited patiently.

Nell frowned at her, but felt compelled to add, “I like catching up on all the family gossip.”

It was obviously not the best answer she could have given. The three young women exchanged amused glances.

“And Sunday dinners at Mick’s don’t keep you up-to-date?” Heather asked. “There’s very little that escapes your notice there. The rumor is that you have eyes in the back of your head and the kind of hearing that people half your age would envy. And the visits to the pub during the week usually fill in any blanks.”

Nell studied her with a narrowed gaze. “Are you suggesting that I have an ulterior motive for wanting to spend time with you this morning?”

“That is exactly what she’s suggesting,” Bree confirmed. “I’m inclined to agree. So what’s up? We’ve already heard that you corralled Kiera and Bryan to be on your festival committee this year. Given that those two reportedly get along like oil and water, despite what my father thinks he saw when he ran into them at Panini Bistro a few weeks ago, what’s going on in that devious mind of yours?”

Nell regarded them with as much indignation as she could muster since Bree and Heather, at least, had pretty much caught her. “Devious, is it? Is that any way to speak to your grandmother? I thought I taught you to be more respectful of your elders.”

Bree merely laughed. “Nice try playing the grandmother card, but we all know you too well. What are you up to? And how are we involved?”

As much as she’d hoped to get their involvement without them being aware that they were being manipulated, she saw that simply wasn’t going to happen. They’d known her too long and, in some troubling ways, were too much like her. She might have passed the meddling gene on to Mick, but until now she’d thought it had skipped right over the next generation. Apparently not.

“Okay, if I come clean, do you all swear that you won’t reveal my plan, not even to your husbands, cousins or siblings? I suppose I should mention parents, aunts and uncles, too, just to cover all the bases.”

Bree laughed. “We’ll keep our lips tightly sealed,” she promised.

“Unless we think someone could get hurt,” Heather corrected mildly.

“Nobody is going to get hurt,” Nell said impatiently. “The goal is to have people living happily ever after.”

“Isn’t it always?” Shanna murmured.

Nell turned to her. “I heard that.”

“I meant for you to,” her granddaughter-in-law said, undeterred by Nell’s scowl.

The girl had spunk, Nell thought. They all did. It was hard to hold your own among the O’Briens without it. She couldn’t help thinking that was a good thing. Shanna had needed every ounce of it when she’d first met Kevin, who’d been grieving the loss of his first wife and struggling to raise his little boy alone. She’d had her own difficult crosses to bear from the past, as well.

Nell leaned forward then, noting that all three of them did the same. “Okay, then, here’s what we’re going to do.”

As she described her plan, she saw them nodding, their eyes lighting with anticipation. At the end, she sat back. “What do you think?”

“Ingenious,” Bree admitted.

“Will you all take the lead on this tomorrow, as if the idea’s just come to you? Dillon’s afraid if it comes from me, Kiera will assume it started with him and balk on principle.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Heather said. “She seems to be under your spell, too.”

“But if it backfires and hurts her relationship with her father, I’d never forgive myself. Their bond has been healing and growing stronger since she’s been here. I can’t put that at risk,” Nell said.

“Not to worry,” Bree said. “We’ll take the heat. This could actually be kind of fun. If there are any of those sparks that Mick saw when he caught them together, everyone in town will enjoy getting a chance to fan the flames.” She hesitated, then asked, “Why are you willing to risk Dillon’s relationship with Kiera, though? Are you so certain that Kiera and Bryan are a good match? He seems a gentle, lost soul in some ways, and she, well, she does have a bit of a temper.”

“Which is exactly why they’re so well suited,” Nell said. “Dillon swears he sees some of Peter’s steadiness in Bryan and that it’s what Kiera needs in her life. As I’ve gotten to know them both, I tend to agree. And every relationship needs a little heat and conflict from time to time.”

“This could cause some tension at the pub, though,” Shanna cautioned. “How will Luke feel about that?”

“He’ll have to deal with it for the greater good,” Nell said blithely. “I expect him to do his part, too. That’s why I’ve invited him to tomorrow’s meeting, too.”

“Invited or commanded?” Bree asked with a grin.

“It was an invitation,” Nell said defensively, then shrugged. “With a little grandmotherly guilt tossed in.”