“You’ll be a little sore until you get more used to it,” he said, hiding his smile as Deidre rubbed her hip and bottom.
“It won’t take her long to get a thicker hide,” Addy said mirthfully as she and Evan joined them and took the horses’ reins.
Brigit laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you a priceless bath soak that will help things considerably.”
“You’d better or I might never walk again, let alone ride a horse,” Deidre said as she took a step and groaned. She took her mother’s hand instinctively when it was offered. “I don’t recall getting this sore when you taught me how to ride a bike.”
“Everything gets tougher when we get older,” Brigit said, grinning.
Deidre smiled and walked alongside her mom. She wondered where Nick was and glanced back. He stood watching the two of them, a subtle but unmistakable expression of satisfaction on his face. She held out her free hand to him and he came alongside her to take it. Brigit noticed the gesture and took on a satisfied expression herself.
Deidre didn’t mind their apparent watching over her. For the first time in a long time she felt at peace with herself and the world.
“What are you doing for Christmas Eve, Nick?” Brigit asked as they strolled toward the farmhouse.
Nick’s gray eyes flickered over Deidre. “I can’t say that I have any set plans,” he said neutrally.
Brigit paused in the drive. Since Deidre held hands with both Nick and her mother, they came to a halt along with her.
“Christmas is only a few days away. Won’t you two please come to my house to celebrate?” Brigit entreated earnestly.
Deidre glanced at Nick, but he was studying her for a reaction. A movement caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She glanced toward the farmhouse. There was a dark blue car parked on the drive that hadn’t been there when they left for their ride. A man was standing next to the open driver’s side door holding a telephoto camera up to his face.
“Get out of here,” Nick barked so abruptly that it startled Deidre. He broke his hold and took several aggressive steps forward.
The man immediately ducked back into the car, slammed the door and whipped the car around in the turnabout. He drove rapidly down the drive toward the rural route.
“Who was that?” Brigit asked, bewildered.
“Photographer.” He looked at Deidre grimly. “Either someone tipped off the press about me being here in Harbor Town or someone has leaked the story about you and Lincoln’s will.”
Deidre was initially more amazed than anything else that someone would want to sneak photos of Nick or her. Who cared about her life? Nick’s life was more understandable, but still...why had he reacted so intently?
When she fully took in Nick’s grim profile as he drove them back to town, some of the seriousness of the situation started to settle. Things felt even weightier when she saw Nick checking his rearview mirror.
Was he actually worried they were being followed?
What if this were the beginning of a media frenzy? She dreaded the idea of the press making insulting insinuations about herself, her mother, Derry, Lincoln or Nick, and what if they began to turn their focus onto Marc and his campaign?
“What are you most worried will happen if the press knows about the will?” she asked Nick privately as they drove to Cedar Cottage.
“I’m not so much worried about what will happen. I’m worried about who leaked the story and why,” he said.
“Aren’t you coming in?” Deidre asked when Nick didn’t shut off the engine once he’d pulled up next to Cedar Cottage.
“I should go back to the hotel and see if we can’t contain things if there has been a leak. I’ll need to speak with Carrie Sharr, our pubic relations officer, and come up with some kind of official position in regard to Lincoln’s will.”
“Official position?” Deidre asked weakly.
He looked at her somberly. “It’s not a big deal, Deidre. We would have had to do it soon, anyway. I just wasn’t expecting the press to get ahold of this so quickly. Do me a favor and don’t leave the cottage for a few hours until I get back.”
Her mouth fell open in surprise. “Is it that serious that I have to hide behind closed doors?”
He shook his head. He removed his glove and touched her jaw. “I’m just being cautious.”
“All right,” Deidre agreed.
He nodded once and put his hand back in his glove.