Read Online The Chosen Heir (The Bolles Dynasty Book 3) by Susie Warren - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susie Warren
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cycling. “Alistair is a tremendous competitor so it was intense in a good way.”
She sat back down.
“Would you like ale or wine this evening?”
She surprised herself by saying, “Ale.” In London, she drank only wine or champagne, but being back in Dublin was getting to her.
He returned with two glass bottles of McSorley's Irish Pale Ale and opened them on a built-in bottle opener by the door before handing her the cold bottle.
“There are some advantages to owning an old pub.”
She nodded. “What made you purchase this place?”
“I got it for a little more than a song. It needed a ton of work and I was looking for a project a few years ago.” She admired the well-kept stone terrace. It was relaxing to sit outside in a private yard.
He was difficult to figure out. He was driven and obviously hugely successful but he also seemed to spend much of his time alone. “Are you happy to be in the city center? I would have thought you would want rural.”
“At first, it was just me and I could walk for a meal or take-out. I like being close to everything, but inside the old stone building, there is history and as much solitude as any man would want.”
He surprised her. “So you found Mrs. Blake to help you?”
William stretched out his legs and looked like he was completely relaxed. “She found me. She had worked in the pub for years and so when she saw me working on the gardens in the front, she stopped and gently suggested I needed a cook and housekeeper.”
Bridget took a sip of the ale. “There must have been a long history of drinking here.” Her father spent too much time in pubs. It was part of the culture in Dublin, but it didn’t work for everyone.
He had a playful, teasing quality about him. “Maybe even some drunken brawls. A pub also has milestones celebrated, strong social bonds formed and a community atmosphere.”
***
She was every bit as enchanting as he remembered. “I’m assuming that you’ve been settling in and haven’t had a chance to get over to Breen yet?”
She nodded slowly. “I was helping my father with a few things now that I’m living in Dublin. But I also thought it would be a good idea to get some direction from your executive team before I throw myself into the company. I’m not clear on the overarching changes that you plan to implement.”
He decided to put his cards on the table. “I’ve heard of your father.”
A look of doubt came over her. “Thomas North is a rather common name.”
He was sure that it was her father. It was an odd coincidence that Bridget had been hired by Olivia while her father had been a previous owner of the golf course he was trying to resurrect. He didn’t believe in coincidences typically, but after a ton of digging, he hadn’t found any connection between his father and Thomas North. He had even looked into the background of her aunt who lived in London. She had been a buyer in the fashion industry for years and probably mentioned Olivia to Bridget, but it didn’t explain why Thomas North would put his savings into the golf course.
“I’m not sure if you remember that your father had invested in a golf course not that far from here.”
From the paleness of her skin, she remembered and not with any joy or pleasure.
“My investment group purchased the course two years ago and I’m curious about why your father would have decided to invest.”
He watched her get up and move away from the table. She looked out over the back garden and kept turned away from him. “It was a foolish investment on his part and he lost everything.”
He had hit a nerve. Why did the conversation make her so uncomfortable? “A golf resort can be a money sink. One would need huge reserves to resurrect it. But he must have had a local connection that he thought would help with the project?”
She turned back to face him. “No. He was merely foolish and a dreamer. He had no larger plan.”
“I find that hard to believe. He must have
She sat back down.
“Would you like ale or wine this evening?”
She surprised herself by saying, “Ale.” In London, she drank only wine or champagne, but being back in Dublin was getting to her.
He returned with two glass bottles of McSorley's Irish Pale Ale and opened them on a built-in bottle opener by the door before handing her the cold bottle.
“There are some advantages to owning an old pub.”
She nodded. “What made you purchase this place?”
“I got it for a little more than a song. It needed a ton of work and I was looking for a project a few years ago.” She admired the well-kept stone terrace. It was relaxing to sit outside in a private yard.
He was difficult to figure out. He was driven and obviously hugely successful but he also seemed to spend much of his time alone. “Are you happy to be in the city center? I would have thought you would want rural.”
“At first, it was just me and I could walk for a meal or take-out. I like being close to everything, but inside the old stone building, there is history and as much solitude as any man would want.”
He surprised her. “So you found Mrs. Blake to help you?”
William stretched out his legs and looked like he was completely relaxed. “She found me. She had worked in the pub for years and so when she saw me working on the gardens in the front, she stopped and gently suggested I needed a cook and housekeeper.”
Bridget took a sip of the ale. “There must have been a long history of drinking here.” Her father spent too much time in pubs. It was part of the culture in Dublin, but it didn’t work for everyone.
He had a playful, teasing quality about him. “Maybe even some drunken brawls. A pub also has milestones celebrated, strong social bonds formed and a community atmosphere.”
***
She was every bit as enchanting as he remembered. “I’m assuming that you’ve been settling in and haven’t had a chance to get over to Breen yet?”
She nodded slowly. “I was helping my father with a few things now that I’m living in Dublin. But I also thought it would be a good idea to get some direction from your executive team before I throw myself into the company. I’m not clear on the overarching changes that you plan to implement.”
He decided to put his cards on the table. “I’ve heard of your father.”
A look of doubt came over her. “Thomas North is a rather common name.”
He was sure that it was her father. It was an odd coincidence that Bridget had been hired by Olivia while her father had been a previous owner of the golf course he was trying to resurrect. He didn’t believe in coincidences typically, but after a ton of digging, he hadn’t found any connection between his father and Thomas North. He had even looked into the background of her aunt who lived in London. She had been a buyer in the fashion industry for years and probably mentioned Olivia to Bridget, but it didn’t explain why Thomas North would put his savings into the golf course.
“I’m not sure if you remember that your father had invested in a golf course not that far from here.”
From the paleness of her skin, she remembered and not with any joy or pleasure.
“My investment group purchased the course two years ago and I’m curious about why your father would have decided to invest.”
He watched her get up and move away from the table. She looked out over the back garden and kept turned away from him. “It was a foolish investment on his part and he lost everything.”
He had hit a nerve. Why did the conversation make her so uncomfortable? “A golf resort can be a money sink. One would need huge reserves to resurrect it. But he must have had a local connection that he thought would help with the project?”
She turned back to face him. “No. He was merely foolish and a dreamer. He had no larger plan.”
“I find that hard to believe. He must have
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