My brother Liam glared at me through my phone screen. “Why do you keep ignoring my calls?” he demanded.Okay, I had been ignoring his calls. I’d also yet to inform Liam about the whole thing with Olivier, the clock, and our da. Liam knew I’d gone to Ireland to deal with our grandda’s estate, but I hadn’t told him I’d wanted to look for our da. He’d blow a gasket.“I’m busy,” I said, which was true. “Besides, the time difference means you keep trying to call me in the middle of the night.”“Not true. I’ve always called you in the morning here, which would be the afternoon your time.” He peered at me, like he could make out all of my secrets. “You look tired.”“Wow, thanks, bro. You always know how to make a girl feel good.”“I told you I didn’t want you going over there by yourself. Is it too much? Maybe you should come home.” He upped the guilt trip by adding, “Your nieces miss you.”Liam and his wife Mari had two daughters. Fiona had just turned four, while Dahlia was almost two

The moment the train left the station in Paris, Olivier rose and said, “I’m going to get some coffee,” and left me to my own devices.After my drunken shenanigans last night, Olivier had practically carried me back to the hotel. I’d proceeded to puke a second time—thankfully, in a toilet this round—and had eventually fallen into a restless sleep. It had only been upon awakening that I’d realized that I’d forgotten to book the flight for our trip to Berlin.When I’d informed Olivier, he had said calmly, “I know. I took care of it.”I’d been simultaneously grateful and annoyed. And I was even more grateful that he’d booked us train tickets instead of a flight, because good lord was I hungover. The thought of being smashed inside a plane for hours was enough to make my stomach lurch.Besides, according to Olivier, the only available flights would’ve taken about as long as riding the train. I hadn’t had the energy to confirm that tidbit. All I cared about was closing my eyes and trying

We arrived at the address we’d received from Jeanne early the next morning. After meeting in the lobby, Olivier had been polite but distant. It still snagged at my heart, but I forced myself to put it behind me. We had more important things to deal with. Like finding this stupid clock and my father. Then again, if he knew the effort I was putting into finding him, he’d probably think it was hilarious. I hadn’t known him, of course, but based on what Liam had told me, Connor Gallagher hadn’t taken many things seriously. Including his family.The store was located five miles from our hotel, in the northern part of Berlin. It was a nondescript storefront, except for the creepy mannequins in the window.One wore a dress straight out of the fifties, a lacy apron tied in the front, while the other mannequin wore a suit that had shoulder pads so large that it looked like a linebacker. Furniture from various eras—leather couches, stuffed velvet chairs, and mod-style tables—were just a

I woke to the sound of rain. Yawning, I stretched my arm across the bed, only to find myself alone. Olivier must’ve returned to his room. Disappointment slashed through me, until a minute later the door unlocked and he came bearing coffee and pastries.I might be able to resist an actual prince, but I couldn’t resist a handsome man bearing food. He smiled at me as he handed me a latte.“I bought a few different pastries,” he said, “since I wasn’t sure which one you’d like.”My eyes lit up as I looked at the array of food. I ended up choosing one that looked like a coffee cake but was denser and had sliced almonds scattered across the top. Olivier chose one that had strawberries and strudel as its topping. After we finished eating, Olivier said, “How are you feeling?”I almost blushed like a schoolgirl. The night before came roaring back, and I could almost feel the sensations he’d awakened in me again. “Um, fine. You?”He licked his thumb. “I woke up with a major cas

I was frazzled when I arrived the following day at Da’s. I’d woken late, my phone not going off for some reason. Olivier had gone for a walk, so he hadn’t been there to wake me. I’d hurried through my shower and had almost forgotten my wallet. I had to run back inside the estate, nearly mowing over poor Cara in the process.Now sitting once again in Da’s apartment, I waited for him to make me a tepid cup of tea for a second day in a row. The clock still sat on the coffee table. I had the urge to wipe down the surface of the table. Surely the clock was too valuable to sit on a bunch of cigarette ash and wrappers. Da handed me my cup of tea that tasted like dishwater. After lighting a cigarette, he said, “Do you know who your companion is?” The question startled me so much that the tea sloshed in its mug. Luckily it wasn’t too hot, but I had to dab at my jeans with a stray fast-food napkin as my mind whirled. I decided that honesty was my best bet here. “Yes, I know