Page 15 of Irish Getaway

These Tuesday evenings with Claire had become something she looked forward to. Claire would arrive with fresh groceries, and Evelyn would invite her to stay for dinner. What had started as a simple gesture of gratitude had evolved into something more.

Ever since that day that Claire had taken her for a drive, they saw each other at least twice a week, sometimes three or four times. The weekly horseback rides were the highlight though, a chance to explore the breathtaking Irish countryside and to talk about everything and nothing. They’d gone on a few more drives too, with Claire taking them to two of the most beautiful beaches that Evelyn had ever seen.

She couldn’t ignore the pull she felt towards Claire. Every time Claire smiled, Evelyn felt that flutter in her chest, and sometimes, she swore Claire felt it too. But Evelyn refused to act on it. She wasn’t even going to bring it up. She was too old for Claire, her life too complicated.

It was somehow already the end of June, and she’d have to go back to L.A. in just a few months. A fling with someone like Claire was just a bad idea all around, especially with what Claire had said about her ex being married.

Claire deserved someone who could be in her life fully, and that would never be her. Her life was in Los Angeles, and she couldn’t even imagine what it would look like for her to come out at this point in her life, so there was no point letting Claire think for even a second that Evelyn wanted her.

“You know,” Evelyn said, pushing those thoughts aside. She set her wine glass down on the table. “I think this will be my first 4th of July away from the U.S.”

Claire looked up, curiosity in her eyes. “Do you usually celebrate with family?”

Evelyn shook her head. “No, not in a long time. Both my parents have passed. I usually go to a friend’s house. Someone always has a dinner party and a view. Last year, I was at Robert Larkin’s place in Beverly Hills. We could see the fireworks from the Hollywood Bowl really clearly, and there were a few smaller shows scattered across the hills.”

Claire met her gaze, her lips sliding into a smile. “I’ve gotten so used to being around you that I’ve forgotten that someone like Robert Larkin is your friend.”

Evelyn felt that warmth in her chest again as she returned her smile. “And that’s why I like spending time with you. I don’t have to put on a show. I can just be myself.” She swallowed down the emotion that had come out of nowhere. “You have no idea how rare that is,” she said softly, almost to herself.

As physically drawn to Claire as she was, it was the way Claire treated her that Evelyn found most attractive. In her world, superficial friendships were the norm, and all of her past romantic relationships had been purely for appearances. Genuine connections were so rare that she could count them on one hand - connections where she didn’t have to worry about ulterior motives or seeing her personal life splashed across the tabloids the following week.

Evelyn found herself already thinking about how much she would miss this when she returned to Los Angeles. Not just the quiet countryside, but the time she’d spent with Claire.

12

Not for the first time, Claire had to wonder what exactly she was doing when she let Evelyn top of her glass of wine as they enjoyed the last bit of sunshine out on her patio. If their Tuesday evenings, their weekly horse rides, and the occasional drive to the coast wasn’t enough, Claire had sent Evelyn a text earlier, asking if she could come over for a drink since it was the 4th of July. Claire didn’t say as much, but she didn’t want Evelyn to be alone, and she had a bit of a surprise for her.

She’d gotten lucky with the weather. Yesterday it had rained for most of the day, but today had been hot and sunny, and only a few clouds dotted the sky now at nine o’clock.

“You know, it would’ve been dark in Los Angeles an hour ago,” Evelyn said. “This is another thing I could get used to.”

“Ten o’clock sunsets?” Claire asked with a smile tugging at her lips as she looked over at Evelyn, the sun catching the golden brown highlights in her long hair.

Yeah, she was going to need some kind of therapy after Evelyn left. She could feel her crush moving into something much more dangerous with every additional day she spent with Evelyn. Claire was struggling not to let her mind wander, because it was so easy to imagine lifting her hand to brush a lock of hair behind Evelyn’s ear or worse… She’d started thinking about what it’d be like to kiss her.

“Yeah. I love this. I’m a night owl naturally, although all those early mornings on set never gave me too many chances to stay up late.”

As they finished their second glass of wine, Claire checked her watch. If she was really doing this, they’d have to get going.

“What do you think about moving to a better spot to watch the sunset?” Claire asked. “It’s a two minute ride on the quad.”

“Yeah. Sure.”

They brought their glasses inside, and Evelyn followed Claire over to her quad. Claire’s heart skipped a beat as Evelyn wrapped her arms around her waist, and she swallowed hard. The warmth of Evelyn’s body pressed against her back sent a shiver down her spine, and she had to take a deep breath to steady herself.

Claire couldn’t help but revel in the feeling of Evelyn’s arms tightening around her waist as she sped up. The closeness was intoxicating, and Claire found herself wishing the ride would never end, but it was over just a few moments later when they reached a hill overlooking the fields below, the mountains in Connemara that Evelyn had been mesmerized by on their first drive together in the distance.

Claire hopped off the quad after Evelyn and spread out a blanket for them to sit on. The sun had dipped below the horizon and the sky was streaked with deep purples and vibrant pinks. They watched the sky change, getting more dramatic until darkness started to take over.

“Thank you,” Evelyn said softly in the fading light, sitting with just a tiny gap between them, their arms accidentally brushing. “For texting me earlier. As much as I’m loving being here, there is a part of me that misses things about home. Silly things mostly, but I guess, between getting back into horse riding and today being the 4th, I’m feeling a little bit nostalgic.” Evelyn turned to look at her. “And I’m glad I’m not alone.”

Claire nodded, but before she could reply, a loud pop and a crackle echoed across the fields as a flash of white illuminated the dark sky. A second and third firework followed in quick succession, and the sounds of hissing and popping filled the air.

Claire didn’t know how she could ever thank her friend, Michael, for coming through at the last minute. He owned the land on the opposite side of the estate, well away from the horses and with no houses nearby. He’d even found red, white, and blue fireworks, and the look on Evelyn’s face made it worth the effort.

Claire barely noticed the fireworks as she watched Evelyn’s expression turn from shock and disbelief to happiness, her lips sliding into a smile.

“I called in a favor,” Claire admitted after a few moments, the fireworks still bursting against the night sky. She leaned over, lightly bumping shoulders with Evelyn as she said, “But don’t tell anyone. Fireworks are illegal in Ireland.”

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