Page 32 of London, Love, & A Little Something Irish

I shoot him a look, but he just grins wider.

“Oh yeah?” She turns to me, curious. “What’s that?”

“Well, he’ll just have to show you,” Eddie replies with a smirk. I can tell Nataly doesn’t miss a thing.

I pick up a napkin, a silly trick Eddie taught me, but one that always manages to draw attention. In a minute, a delicate rose takes shape. I hold it out to Nataly, and when our fingers brush as she takes it, a jolt of electricity sparks through me. I hand it over to Nataly with a smile, and her cheeks flush pink. Her eyes, green with that warm caramel center, flick up to meet mine. They linger on me a little longer than normal. The warm caramel center turns into actual gold from the heat that passes through. Joy is looking between her, me, and Eddie. She’s chuckling like she knows.

“Thank you,” Nataly says softly, turning the napkin rose over in her fingers. “That’s amazing,” she says, still blushing. She looks cute with that blush on her, just like her favorite color. “Where’d you learn that?”

“A friend taught me,” I say, my voice low, and I can’t help the wink I toss Eddie’s way. She laughs, and the sound goes straight to my chest.

We spend the next hour talking, laughing, and sharing stories. Nataly’s easy to tease, and every time she throws her head back in laughter. She has this effortless joy, the kind that’s contagious. And even when she’s not talking, I catch her fiddling with the napkin rose I made, turning it over in her fingers like it’s something precious. That does something to me, making something warm and steady unfurl in my chest.

She wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s so confident and bubbly, and I love teasing her, pushing just enough to make her eyes spark and that laughter spill out. My attention stays locked on her, drawn in without even trying.

At some point, I ask Joy how the two of them met.

“We actually went to school together in Bournemouth,” she says, smiling at Nataly. “I moved over in year nine, and we slowly became friends.”

“That’s cool,” I say. “And now you’re both in London. I had a mate from Northern Ireland doing a similar job to mine for a while—it was nice having someone familiar around at first.”

“Oh yeah?” Nataly perks up, her green eyes shining with curiosity. “How’d you end up in London with this job anyway? I know it’s based in Northern Ireland, but what made you want to move over?”

“Well,” I start, leaning back a little. “I applied for this job back in Northern Ireland, project management in construction. I had the degree, but not much hands-on experience. They needed someone to manage their London sites since most of their work is here. At first, I was flying back and forth every week. Staying here eleven days, back home for a few. But it got awkward after a while. I wasn’t seeing my friends back home because I was always here, and I couldn’t really put down roots in London either because I was always back there. Eventually, I preferred being here so I put in the request, and they fully transferred meover.”

“And what made youwantto move over?” she asks, her voice soft. But there’s this curious edge to it, like she’s trying to figure me out.

I think about it for a second. “I like adventure,” I admit. “I was ready for something new. I’d never really moved away before, not properly. Spent a few months in America a couple times, but it didn’t feel like moving away. When this job came up… it felt like a God thing. So I said yes.”

Her smile grows a little. “And do you like London compared to Northern Ireland?”

“I didn’t at first,” I say honestly. “Didn’t know anyone, felt a bit isolated. But now I love it. Northern Ireland will always be home, but London’s got this energy. There’s always something happening. The adventure of it… it’s kind of addictive.”

We carry on talking, the conversation flowing so easily it’s almost effortless. We bounce between stories—my motorbike trip through Europe, their first year of university, the chaos of moving cities—and I keep catching the way Nataly looks at me when she thinks I’m not noticing. And every time she laughs, that feeling in my chest only gets stronger.

At some point, Joy checks the time and realizes she has to leave. “I should head to the station,” she says, standing up. Nataly checks if she’s okay getting there on her own, and when Joy insists she’s fine, we say our goodbyes. Eddie takes off not long after, leaving just me and Nataly.

And I won’t lie, I love having her to myself.

We walk back toward my motorbike, the night air crisp but not too cold. There’s this buzz between us, this thing I don’t think either of us is quite saying out loud yet. But I feel it. It’s in the way she keeps glancing up at me, the way our arms brush as we walk. The air feels electric, and I can’t resist.

“How about a ride on my motorbike?” I ask, my voice low as I step a little closer.

I see her breath catch. That blush rises on her cheeks again, and I can’t help but hope she says yes, because the thought of herarms wrapped around me as we speed through the city makes my heart pound.

“Oh, I’m not sure…” she says after a beat. “I might have to take a rain check. Also, my parents woulddefinitelyfreak out if they knew I was on a motorbike.”

“I promise I’ll keep you safe,” I say softly, my eyes on hers. “In every way.”

The words slip out before I can stop them, but I don’t regret it. Because it’s true. And I want her to know it. Not just about the bike, but aboutthis. About the way I feel when I’m around her.

The blush deepens, and I can see she’s glowing.

“Maybe some other time,” she whispers.

I try not to let my disappointment show, but I think she catches it anyway.

“I love the thought of the adventure,” she adds quickly. “And I’ll maybe take you up on it sometime. But my dad’s… well, he’sextremelycautious. He’s freaked me out about everything since I was a kid, so maybe I take his warnings with a pinch of salt.” She laughs a little, brushing her hair behind her ear. “I think I’ll have to warm up to the idea of getting on a bike.”

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