Page 51 of London, Love, & A Little Something Irish

“Oh yeah? And what would you have said if that had come up?” He smirks as he cuts through his chocolate crepe.

I tell him what I contemplated. “I thought maybe a dolphin. Dolphins are my second favorite animal, after a dog. I just think they’re so happy and fun and caring. Their personalities are amazing! I’d also love to swim with dolphins one day. I even pretended to be like a dolphin when I was 7, and my parents told me we wouldn’t be swimming with dolphins at Sea World.” I laugh as I shrug. “But I’m probably more like a golden retriever.”

“Dolphins are pretty awesome. I’d love to be out on a boat and see some in the sea.” He looks straight at me and his eyes drop to my mouth. “You’ve got a little something…” his voice trails off.

He moves his hand to where my mouth is and uses his finger to wipe off some of the caramel that must’ve beenthere. I lean into him as he does it and I feel an electric current zipping back and forth between us.

Actually, I think I’m ok with being a little messy eater if it gets him to touch my face.

Normally I would totally devour this crepe in front of me but right now my stomach feels so jittery and like it’s bottomed out that I’m taking my time with it. Nathan has absolutely destroyed his Nutella and Kinder Bueno crepe though.

Conversation just moves so easily between us the entire time. I love how easy it is to talk to him. We quickly finish our crepes and start to make our way towards the Natural History Museum.

“So, I’ve been wanting to ask…” His voice dips a little. There’s something tender in it. “What happened with Joel? The breakup?”

I pause.

“Honestly? It was okay.” I say, slowly. “I mean, I felt bad. I didn’t want to hurt him. But I just knew. I didn’t want to stay with someone out of guilt or comfort. And he keeps texting me, trying to win me back.” I glance up at Nathan, searching his face. “But I want him to find someone he truly loves. And I know, deep down, that’s not me.”

He doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, he reaches for my hand.

His fingers thread through mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Then his thumb brushes softly across the back of my hand.

It’s a simple gesture. But it feels like everything.

“I think it’ll all work out,” he says, voice low.

And then he lets go. I hate how much I miss it immediately. His touch was electric and calming all at once, like it jump-started my heart and wrapped it in warmth. I don’t know how he does that. How he makes me feel so seen without saying very much at all. It’s in the way he looks at me. The way he always seems to sense what I’m feeling. The way he can read me like a book.

Inside the museum, it’s dimand golden, filled with the echo of footsteps and the quiet awe of ancient things. We wander through the exhibits. Whale skeletons, prehistoric creatures, rooms full of wonder.

But really, I’m just watchinghim. The way he points things out with quiet curiosity. The way he listens when I share the weird trivia facts I learned. The way our conversations spill in every direction—dreams, childhood, favorite breakfasts, weird travel stories, the deeper things you’re not supposed to talk about this early but somehow do anyway.

With Nathan, there are no awkward silences. Just space. A safe space to be myself.

And somewhere between the stuffed polar bear and the gem room, I realize: I could talk to this man for hours. Days. Maybe even a lifetime.

“I’m going to have to head soon,” he says after we’ve walked around for a while. “My flight is leaving late tonight, but I’m meeting Will at the airport a bit earlier. Why don’t I walk you to the tube? I drove my motorbike here.”

“Yeah that sounds great,” I say.

The tube is only about a 5 minute walk from the Natural History Museum so we arrive a lot sooner than I would actually like to leave him. We walk up to the barriers and stand to the side so that people can still get past and we’re not blocking their way in while we’re saying bye.

“I hope you have a fun time out in Barcelona. I’m a little jealous,” I say.

He laughs. “Wish you could join me.”

“Me too,” I say, as I look up at him.

The electric current is back but this time it’s deeper. Heavier. Like we both want this to be the moment we kiss.

He wraps his arms around my waist. I wrap my arms around his neck and burrow my head into him.

He doesn’t let go. We just stay wrapped in this embrace for a few seconds too long. Neither one of us wanting to move. My breath catches.

But I don’t think this is our moment. It’s too public. We’re being patient.

He pulls back and looks at me. I can see restraint in him as he lets go of me.

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