Page 63 of London, Love, & A Little Something Irish

Noted. Special relationship with his grandma. My heart softens.

“And you’ll meet my brother and sister. Maybe her boyfriend, Niall, but he’s a pilot, so he might not be around.”

“Got it,” I say. “The entire family. No biggie. I’ve only got one and a half outfits on me,” I mutter very low.

He laughs.

…He clearly has superhuman hearing.

Meanwhile, I probably listened to one too many loud earphones in my lifetime. Oh, and that one time my mom accidentally nearly burst my ear drum by sticking a cotton bud in my ear and I had to go to the doctor because it was bleeding the next day. The doctor told us she missed popping my eardrum by a hair. Poor mom, she still feels guilty about it. She was just trying to make sure my ear was squeaky clean. I remind her it’s completely fine because my hearing is perfectly normal. But I think Nathan’s hearing is next level.

Nathan glances over at me, grinning. “You’ll be fine. They’ll love you.”

Then—he squeezes my knee.

Have mercy.

His hand isfire.Absolute devastation. My entire nervous system short-circuits.I’m molten lava; the steam coming off is palpable. His touch ignites a flame and his fingers leave a trail of heat. I’m a goner. Does he know what he’s doing to me?

Trying to keep my composure (read: fail), I cover his hand with mine. He doesn’t move it.

We turn on some music, and I stare out the window,watching the Welsh countryside whiz past. It’s all rolling green hills, a blur of beauty I can barely focus on. Because my mind?

Completely tangled up in him.We’re not official yet. But we’re definitely something.

And I’m pretty sure—no, I’mhoping—he’ll ask me soon. Because this? This doesn’t feel casual.Or temporary. It feels inevitable.

And I don’t want to take it slow.

I want him. I wantthis.And I cannot wait to see where this adventure takes us.

Two hours later, and we’re leaving the ferry, heading towards Northern Ireland.

The ferry ride was an absolute breeze, and actually lovely. They had a little cinema, a restaurant, a café, and other entertainment options on board. But the best part?

The windows.

I loved sitting there, just watching the waves roll by, the endless stretch of blue magnificent. There’s something about water—the movement, the beauty—that’s always enchanted me. It’s beautiful.

As we neared land, Nathan and I stepped outside. The wind whipped through my hair, the salty air crisp against my cheeks. I gripped the railing, watching the coastline come into view. But then?—

A hiccup. One that sent a ripple through the peace we’d been experiencing.

Nathan's phone buzzed. He checked it, and I watched his expression shift. Quiet. Tense.

Then he showed me the screen. It was a message from Joel.

Joel: Is it true you’re making a move on Nataly? I can’t believe you’d go after her when I was dating her. That breaks bro code. I didn’t think you were like this, man.

I blinked at the message, my stomach sinking.

Bro code?They’d barely even spoken. That Barcelona trip? They were acquaintances, if that. They didn’t have history. They weren’t friends. This… this felt like a reach.

But still, guilt swept in like a wave.

Joel hadneverpursued me like this before. Not when we were together or before. And now suddenly he’s showing up with flowers and ultimatums? It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t feel like him. And yet… the thought of seeing him again makes me feel like I’m the one who did something wrong.

I hate feeling like the villain. I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I also won’t pretend my heart isn’t already choosing someone else.

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