Page 8 of London, Love, & A Little Something Irish

The wind whips at our faces, hair flying in every direction. It’s freezing—not ideal for sightseeing—but I’m still buzzing. I’ve lived so much of life through books and movies, and now that I finally get a taste of adventure? I’m not wasting it.

Next stop: Temple Bar.

I’m not really a bar girl. I don’t drink much—the lack of sugar in alcohol to drown out the bitter taste is a heinous crime and staying in control of myself is pretty high on my priority list. Plus, I’m a talker. An oversharer, even. Silence makes me deeply uncomfortable, and I will fill it with the most useless details until I’ve dug myself into an inescapable hole. And bars? Loud. Not exactly conducive to conversation. Also: what are you supposed to do with your hands if you’re not holding a drink? It’s a mystery.

But Temple Bar is different. It’s not your average pub. It’siconic. Live Irish music, world-renowned atmosphere, quirky interiors... I’m in.

By the time we get there, it’s late. It’s exactly what I pictured an Irish pub would be like. Dim lighting and dark wood and that unmistakable hum of people having a good time.

Inside, it’s packed. The air smells like beer and something fried, and the walls are covered in old pictures and random memorabilia, a mix of cozy and chaotic. There’s a live band crammed into one corner, playing this upbeat Irish folk song, and people are stomping and clapping along like it’s the most natural thing in the world. The energy’s infectious, and for a second, I feel it—that little spark of adventure I’ve been hoping for.

“THIS makes me feel like I’m in Ireland!” I say to Joy and Joel, raising my voice over the music as we weave through the crowd toward the bar.

“The music?” Joel asks as he grins my way.

Joy’s eyes are wide, her grin matching mine. “The music! The vibe! I love it.”

Joel chuckles. “That’s trad music for you. Big hit with the tourists.”

“Well, color me a tourist, ‘cause I’m fully into these Irish vibes.” I laugh, clapping to the beat.

I’m bundled in one of my dad’s old sweaters (which is, for the record, very cute), my hair’s a bit of a mess, and I’m still half-frozen from the walk—but this? This feels like something out of a movie. The music, the energy, the anticipation buzzing in the air.

We make it to the back where the rest of the group is gathered, waiting to grab drinks.

“I’m gonna run to the bathroom real quick,” I say, turning to Joel and Joy. “Save me a spot?”

They nod, and I slip away, weaving back through the crowd. I find the stairs and head down into the basement bathroom.

“Ugh, what is this tangled mop of a mess underneath?” I mutter at the mirror. My hair’s doing that thing again—a little messy on top, but full-blown chaos underneath. I smooth out what I can, wash my hands, and take a deep breath.

I start back up the stairs.

And that’s when the most unexpected, perfectly-timed coincidence happens.

4

Nataly

As I reach the top of the stairs, I feel a tap on my shoulder.

I turn around—and oh.

Tall. Like,tall tall. I’m 5'4", so I have to crane my neck to look up. And what do I see? A 6 foot piece of eye candy.

“Hey,” he says, his voice warm and laid-back, like we’ve known each other forever. “You’re from London, right?”

I blink. “Yes…?” It definitely came out more like a question because it was one. How does this guy know me?

He grins, and it’s the kind of grin that should come with a warning label. "I go to Hillsong."

And just like that, the pieces click into place. He’s clearly seen me around church. But still—Dublin? What are the odds that we’d end up in the same place, in a completely different country, on the same night?

“Ohhh,” I say, dragging it out like that would somehow help me catch up with reality.

He laughs, a low, easy sound, and my brain short-circuits. I force myself to focus.

“I’m here with some friends, showing them around Belfast and Dublin,” he says, and I finally take a proper look at him. The dark hair, the smile, the hot five o’clock shadow. And the muscles. Theshoulders. I think his T-shirt deserves a standing ovation.

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