Page 69 of Twist of Fate
“Just one dance?”
I snort. “No.”
“Not even a little one?” His grin is at a total panty-melting level now.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re daft if you think I’m letting this go.”
“Why do you even care?” I ask, feeling that fluttery feeling deep in my belly. “It’s not like you haven’t seen a girl dance before. I’ve heard Irish dancing is kind of a thing here.”
“I have, yes.” He leans in ever so slightly. I can see his breath as he speaks, and he’s so close that it almost brushes my cheek. “But none of them are you.”
* * *
My mother is meddling again.
After she went to “get coffee” on our morning cruise, she didn’t return for over thirty minutes. When she finally did, she threw up her hands in feigned exasperation and told Finn and me, “They were out! Can you believe it? I stood in line forever, and then the espresso machine just broke!”
“So, were they out, or did the machine break?” Finn asked, not even trying to hide his amusement.
“Both,” she answered. “When the machine breaks, they’re obviously out of coffee.”
Obviously.
Now, it is later in the afternoon, and we just had a light lunch at the café here at Kylemore Abbey. We are finishing our tour of the castle. It is self-guided, and like most self-guided tours, I lost my mom about halfway through when she got bored of my stopping to read every single detail about everything.
I majored in history for a reason. Sue me.
Just as I step out of the Abbey, I spot Finn talking to my mom and a group of women from Arizona. My mom’s face lights up when she sees me and immediately waves me over. When Finn looks up, our eyes meet for a brief moment before his gaze travels over the hoodie I’m still wearing.
Hishoodie.
I tried to give it back to him after the boat docked this morning, but he told me to keep it.
How long, though? Forever? Because I was starting to get attached. To the hoodie or the man, Ash? I let out a sigh as my fingers curl over the cuffs and close the gap, joining them on the trail by the water’s edge.
“Hi, sweetheart,” my mom greets me, wrapping her arm around the crook of my elbow. She has her long hair down today, topped with a cute wool hat she bought at a shop in Galway. “Did you enjoy the Abbey?”
“I did,” I say, adding with a slight chuckle/ “I’m sorry I bored you. Again.”
“Nonsense,” she says before turning to the group. “Ash majored in history at Notre Dame with a minor in art history.” The women nod eagerly. Finn simply stares at me as if he’s absorbing this new piece of information about me. “She’s always had a passion for it, which is why I knew she’d enjoy going on this trip with me.”
“Sounds like it took some convincing,” the frizzy blond wearing too much perfume asks. “What was the holdup? I would have jumped at the chance to spend a week with my mom when I was your age.”
“I just had a lot going on,” I answer politely, through a tight smile.Like a whole life to try to put back together…
“Finn just told us about all the homemade products the nuns make and sell in the gift shop—soaps, chocolate, and even pottery. We were planning to check it out.”
“You’re not going to walk down to the old chapel?” I ask. We’d talked about walking the trail together at lunch.
Her eyes dart to Finn and then back to mine. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Oh, not this time. I think I’ll find a nice spot by the café and just enjoy the weather and chat with the ladies for a while. But you go ahead. Maybe Finn could join you?”
“I’m sure Finn has things he needs to take care of,” I say to her, hoping she hasn’t put him on the spot. He is, after all, working.
She looks over to him, and he smirks. “Finn doesn’t mind.”
She returns his grin with a broad smile. “See, Ash? He doesn’t mind. Do you want me to get you some soap?”
