Page 39 of Irish Getaway

She could text her right now. Ask to see her.

But what if she’d moved on? She almost surely had.

Evelyn could just show up at the guesthouse. It probably wasn’t the best move, but she was too afraid to send a text and not get a response.

If she wanted to see her again, what other choice was there?

36

Claire stood in the doorway of her home, her heart racing wildly as she watched Evelyn gracefully step out of the car. She blinked rapidly, wondering if her mind was playing a cruel trick on her, conjuring up such a vivid image of the woman she’d been trying so desperately to forget.

As Evelyn approached, the gravel crunching beneath her ankle boots, Claire’s breath caught in her throat.

It was really her, looking as stunning as ever in simple white jeans that hugged her curves and a red silk blouse. Her long brown hair was down, falling in loose waves across her shoulders, and her shades rested casually on top of her head.

How was Evelyn here?

Claire’s heart skipped a beat as Evelyn got closer, a lopsided smile on her lips. “Hey,” Evelyn said softly. “Sorry for just showing up like this. I should have called.”

“No,” Claire replied, her own smile spreading across her face. “It’s fine.”

Evelyn’s gaze met hers, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you busy?”

“No, not at all.” Claire took a moment to take in Evelyn’s appearance, still not believing this was real. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been staying at Ashford Castle the last few days,” Evelyn explained. “I’m doing a genealogy show, and we’ve been filming that the last two days.”

Claire’s eyebrows raised in interest. “Tracing your roots?”

Evelyn nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing her features. “It was surprisingly emotional, but good. I’m glad that I did it.” She paused, studying Claire for a moment before asking, “Can I show you something?” Her gaze drifted back towards her car.

“You rented a car?”

“Yeah,” Evelyn confirmed with a smile. “I wanted the freedom to explore a bit while I was here.”

Claire opened her mouth and closed it again. The Evelyn that she’d met two years ago had struggled to leave the grounds of this estate, too afraid of having her privacy invaded. Now, she was driving around Galway?

“Let me just lock up,” Claire said as she went back inside and grabbed her keys, locking the door behind her. “So, where are we going?” Claire asked as she got in the passenger seat.

“I wanted to show you where my grandfather grew up,” Evelyn said as she got in and started the car. “It’s not far.”

Claire’s heart was still racing, and her palms were clammy. How was this even real? Only this morning, she’d caught herself thinking about Evelyn again and beat herself up for it. How was she still thinking about this woman two years later?

But now that Evelyn was here, that was the easiest question to answer.

How could she not be?

As Claire stepped out of the car, she took in the sight of the crumbling stone cottage, its walls nearly hidden beneath a thick blanket of ivy. The narrow driveway, with grass sprouting between the tire tracks, had been empty for a long time. She followed Evelyn as she led the way towards what was left of the house.

Claire turned to Evelyn, her brow furrowed in confusion as Evelyn showed her around the property. “Why didn’t you come here when you were staying at the estate? It’s so close.”

Evelyn met her gaze, a hint of a smile on her lips. “I had no idea. All I knew was that he was from Galway.”

Claire couldn’t believe it. “That’s just... wow. I don’t know what to say. That’s some coincidence.”

Evelyn nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “It feels that way, doesn’t it? Like everything that happened, me coming to Ireland, staying at the estate, meeting you...” She trailed off, her voice thick with emotion.

Claire’s heart stalled at the mention of their time together. She’d tried so hard to move on, to convince herself that what they’d shared was just a fleeting moment in time, but seeing Evelyn now, standing here in front of her, it all came rushing back.

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