Page 37 of Bound By Darkness

“No,” I whisper.“I can’t stop thinking about him.I don’t even know why.It’s not like we had some grand romance.It was just…” I trail off, searching for the right words.

“Special?”Bridget offers.

“Yeah,” I admit.“And now it feels like unfinished business.”

She gives me a pointed look.“If it’s unfinished business, maybe you should find him.You know your brother has connections,” she says with a knowing smile.“Tell him about this guy and see what he can dig up.”

“Yeah, right.Ri would love me asking for his help to track down some guy I met while I was traveling.He’d lose his mind,” I say and shake my head.

“I know my husband can be overbearing and stubborn, but if this Eamon really meant something to you, maybe you should try.”

“I’m not chasing after a guy I barely know.And this trip is about giving Ruairi space, not about Eamon.”

“Fair enough,” she says, standing.

“Besides, he’s probably forgotten about me already.I was a coward,” I confess.“I left him a note in the middle of the night.No real goodbye.No way for him to find me.Why would he even think about me now?”

Bridget tilts her head, her expression softening.“Because you’re unforgettable, Aoife.Whether you believe it or not.”

“You’re biased.”

“Perhaps,” she says with a slight shrug.“But I’m also right.”

She moves toward the door, but before she leaves, she glances back.“You deserve to be happy.Don’t let anyone, including yourself, convince you otherwise.”

Her words linger long after she’s gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the quiet echo of what might have been.

Aoife

The cab windsthrough Dublin’s streets, the blend of red-brick buildings and glassy modern storefronts passing by in a blur.It’s been years since my last visit, long enough that the city feels distant but not unfamiliar.A place I recognize without truly knowing.

My phone buzzes in my lap.Erin’s name flashes on the screen, accompanied by yet another message.

Erin:How far out are you?

Aoife:5 mins, max.Relax, I’m not standing you up.

Erin:You better not.I’ve been cooking.Like actual cooking.

Aoife:Should I be worried?

Erin:Watch it, world traveler.Some of us didn’t have unlimited Michelin stars to sample.

A quiet laugh escapes as I tap out a reply.

Aoife:Touché.I’ll try to survive whatever you’ve got waiting.

The cab slows, pulling up outside a stone-faced building with ivy creeping up the edges, its weathered exterior softened by window boxes spilling over with cheerful blooms.I toss a quick thanks to the driver, grab my suitcase from the seat beside me, and text Erin again.

Aoife:Outside.

Before I reach the front door, it swings open, and Erin’s face lights up like it's Christmas.

“Evie,” she squeals.

“Hey, stranger,” I call as I head up the short path.

She practically bounces down the steps to meet me, pulling me into a tight hug.“You’re really here.”

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