Page 80 of Twist of Fate
“No,” she mouths. Her table erupts in cheers.
I raise an eyebrow and mouth back,“Come on, are you scared?”
The look she gives back says I’m going to die.Painfully. But then slowly, she rises from her chair, her gaze still fixed on me, and I think I do die a little right then.
Because fuck me, she’s doing it.
She’s wearing a dress and tights tonight, which is fitting and sexy as hell. Knowing what she’ll be doing tonight, I would be surprised if her mam helped with that.
If I had any doubt, she would be scared that it all washes away the second she steps up to the small stage and greets the younger girls. They seem nothing short of thrilled by Aisling’s addition, and as the three of them huddle together, I know Deidre was right.
This is exactly what she needs.
After a few nods and giggles, one of the girls approaches Tadhg and whispers in his ear. He nods and turns to the other musicians, and then all three dancers take their places.
When I suggested this to Deidre, I wasn’t sure if it would work. Aisling doesn’t have the proper shoes, and she hasn’t met either of the girls or the musicians. I could literally be setting her up for failure.
But, as soon as the music starts, I know I have nothing to worry about.
Much like the first song, the girls perform in a sort of round, each dancing a brief solo and feeding off the energy from one another. Aisling goes last, and as soon as she begins, the crowd goes wild.
She uses the thick soles of her boots to stomp out the beats and rhythms. She has a bright smile on her face, and when her eyes find mine in the crowd, it widens, and I’m a fucking goner.
Is it possible to fall in love in a matter of days? Hours? Minutes even? Because I think I fell for Aisling Farrell the moment we collided on that street corner in Dublin.
And I have no idea what I’m going to do about it.
TWENTY-TWO
Aisling
PRESENT
“You’re gonna be there, right?”
I lean back and survey the empty conference room. “Yes, Theo. I already told you I’d be there. My flight is already booked.”
“Good.” He breathes a sigh of relief. “Because I made reservations for us at one of the best restaurants in the city. Oh—and you can watch me practice! I want to introduce you to all my teammates.”
“Great.” I try to muster up some enthusiasm. He’s been trying to get me to fly and visit for weeks. At first, I was reluctant. It’s not that I don’t want to see him…
It’s just that I’m starting to think Finn might be right when it comes to Theo’s motivations…and it really annoys me to admit that.
Why does he have to be right about everything?
“Nothing but the best for you,” he says with a smug possessiveness in his voice that makes me feel all kinds of uncomfortable.
“You know you didn’t have to,” I tell him, the words coming out in a rush. “We can just order in or something. Save the fancy stuff for your dates.” I throw a nervous laugh in at the end. Real smooth.
He grows quiet. “What dates, Ash? There’s no one else. I thought you knew?—”
“Theo,” I warn, knowing he’s moving into dangerous territory.
“Just come,” he begs. “I’ll pick you up at the airport and show you around. I know you’ve never been to London?—”
“Actually, I have,” I interrupt him, nervously tapping the tip of my pen on the table. “With my mom. Before she?—”
“Oh.” He sounds genuinely hurt like he can’t believe I’ve done stuff without him. “I didn’t know that.”
