Page 11 of Twist of Fate
Aisling
I freeze.
The moment those emerald-green eyes meet mine, my whole body turns into a freaking statue.
What do I do?
Awkwardly wave?
Pretend I have no idea why he just tripped over his polished tour guide spiel to stare at me as if he’s just seen a goddamn ghost?
Before I have a chance to make a decision or, you know, freak the fuck out, he manages to pull himself together before he even takes his next breath. His gaze instantly shifts past me to my mother as that somewhat generic smile locks back into place.
“Here,” he says, albeit a bit distracted. “Yes, we’ll start here.” His words come out a little rushed, and his voice sounds slightly strained. Perhaps I threw him off more than he’s willing to admit.
Good, becausesame.
“Just our name and where we’re from? Or do you want something a little more fun?” my mom asks, playfully tossing Finn’s words back at him with a wink.
God help me.
He chuckles, and I don’t know if it’s the accent helping him out, but even his laugh is sexy as hell. “Let’s go with your name, where you’re visiting from, and what you’re looking forward to most on this tour.”
“Oh, I like you.” She praises him, glancing over and giving me a nod of approval as if she has just met her future son-in-law.
Subtle, Mom. Real, subtle.
Why the hell couldn’t we have gotten a regular tour guide? Like the one my mom talked about from her last tour? A retired teacher who loved to watchMatlockreruns and buy crossword puzzles for his wife?
No, we had to get the young,hot, charming tour guide, whom I happened to run into on a random street corner last night.
You’re never truly lost—just searching for something.
I wandered around Dublin for hours, visiting pubs and shops, all the while wondering in the back of my mind if I would run into him again.
But I never did.
It’s been months since I called off my wedding. Months spent convincing myself that I made the right decision, all the while secretly questioning whether I did. Six years of my life wasted. What if I never find someone else?
And then I ran into a guy on the streets in Dublin, and I felt?—
I don’t know what I felt, but I feltsomething, and it was the first time I felt anything since I walked away from my ex.
So it had to mean something, right?
I berated myself for hours for not turning around, seizing that moment on the street, and asking him if he wanted to be my tour guide in Dublin for the night.
Oh, the irony…
Not missing a chance to socialize, my mother stands.She freaking stands. Like she’s about to accept an Oscar or something.
“Hello,” she greets the other guests as if they’re her new best friends. “I’m Deidre Farrell, and this is my daughter, Aisling.” She turns to me and beams.
This woman is pure joy, and as I look around the room, watching everyone listen as she speaks, I can’t help but smile as I see them fall just a little bit in love with the woman who raised me.
She may meddle a little too much in my personal life.
She may be over the top some days.Okay, most days.
