Page 4 of Destined Lovers

She’s eighteen now. She’s not a petulant child anymore, and knowing my history with Nora, she would never do that to me.

“I promise,” she pushes to get out. Her speech is not the best, and I catch a tear rolling down her face from my harsh tone. Feck.

I lean down to wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into me. I take a breath and ask, without the tremor of my nerves showing.

“Are you sure it was her? You were so young the last time you saw her.”

She nods, and I believe her. I feel terrible that I even questioned her in the first place.

“Picture in your room.” She smiles.

I forgot that it’s still here. I make a mental note to take it back to London with me. I don’t have many pictures of Nora and me. She took them all, and I realize now, years later, that I never asked for copies.

I roll my neck and take a deep breath to try and calm my nerves, but it’s impossible.

My mind is still spinning. I’m unsure what to make of this news. Even though I’m happy she may be somewhere within reach, I’m terrified I will not like what I find.

For now, however, I must put my feelings aside and focus on tonight.

On Maeve, she deserves as much.

“Thanks, Maeve, for telling me. Is that why you were nervous all night?”

She nods her head. I knew something was off.

I lean down and kiss her forehead. “Okay, let’s forget that for now. I think it’s time to dance, aye?”

“Aye.” She giggles, spins her wheelchair around, and then darts off to the dance floor.

* * *

Saying tonight was a success is an understatement of the century. We raised over eight million pounds. Yes, eight fecking million.

Double what we raised in the past. And I’m confident that’s due to the generous donations from two of the best blokes around.

Wills Taylor, my best mate, former rugby teammate, now turned boss, donated a small fortune to help many families here tonight. He’s one of the most generous guys I know, never batting an eye to help others.

Most people don’t realize that these donations help the whole family. Not just the recipient. Maeve’s close friend from art class informed me that her mam has lost her job due to leaving work early on multiple occasions to take care of her daughter.

She’s a single mam and doesn’t have the means to afford care for her daughter, so she does it all on her own. That donation can help her get by until she finds a new job, and hopefully, it will be enough to let her hire someone to help her at home.

Then there’s Jackson Peters, Sadie’s brother and a newer friend to me. But he’s quickly becoming someone I know will be a mate for life. He’s also my business partner at the private clubCharlotte’sthat we own alongside Wills, and he just joinedThe Taylor group.

Which makes for an interesting work environment since he loves to push Wills’s buttons, not that it’s hard. He’s a hothead through and through.

In addition to Jackson’s donation, he bid and won a trip for two in the silent auction.

Speaking of which, where is Jackson, and everyone else?

I glance around the room, avoiding eye contact with the other guests. I’ve done my fair share of mingling at the beginning of the night and doled out the appropriate speeches. Now it’s time to find my friends, round up the troops, and head to the pub for a much needed pint.

I find Wills back on the dance floor twirling Sadie around, just as Annabelle and Jackson walk in my direction.

“Where’s everyone else?” I ask Jackson.

He nods in the opposite direction. “Bathroom. We ready to leave?”

“Yeah, can you grab the gang, and I’ll meet you outside by the waiting cars.”

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