Page 6 of Destined Lovers

So for one reason or another, Sadie became my confidant with Nora and all things life.

We formed a friendship after she met Wills in France three years ago while we were away celebrating Wills’s rugby retirement. Then when they re-connected recently, it was as if almost no time had passed. We have a sister-brother type of friendship, and I honestly haven’t felt this close to someone in a long time—since Nora.

Recently, Sadie put me in contact with people in New York that could possibly help me find Nora, but nothing came of it.

Little did we know Nora was here. I’d been looking in all the wrong spots.

After a lengthy bit of silence, Sadie squints her eyes, probably questioning if she should push me or not to talk. Then opts to let it go but rubs my arms in comfort. “I’m here when you’re ready to talk. Always.”

“I know, Slim, that’s why I love ya.” I knock her with my shoulder and give her a playful smile.

Wills mutters something under his breath, annoyed I’m telling his girl I love her. The lad is a jealous bastard.

The car stops near the pub we’re meant to go to—a typical Irish pub. Some of my mates have never been to Ireland before, so they’re excited to get that traditional pub experience with friends and some good craic.

Jackson walks in first, gesturing to an area a large group just left from. Perfect for the number of people we’re with.

He stops short in front of me, making me crash into his back. “What the feck, Jackson?”

He smirks, then nods toward two girls in the corner. Trust him to find the two most beautiful Irish girls the town probably has ever seen the second we walk in.

“Can’t you control yourself for even one night?”

He rolls his eyes. “Don’t be jealous that someone’s going to suck my dick tonight, and you’re going home alone as usual.”

“You’re a gobshite. You know that, right?”

“You love me, Dec,” he says as he blows me a kiss and, not a second later, is heading over toward the girls.

No doubt he’ll be going home with one of them tonight.Or both.

I shake my head and can’t help but laugh. He’s a pain in the arse most of the time but always the life of the party and can put a smile on anyone’s face. It’s actually the first time tonight that I’ve even cracked a smile. It feels good to relax for a second.

In general, tonight’s event is usually stressful enough, but now with this new information about Nora, it’s taken me to a new level. I’m going to try and enjoy at least one pint before I delve back into what could finally be a possible breakthrough to finding her location.

I need to be in a better head space for all of that.

Our drinks finally arrive, and I glance around the table at my chosen family, and a sense of calm washes over me. Aye… this is exactly what I needed.

I turn to my left and watch Wills kiss Sadie’s head while he rubs his hand up and down her back as she sleeps in his arms.

They are the glue to our friend’s relationships. If it weren’t for them finding one another again, we wouldn’t all be here together tonight. And that, besides the outcome of tonight’s gala, should be something to celebrate.

The pub is crowded, so when the waitress rounds our table, I turn toward her to order another round, since the pub is busy but before I can open my mouth, I catch a glimpse of a girl across the bar.

I squint my eyes in confusion because she looks oddly familiar. She looks like...Nora.But different.Her back is to me now, and this girl has long dark hair cascading down her back, unlike my Nora’s perfect red hair.

Sure, I lived in Ireland. Red hair wasn’t something hard to come by.

But Nora’s was different. It was magnetic, and I couldn’t keep my hands off it.

When we were young, visiting our grannies, who were neighbors, we would lie in the field for hours. I would run my hands through her long locks while she caught me up on what she was painting at the moment. What medium she was trying out, even though she always went back to watercolors and oils.

It was more or less the most touching we ever did because of her younger age. Sometimes I can still feel the silky tendrils through my fingers.

Some could say her hair was a dull copper, but it was in the summer after her holidays that I loved it the most. After the sun had brought out the streaks of strawberry blonde, illuminating her beautiful face.

At night when I close my eyes to think of Nora now, the same few memories play on a loop.

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