Page 120 of The Bossy One

I started walking toward the coffee shop again, my heart doing twisty somersaults between love for Declan, grief at losing him, and bittersweet hope because at least I’d soon get to see him one more time.

I was waiting in line at the coffee shop when I glanced to the other restaurant across the way. It was one of those overpriced cocktail bars. Since it was only 11:15 a.m., it was empty save for one dark-haired man, hunched over and scribbling on a napkin. A veryfamiliarlooking dark-haired man.

No,I thought.It couldn’t be him. I’m just seeing what I want to see.

But my body believed it, even if my mind didn’t. My pulse raced, and a tornado of butterflies swarmed in my stomach.

He glanced up, and our eyes locked.

In that moment, time stopped.

Declan was in the same airport as me. It felt like serendipity. It felt like fate. It felt like a second chance.

Then reality reared its ugly head, and I realized the most obvious reason Declan would be flying commercial through Minneapolis.

I hurried to him.

He threw down some bills on his table and met me halfway.

“Is Sinead okay?” I blurted.

“Of course. She’s fine.” He frowned, confused.

I rubbed a hand over my heart, words likerelapseandaccidentfading away. “Oh. Good. I just couldn’t think of any other reason you’d be in Minneapolis.”

He looked at me like he was drinking me in. “Can’t you,a ghrá?”

My heart fluttered dangerously.

As amazing as it was to see Declan here, I realized it complicated my plans. I didn’t know how much time I had before our paths uncrossed, and he had to catch his plane to wherever he was heading next.

Someone knocked into me with a suitcase, and Declan caught me to him.

His eyes darkened, and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me.

Yes,my soul begged.One more time.

But that wasn’t fair to him. Not when I’d put his heart on the line, and I’d been the one to say no.

Declan’s hands ran up and down my arms, like he was reassuring himself I was really there.

I knew the feeling.

He cleared his throat. “Join me at the bar? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

I wet my lips. It would have been easy to let him take control of the situation. But I needed to say this before I lost my nerve.

“Me first.” I drank in his gorgeous, familiar face. “Even though it’s over between us, I need you to know how amazing you are. You changed my life for the better. You gave me the courage to pursue a dream I’d almost forgotten I had.”

He cupped my cheek with one hand. “Olivia,” he breathed.

“But most importantly, you reminded me how much I want a family. Even though it didn’t work out between us in the way that I hoped, I want you to know that I love you, Declan,” I confessed. “I’m never going to regret the time we spent together.”

His eyes were almost frighteningly intense. Did he think I was ridiculous, blurting all this out? Too little too late?

“It’s just, your message made it sound like you thought I didn’t return your feelings. And I do,” I babbled. “I need you to know that I do. You were the best choice I ever made.”

Declan’s eyes searched mine. “And you’re saying all this even though I told you I couldn’t change? Even though I swore I’d demolish that mansion?”

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