Page 67

My first instinct with Erin had always been to fix things. When we were teenagers, I’d seen a struggling girl and wanted to make her life easier. I’d wanted to protect her from what had hurt her and whatever danger might be lurking. Maybe some part of me still wanted that, but this felt different.

I didn’t just want to fix what her ex had broken. I wanted to understand what had happened to her in the years I’d missed. I wanted to know the woman she’d become, not spend the rest of my life clinging to the memory of her at eighteen.

Most of all, I wanted her to let me in. I’d spent half my life searching for a connection like the one I felt with Erin and never found it. These types of feelings didn’t simply come along every day. Now that I had her in my life, there was no way I was letting her slip through my fingers again.

A strange warmth settled in my chest with the conviction, followed almost immediately by a shake of disbelief because of all the hotels in Ireland, we had somehow ended up buying this one. Erin’s aunt and uncle’s hotel. There was something almost impossible about it. Something magical. A surreal twist of fate that had brought me here, of all places, and put Erin back in my path. Maybe that was why I couldn’t stop smiling. As a teenager, I’d hoped we’d cross paths again, had imagined a thousand times how it would happen. It was only when the memory had faded thin that my hopes had finally been granted.

Remembering her had intense emotions gripping me in a stranglehold, emotions that should’ve scared me, but they didn’t, because the prevailing one was happiness, sheer joy, to have been granted this chance to get to know her again.

With all these thoughts in my head, it was a miracle I even managed to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, it was early, and the first thing I did was check my phone. Still no text from Erin. Fuck. Should I have even revealed that I remembered her? If she’d wanted me to know, then she would’ve been upfront from the beginning, right?

The fact that she said nothing all these weeks meant she likely didn’t want me to remember. Or perhaps she was offended when I didn’t recall her immediately, and that was why she didn’t tell me. I understood since it was hardly flattering to be forgotten, but I also had a right to my own memories.

I just needed a chance to explain to her why she didn’t need to run from me. That me remembering changed nothing. Well, no, that wasn’t entirely true. I was rethinking a lot of things, specifically my own personal rule of not dating employees. The draw I felt to her was too strong to ignore, and our past explained the connection I’d felt from the very moment I’d laid eyes on her at Derek’s wedding, how I’d been drawn to her ever since. The fact that we’d met again felt important, like some higher power had led us to one another. I’d spent so many years looking for the woman I was meant to be with, but maybe I’d found her early and had simply lost her.

I recalled what the Cure had said to us last night, the man whose abilities I’d been cynical about from the get-go, but now I was beginning to wonder.

Have you two come to put the past to rest?

How could he have possibly known we had a past? I hadn’t even known in that moment. I’d never given much thought to the possibility of there being magic in the world that only the rare and gifted could see. Whatever it was, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Erin and I were meant to meet, that our story hadn’t been over back when we were young. It was merely a failed beginning.

I got ready for the day and tried not to be too distracted by everything that was now swirling around in my head. I had a meeting with Dom, the construction foreman first thing. They’d finally finished work on the cottage where Erin’s aunt and uncle used to live, so I needed to inspect the place and make sure it was ready for the first bookings next week. The opening date was creeping forward way too fast, and it felt like my list of things to complete was expanding by the day.

It was a relief that I had my brother to share the responsibility with.

Speaking of whom, I could do with Derek’s advice about Erin, but I’d have to wait until we both had a free moment to talk, which wasn’t likely, given how busy the next few days were going to be. It was all hands on deck until we opened, and according to Katy, we were fully booked for the entire first month.

I was on my way down to reception to meet Dom when my phone vibrated twice.

I’m sorry for running off on you last night. I just kind of freaked. Today is my day off, but I’ll be at the hotel tomorrow.

I could practically feel her hesitancy through the text. I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to speak with her. I felt a strange urgency to get everything out while it was fresh, to let her know that she had nothing to worry about, and me remembering her didn’t change our relationship.

Except that I wanted it to. I wanted to explore our connection, but I had no idea if it was something she wanted too.

Can you stop by today? Work on the cottage is complete. I could give you a tour.

I didn’t receive any response until long after I’d left the cottage.

Sorry, can’t make it today. A little busy.

Was she avoiding me? Or just worried I might be mad at her and scared to face me?

I’m not mad at you, Erin. I just want to talk and clear the air.

A few minutes later, she replied:

I know that. We’ll talk tomorrow. Promise.

Despite what she said, some part of me still felt like she was avoiding me. Since I was so busy with work, I didn’t have too much time to dwell on it, though I did have a sneaking suspicion that she might try to hide behind work so that we didn’t get a chance to speak. And that was why I found myself idling in reception early on Sunday morning, waiting for her to turn up.

“There you are!” Becky exclaimed, distracting my attention from watching the entrance. “The landscaper sent through his invoice, but there were a few items I wasn’t sure about, so I wanted to discuss them with you first.”

“Yes. Of course,” I replied, stepping aside to look at the document on her tablet a moment before Erin walked through the entrance with Samara. Her gaze flashed my way, and there was something new in her eyes, a spark of awareness that made my chest tighten. Her eyelids fluttered, giving away her nervousness.

“Give me a moment,” I said to Becky, stepping away and turning towards Erin when suddenly Dom appeared in front of me.

“Mr Balfe, we managed to fix the cracked pointing on the cottage chimney that you noticed yesterday,” he said, and I shoved down my annoyance at him blocking my view of Erin. “Do you have time now to come over and take a look?”