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New emotion swelled in my throat as I left the hotel and made the short walk back to my apartment. I missed Tristan already and regretted not taking all my clothes back off and getting into the shower with him.

I’d just reached my apartment building and was going by my aunt and uncle’s place when the door opened, and Nessa appeared. She was still in her housecoat, her plum hair all flat at the back like she’d just climbed out of bed. In her hands was a small plastic bag of rubbish that she was clearly taking out to the bins.

So much for my aunt and uncle not finding out about my night of debauchery.

“Rinnie!” she said, her eyes alight when she saw me. She pursed her lips, suppressing a grin as she took me in from head to toe, noting I was still wearing last night’s outfit. “A good night, was it?”

From time to time, both she and Fred would encourage me to date, citing I’d regret wasting my youth being single. It explained why my aunt looked so pleased to catch me coming home after I’d obviously spent the night with someone. And yes, I was just as ridiculously and needlessly embarrassed as I’d thought I’d be.

“It was okay,” I said, making to leave when she called, “Fred, come see. Rinnie’s only getting home now at, what is it? Seven-thirty in the morning!”

Moments later, my uncle appeared, his grey hair comically flat at the back just like Nessa’s. It was like they’d both slept in the exact same position, which I’d find funny if I wasn’t so mortified.

Uncle Fred’s smile spread right across his face when he saw me, “Well, well, well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” he exclaimed, and I shook my head.

“All right, I’m going upstairs now.”

“But aren’t you going to come in and tell us all about the fun you had—”

I turned back, lifting a finger. “Don’t even finish that sentence.”

“We’re just glad to see you’ve finally taken our advice,” my uncle said as I started climbing the stairs. It was just my luck that Nessa had caught me. The two of them were going to be relentless with their teasing.

“Who was the lucky gentleman?” Nessa called after me, but I refused to respond, hearing them happily chuckling away as I made my way to my apartment.

Tristan

Erin was all I could think about. The only saving grace was that I had hours of work to get through, which kept me from obsessing over her one hundred percent of the time. I’d never developed such strong feelings so fast. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, wanting to be near her, wanting to touch her, wanting to know what she was doing and what was going on inside that beautiful head of hers. I had this urgent, almost insatiable need to be with her, like invisible strings were constantly pulling me toward her.

Then again, our time had been delayed for over two decades.

Perhaps that was why it felt like I was speedrunning through my feelings.

Or maybe it was just her. I’d never been so gone for a woman. The way she laughed, her smile, her scent, her humour, her incredible body, fuck, the noises she made when I was inside her. It was every little thing about her. She made me forget all my worries. I had a hotel opening in two days, and I barely had any nerves left. Erin agreeing to give us a chance made everything else in life feel so much less important.

It was just after six when I finally clocked off for the evening. All I wanted to do was fall into bed with Erin, but I also didn’t want to freak her out by showing how strongly I felt so soon.

Instead, I headed out to find something to eat. Normally, I’d send Becky to grab me something, but she’d already gone home. I’d just climbed into my car when I got a text.

I’m free this evening if you have the time, it said.

I’d sent so many messages and made so many calls that day that it took me a moment to remember that I’d messaged Cooke a few hours ago, asking when it would suit him to meet up and go over a business plan. Another text came through.

Here’s my address. I’ve just made a big pot of coddle if you haven’t eaten dinner yet.

That sorted the issue of my empty stomach, I supposed. I wondered if Erin would be there, my pulse pounding wildly with excitement to see her.

That works for me. I’ll be there in ten, I wrote then programmed the address into my GPS.

Erin’s sister and her husband lived in a small, terraced house in the centre of town. When I knocked on the door, I heard a dog bark, followed by the door opening and a little Yorkshire Terrier flying at me and sniffing my shoes. A woman stood there, a few years older than Erin, but the resemblance was uncanny. They had the same shade of curly hair and similar facial features, except Sloane’s eyes were blue where Erin’s were amber.

I’d never actually met her sister in person despite the fact that she’d worked for my dad back in the day, but I did remember resenting the way she’d treated Erin. But I guess that was a long time ago now, and they seemed to have put it all behind them.

“Hi, I’m—”

“Tristan Balfe. I remember you. The last time I saw you, you were only a lad.”

“We’ve met before?”