Don’t ever doubt that you deserve happiness,” Jennifer wanted to reassure him, so she gave Declan a chaste kiss on his lips.
She turned around to go to her office and he ran to cross the street when the pedestrian light started flashing red. He needed to take the bus to work and he didn’t want to be late. He was excited and hopeful for the first time in a long while. All of a sudden, life seemed to offer him lots of good opportunities.
* * * *
Keira woke up feeling horrible. She had the worst hangover, which she wasn’t used to having. She opened one eye with difficulty to check the time - almost eight in the morning. She had to get up, pack and hit the road. Stumbling out of bed towards the bathroom, she washed her face and looked in the mirror. She barely recognized herself - puffy and red eyes, dirty and messy hair, and swollen lips. As Keira took a shower, she relived the events of the night before. Her life-long insecurities kicked in and she concluded she was out of her mind for thinking she had a real shot at a guy like Declan. She certainly hadn’t gotten it right. He wasn’t into her. He wouldn’t be interested in an ordinary-looking, American virgin if he could have any Irish beauty he wanted.
Although she wasn’t hungry, she went down for breakfast and forced herself to eat because she needed her strength for her road trip. Everything tasted like cardboard. Besides, she had a lump in her throat, which she fought to control because she wouldn’t let anything ruin her vacation. Not even a pair of gorgeous green eyes. Every time she remembered Declan’s eyes, the lump felt bigger.
When she returned to the bedroom, her phone was beeping, telling her she had received a new text message. Her heart skipped a few beats when she saw Declan’s name on the screen. She hesitated opening it because she didn’t want to confirm her suspicions. He was probably apologizing for the previous night, saying he couldn’t keep their appointment in two weeks. She couldn’t read it. She cowardly locked the screen again and stowed the phone away in her back pocket.
Going downstairs again, Keira checked-out and asked the clerk to call a taxi. At the nearest car rental, she got the car and was on her way in no time. She stopped at a traffic light and looked around, admiring the beautiful old buildings that surrounded her. Her thoughts went back to her career choices, as she analyzed a quaint little coffee shop at the corner. She should take up architecture. As she stared, a couple left the building and hugged for a while in front of the coffee shop. The woman kissed the man before they went their separate ways. The traffic light was about to change so the man sprinted towards the other side of the road, passing right in front of Keira’s car. She felt her heart sinking inside her chest like an anchor when she recognized Declan.
“Son of bitch! He never told me he had a girlfriend!”
* * * *
CHAPTER 3
“You never asked,” that annoying voice inside her head reminded her but Keira ignored it, as she tried to shift into first gear, when the driver behind her honked because the light had turned green and she hadn’t moved. She didn’t know how to drive stick and the bitter tears of anger welling up in her eyes didn’t help, either. She wiped them away and focused her attention on mastering the damn car and GPS system. However, when she got to the road, there was no escaping her accusing conscience, I told you were a fool to believe he meant what he said. Did you see the woman? She’s gorgeous.
Keira hated to admit that she was jealous. She was and there was nothing she could do about it. Driving through the beautiful countryside, but seeing none of it, Keira’s thoughts and feelings were chaotic. Her insecurities got the best of her and she convinced herself it was better to find out who he was from the beginning. After all, nothing serious had happened between them, which meant
She turned around to go to her office and he ran to cross the street when the pedestrian light started flashing red. He needed to take the bus to work and he didn’t want to be late. He was excited and hopeful for the first time in a long while. All of a sudden, life seemed to offer him lots of good opportunities.
* * * *
Keira woke up feeling horrible. She had the worst hangover, which she wasn’t used to having. She opened one eye with difficulty to check the time - almost eight in the morning. She had to get up, pack and hit the road. Stumbling out of bed towards the bathroom, she washed her face and looked in the mirror. She barely recognized herself - puffy and red eyes, dirty and messy hair, and swollen lips. As Keira took a shower, she relived the events of the night before. Her life-long insecurities kicked in and she concluded she was out of her mind for thinking she had a real shot at a guy like Declan. She certainly hadn’t gotten it right. He wasn’t into her. He wouldn’t be interested in an ordinary-looking, American virgin if he could have any Irish beauty he wanted.
Although she wasn’t hungry, she went down for breakfast and forced herself to eat because she needed her strength for her road trip. Everything tasted like cardboard. Besides, she had a lump in her throat, which she fought to control because she wouldn’t let anything ruin her vacation. Not even a pair of gorgeous green eyes. Every time she remembered Declan’s eyes, the lump felt bigger.
When she returned to the bedroom, her phone was beeping, telling her she had received a new text message. Her heart skipped a few beats when she saw Declan’s name on the screen. She hesitated opening it because she didn’t want to confirm her suspicions. He was probably apologizing for the previous night, saying he couldn’t keep their appointment in two weeks. She couldn’t read it. She cowardly locked the screen again and stowed the phone away in her back pocket.
Going downstairs again, Keira checked-out and asked the clerk to call a taxi. At the nearest car rental, she got the car and was on her way in no time. She stopped at a traffic light and looked around, admiring the beautiful old buildings that surrounded her. Her thoughts went back to her career choices, as she analyzed a quaint little coffee shop at the corner. She should take up architecture. As she stared, a couple left the building and hugged for a while in front of the coffee shop. The woman kissed the man before they went their separate ways. The traffic light was about to change so the man sprinted towards the other side of the road, passing right in front of Keira’s car. She felt her heart sinking inside her chest like an anchor when she recognized Declan.
“Son of bitch! He never told me he had a girlfriend!”
* * * *
CHAPTER 3
“You never asked,” that annoying voice inside her head reminded her but Keira ignored it, as she tried to shift into first gear, when the driver behind her honked because the light had turned green and she hadn’t moved. She didn’t know how to drive stick and the bitter tears of anger welling up in her eyes didn’t help, either. She wiped them away and focused her attention on mastering the damn car and GPS system. However, when she got to the road, there was no escaping her accusing conscience, I told you were a fool to believe he meant what he said. Did you see the woman? She’s gorgeous.
Keira hated to admit that she was jealous. She was and there was nothing she could do about it. Driving through the beautiful countryside, but seeing none of it, Keira’s thoughts and feelings were chaotic. Her insecurities got the best of her and she convinced herself it was better to find out who he was from the beginning. After all, nothing serious had happened between them, which meant
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