“And go.”
My mind created an image of life fifteen years from now. Standing in a yard, I saw a white cape-style home surrounded by a white picket fence, creating a perfect square. A child ran through the grass and was placed on a swing set by a man without a face. He wore a baseball cap, and I couldn’t see his hair. He was goofy, pushing a boy on the swing, both laughing with joy. I saw myself looking at him lovingly, appreciating him for being so different from me. My child had dark hair that shined red in the light and a smattering of freckles across his nose. The man chased the toddler up and down the slide. I smiled at the two of them, observing the relationship and feeling thankful that he was nothing like my father.
“And open.” Willie’s words broke me from my fantasy and I smiled.
“Thank you.” I pulled my hand away from the book and placed it in my lap.
“You will find your match within six months. Just remember, Rory, you must keep your heart open.”
I placed a few coins on the table, thanked him for his time, and walked outside, considering Willie’s words. You will find your match within six months. That seemed pretty sudden, when I had limited experience in the area of love. Although not any clearer than when I arrived, I felt a strange sort of peace within me that perhaps things would work out. I just needed to keep my options open and think with my heart, not my head.
But six months? That would put me at April. Could I really find true love by April? It felt unlikely, but I was up for the challenge.
Chapter 17
“What’s up with you and Jaime?” Marissa leaned forward, holding my gaze until I looked away. My face burned, and several responses ran through my head, but my mouth couldn’t formulate the words.
“What do you mean?” Playing dumb, I analyzed the loose string hanging from the hem of my shirt.
“I don’t know. It’s weird. He used to stay out late and stroll in after we were asleep, but now he’s home with us. He’s from Ireland. Why would he be hanging out with a bunch of annoying Americans? And late at night, I hear you giggling in your room.”
I blinked a few times, unable to meet her gaze. “Do you need a drink?” I cleared my throat and walked to the sink, filling two glasses with water. When I gave her the glass, she smirked at me.
“Your silence is telling.” Her smile stretched across her face. “I can’t believe you’re sleeping with him!” She slapped me on the arm.
“No, no. I’m not. We’re not. We’re just friends.” I held my breath, but her eyes told me she didn’t believe me. “With benefits. We have an agreement.” I fumbled with the cup and drank tiny sips. My parched mouth wanted water, but it was like I had forgotten how to swallow. I wanted to run to my room and hide under my bed, but my legs had stopped working.
Marissa leaned back. “You’re not serious!” When I didn’t reply, she leaned forward. “You are! Does Zoey know?”
I shook my head. “No one knows—except you. But now that you know, we have to tell Zoey. It’s not fair to keep a secret from her.” What am I saying? I sounded like a blubbering idiot. My mouth clamped shut, worried Jaime would be mad that the cat fell out of the bag and onto the kitchen table.
Marissa’s eyes sparkled. “How long?”
I looked around the room, not wanting to share too many personal details. “Since Connemara.”
She smacked her hand on the table. “Are you serious? That was almost a month ago! How did you not tell us?”
I shrugged. “Because it isn’t anything except two people having fun. You have fun almost every weekend, meeting guys at the pub and dancing with them at the clubs. If I didn’t see you with them, I probably wouldn’t know.”
Marissa sat back in her chair, and looked me up and down. “But I don’t live with them, and it’s one night of fun. Not four months as roommates. Your fun is way more complicated than mine.”
She had me there. I knew Jaime sang in the shower, only did laundry once a week, and so far, he hadn’t washed his sheets. It felt more personal than I wanted.
“I’m just having fun.” Leaning forward and staring into Marissa’s almond-shaped eyes, I whispered, “Please pretend you didn’t figure it out. I don’t want to make it any weirder between Jaime and me than it already is.”
Marissa zipped her mouth, twisted the corner, and threw the invisible key onto the floor. “Mum’s the word.”
That Friday, I went to a football party on campus with Jaime and promised Marissa and Zoey I’d meet up with them later that night.
Marissa pulled her hair up in a bandana. “Eleven o’clock work for you? I’ll make sure we’re at The Pub on the Quay. I think it’s new, so I heard it hasn’t been inundated with tourists yet.”
“Like us?” Zoey asked.
Marissa straightened her jacket. “Nah, we stopped being tourists weeks ago.” The two girls fell into a conversation about all the pubs they wanted to visit and I continued getting ready.
Glancing at Jaime, I asked, “Can you walk me down after the party?”
He nodded and squeezed his feet into his sneakers.
