“I guess that’s reason enough, I imagine, for being frustrated. It was quite a surprise for me, too.” He downed the rest of his coffee and the few bites of the sandwich still in front of him. “As for a wife, girlfriend, kids, or house, none of the above, although I own some land in Ireland.”
Not at all surprised, Luna relaxed a bit. “So it’s been the life of a drifter all these years.”
“I prefer to think of it as being a helpful loner, maybe a volunteer traveler, or maybe even a drifting gypsy.”
Luna had heard this a thousand times in her youth, and the eye roll was impossible to stop. “Well, whatever you call it, you've been drifting around this planet for almost twenty years.”
“Not really. I’d live a few months here, a year there, wherever I needed to be.”
His hand brushed hers as he pushed his plate away, and she reached for the sugar. A tingling sensation raced up her arm, Luna cleared her throat. “So you're here because you had a feeling someone needed you?”
Her mind instantly went to Jonah and the coincidence of her decision to bring him back to the States now to prepare for college.
“You could say that. So I hear you have a son, Jonah, I believe?” His smile was devilishly handsome, and it stopped her heart again when he unleashed his Irish accent.
Mildly irritated, Luna glanced at Shaun coming over to the table. “I can see none of my secrets are safe with you. You told him I have a son?”
“It wasn’t me, Luna. This time it was Nicky. She told him a few years back when he resurfaced for a quick visit.”
“And how come none of you thought to mention his repeated visits to me?”
The front door to the restaurant burst open, startling more than a few patrons. Shaun left the table. “Alright, my ears are ringing. Who’s talking about me?” Nicky made a beeline for Luna in her spiked boots.
Nicky stopped in her tracks, hands on her hips. She said nothing at first, a glittering smile on her face. After walking over and pinching Ronan’s cheek, she laughed and leaned in for ahug. “Well, I never thought I’d see the two of you sitting together at a table again. It reminds me of…”
Luna held up her hand in front of Nicky’s face. “Don’t you dare!”
Ronan was still recovering from seeing Luna. At first glance, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. Other than a few slight wrinkles and a more conservative outfit, she looked exactly the same as when he’d left her in the Caribbean.
Her reaction shouldn’t have surprised him. That same spark they’d once shared still elicited the same bodily reaction in them both. He’d seen it in her eyes the moment she dropped those plates.
Sitting with her after Shaun’s little pep talk felt strange in a déjà vu sort of way. He surprised himself that he could hold the coffee cup without making it rattle. Some feelings would never die, and his love for Luna was still just as strong as the day he left.
Her anger bothered him not one bit, except for Olive’s reaction. He could tell that Olive snuggling up close to him infuriated Luna. They had a long bridge to cross to meet in the middle after so many years, but Ronan knew why he was home.
It was that feeling he’d had, a calling for him to see her again. No one needed to be saved, but he knew the universe was sending a message to him. Second chances didn’t happen for everyone, but it was there if she wanted it with him.
“Nicky! You are still looking like the girl next door minus the fresh face.” Ronan said.
Where Luna had merely stopped her with a raised hand, Ronan got her fired up, so she marched away. He smiled at Luna. “You never knew how to get rid of her.”
His fingers itched to touch hers, but instinct told him not to. They sat so close, but his heart wanted more. Rather than waste any time and feeling a bit excited, he stood up immediately. “So, there is only one way to get Olive to relax around you.”
“What are you doing, Ronan?”
As quick as he could, he moved to the other side of the booth and caged Luna in, forcing her to move close to the wall. “She needs to be close.” He rested his arm behind Luna on the back of the seat.
True to her nature, Olive slowly sniffed at Luna’s outfit as she sat beside her. Ronan let his hand play in Luna’s hair, smiling when sparks of irritation flew from her eyes.
“What?”
“We're not sixteen anymore, and you will not get anywhere.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know what you're talking about, you naughty woman. I’m just sitting Olive in the booth next to you so you can become friends.”
“Sure you are.”
Olive moved to her lap, allowing Ronan a bit more room to get closer, and he took full advantage.
