I listen to his steps retreating down the stairs while I sit in silence and stare at the vase on the wheel. It turned out perfect. All I need to do is grab the wire and cut it loose from the base.
But I don’t. I step on the pedal and watch as the motion forces the vase back into a shapeless clump of nothing.
Chapter Sixteen
Colin
Eleven years ago
Dublin
“But I don’t give a shite about rugby!” Declan shouts over the din of cheers and applause around us.
“I know!” I reply with a laugh. I’m on my feet and cheering anyway, my shoes sticking to the beer-soaked floor of the arena. Declan takes a sip of his ale with a grimace as he watches the players on the field. He looks disgusted and miserable, and if I wasn’t so happy to see him, I would feel bad for dragging him here.
“Then why are we here?” he complains.
The cheers die down, so Declan and I take our seats with the rest of the people in the stands. Turning toward him, I look into his eyes, soaking up the warm familiarity of those rich brown irises.
It’s our second summer meeting since uni. Last summer was shortly after graduation, and it was short and uneventful. He had a few days in London with his sister, and we spent it together, feeling chaperoned and awkward.
Apparently, his family is going through a lot with his older brother, and it wasn’t the best time for him to go away for too long, which I understand. So I didn’t press it.
But this year, for ten whole days, he’s all mine.
“Because,” I say while the players on the pitch run to the sidelines for a quick break. “We’re in Ireland, and their team is in the finals, so how could we not come?”
There’s more cheering as the players return to the scrum, but I can feel Declan shaking his head beside me. “And you couldn’t afford box seats or something?” he asks. “I could have if you had just asked.”
Chuckling, I turn toward him and nudge his shoulder. “That’s not our style. I wanted to sit down with the people and experience arealmatch. Besides…these tickets were a hefty price as it is.”
“I’m sure,” he groans.
“Just get drunk and have some fun, Declan!”
For a while, we get into the game, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy. Ironically, Declan has never looked more disgruntled. He’s hating every moment of this, and soon, I should really put him out of his misery.
When Ireland takes a healthy lead over Belgium, I nod toward the exit, and Declan says a prayer of thanks. We squeeze our way out, and I feel the beer buzz hit me before we’ve even left the stadium.
While we’re walking next to each other back to our rental flat, Declan glances up and stares at me for a moment.
“You’ve changed,” he says.
The grin on my face tugs a little wider. “Have I?”
“Yeah. Something about you is different. You got a boyfriend or something?” he asks stiffly.
A laugh bursts through my lips. “God, no.”
“Then, what is it?”
Spinning around, I walk backward on the uneven cobblestonesas I stare at Declan with glee. Stretching my arms out, I say, “I don’t know, Dec. Maybe I’m just happy.”
“Then, you do like it in London?” he asks with a furrowed brow.
“No,” I groan. “I mean happy here with you. I’m with my best friend again, and everything is right in the world.”
For the first time tonight, he cracks a smile.
