‘And that’s why I love you so much,’ said Kerry-Anne. ‘Right, drink? I think I could manage one.’
She and Patrick settled in for the flight, sitting across from each other on the leather seats.
‘Now, you can tell me everything about the wedding,’ she said. ‘I need every detail. Did you cry? Did you kiss the maid of honour? And tell me all about Rosie. I liked her, by the way. I liked her a lot.’ She smiled.
He shrugged, suddenly feeling incredibly tired. And sad. Post-wedding blues. Or post-Ireland blues, he supposed. He hadn’t wanted to return to Boston without Rosie. But he hadn’t a choice. He loved his business. He loved Fitzgerald’s. He loved her. He wanted to be with her. There had been no one else who drew him to her over the last ten years. It had always been her. And now, it wasn’t to be. At least he’d tried. He’d given it one last shot.
It was then that Patrick noticed a small truck being driven at great speed across the tarmac. He did a double take and realised that it was Rosie, hanging on for dear life on the cart. He stared for a moment and then Kerry-Anne also turned to look.
‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ she said, slowly. ‘You’d better go and meet her.’
And so Patrick did, bolting from his seat and rushing to the door of the aircraft. And that’s when he saw Rosie tumbling from the truck, being saluted by the driver, and getting to her feet… turning around and seeing him.
They met on the tarmac, their arms around each other, his face in her hair, breathing every part of her in. ‘Rosie, Rosie, Rosie,’ he managed.
She pulled away slightly, equally breathless, her words falling from her. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry for not coming last time. I was scared. I used the hotel because I was scared to do anything big.’
He had her face in his hands, and he was smiling. ‘It doesn’t matter…’
‘But it does. I wasn’t able to then, but I am now.’
‘I was too stubborn,’ he admitted. ‘Too pig-headed, determined.’
‘You were brave. I wasn’t.’
‘It would have been braver to stay. Like you, like Seán. But I needed to get rid of all the things that were dragging me down, keeping me back.’
‘I want to come with you now. I want another chance. I want a life with you and if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. At least we’ll know. I don’t want a life of what ifs or perhapses or remember hims? I want to know how our story ends. I don’t want it to drift away into nothingness. And most of all I want to be out there, living my life. With you.’
He was smiling at her and then he kissed her on the lips, slowly, softly, lovingly.
They stood, their foreheads touching, their breath mingling, feeling the heat and the warmth of the other, knowing that that other person was their person and that this was a kind of homecoming, this was something so right.
They were smiling at each other. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked.
‘I couldn’t be surer.’
‘But what’s the plan?’
‘I come with you to Boston. We see how it goes. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I understand. But I needed to try. I would find a job. Maybe in a hotel, I don’t know!’ She began laughing because he was smiling so hard.
‘But what about Cliff Top and Sandycove and your family? Nessa and your dad.’
Rosie paused. ‘I’ll miss them,’ she admitted. ‘But I need to do this. And I’ll be back to see them all. And I’ll set Dad up with FaceTime and all that. And they can all stay. And anyway, he’ll see even more of Nessa and the kids because she’s going to manage the hotel. It’s all arranged. Grace is brilliant. And there’s Bertie and Maureen. And I think it will be fine. The hotel needs a fresh start. It’s going to be an adventure.’
He nodded. ‘It is. Exactly the one I wanted.’
‘Patrick!’
They looked up. Kerry-Anne was coming towards them.
‘Hello, Rosie,’ she said, smiling at her. ‘Now, listen, lovebirds, I need to get my ass back to Boston. Are you coming with me, Patrick, or are you going to keep kissing on the tarmac?’
Patrick looked intently at Rosie, waiting for her answer.
‘I don’t have my passport. Or clothes. Or anything. I promised that nice man I wouldn’t get on the plane.’
Behind them, George in the truck, called, ‘No one leaves this airport without proper paperwork. Sorry, Romeo and Juliet.’
