After all these years apart, it’s strange seeing Fiona with anyone other than our core childhood group.She didn’t have many friends growing up, and spent almost all her free time with Liam and me.I’d heard her talk about Mila to her parents when she came home for visits, and Murph always had wonderful things to say about her, but it’s interesting to see their dynamic firsthand.Their easy affection, banter, and inside jokes make it clear how close they are.I enjoy watching them together, even if a little voice in my head tells me that Mila being here likely means Fiona will be leaving soon.
I knew it was inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any easier.Since relinquishing the chokehold on my animosity toward Fiona, I can admit it’s been nice having her home.She has said she’s not in any hurry to leave, but even if she stayed for another few weeks or even a few months—which I doubt would ever happen—there’s still a huge part of me that’s afraid to get too close.To feel too much.
Fiona Murphy has the power to rip my heart out.Again.It took me years to get over her, if you can truly call it ‘getting over her’ since my feelings never fully went away.And yet here I am, feeling things for her again, despite my best efforts.Wanting her in ways IknowI shouldn’t.
Which means that if I end up hurt, I have no one to blame but myself.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ~ FIONA
Mila and I take charge of cleaning up after dinner while everyone else heads for the living room.Nobody seems to be in a hurry to head out for the night, which has always been the case with Mum’s gatherings.Her knack for creating a welcoming, cozy environment means nobody ever wants to leave.
A small voice in the back of my mind points out what a good thing that is.When I return to London, Mum will never be on her own for long.She’ll never want for company.She’ll host parties like tonight and have intimate gatherings with the people she loves most.It won’t be the same as before—nothing will ever be the same—but she said herself that this is her life now and she’ll learn to adjust.
By nine o’clock, it’s just Mum, Nathan, Mila, and me left.I’m half listening to Mum and Nathan talk about some upcoming town event, although my attention keeps drifting back to my best friend, who’s sneaking glances at her phone.
Mila gives me a sheepish smile when she catches me looking.“Can we go out to the treehouse?”she whispers.
I glance at Mum, surprised to find her looking between Mila and me with a smile that can only be described as indulgent.“You girls go ahead.Nathan and I are going to have another glass of whiskey and play a game of cards.”
Nathan gives a small nod when my gaze slides to him.“Mae owes me a rematch from our last game of UNO.Who doesn’t want their ass handed to them on their birthday?”
I let Mila pull me to my feet, our hands remaining linked as we make our way through the house and outside to the treehouse.We turn on the small space heater, along with all the fairy lights, and then snuggle into the beanbag chair together with a blanket draped over us.
“I want to show you something,” Mila says, pulling her phone from her pocket.She opens the BeSocial app and scrolls to her latest post, a photo she took of the two of us after we got ready for Nathan’s party.The caption reads:Reunited, and it feels so good!Consider this my Out of Office as I spend some time catching up with my BFF.Stay tuned for posts featuring small-town shenanigans.Prepare to get sick of our faces!
“Now look at the comments,” Mila says, handing me the phone.
My eyebrows wing up as I notice the post already has over a thousand likes and nearly two hundred comments.An uncontrollable smile takes over my face as I scan the comments, stopping to read the ones from familiar usernames.
@maris_loves_paris:The dynamic duo is back together!We could never get sick of your faces.ALL the Mila and Fiona content, please!
@travelling_canadian90:I miss you two!Hoping to see you both in Europe this summer!
@theedinburghroamer:How can I ensure that I get on a tour with one (or both) of you as the guides?
@topsyturvytravels:The two of you need to host a retreat of some sort.Maybe a big reunion for people who have taken your tours in the past?
@read.travel.repeat:I’ve taken dozens of tours over the years, and you two are hands down my favourite guides ever.I’ll never forget the time I spent with you, and I’m ever hopeful our paths will cross again.Sending you both lots of love from sunny Portugal.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Mila says, putting her arm around me.
I hadn’t even realized I was crying, but now I feel the tears on my face, along with a tingling in the back of my nose.“Anything and everything sets me off these days,” I say with a self-deprecating laugh.“This is just…really nice.I’ve never felt like our job was frivolous, but I’m sure you’ve heard your share of comments from people that make it cleartheyfeel that way.”
“That’s hardly areal job,” she says in a high-pitched voice that makes me laugh again.“Must be nice to travel for a living and have such aneasy job.”She scoffs and drops the mocking tone.“As if being responsible for two dozen human beings, having to constantly think on your feet, make snap decisions, and problem solve areeasy.Not to mention having a head full of history, trivia, and recommendations for dozens of cities.”
“Exactly!Sometimes I forget how much of an impact we can have on people’s lives, but then I see comments like this…” I reread the last comment before handing Mila’s phone back to her.“I’ll never forget the tour guide who made me want to become a guide myself.I’d spent months winging it on my own across Europe, with a few day tours thrown in, and then a friend I made in France convinced me to do a tour of England.
“The guide’s name was Dani; she was this pretty, peppy Australian that I connected with from the first night.I was amazed by how knowledgeable she was, how positive she remained in the face of obstacles, and how she wrangled all of us over the course of two weeks.She let me pick her brain one night in a pub in London, and it was that conversation that made me realize I wanted to work in the travel industry and not justbea tourist.I started looking into schools that night.”
“And the rest, as they say, is history.”Mila flashes me a grin before dropping her head onto my shoulder.“We really are lucky to be doing this for a living.I never take it for granted, and I know you don’t either.”
“Never,” I agree.“Which leads me to the question we’ve been avoiding…” I tip to the side, guiding her back into an upright position so we can see each other.“Why are you here, Mila?”
She groans.“We’ve had such a nice day, and I don’t want to ruin it.”
My stomach sinks.“That bad?”
“I mean…yes and no?”She sighs.“You’ve missed a lot since you were suspended.You told me you hadn’t heard from anyone in the company since you’ve been home, and I’m guessing that hasn’t changed?”At my head shake, she says, “So you don’t know that Sanjay was promoted to a management position, or that he instated a number of changes.”
