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“Darn,” Ella responded, pounding the table. “Well, the least we can do is hit up a pub. There’s one close to our hostel we can check out. Maybe there will be some hot distractions there,” she added with a playful wink.
I laughed. I’m sure it was a blessing in disguise that my phone was shattered – a safeguard against making rash decisions with the steamy American who lingered in my thoughts. And a pub night and some hot Irish men sounded like exactly what I needed to forget Colton and his pleas.
Finishing our drinks, we headed back towards the hostel, passing by a small pub named Jack’s that was advertising for St. Patrick’s Day specials. Colorful, green streamers were hanging in the doorway. It seemed like the perfect spot to unwind before returning for the night.
As we entered the lively atmosphere, a band playing spirited music, and a diverse crowd dancing, instantly captivated us. Ella’s eyes sparkled as she scanned the space around us.
“Now this is why I came for holiday in Ireland,” she declared, nodding towards a group of boys playing a game at a table in the corner and licking her lips.
My eyes shifted to the group she had locked her gaze on. They were undoubtedly attractive, but my attention froze as I spotted a familiar face seated amid the noise – Ethan Harrison.
Chapter 4: Sasha
“Well, look who decided to join the Americans,” Ethan shouted across the lively pub, standing up with a wide grin on his face as he waved enthusiastically our way.
I couldn’t deny that he was even more handsome than I remembered from just 24 hours earlier. Dressed in an untucked t-shirt and jeans, his biceps bulging out of his shirt and his hair still styled in that disheveled manner I'd realized I liked, he looked like he could have been a model for a fitness clothing brand, though I got the feeling Ethan’s not caring style that was a turn on was because he really didn’t care about materialistic things like most people did. Something about him seemed to exude ‘I’m not trying, yet I still look this good.’
“Do you know these gents?” Ella asked, pushing her thumb in the direction of the group of unruly males who were now waving and hollering in our direction.
I sighed. “That would be the American Uber driver and his buddies.”
Ella squealed, sprinting over to them to say hello, while I walked cautiously up behind her.
“It’s nice to see you again, Sasha,” Ethan said, shooting me a dangerous smile as he emphasized my name.
“I swear we didn’t know this was where you and your friends were drinking tonight,” I stated flatly. “I was definitely not going to text you.” I gestured to my cracked phone screen. “I couldn’t have even if I’d wanted to, I dropped it and it cracked,” I emphasized the not again, being sure I got my point across.
“Well, then, that sounds like serendipity to me,” Ethan responded, grinning. “Let’s get you ladies something to drink. Come on, pull up a seat,” he said, grabbing two more bar stools and pulling them close.
Ella eagerly slid in next to Ethan’s friend Ryan, her hand already draped on one of his biceps as he leaned towards her, explaining the game they were playing.
Traitor.
Ethan stood still, staring at me, his eyes narrowing while he waited for me to take my seat.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.
“You’re interesting,” he stated, shrugging his shoulders and then stooping low to speak in my ear over the loud bar music.
“You’re doing everything you can to resist me, but Sasha. You refused to text me, but the universe is obviously sending you a sign that we are supposed to be together tonight.” His hands lifted above his head in a dramatic sweeping rainbow motion as he said the word universe, and I couldn’t resist the eye roll that escaped me once again.
“Or maybe you just chose to drink at the only pub next to the hostel you knew I was staying at,” I snatched the chair from his grasp and sat down firmly, dramatically scooting as far as possible away from touching him while I tried to conceal my smile, which was difficult given we were seated at a small circular bar table with six other people.
Ethan flashed me that devilishly handsome grin again and I knew my assumption had been true. He’d intentionally picked this pub in the hopes that I’d show up. Unfortunately, that realization made my cheeks flush, and electricity shoot through my body.
He leaned over to whisper in my ear, his breath warm on my neck. “Go ahead and resist for now, but I’ve got a feeling that by tomorrow, you might see things a bit differently.”
Chapter 5: Sasha
Guinness and empty shot glasses scattered across our tiny bar table, while our group sang along with the band, occasionally breaking into dance alongside Irish locals and other hostel inhabitants who had gradually joined the festivities at Jack’s pub.
Despite my initial hesitations around hanging out with Ethan and his friends, Ella and I couldn’t deny that we were having a blast.
“Isn’t Ryan peng?” Ella exclaimed, twirling me around as we danced.
“Peng?” I laughed.
“Oh, what do you Americans say, ‘attractive’,’ ‘handsome,’ ‘dreamy’?” she teased, rolling her eyes.
