Page 72 of A Second Chance Summer in Dublin

He nods his head, bites his bottom lip.

A bus trundles by, its exhaust spluttering noisily. When it passes, Donal takes a step nearer to me. He’s so close now, I can smell his familiar scent. It’s just Donal. It’s not sandalwood or spicy cologne or anything over the top. It’s just him. His long arms flap by his sides now.

‘You better get to the wedding reception in Howth. As if Belinda doesn’t hate me enough, it’s a long way out and you’re making a speech, right?’

He nods. ‘No one hates you. You never lied to me, Grace, you always told me you were still in love with Logan. But when I saw him kissing you, I realised I was really falling for you, and then when I saw you guys in the taxi together I just – it was a misunderstanding, they happen. I try so hard not to be that person but we’re all human .?.?.’ He trails off.

He believes me. A wave of relief gushes through my veins. ‘I guess so,’ I agree, ecstatic that he knows I was telling the truth.

‘These last two days have felt like I’m starring in my very own movie.’ He makes the universal sign, curling one fist in front of his closed left eye, the other fist winding round and round.

‘Tell me about it.’ I clutch my orange wicker basket to my chest. ‘And this afternoon’s was a horror! Donal, look I’m so sorry about what I said to Belinda about our date. It was a totaljoke about the bag over your head, I’m horrified at the joke, and yes, I did go along to see if I could just ask you as a friend to Mia’s party but I couldn’t have known how well I was going to connect with you, I’m so sorry.’ I lower my head, looking at the ground.

‘It’s grand,’ he says. ‘I’ve already forgotten about it. Look, I gotta go, but I just wanted to make sure you’re okay?’ He steps backwards onto the pavement.

I fight the tears that I feel brewing. ‘I’m fine,’ I lie. Say something, my brain yells through a megaphone.

‘You’re sure?’ He pauses, his foot inches off the ground before he takes his leave.

‘No!’ I blurt, truthfully, my angst written all over my face.

By the look on his face, that’s the real answer he wanted to hear. A small flush of red under his high cheekbones.

‘You know,’ Donal steps forward to me again and crosses one shiny shoe over the other, ‘I was remembering during the mass today, which was lovely in the end, by the way, you telling me all about your Brothers Grimm fairy-tale college collection, when we were in Elephant&Castle. How you kept all your costumes.’

‘Yeah?’ I say, again marvelling at his listening skills, but slightly panicking that he’s just trying to change the subject.

‘About how you made two Cinderella dresses?’ he says, his voice a little quieter now.

I swallow hard. Squint up at him. ‘You remember me telling you that?’ I’m astounded.

He nods. ‘Always said you’d have loved to wear the pre-ball one someday?’ There’s a gleam in his eye.

‘I was nervous. I talked too much, I was just rambling.’

Seriously, how does he remember this?

Donal checks his watch. ‘So, it’s almost four, I’ll send a cab for you in a couple of hours, say around seven o’clock? If you’d do me the honour of accompanying me to the ball?’ He lifts his righthand and folds it behind his back, leans forward, bows his head.

‘Theball?’ I’m trying to understand. No penny is dropping.

‘The afters of the wedding, in Howth.’ He stands up tall, grins.

I’m so incredulous I almost drop the sewing basket. ‘Belinda’safters? She won’t want me there! Are you crazy?’

‘Oh, she does. They all do. Fact. We had a thorough debrief in the car park as the guests headed off on the bus up to the reception. Family first, that’s always been the way we operate. They’re all mad about you .?.?. Turns out, so am I.’

‘You are?’ My stomach is fluttering.

‘I really am. I mean, I know it’s very early days and I don’t want to scare you off, but I’d love to see where we can go? But I gotta run now. I told the sisters I’d only be half an hour, they need me today.’ He turns on his dress shoes.

‘But—’

‘Later, okay?’ he says over his shoulder.

‘And they know you’re here?’

‘They do.’ Donal is already beckoning an oncoming cab. ‘And they can’t wait to see you! Get your dress on!’