Page 7 of It Had To Be You

Ev returned then, going to Dylan and kissing his cheek. “Thanks for last night. I had a great time.”

“My pleasure,” he replied before quickly returning her kiss on the cheek with one on the lips. Ev stepped away fast, breathless, clearly torn between the instinct to scowl or smile. She turned and went to Yvonne, who hurried her out of the kitchen.

“See you, ladies,” I called after them, hearing the front door open and close a few moments later. When I turned back to Dylan he was staring out the window, a thoughtful look on his face.

“That was brave, kissing her like that,” I said and he brought his attention to me, resting his chin in his palm.

“I can’t help it. With Ev I’m just like…drawn to her against my will.”

I know the feeling.“Well, if it’s any consolation I suspect she feels the same way.” I paused to grin. “She’s just better at fighting it, obviously.”

Dylan groaned. “I wish she’d stop fighting it. Things could be so great between us. I know they could, but I’m just not sure if she’ll let herself go there again. Not after how things ended before.”

I shot him a commiserating look. “Give it time. You’ve only just come back into each other’s lives. There’s no need to rush.”

He dragged a hand over the faint beard growth on his jaw. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” A few moments of quiet fell before he asked, “So, what was that all about with Yvonne? She couldn’t get out of here fast enough.”

Now it was my turn to groan. “I don’t know. I think maybe I was a little obvious about still having a thing for her and it freaked her out. She’ll clearly never get over seeing me as some awkward teenager.”

“That’s not it. I saw you two together last night. She was into you, Conor. Maybe she’s just weirding herself out thinking about the age gap and won’t let herself go there.”

“It’s hardly that much of an age gap, and besides, you know I’ve always gone for older women.”

At this, Dylan smirked. “Yeah, I wonder why.”

I chuckled. “Hey, fuck you, man.”

Dylan raised his hands in surrender. “All I’m saying is, you certainly have a type, and maybe Yvonne Flynn was the blueprint.”

At this, I started clearing the breakfast dishes from the table and bringing them over to load into the dishwasher, because he was right and that shit was embarrassing.

Dylan blew out a long breath. “Listen, I’m sorry for winding you up. Yvonne’s an amazing woman. I have so much respect for how she stepped in and cared for Ev when her mam abandoned her. She’s always had to be responsible, even when she was only in her early twenties and had a teenager to care for. I get the impression that’s the reason she works so hard. She’s always had to be a role model for a kid that wasn’t even hers. That’s why she’s unlikely to contemplate anything with you, or at least she won’t allow herself to, because it would be indulging a selfish interest which isn’t something she does.”

I closed the dishwasher, turning back to him. “How do you know that? She moved to New York to pursue her dreams. That had to have been a little selfish at least.”

“Not really. Any extra money she earned she was still sending back home to Ev. Maybe she got to live in a city she’d always dreamed of living in, but she never stopped helping her family,” Dylan countered.

I stared at him. “What’s your point?”

“My point is, even though you two have amazing chemistry and would clearly be great together, Yvonne might never pursue that, because, like I said, it would be a purely selfish indulgence.” He paused and levelled me with a serious look. “Which means if you really want heryou’regoing to have to be the one doing the pursuing.”

What he said made some kind of determination form within me. Yet again, Dylan was right. To win the affection of the woman I’d wanted for over a decade I would have to convince her of how great could be together, to indulge some of those selfish instincts she’d become so adept at ignoring.

And now that we were living in the same city I had all the time and opportunity in the world to do it.

3.

Yvonne

Two days had passed since mine and Ev’s night out with Conor and Dylan. I’d been busy with work but that didn’t mean my thoughts hadn’t drifted back to that night more times than I could count. I couldn’t stop replaying the moment when I’d been standing in the doorway to Conor’s bedroom and he’d looked at me with such affection and warmth and maybe even a hint of possession as he murmured,What is, baby?Then he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and I lost the ability to think straight.

He’s not for you, a voice of reason reminded me as I fought against the pleasant memories of that night. Conor was so bright and kind. He deserved better than a workaholic who never truly learned how to commit, how to put her partner first above all else. And besides, what if he wanted children? I wasn’t exactly too old to have a child, but I was certainly nearing that stage, and I couldn’t steal precious time from Conor if he wanted to start a family. That would be selfish and misleading.

I was just leaving the club and heading for the subway when my phone buzzed with a text. I absentmindedly scanned it at first, then paused. I didn’t recognise the number but my heart pumped quick when I saw the message.

Hey. It’s Conor :-) I hope you don’t mind that Dylan gave me your number. I was thinking about what you said the other night about us hanging out more often. Dylan and I have a charity gala that we’re attending tomorrow night and I’d love for you to come as my +1. I think Ev is going with Dylan so it would be the four of us again. Should be fun. Anyway, let me know if you’re interested. x.

I paused on the sidewalk, staring at the message until people started complaining about me blocking their way. I shoved my phone back in my bag and started walking again. All the way to the station my pulse pounded in my ears as his message filled my head. He wanted me to be his plus one? That sounded an awful lot like a date and Conor was just so…so warm and inviting. I knew how easy it would be to fall for him, and I was certain he was very, very good at loving whoever he was with. I bet he spoiled his girlfriends. He seemed generous like that.

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