Chapter 12

Not for the first time, Claire had to wonder what exactly she was doing when she let Evelyn top of her glass of wine as they enjoyed the last bit of sunshine out on her patio. If their Tuesday evenings, their weekly horse rides, and the occasional drive to the coast wasn't enough, Claire had sent Evelyn a text earlier, asking if she could come over for a drink since it was the 4th of July. Claire didn't say as much, but she didn't want Evelyn to be alone, and she had a bit of a surprise for her.

She'd gotten lucky with the weather. Yesterday it had rained for most of the day, but today had been hot and sunny, and only a few clouds dotted the sky now at nine o'clock.

"You know, it would've been dark in Los Angeles an hour ago," Evelyn said. "This is another thing I could get used to."

"Ten o'clock sunsets?" Claire asked with a smile tugging at her lips as she looked over at Evelyn, the sun catching the golden brown highlights in her long hair.

Yeah, she was going to need some kind of therapy after Evelyn left. She could feel her crush moving into something much more dangerous with every additional day she spent with Evelyn. Claire was struggling not to let her mind wander, because it was so easy to imagine lifting her hand to brush a lock of hair behind Evelyn's ear or worse… She'd started thinking about what it'd be like to kiss her.

"Yeah. I love this. I'm a night owl naturally, although all those early mornings on set never gave me too many chances to stay up late."

As they finished their second glass of wine, Claire checked her watch. If she was really doing this, they'd have to get going.

"What do you think about moving to a better spot to watch the sunset?" Claire asked. "It's a two minute ride on the quad."

"Yeah. Sure."

They brought their glasses inside, and Evelyn followed Claire over to her quad. Claire's heart skipped a beat as Evelyn wrapped her arms around her waist, and she swallowed hard. The warmth of Evelyn's body pressed against her back sent a shiver down her spine, and she had to take a deep breath to steady herself.

Claire couldn't help but revel in the feeling of Evelyn's arms tightening around her waist as she sped up. The closeness was intoxicating, and Claire found herself wishing the ride would never end, but it was over just a few moments later when they reached a hill overlooking the fields below, the mountains in Connemara that Evelyn had been mesmerized by on their first drive together in the distance.

Claire hopped off the quad after Evelyn and spread out a blanket for them to sit on. The sun had dipped below the horizon and the sky was streaked with deep purples and vibrant pinks. They watched the sky change, getting more dramatic until darkness started to take over.

"Thank you," Evelyn said softly in the fading light, sitting with just a tiny gap between them, their arms accidentally brushing. "For texting me earlier. As much as I'm loving being here, there is a part of me that misses things about home. Silly things mostly, but I guess, between getting back into horse riding and today being the 4th, I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic." Evelyn turned to look at her. "And I'm glad I'm not alone."

Claire nodded, but before she could reply, a loud pop and a crackle echoed across the fields as a flash of white illuminated the dark sky. A second and third firework followed in quick succession, and the sounds of hissing and popping filled the air.

Claire didn't know how she could ever thank her friend, Michael, for coming through at the last minute. He owned the land on the opposite side of the estate, well away from the horses and with no houses nearby. He'd even found red, white, and blue fireworks, and the look on Evelyn's face made it worth the effort.

Claire barely noticed the fireworks as she watched Evelyn's expression turn from shock and disbelief to happiness, her lips sliding into a smile.

"I called in a favor," Claire admitted after a few moments, the fireworks still bursting against the night sky. She leaned over, lightly bumping shoulders with Evelyn as she said, "But don't tell anyone. Fireworks are illegal in Ireland."

Evelyn turned to face Claire, her eyes shimmering with emotion, and then she was surging forward, her eyes fluttering closed, her hand reaching out to cup Claire's cheek, and when Evelyn's lips met hers, Claire's world stood still.

The feeling of Evelyn's lips against hers sent a surge of electricity through her body, and she didn't have time to process what was happening. Her heart raced as she brushed her lips over Evelyn's, and when a soft moan escaped Evelyn's lips, Claire felt it everywhere.

How was this happening? How was this even real?

Claire sighed into the kiss as the sound of the fireworks illuminating the night sky filled her ears. She lifted a hand to Evelyn's cheek, leaning in closer, deepening the kiss when Evelyn didn't pull away. Evelyn's fingers slid into Claire's hair, and Claire lost herself in the sensation of Evelyn's soft lips moving against her own.

As Evelyn pulled back, Claire searched her face for any sign of regret or uncertainty, but in the near darkness, it was impossible to tell.

Claire's breath caught in her throat as Evelyn scooted closer, the warmth of her body sending a tingling sensation down Claire's arm as they watched the final bursts of fireworks illuminate the night sky.

Claire's heart thumped in her chest, her mind still trying to catch up to what had just happened.

Evelyn Coleman had just kissed her.

None of this felt real, but the weight of Evelyn's head resting on her shoulder was undeniably real, and when Claire inhaled a deep breath, she caught the familiar scent of Evelyn's perfume.

Claire wanted to wrap her arm around Evelyn's waist, but she couldn't. She didn't want to ruin this moment, and until they were back at the house, Claire wouldn't be able to stop thinking about what had just happened and what it all meant for Evelyn.

Had she just gotten caught up in the moment, and because she knew that Claire was gay, she'd kissed her?

As soon as she'd thought it, she dismissed it. That didn't make sense.

But then she remembered one of their earliest conversations, how Evelyn had cryptically referred to having regrets.

And that set Claire's heart racing.