Page 8 of Irish Getaway
They watched the last of the sunset, the pinks and purples fading into navy and black.
“I know I might seem paranoid,” Evelyn said as Claire got up, “But anytime I’ve let my guard down, it’s ended with me being swarmed by photographers or my car being chased.”
“I can’t begin to imagine what your life is like.” Claire stood beside her chair, her heart beating faster, and she felt a twinge of guilt. “I’m sorry,” she said with a sigh. “I was quick to judge you there. And I shouldn’t have been.”
“It’s okay.” Evelyn smiled softly. “Thank you for understanding. I know it’s not easy to.” She stood, hugging herself. “It gets cold quickly.”
Claire nodded, following Evelyn back inside. “I better head back,” she said, setting her glass on the counter beside the sink. “Thanks for the drink.”
“Thanks for bringing me food for the week,” Evelyn said, leaning against the counter, her arms folded across her chest, and Claire had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from grinning like an idiot. Evelyn looked so effortlessly gorgeous in that hoody.
“Well,” Claire said, finding her courage as she slid her hands into the pockets of her jeans, “If you’re not comfortable leaving the estate, you should come down to the stables. We can go for a ride around the grounds or into the next field. Trish owns it, so we won’t bump into a farmer or anything.”
Evelyn’s smiled, her eyes meeting Claire’s. “I would actually love that.”
Claire felt a warmth spread through her chest, and now she was unable to hide her smile. “Okay. We’ll do that then.” She held Evelyn’s eyes for another second. “Goodnight.”
“Night.”
Claire showed herself out, her steps light as she strode back to her quad. She took a deep breath, inhaling the chilly night air. She might be keeping it together on the outside, but inside, Claire was on a high. She was almost giddy, and on the journey back home, her hair whipping as she drove the quad through the darkness, she let herself have that goofy grin. No one was there to see it, and she couldn’t tell anyone, but she’d just spent the last hour with Evelyn Coleman watching the sunset and sipping on wine.
The whole thing was surreal, and Claire was pretty sure that she’d never forget it.
7
The wind whipped through Evelyn’s hair as she urged her horse into a gallop, the rhythm of its hooves pounding against the grass as they raced across the open field, the incline bringing them to the crest of the hill, the views stretching out before her, the greens vibrant against the clear blue sky.
Evelyn knew that this trip had been the right decision. The weight of her life in Los Angeles had gradually fallen away in the last month, and right now, as she slowed her horse to a trot, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this free, this happy.
She glanced over her shoulder, smiling when she met Claire’s eyes, a few strands of black hair escaping her ponytail as she brought her horse alongside Evelyn’s.
Claire’s smile was infectious. “When I asked you if you were comfortable riding a horse, that’s not at all what I imagined.” Her eyes glinted with amusement and possibly a hint of curiosity although she didn’t voice it.
Evelyn returned her smile. “I might have downplayed it,” she admitted, “But that’s only because I thought I might be a bit rusty. I grew up in Colorado, surrounded by horses, but when I left to chase my dreams when I was eighteen… That was it. This is actually my first time on a horse since then.”
Evelyn looked away, thrown by the way her throat had just tightened, and her voice had quivered ever so slightly. She hoped Claire hadn’t noticed.
“Well, you certainly haven’t lost it,” Claire said softly. “I could barely keep up.”
Evelyn swallowed down her emotions, and the sound of her phone ringing cut through the stillness. She pulled it out of the pocket of her jeans, Arianna’s name on the screen. “Do you mind if I take this? It’s my manager. We’ve been playing phone tag for days.”
“No, not at all,” Claire said as she gently urged her horse forward with a light kick of her heels, giving Evelyn some privacy as she answered the video call.
“Evelyn,” Arianna said with a smile. “Are you… Are you out riding?”
“Yes,” Evelyn said, grinning. “The views are just…” She flipped the camera around to show her the scenery. “This is just beyond the house where I’m staying. Actually…” She slowly panned the camera. “There it is.”
“Wow. It looks amazing,” Arianna said. Evelyn turned tapped the screen to get the camera back on her. “As do you. You look happy.”
“I am.” Evelyn ran a hand through her hair as her horse slowly walked on.
“Who’s that with you? Was that the woman you said works on the grounds?”
“Yes. That’s Claire.”
Arianna laughed softly. “Well, I’m guessing your opinion of her has changed. The last time I caught you, just after you’d arrived, you weren’t happy to have someone else on the property with you.”
Evelyn pressed her lips together. “Yes, it has. But she’s down at the other side of the estate. The woods and probably a thirty minute walk separate us, so it’s been fine.”