Page 58 of Carson

“Sheep!” she yells suddenly.

I stomp on the brakes, coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road. “Jesus, those bastards come out of nowhere. I better slow down.”

“You’re getting more comfortable driving on the wrong side of the road.”

“Too comfortable,” I say, making a mental note to keep an eye out for critters. There sure as hell isn’t much fencing around here, and I cannot risk getting into an accident with her.

And so it goes, day in and day out. We explore from sunup to sundown.

Everything is going great until I sign us up for a hawk tour at Ashford Castle. It’s one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had, but the entire time, I wish my brother was here with me.

I watch as Luna holds her gloved hand out for our hawk, Java, to swoop in for a landing. The sheer delight on her face eases my pain somewhat.

This isn’t how I envisioned it. Falling in love. I guess I pictured Cole along for the ride. Which is stupid because it’s something we can’t share.

On the way to our next stay, Luna reaches over and grabs my phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m telling your brother he’s being an asshole.”

I laugh, trying to snag it back from her.

She doesn’t give it back, but she doesn’t message him either. “If you want to go home, we can go anytime, Carson. Seriously, this has been a week I’ll never forget.”

“We’ve got so much more to see.”

“We can come back another time.”

I focus on the road, my heart beating out of my chest, because she’s talking about us like we’re a couple.

“But the best is yet to come,” I tell her. “I’m not going to let Cole ruin that for either of us.”

“Maybe he isn’t trying to ruin your time here. Maybe he’s letting you and me have space to get to know each other.”

“You think?”

She nods, handing me back my phone. “I’m sure of it.” Luna doesn’t message Cole from my phone, but she does add his number to hers. “Just in case,” she says, grinning at me.

I wonder what she’d say to him if she did message him.

“Oh my god,” Luna says, leaning forward to look out the front windshield at Kilronan Castle. “This place feels like a dream.”

“I managed to get us the turret room. It’s the exact room your mother stayed in.”

She immediately looks up at the turret. “I’m going to cry,” she says quietly. “But I’m not sad.”

“That’s okay,” I assure her, pulling into a parking spot. I give her time to herself while I unload our bags. A few minutes later, she joins me at the back of the car.

“I’m going to need you to stop being so sweet,” she says quietly, bumping her shoulder against my arm. “I’m going to dehydrate.”

I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her against me, giving her a hug. “I won’t let that happen.”

“So you’re not going to stop?”

When I first found Luna hiding in the closet of her camper, I thought she was broken. I was prepared to fight her demons with her, but the longer we’re together, I realize she’s already fought those battles.

“My mother called this area of Ireland the heart of the isle.”