falls hard!’
Soon the table was crowded with wine and beer, and everyone was chatting as they ordered a huge mixture of dishes. Erin was so glad that Luke had organized this get-together. They stayed till late, then all fell into taxis and Lisa and Erin arranged to meet for brunch on Sunday.
‘Told you that you’d enjoy it!’ said Luke smugly, slipping his arm around her as they took the elevator to their hotel room.
Erin yawned. She was tired, a little drunk, but so happy she’d come over. Falling into the massive bed with its aubergine-coloured throw and crisp white linen, she giggled as Luke flung off his shirt and trousers and joined her.
‘I hate being away from you,’ he said, nuzzling her bare shoulders and neck.
‘And I hate it when you’re not around too,’ she admitted, pulling him closer and sliding her hands along his back.
Saturday was spent tasting and testing delicacies from the local weekend food market down on the wharf, before a quick lunch and heading off to see the big Matisse exhibition at the National Gallery.
That night they went for drinks to a wine bar before eating at Le Cave. Soft jazz played in the restaurant and the menu was divine. Erin opted for scallops to start, followed by the most delicious pan-fried sole with green beans and rosemary-roasted potatoes. Luke was being extra attentive and romantic as they ordered a bottle of Chablis.
As the evening went on, couples got up to dance and Erin slipped into Luke’s arms as the rhythms of soul and jazz took over.
‘I love this place,’ she sighed as they smooched.
‘We could become regulars.’
‘What?’
‘That’s what I want to talk to you about,’ he said, taking her hand and leading her back to their table.
‘Visiting?’
‘No, based here.’
‘What are you talking about, Luke?’
He topped up her glass. ‘There’s a chance – a good chance – that I will be moved to the office here. I’m back and forward the whole time for the past six months, so I suppose it makes sense.’
‘But things are okay in Hibernian in Dublin. You told me the company’s doing fine.’
‘It is. Fine is okay, but over here things are booming and I guess that’s where you want to be career-wise, Erin – you must understand that.’
‘Of course,’ she said, trying not to show her sense of panic at the prospect of Luke moving to London.
‘Obviously, if I do move over here, I’d want you to move too, Erin – come over here, move in together, whatever it takes. I don’t want us to be apart or doing that deadly Dublin-to-London weekend thing like so many couples.’
Erin was filled with the excitement of Luke actually asking her to move in with him, waking up to each other every morning and going to bed together every night. It was all so romantic, and a big stepping stone towards their relationship becoming far more permanent.
‘Do you mean it?’
‘Of course!’ he said loudly. ‘I want you to come and live with me.’
‘Couldn’t we live together in Dublin?’
‘Look, this move to here would be great – not just for me, but probably also career-wise for you. You can see how well Lisa’s doing and she seems very settled here.’
‘I know. She was telling me there is plenty of design work around and lots of places are taking on staff.’
‘There you go, Erin! Better for you and better for me.’
‘I don’t know. What about work and the apartment and the girls?’
He put on a mock offended look.
‘Haven’t I been listening to you go on and on about work, and how worried you are about Monika and Declan’s business collapsing or you being let go?’
‘I know, I know,’ she said, squeezing his hand.
‘And you can’t live with your best friends for ever! You do know that.’
‘I know,’ she giggled. ‘Nikki and I keep thinking that Claire and Donal are going to move in together.’
‘Well there you go!’ he laughed, reaching over and kissing her, killing any more protests she might
Soon the table was crowded with wine and beer, and everyone was chatting as they ordered a huge mixture of dishes. Erin was so glad that Luke had organized this get-together. They stayed till late, then all fell into taxis and Lisa and Erin arranged to meet for brunch on Sunday.
‘Told you that you’d enjoy it!’ said Luke smugly, slipping his arm around her as they took the elevator to their hotel room.
Erin yawned. She was tired, a little drunk, but so happy she’d come over. Falling into the massive bed with its aubergine-coloured throw and crisp white linen, she giggled as Luke flung off his shirt and trousers and joined her.
‘I hate being away from you,’ he said, nuzzling her bare shoulders and neck.
‘And I hate it when you’re not around too,’ she admitted, pulling him closer and sliding her hands along his back.
Saturday was spent tasting and testing delicacies from the local weekend food market down on the wharf, before a quick lunch and heading off to see the big Matisse exhibition at the National Gallery.
That night they went for drinks to a wine bar before eating at Le Cave. Soft jazz played in the restaurant and the menu was divine. Erin opted for scallops to start, followed by the most delicious pan-fried sole with green beans and rosemary-roasted potatoes. Luke was being extra attentive and romantic as they ordered a bottle of Chablis.
As the evening went on, couples got up to dance and Erin slipped into Luke’s arms as the rhythms of soul and jazz took over.
‘I love this place,’ she sighed as they smooched.
‘We could become regulars.’
‘What?’
‘That’s what I want to talk to you about,’ he said, taking her hand and leading her back to their table.
‘Visiting?’
‘No, based here.’
‘What are you talking about, Luke?’
He topped up her glass. ‘There’s a chance – a good chance – that I will be moved to the office here. I’m back and forward the whole time for the past six months, so I suppose it makes sense.’
‘But things are okay in Hibernian in Dublin. You told me the company’s doing fine.’
‘It is. Fine is okay, but over here things are booming and I guess that’s where you want to be career-wise, Erin – you must understand that.’
‘Of course,’ she said, trying not to show her sense of panic at the prospect of Luke moving to London.
‘Obviously, if I do move over here, I’d want you to move too, Erin – come over here, move in together, whatever it takes. I don’t want us to be apart or doing that deadly Dublin-to-London weekend thing like so many couples.’
Erin was filled with the excitement of Luke actually asking her to move in with him, waking up to each other every morning and going to bed together every night. It was all so romantic, and a big stepping stone towards their relationship becoming far more permanent.
‘Do you mean it?’
‘Of course!’ he said loudly. ‘I want you to come and live with me.’
‘Couldn’t we live together in Dublin?’
‘Look, this move to here would be great – not just for me, but probably also career-wise for you. You can see how well Lisa’s doing and she seems very settled here.’
‘I know. She was telling me there is plenty of design work around and lots of places are taking on staff.’
‘There you go, Erin! Better for you and better for me.’
‘I don’t know. What about work and the apartment and the girls?’
He put on a mock offended look.
‘Haven’t I been listening to you go on and on about work, and how worried you are about Monika and Declan’s business collapsing or you being let go?’
‘I know, I know,’ she said, squeezing his hand.
‘And you can’t live with your best friends for ever! You do know that.’
‘I know,’ she giggled. ‘Nikki and I keep thinking that Claire and Donal are going to move in together.’
‘Well there you go!’ he laughed, reaching over and kissing her, killing any more protests she might
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