Page 41

Story: Irish Getaway

Claire grinned, remembering when she told Evelyn never to do a movie where she’d have to attempt an Irish accent. “It sounds good to me,” she said, holding up her hands as if surrendering. “And others have said it too. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

“Don’t think I won’t use that in my acceptance speech. I have a feeling this movie is going to be nominated for a lot of awards.”

Claire laughed. “Well in fairness, I didn’t think you would’ve had almost four years living here to work on that accent. So...”

“I’m still not letting you live it down,” Evelyn teased.

Before Claire could respond, the assistant director called out, summoning Evelyn back to the set. Evelyn squeezed Claire’s hand, her fingers lingering before she turned to walk back. Claire watched, her heart swelling with pride and love as Evelyn resumed her position under the lights.

As filming continued, Claire’s mind wandered back over the past four years. This was the first movie Evelyn had done since moving to Ireland, and Claire couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. After buying the ruins of her grandfather’s home, Evelyn had thrown herself into renovating the bungalow.

Evelyn had rented out her Los Angeles home, cutting ties with her old life and fully embracing her new one here. Occasionally, she’d traveled to London for smaller roles in TV shows, but most of her time was spent here.

Claire had loved watching the transformation, not just of the bungalow, but of Evelyn herself. With each passing day, Evelyn had grown more confident, more at peace with who she was and what she wanted.

When the renovation was finally complete, Claire had moved in without hesitation. Waking up next to Evelyn every morning, going for horseback rides, curling up together on the couch in the evenings… It was everything she’d ever wanted.

Standing here on the movie set, surrounded by the bustle of the crew, Claire still couldn’t quite believe that this was her life. She’d never imagined, back when she’d first met Evelyn, that they’d end up here. That Evelyn would not only come out publicly, but that she’d make a home here in Ireland, with Claire by her side. It seemed like a dream sometimes.

As Evelyn glanced over at her from the set, her eyes warm and her smile bright, Claire felt a rush of love and gratitude. She knew she was lucky. Lucky that Evelyn had chosen to stay at Trish’s estate all those years ago. It was a decision that had changed both of their lives forever. If Evelyn had picked somewhere else, they never would have met, and every single day, Claire remembered how lucky she was to have found this incredible woman.