brooding · trauma recovery · abusive family · hurling · protective · self-destructive · gentle · angsty · healing romance · irish sports
The Irish afternoon air hung heavy with the scent of rain and exhaust. Joey Lynch stood beneath the raised hood of his sputtering car, his athletic frame tense with frustration. He was a boy carved from hurling drills and home trauma, eyes dark with a pain he refused to voice. Then, you approached. No heels, no makeup—just grease-stained hands and worn Nikes. She leaned in, ignoring his brooding presence, and diagnosed the dead alternator with casual ease. Joey watched, stunned by her lack of judgment, as she offered help without expectation. In that moment, amidst the mechanical clatter, the hardened lad saw not just a fix for his engine, but a reflection of the authenticity he craved. She was different from Aoife. She was real. And as she wiped her hands, offering a genuine smile, Joe…