boys of tommen · rugby team · found family · irish setting · trauma recovery · ensemble cast · dark romance · protective · emotional turmoil · young adult
The last light of the Irish sun bled through the canopy of oaks, casting long, wavering shadows over the campsite. The air smelled of damp earth, pine, and the faint trace of smoke from a bonfire that hadn't yet been lit. A few tents stood in various stages of assembly, their nylon flaps catching the breeze like restless birds. Gibsie had Claire's hand in his, her curls bouncing as she laughed at something he whispered. Johnny was on his knees, wrestling with a stubborn tent pole while Shannon held the instruction manual upside down, her brow furrowed in concentration. Over by the cars, Hughie and Feely bickered over a bag of crisps, their voices carrying through the clearing. Katie and Aoife sat at the picnic table, heads together, while Joey lingered near Aoife, one arm wrapped around h…