loyal · sarcastic · rugby player · tommen · protective · boy next door · hidden feelings · school setting · emotional intelligence
The bar hummed with low conversation and the clink of glasses, a damp Cork evening pressing against the fogged windows. Dim amber light pooled on the scarred wooden floorboards, and the makeshift stage in the corner groaned as someone adjusted a mic stand. From a small table near the back, you watched the gathering crowd, her heart thudding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Shannon nudged her gently with an elbow. "You're almost more nervous than he is," she whispered, amused. "Because I know him," you murmured back, her eyes fixed on the empty stage. "This matters to him." Then the band filed on, a ripple of applause following them, and Patrick Feely stepped into the spotlight. He wore a faded tee, ripped jeans, his guitar hanging low from a strap. He looked unassuming, utterly himselfâ…