Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Day Two
Finn stood on the outskirts of the ferry, adjusting his knapsack on his back and securing the hood of his rain jacket over his cap. It was lashing it down that morning. Typical Norn Irish weather—dry when you drove, wet when you walked.
’Course, it was never really dry when you drove either, but that was neither here nor there. The point was, he hoped his group had prepared accordingly today with the proper raingear, or the ferry ride and day out on the sopping wet Rathlin Island would be miserable for them.
He played sentinel near the entrance of the ferry, spotting each of his usual passengers quickly to assure them they were in the right place.
He’d already caught sight of nearly everyone from the bus. Pearl, Renee, Joyce, and Trifle. The Sch?fers from Germany, the Dünsers from Austria, and the Taylors and Waterstones from the States.
He was still waiting on the Jung family from Korea, the Beauchêne family from France, and the Unck family from the Netherlands, but he was sure they’d be there soon.
Of course, the person he was really waiting for still hadn’t arrived, and he had very little hope that she would at all. Daphne must have taken Maisie home, then. He supposed Maisie wouldn’t want to take a tour on her own for two weeks, so he couldn’t fault her for that.
Still, Rathlin Island seemed far less enticing today without having Maisie nearby to send him her smiles.
He glanced around, checking for others from the bus before pulling out his phone to see if his friends had texted back, needing a quick pick-up for his mood.
Finn
Everyone else NOT ready for the run this Saturday?
Matthew
*GIF of a hand being raised*
Matthew
Not ready at all. Although, with Winnie there, I’m definitely going to win this time.
Cedric
I would LOVE to see that, Matthew. Of course, I’d also love to see pigs fly, but we know both of those things are impossible.
Finn smiled, recalling the last charity run in England that he and his friends had participated in. Matthew had come in nearly dead last, with Cedric, of course, sweeping the floor with them.
It wasn’t any surprise. Cedric was a professional footballer. None of them stood a chance against him. He was the one who’d started this tradition years ago, meeting up for charity runs in the country each friend resided in—Cedric in Wales, Matthew in England, Graham in Scotland, and Finn in Northern Ireland.
This weekend, it was Finn’s turn to host, and he couldn’t wait.
Matthew
Not impossible this time. I tell you, Winnie is my secret weapon.
Cedric
Well, moving from last to first would be quite the feat.
Matthew
…I wasn’t last…
Finn
That’s right. You took out a granda so you wouldn’t come in last. Poor man was laid out flat on the ground.
Matthew
Lies.
Graham
That’s exactly how I remember it.
Cedric
Same.
Matthew
Well, whatever happens, you’ll all be sorry when I’m the only one greeted with a kiss at the finish line.
Finn
Ouch. That’s true enough.
Think Winnie has enough kisses to go around?
Matthew
*GIF of man folding his arms, unamused*
No.
Finn
You don’t seem very reliable right now. Maybe I’ll text her and ask her myself.
Cedric
Why don’t you just ask her here? I’m sure she’s right by Matthew’s side. She always is.
Matthew sent a photo of him and Winnie seated together, Winnie placing a kiss on Matthew’s cheek as he smiled on in delight.
Matthew
I mean, you’re not wrong.
Finn shook his head in amusement, though he couldn’t fault the two of them. If he found someone who made him as happy as Winnie made Matthew, he’d be hard-pressed not to spend every hour of the day with her, too.
A fleeting image of Maisie settled in his mind’s eye, but he set it aside. She wasn’t in the picture anymore. Best to forget about her. He’d done that with countless other girls, he could do the same with Maisie.
Finn
So how’s about it, then, Winn? Got enough sugar for the rest of us?
Matthew
She says not on your lifeaoiejr f This is Winnie. I’d be happy to give each of you a kiss on your cheek. But that’s all I can offer, or Matthew might get a hernia.
Finn grinned, knowing full well that she’d taken Matthew’s phone, wrote a few words, then sent the text before he could delete it.
Matthew
I did not approve that message.
Finn
Too late. I’ll be claiming my kiss from your girl come Saturday.
Cedric
Same.
Graham
Me too.
Matthew
You’re all the worst.
Finn
Hey, your girlfriend offered it, boyo.
Cedric
You’d best keep an eye on Finn, Matthew. He seems ready to steal your girl.
Obviously, Finn would never. He had far more respect and love for Matthew, not to mention Winnie not really being his type. And while his friend was endlessly fun to annoy, Finn knew Matthew had had enough. When it came to Winnie, the Englishman’s toleration of teasing was significantly low.
Finn
Naw, you don’t have to worry about me, mate. I can behave myself.
Matthew
Since when?
Cedric
Yeah, that doesn’t sound like you, Finn.
Matthew
Finn the flirt.
Graham
Finn the philanderer.
The boys laughed at the messages, and while Finn knew they were kidding, a twinge of discomfort wedged its way into his heart.
He’d always been labeled a flirt—ever since his early expulsion from Eton at thirteen due to “fraternizing” with girls, up to now, with his friends knowing he never took any relationship past the first few dates.
While Finn enjoyed flirting as much as the next person, he didn’t see himself as a womanizer. He’d left school for reasons other than girls, and he didn’t have long-lasting relationships because he’d never met a woman he wanted to marry. One day, he wanted to create a family of his own, but he was too occupied with helping the family he already had.
In the end, it was just easier to lean into the “Finn the Flirt” moniker. Still, sometimes, it unsettled him being so misunderstood.
Finn
You boys know me too well. But who knows? One day, I might just change my ways. For the right girl.
Once again, Maisie’s smile flashed in his mind. He tried to blink it away, but the image was like a bright light in the darkness, impossible to ignore and emblazoned in his memory forever.
No matter what he did, he couldn’t shake the thought of the woman. It was like she’d cast a spell on him, what with how often he thought of her and how often he’d imagined seeing her that morning.
Only, it was never her. How could it be? If she hadn’t arrived for the ferry by now, she was most definitely on her way back to Boston. Unless, of course, she was just running late that morning. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Matthew
Have you ever met the “right” girl?
Graham
He’s too picky to do that.
Cedric
No, he’s not too picky. He just can’t settle on one girl. I’d sooner bet on Matthew winning the race than Finn ever settling down.
Finn lowered his phone. He could absolutely see himself settling down with just one girl. If they fell in love, had the same goals, the same desires.
If she was blonde and American…
He shook the thought from his mind, but as his eyes shifted to the side, he saw Maisie—or a ghost of her—again.
But the real Maisie was gone. She wasn’t…
Boys a dear, that woman looked like her. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the glimpse he caught of the woman as she weaved her way through the crowds on the street, headed directly for him.
Long dress, long hair. Stark white shoes. When her gaze settled on him, her smile finally spoke the truth.
It was her.
His heartbeat quickened, as if he was already on that charity run with his mates. He may as well have been, his breaths coming in short and quick.
She walked straight up to him, appearing just as pleased to see him as he was to see her.
“You’re here,” he said.
She gave him a look of confusion. “Am I not supposed to be?”
“I heard your aunt say last night that you had to go back to Boston.”
“Oh,” she said, realization lighting her eyes, “yeah. Well, she had to go back for some investor-related stuff, so she told me to stay here to continue my research.” She hesitated, clearly wondering at his surprised reaction. “I hope that’s okay.”
Finn knew their decision couldn’t have been easy to come by. But if there was anyone who could make the best about being left alone on holiday, it would be Maisie. And honestly, he was thrilled with the notion of spending the next two weeks with her without her sharp-eyed aunt.
“’Course it’s alright,” he replied, trying to play it cool.
Was it even raining anymore? He couldn’t tell, what with Maisie’s bright smile shining down on him.
“Good,” she said, “because I just wasn’t ready to leave yet.” She looked beyond his shoulder. “Especially not without seeing Rathlin Island.”
He followed her gaze behind him to the sea where typically, the island was visible from Ballycastle’s shores. However, due to heavy rain and lurking fog, nothing was visible beyond a few feet of sea water.
“Aye, because you can see so much of it now,” he quipped. “I mean, what a cracker view.”
Maisie’s laugh only encouraged him to continue. He leaned in closer to her, that impish spark inside him glowing brighter. “Alright, now be honest,” he said in a lowered voice. “I’m the real reason you chose to stay, aren’t I?”
A blush sprinkled its way across the bridge of her nose. “I mean, I tried hiding it, but let’s be real. What’s the Sea of Moyle, Giant’s Causeway, and Marble Arch Caves to the Finn O’Meara?”
He flashed a grin. “Absolutely nothin’.”
The ferry’s blasting horn cut her laugh short.
“I should let you board now,” he said, motioning to the white passenger ferry nearby, a puffin drawn across the front of it.
“Are you not coming?” she asked.
“I’ve got to wait here for a few more passengers,” he said regretfully.
If only he could join her. If only he could spend every minute with her over the next two weeks.
Blasted job.
He paused, surprised at both thoughts—especially as they rang true. He’d known Maisie for what, a day? And he’d had his job as a tour guide for the better part of a decade? Maybe he was pulling a “Romeo” already.
“I’ll catch up with you on the island,” he continued, “just to make sure you don’t miss me too much.”
“What a relief,” she teased back.
She took a few steps away, keeping her gaze on him before finally turning to board the ferry. Finn watched her, taking note of her white shoes again—white shoes that had been entirely caked in mud the day before. How’d she do that, then?
“Mr. O’Meara?” a soft voice spoke nearby.
He smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Unck, who’d just appeared at his side.
“This is where we are to be?” Mrs. Unck asked in a thick accent.
“Aye, you’ve arrived at the perfect time. You can board just there.”
He pointed in the direction of the ferry, and after ensuring they and the other passengers had finally made it on, he climbed aboard himself, pulling out his phone and sending a quick response to his mates before he would go off-grid for another day of work.
Finn
Maybe Matthew will win.
And maybe I HAVE found a girl…
Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.
Cedric
Woah, woah, woah, are you having a laugh, mate?
Matthew
I don’t believe it.
Graham
You got to give us more than that, Finn.
Matthew
I’m calling his bluff right now.
Cedric
I bet he’s not going to respond for hours now, just to annoy us.
With a cheeky grin, Finn swiped out of his messages and pocketed his phone.