Chapter 15
15
Kissing the blarney stone didn’t solve anything other than giving Dana some good quality time with a bunch of strangers. She found a quiet area on the castle grounds and pulled out her phone to text her friends.
Dana: The wedding is off. Brit: What?
Simone: What?
Dana: I caught Chandler cheating with one of the bridesmaids. I feel terrible. Trying to decide if I should come home early or tour London.
Brit: Tour London.
Simone: I can send you my Jane Austen ultimate tour. You can do it all from the train. Mostly. You’ll have to take a taxi to Lyme Regis.
Brit: Definitely go to Bath.
Simone: You better not come home early. Use your planned PTO.
Dana: How detailed is your itinerary?
Simone: Places to stay, eat, essential things to see based on how long you are in a town. Since I usually have 2 days to explore. It is all by train.
Dana: Send it. I don’t know what I’ll have time for. Or if I am expected anyplace. I don’t want to leave Cheyalone, but Renee is her Maid of Honor for good reason. She’s fantastic.
It hurt that Chey’s friends were a greater comfort, but Renee did know her sister better than she did.
Brit: Bath. Sally Lunn bun, clotted cream. All you need to know.
Simone: She has to go to Lyme too. After all the Cobb and Captain Wentworth.
Dana: You know the difference between fiction and reality, correct?
Simone: Haha. A girl can dream.
Brit: I thought you kind of met someone.
Dana: Kind of is as close as it gets for me.
Simone: You could see him after the cruise, right?
Dana: Only if we plan to. He is going home to Indiana.
Brit: What a coincidence, you are moving there with the Ogilvies aren’t you?
Dana: I’ll still be over an hour away from him.
Simone: It would take some effort. Is he worth it?
Dana stared at her screen. Was McKay worth a two-hour drive? Maybe once. If it went poorly, she could return home and say it was too far next time. But if it went well. That would be a lot of driving, and what happened when he returned to the cruise line? She learned from dad, long-distance relationships brought problems.
Dana: Not sure. I don’t see this going anywhere. Eventually he’ll go back out to sea and as fun as cruises are, I don’t think I could ever work on one. Not doing a long-distance relationship.
There was the family thing too. Someday she wanted to be a mother. The Ogilvie kids had shown her that, and a spouse who was gone nine months out of the year didn’t work with those plans.
Brit: You should at least go on an actual date. One where you could hold hands or whatever without cruise ship rules.
Simone: Three dates. One to impress, one that’s a mess, and one to confess.
Dana: Never heard of that. What does it mean mess and confess?
Brit: It rhymes. 3rd date is to decide for yourself how you feel. NOT confess your feelings to him.
Simone: And the second date almost always goes poorly. It is a thing. So messy.
Dana: Hence the reason I never get to a third date. The second ones are messes.
Brit: Tian calls the second the false loss. If you stop there, you’ll never know.
Dana: I know after one.
Simone: Then one date.
Dana: Fine. Next time I see him, I’ll invite him on a date. Only I’ll have to go to his place. He can’t know about the Ogilvies until he has had a background check.
Brit: That works.
The alarm on Dana’s phone vibrated, if she didn’t hurry, she would miss her bus.
Dana: I gotta go. TTFN.
The phone vibrated with goodbyes as she crossed the grounds to the tour bus. At the gate, she ran into the last person she wished to see today—her mother.
“What are you doing sightseeing when your sister is heartbroken?”
“Cheyanne said she didn’t need me.” The other bridesmaids were more than smothering her. “I came to kiss the Blarney Stone.”
“You are so selfish.” Her mother followed Dana to the bus. Dana quickened her pace. Her mother grabbed her wrist and spun her around. “Don’t you walk away from me.”
“I have nothing else to say on the matter.”
“Of course not. You ruined another marriage, just like you ruined mine.”
“I was three years old. Not even old enough to understand you were cheating. All I did was tell Dad he was my favorite father, that I didn’t like the other one who came to the house when he was gone. How was I supposed to know you were having an affair and to keep it a secret?”
“You were told not to tell!”
Fellow passengers heading for the buses looked their way as they passed. Dana lowered her voice. “If you had been dating a nicer person, I might not have. I didn’t like the man you were dating slapping me. I wanted to be with my dad. He never once hit or spanked me.” Dana didn’t add that her mother had more than once.
“Of all the impertinent children. How did I get saddled with you?”
The question had been asked enough times that it didn’t hurt anymore. Across the parking lot, the bus honked. Dana wrenched her hand free and ran to the bus, knowing her mother needed to find whatever transportation she’d come in.
The tour bus doors closed behind Dana and she searched for an empty seat. A blue-haired woman in a bright fuchsia blouse moved her bag, a sign Dana could sit next to her. The woman pointed out the window to where Dana’s mother stood staring at the bus, her hands on her hips. “Is that your mum?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, she’s not on this bus. She took a different tour.”
“How odd that you would take a different tour than your mother.”
“If you saw us fighting, it isn’t nearly as odd as you say. To put it politely, we don’t get on.”
“How long has that been going on?” The woman’s soft accent soothed Dana’s nerves.
Not in a mood to sugarcoat things, Dana told the stranger the truth. “Since I was three. She had an affair. I accidentally spilled the beans to my dad. She’s never forgiven me.”
“That’s a shame. Mothers and daughters shouldn’t be like that.”
“One would think, wouldn’t they? Do you have a family?” Dana asked to change the subject.
“I have a daughter who lives in the states and a son in the Royal Navy.”
“You must be proud. “
“Yes. But I get lonely. It would be nice to see them more often than I do. Even so, I have my fun.”
“You’re from England then?”
“I live in London. Every year for our anniversary, we take a trip. Sadly, these past two years I’ve gone without my dear husband.”
“My condolences. Did you have fun on this cruise?”
“I met some wonderful people. And some are not so nice. Did you hear a young man jilted his bride-to-be on our cruise?”
“That was my sister. And why my mother was yelling at me.”
“Oh my. I didn’t mean to gossip. So, you are part of the big bridal group then? It must have been a lovely hen party until it ended.”
“It was. We made lots of memories. My sister is more about making sure everyone had some fun than everything being about her.”
“When was she to be wed?”
“This Friday.”
“She may not think so, but it was fortunate that she found out before the vows were said.”
“She knows.”
“Forgive me for being a nosey old woman. I shouldn’t have asked. I’m Hermione, by the way. Like the girl in that wizard book you kids all seemed to love. However, I am not magical.”
“You raised my spirits. That’s magic enough for me.” Dana smiled to prove her point.
“What are you going to do now that there is no wedding?”
“I’m going to go out to Bath and see everything I can and probably head down to Lyme Regis.”
“Ah, you’re a Persuasion fan.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Do you have a Captain Wentworth in your life?”
Dana’s cheeks warmed.
Hermione chuckled.
“Not really. We’re not in a position to start a relationship.”
“If it’s meant to be, it is meant to be.”
Too bad it wasn’t that easy.
The tech stopped the X-ray machine. Another bottle of whiskey. Why passengers thought that they could sneak liquor on board, McKay would never know. It was so much easier just to declare it and turn it over to the crew so it could be returned at disembarkment. He waved the passenger over to Martina, who was in charge of checking in the liquor.
McKay turned back to the queue of passengers. A few people away, Dana laughed with an older woman he’d seen several times during the cruise. The women scanned their ID Cards.
“Welcome back on board. Did you have a good day?”
The older woman answered first. “Indeed, I did. I didn’t attempt to kiss the Blarney Stone. I don’t need to seeing as I already have the gift of gab.”
“And you?” McKay looked at Dana.
“Does air kissing count?”
“After 2020, I say it’s the best way.”
The older woman whispered conspiratorially, “Don’t let her tell you it worked. She isn’t talkative at all. However, I got her to blush when I asked her if she had a beau and she won’t tell me who it is.”
Dana’s instant blush was impossible to miss. She turned away and sent her backpack through the machine.
“Aha, see, just like—” the woman looked from Dana to McKay. “In fact, sir, you’re blushing a bit too.”
Dana hurried on and the woman looked at them both again, a large smile grew on her face.
McKay nodded and greeted the next person. The last thing he needed was for a passenger to think that there was something going on and report it. Because of the removal of Ian from the ship, they were down two crew members as Alberto left the ship to accompany Ian back to headquarters, leaving McKay and the other junior officers with extra duties.
An hour later another officer relieved him and McKay went to the security office where all the paperwork that Alvaro usually filed waited for him. Paperwork was, of course, a misnomer, as everything was filed electronically. He signed and dated the last form. In less than 24 hours, he’d be on land again.
With the few hours he had remaining on board, he was unlikely to find more than a few minutes to say hello to Dana. He desperately wanted to discover the meaning behind that blush and gain her permission to contact her once they were both home. He stared at the computer. He could access her cell phone number. His fingers hovered for a moment over the keys before he pushed the thought aside. Not only was there an ethics question involved, but he preferred that women gave him their phone numbers willingly. The company would deactivate his ship app access during his leave, causing him to lose that contact.
Maybe if he were very lucky, he could find her one more time before they reached Southampton.
Dana spent most of the afternoon in her cabin trying to read between all of the visitors knocking on her door. Cheyanne came by to escape her former bridesmaids, who were smothering her with attention. Minutes after her arrival, Sheila knocked. Dana barely opened the door before Cheyanne was at her side.
“Mom. I told you I don’t want to see you for the rest of the day. I’m trying to process that you knew about this and didn’t tell me. Can you go find a very short plank, please?”
“A plank? You know I can’t do that exercise.”
Dana couldn’t hold back the laugh, earning her a glare from her mother.
Sheila tried to push her way in.
Dana blocked the way.
Cheyanne ducked between Dana and the door. “I didn’t say to go exercise. I told you to find a plank as in ‘walk the plank.’ I’ve asked you politely to leave me alone, and it hasn’t worked. I am tired of being polite.”
Their mother took a step back, and Dana closed the door. Immediately, her mother started pounding.
Dana nodded to the balcony. “We can go out there and ignore her.”
“I should have stood up to her years ago. I don’t think I ever would’ve gotten engaged to him if it hadn’t been for her and Daddy. I didn’t see they wanted the connection so much. Daddy isn’t nearly as pushy as Mom.” Cheyanne sat down. “Daddy was the one who introduced me. I think he believes he could expand his company to England with such connections. Although Chandler said he couldn’t. Daddy knew too.”
“I haven’t seen your father since Dublin. How is he?”
“He is drowning in sorrows, one bar to the next. At least he isn’t yelling at me. It feels weird to call him Daddy after knowing he didn’t watch out for me.”
“For years I called Sheila my Momster, it helped.”
“Momster? Really?” Chey laughed so hard she had to sit on the lounge chair.
“Since your engagement, I’ve taken to calling her Motherzilla.”
Chey clutched her middle. “Stop. You are killing me.”
After a few minutes Chey calmed. “How could a mom do that?”
“I don’t know.”
Cheyanne stood and leaned against the railing. “I thought she would get it. With everything in her past. But she is so upset about the wedding.”
“Have you decided on your next steps?”
“My in-laws no, they’re not my in-laws anymore, have all my stuff that I shipped over. I called them last night. They asked me to stay at their house for the week. Apparently, Chandler hasn’t contacted them. But INTERPOL has. Lord Fairfax is furious and more than a little sympathetic to my plight. As weird as it sounds, I think I’m taking their offer. I need to be away from my own parents for a bit.”
“And after that?” asked Dana.
“I’m not sure. I have a great job lined up to start next month. Chandler’s father found it for me. Honestly, I think I am more excited about the job than I was about the wedding. Since I am not marrying a Brit, I’ll need to check, I may need a visa or something. But I’d like to stay and work. And that has nothing to do with not wanting to be anywhere near my mother for the time being.”
“Understandable.”
Ping.
Chey looked at her phone. She held it up for Dana to read.
Chandler: I NEED the ring!
“Is that the first time he’s texted?”
“Ya.”
“Are you going to give it to him?”
“No. It’s a family heirloom. I intend to return it to his mother.” Cheyanne tucked her phone into her pocket. “What are your plans? Going back early with mom and dad? Renee, Erin, and Lindie are touring London. No one has heard from Amy-Kate. I think she is in your old dungeon of a room or she got off.”
“I wouldn’t get on a plane with Sheila in her current mood to save my life.”
“Even if you got first class again?”
Dana laughed and shook her head. “I’m staying for a few days. You know I have this thing for Jane Austen. I’m taking the opportunity to go to Bath then down to Lyme Regis. I’ve always wanted to see the Cobb.”
“At least one of us can be romantic.”
“You could come with me?”
“No, I am not ready to think about romance. Speaking of—anything more between you and the security officer?”
“Not really. You saw the text when he asked how you were doing, but we haven’t had any other conversations since the whole mess when I caught Chandler and Amy-Kate together.” The few words that were said when she rebounded didn’t count as conversation.
“It’s odd. Three security members were there to witness it.”
“I thought so too, but it’s probably good, or I might have done more than deflect a blow from that jerk.”
“Good thing you didn’t. I mean, I know you could have taken Chandler any time, any place. He’s a wimp compared to the men I’ve seen you spar with. But I am glad you didn’t get put off the ship too. They could have kicked you off, right?”
When McKay wouldn’t talk to her at the time, Dana had wondered the same thing. She hadn’t been fighting, only defending herself. “I was worried for a hot minute.”
“You didn’t answer the important question. What about the security guy?”
“I’m going to try to see him once we are home. I just need a moment to talk to him. I don’t want to do the whole stalker web search thing though.”
Cheyanne leaned forward. “Really? You want to date him?”
“Yes.” The confidence in which the answer came out surprised her.
Cheyanne smiled. “Good for you.”
“I am really hoping there is something there once he is away from the ship. I mean, he would have to be nice to everyone on board. I’m not sure if he is reciprocating my feelings or not.”
“I think there is interest on his part. Even I noticed how he looked at you. Chandler didn’t look at me all softy-eyed like that. Next time I get engaged, I’m going to make sure it’s for all the right reasons.”
“Are you just putting on a brave face? Or are you really not that upset about things?”
“Like I said, I was more excited about my new job and living in the UK. I always knew something was off. I guess I just didn’t have enough—I don’t know a word for it—flutters?”
Flutters. Dana had definitely been experiencing those. Coming back on ship with Hermione, her heart nearly fluttered right out of her. She never expected to feel that cliche reaction to anyone.
Dana hugged her sister. “I wish this never happened.”
“‘Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then. It is something to think of and gives her a sort of distinction among her companions.’ Isn’t that what Jane Austen wrote?”
“Yes, she did. Glad to know I have influenced you.”
“And I crossed the British Isles. That gives me more than enough distinction.” Cheyanne said in a poorly acted British accent.
“You’ll be alright then.”
“As soon as I get away from the rest of my bridesmaids I will be. They are trying so hard to talk of everything but the wedding. And poor Carlotta leaves the room whenever she sees me, like it’s her fault. I like her. We could be friends if she would stop taking on his guilt. Cousin doesn’t mean accomplice.”
“Have you talked to her?”
“I have, but I think she also feels guilty for taking your place in our room.”
“Should I say something? It worked out well for me. Look at this room. I couldn’t ask for better. And with the crutches, it was really nice those first few days not to have to put up with any of your noise and have a space small enough I didn’t need them.”
Chey rolled her eyes. “Put up with my noise? Some big sister you are, valuing peace and quiet over partying.”
“A big sister who thinks she needs to come back and visit. Christmas?”
“If you aren’t married by then…” her phone buzzed. “Looks like dinner is at the suite. Want to come eat with us?”
“Sure. I’ll speak to Carlotta too, maybe that will help her not feel so bad.”
Later, as the sun set, Dana took a walk around the track, glad that her ankle gave her no pain. On her second lap, McKay appeared through a nondescript side door.
“Hello, stranger.” She slowed her pace.
“What did you think of County Cork?”
“It was nice. I guess I’m just glad this cruise is almost over.”
“Do you have plans after?”
She looked out at the sea as to not appear too interested in him, CCTVs were watching. “I don’t fly home until Saturday. I’m thinking I’ll treat myself to a little Jane Austen tour of England.”
“My sister would be jealous.”
“She should be. I intend to go sit on the top of the Cobb and watch waves for at least an hour.”
“The Cobb is up a long stone wharf thing, isn’t it?”
“Points for knowing.”
“Let’s just say Jen and Mom make sure I’ve seen all the Jane Austen movies. And I read Pride and Prejudic e. It wasn’t that bad.”
Dana laughed. “When do you go home?”
“I have a few things to finish up with at the office, but I believe I will be flying home on Friday. The company is arranging it.”
“Have a good flight.”
He looked at his feet, almost as if he was unsure of himself. “Would you mind if I contact you when we are both stateside?”
“I’d like that. Do you want my number?”
“That would be helpful. Only I’m still officially a crew member on the ship. And I can’t ask you for it.”
“I could voluntarily give it to you.”
“I’m not supposed to accept it.”
“You know my employer. I’ll let them know they can give it to you if you call.”
“That works.”
As they started the next lap, McKay disappeared through an employee only door.
Dana finished walking until she reached the back of the ship. She spied one of the many CCTV cameras. Had he been watching for her, hoping to find a place to talk to her that would not raise suspicions?
She hoped so.