Page 64 of Too Far To Sea
“Huh?”
“In medieval times, knights traveled with their sword arm out to defend themselves, putting their right arm at the center of the road. Obviously in America we were past that era of history, but we were expanding and people got huge covered wagons to do that. Oxen were better for pulling the heavy wagons, but they like to be lead, which most people preferred to do with their right hand, but to see what was coming they wanted to walk in the center of the road and not in the muck at the side of the road. So Americans had their left arm to the center of the road and by the time cars came around both countries did what they were used to doing.”
“What about south paws like me?”
“I assume they weren’t knights?”
The silence that filled the car as they ate was comfortable. The awkwardness left sometime in the early morning hours.They’d stayed up talking and walking half the night. The Royal Crescent by moonlight was magical. The Assembly rooms were closed of course, but it had been fun thinking of a time when its doors would have been open until the early hours while members of society danced and flirted.
If that was their first date, then this was their second, and so far, it wasn’t the mess Brit and Simone predicted. Of course, they had yet to get on the flight.
All too soon, they’d checked in and started the long walk through the terminal. McKay had the privilege of an extra security screening. He finished his screening and sat back downnext to her, his arms full of things that didn’t fit back into his carry-on.
“That was fun, taking everything out after I worked so hard to get it all in.” McKay re-packed his bags.
“Any idea what they found suspicious?”
“Nope. But then they had so many of us come up that it could have been anything.”
“We should be boarding any minute so you can relax.” Dana covered a yawn.
“That late night is catching up to me, too.”
“You don’t look tired.”
“Ship hours. I am used to getting four hours of sleep here and there.”
“Can you sleep on planes?” Dana rolled up a t-shirt for him.
“Usually. Have we run out of things to talk about yet?”
“I hope not. I still don’t even know your favorite color.”
“Green. I still don’t have your phone number.”
The speaker overhead crackled and announced their boarding. Dana rolled up another shirt. “We can exchange numbers on the plane. We better get you repacked first.”
Finishing just as their boarding section was called, they joined the line.
“Dana, I thought that was you.”
She turned her head to see who called her name. “Amy-Kate, what a surprise.”
“I should have known you’d be with him. He probably put you up to it.” Amy-Kate hoisted her backpack over her shoulder and fell into step behind them. Her designer perfume overwhelmed the crowded space.
“What are you talking about?”
“You and him breaking the rules. No dating crew members. It was all over the place. And you two are sneaking around.”
“We only talked on the ship. Nothing inappropriate.” Dana scanned her pass.
Amy-Kate put her phone over the scanner. “That’s what?—”
The gate agent interrupted Amy-Kate mid-sentence. “Miss, it is not your boarding time if you will please step aside and wait until you are called.”
“But—”
Dana didn’t turn around to see what happened. She took the window seat, leaving McKay the aisle. The premium seats Brit had arranged gave them blessed privacy, with only two seats across so no one else would be in their conversations.
