Page 42 of Too Far To Sea
Dana looked at the time on her phone. “There is just enough time, I can take Amy-Kate back to the ship and meet up with you for dinner.”
“Mom and Daddy will be on the ship tonight, so she won’t be
alone...” Chey’s face was a mix of emotions.
“I can go myself,” said Amy-Kate.
“Not through the train station. Remember how many stairs?” Lindie crossed her arms.
Cheyanne looked to Dana. “You don’t mind?”
“Not as long as you get me one of the Celtic design shirts.” Dana gave one of the practiced reassuring smiles she used with her principals when Alan Hastings was shouting in the coms device in her ear about a treat and she didn’t want the principal to know.
The taxi pulled up. Dana helped Amy-Kate in and directed the driver to the nearest train station.
At the station, they called for the lift to take them down to the platform. A woman’s voice came over the speaker, asking why they needed the lift. Dana quickly explained, and the door opened.
The digital sign indicated they had only four minutes for the next train’s arrival for the short trip to the outer harbor where the cruise ship docked.
“Dana!”
Her heart leaped at the voice. She turned to see McKay weaving through the crowd in their direction. As he neared, she saw he had several bags in his hands.
“More souvenirs? I thought you said you had enough.”
“Well...” He shifted his weight from foot to foot, moving the bags to one arm. “I am going to win the best uncle award.”
He smiled brightly and Dana’s heart did a little leprechaun leap of joy. His expression changed.
“I thought you weren’t coming back to the ship.”
“Amy-Kate twisted her ankle. I’m just escorting her back, getting her my crutches...”
The train arrived, ending the conversation. Dana wrapped her arm around Amy-Kate, acting as a human crutch. McKay did the same from the other side, his arm brushing Dana’s, nearly causing her to forget the woman between them.
On board they found a double set of facing seats separated by a table. Amy-Kate sat on one side, her foot up on the bench seat. Dana took the window seat and McKay sat next to her. Amy-Kate looked from Dana to McKay and back, a smile crossed her lips.
Dana’s mind raced. Amy-Kate was the type of woman who would use the information that there was a friendship between Dana and McKay to her advantage. Although she wanted a deep conversation with him, she knew she had already said too much. The fact he’d called her by her first name was a big give away. “Amy-Kate, have you met Mr. Worth? He is a security officer. He had to do a background check on me when we boarded. He was also at the dinner I ate with the captain.”
Amy-Kate’s eyes inspected McKay as if she were deciding which chocolate to purchase in a candy store. She turned back to Dana and her eyebrows rose. “You sound rather defensive to me.”
Dana couldn’t win, so she changed the subject. “Officer Worth, have you ever seen the Book of Kells?”
“Yes, I loved it.” McKay gestured animatedly as he described the intricate designs and vibrant colors of the Book of Kells. He wasn’t speaking in his normal manner. It took Dana a moment to realize he was actually quoting some of the dialogue from the audio tour. Turning the conversation into a monologue.
Amy-Kate rolled her eyes and looked at her foot and moaned.
Dana hid a smile. Her heart warmed at McKay’s obvious attempt to deflect Amy-Kate’s attention from their budding friendship. McKay had understood the assignment perfectly.Amy-Kate would have no reason to think there was an interest there. However, it raised more questions in Dana’s mind. Questions she wanted to be alone to ask him. Just how much did they have in common?
McKay finished his duties, checking and rechecking the passenger count. The two-day stay in Dublin meant many passengers stayed in the city. A few had failed to tell the cruise line their plans, delaying closure of the ship for the night. With fewer passengers on board, McKay took advantage of his officer status to eat in the French-themed restaurant. As he made his way up to dinner, he noticed Dana sitting at a corner table of the promenade deck, gazing out into the vast ocean.
He blinked to be sure before approaching her. “Dana?”
She turned to him, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Hi.”
“How did you miss going back to shore?”
“Long story. I just finished calling Chey to tell her.” She smiled wryly. “Guess I literally missed the boat on this one. At least we’re close enough to shore that I could use my regular phone. Otherwise, I might have broken my promise about using the Hastings app.”
