Page 13 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
“What are you talking about? We go on a girl’s trip twice a year.”
“Yeah, but we haven’t flown anywhere in ages. And you’ve never brought along this beast. I would have remembered that.”
“It was Gram’s. I couldn’t find my luggage.”
“I figured.” Lauren groaned. “Well,” One last shove and it would be in the trunk. “This way Gram gets to go with you.” Thud. Lauren stood up and, with a smile, wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “She’d like that!”
“I thought of that too.” Beth wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Gram would have loved this.”
Beth stepped outside onto the landing and closed the door behind her then locked it and turned for the car where Lauren was leaning against the car guzzling a bottle of Coke. She chugged the whole thing then dropped the bottle from her lips and belched.
Beth shook her head. “You are nothing but a picture of gentle feminity.”
Lauren belched again, only smaller this time. “What?”
It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that Lauren lived in a household of all boys and had her entire life. Beth smiled and said, “I won’t be here to give you your daily dose of estrogen. By the time I get back you’ll probably be wearing a hockey jersey everywhere you go, and wipe the beer from your mouth with your sleeve while stuffing pretzels in it at the same time.”
“Are you calling me a neanderthal?”
“Sort of. I’ll know you’re beyond hope if you stop wearing all your necklaces.” Lauren loved her silver necklaces.
Lauren struggled not to cry as she laughed. Beth needed to go, deserved to go. Lauren knew that. But damn if she wasn’t going to miss her. She gathered Beth in to her arms and rocked her hard in a hug. “All set to go?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Don’t look so scared. It’s all going to be great!”
Famous last words.
* * *
Beth dropped her bank vault, er ahem, suitcase, onto her foot. She really should have bought new luggage. She could have just brought along Gram’s picture and that wouldn’t have crushed her foot!
Once she’d hugged Lauren once more and wiped a few tears, she waved to the car pulling away then turned, heaved up her suitcase with both hands and walked through the airport sliding doors.
And tripped.
Into a man.
“Ope! I’m so sorry!” she cried as she balanced herself on a pair of powerful arms and stood up.
“Watch where you’re going!”
He had yet to stand so she couldn’t see the man’s face yet but what little she saw was turning red. When he straightened and looked at her, she froze. Her eyes locked with eyes of the deepest pool blue staring at her with boiling irritation.
“Would you mind removing your case from my foot?” he growled.
She snapped out of it. “Oh, no! I’m sorry! So sorry! Oh, good gracious!” She was so flustered she didn’t know what to do first.
“You know, they make barges to carry this size suitcase! If you can’t handle it on your own, then you shouldn’t have brought it!”
She gripped hold of her suitcase with both hands and lifted it from his foot, then dropped it beside her. Thud. “Listen, I’m sorry that I ran into you, but I didn’t do it on purpose and you’re fine!” she spat. Where had that come from? Did she just say that? Not believing that was her raised voice, Beth shrunk. “You are fine, aren’t you?”
He circled his foot. “Yes.” He almost sounded disappointed. “What’s your point?”
Her point? Um, what was her point? She had lost her concentration looking at him. Good gracious, one would think she’d never seen a handsome face before. Danny had been handsome and look where that had gotten her. Enough of this. Earth to Bethany! “The point is I’ve apologized—genuinely. Profusely! I really am very sorry for running into you and dropping my suitcase on your foot. It hurts, I know, I dropped it on myself a few minutes ago and I’m really sorry, but you don’t have to be so …” So handsome. “So mean about it!”
“Ouch,” he said in a dry voice. “Do you want the knife back or should I leave it in my heart?”
