Page 19 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
Gutsy
P.S. Find a hot Irish guy and rip his clothes off.
As Beth read the letter, tears slipped down her cheeks and her nose ran. Great. The tears she’d bottled up were now everywhere and uncontrollable.
Aidan listened from his pretended sleep. Dammit. Beth was crying. Perhaps maybe she was trying not to sneeze? No, she was definitely crying.
Nope, nope, nope! No more damsels in distress! Not now, not again. Never.
Aidan didn’t care how many tears she cried. He would ignore them.
She quietly sniffled again, and again.
He opened his eyes in time to see Beth wipe her eyes with her shawl. “Beth? What’s wrong?”
Thwap! A startled Beth flung her hands in the air and smacked Aidan square in the face. “Did I hurt you? I’m sorry!”
Aidan rubbed his face. Thankfully she didn’t have long fingernails or he might be blind. “I’ll be fine,” he said from under his hand. Yeah, that hurt. “Why are you crying?”
“I miss Lauren. She left me this letter and it made me homesick.”
“Who’s Lauren?” Why was he asking who Lauren was? He chalked it up to the age old saying, ‘if you can’t beat them join them.’ It couldn’t possibly be because she was endearing and although chatty, very warm and upbeat. Humph. He kicked that notion to the curb where it belonged. “Why don’t you call her now?”
“I can’t. She’s in a meeting with her son’s school.”
She was this upset over a lousy letter? He lowered his hands from his sore nose and looked at Beth. Her beautiful complexion was now blotchy and tear-stained and her lip trembled. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small packet of tissues and offered them to her. After Beth took and used half the package she settled down. “How long has it been since you saw Lauren?”
“She drove me to the airport.”
For Heaven’s sake. Women. “Oh, well, that is a long time,” he said with a touch more sarcasm than he’d intended.
“I won’t see her again for weeks!” Beth wailed, her tears flowing again.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you.”
“She’s like my sister. I miss her already and …” she looked at her watch and hiccupped, “it’s only been a couple of hours!”
Big uh oh! Beth appeared to be on the verge of blubbering. Think fast man! “What would Lauren say if she were here right now?”
Beth stopped crying and thought. “She’d yell, “Save your tears for your pillow!” She would say it to make me laugh.”
“You are laughing.” She hadn’t noticed that she’d laughed. This was working! “What else would Lauren say?”
“She would say she’s proud of me, and to get over myself and go have an adventure for once!” Beth bucked up.
“Lauren sounds like a wise woman.” He’d almost said “that’s my girl” but bit his tongue before it got away from him.That’s my girl? What are you thinking? She’s just another damsel in distress! A pretty face. Eyes forward and keep moving.
Aidan quickly stood up like someone had just jabbed him in the ass. “How about I get you some water and something to eat?”
Beth smiled up at him. “Thanks, but I can do that for myself.”
“No, no. I can’t let you do that. You stay here and dry your eyes.”
“Thank you.”
“Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country,” Aidan muttered under his breath. His kindness wasn’t all for Beth. One didn’t need to be psychic to foresee how that would turn out: Beth, with her eyes filled with tears, not noticing everything around her, carrying a drink, and food. Possibly something hot …
The inevitable casualties were too much to think about.
