Page 62 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
“Other than hitting Roan … I pulled into a McDonald’s drive through backwards.”
“As in the out?”
“Yep, mm-hmm. It was pouring rain and dark and I couldn’t see very well. The next thing I knew, I was facing a pair of headlights two feet in front of me and a soaked employee was knocking on my window.”
“Did they help you out?”
“Yes, it took a few minutes to get me backed out of there, I was probably halfway up the lane, but eventually I got out.”
“Come on Spinner, you’re a nurse. You’re made of sterner stuff than this. You’re going to let a couple of mishaps chase you away from your big dream vacation?”
Beth thought for a moment, lining up her grievances in no particular order and once that flood gate opened there was no closing it. She listed everything:
“… You could’ve mentioned in your book that it’s actually very difficult to drive in the left … and the showers in these bed and breakfasts: I’ve seen larger shoe boxes … And they don’t have hot water all the time and no heat … You didn’t say how much they swear here … You might have mentioned that it rains up! As if all the raining down isn’t bad enough!”
“My book is not a traveler’s guide to Ireland! Who told you to stay at those bed and breakfasts?”
“Nobody but they looked nice. How was I supposed to know they would turn off the heat and hot water? And what’s with the fake eggs and the smoked salmon? Yuck! And the?—”
“Is there anything about Ireland you’ve liked?”
Beth pursed her lips. No, no there wasn’t. All she knew was she had been let down, and hard.
“Anything else?”
“The tiny refrigerators! You could have warned me.”
“When was I supposed to do that?”
“In your book!” Duh.
“Uh-huh. You’ve clearly given this some thought.” He spun her out and back into him.
“I have, yes.”
“So, where should this appliance warning fit in to my book?”
“After the robbery but before the pie.”
“Which pie?”
“The key lime. That’s my favorite scene, you know? The ladies in my book club said they would have thought apple pie would be more appropriate for that scene but I liked you chose key lime.”
“Thank you.” Talk about dazed and confused! He wanted to clamp her mouth shut but he wanted to do it with his own two lips.
“Why did you choose key lime anyway?”
“I don’t know. I guess because it’s my favorite.”
“It is? It’s mine too.”
“Have you had trouble with the Irish accent?”
“Not always but sometimes I don’t understand a word that’s said to me. Like the guy who met us in the driveway here.”
“Is my name Rick Steves?”
“I don’t know, is it? Have you got another name, Aidan? Or is it, Kate?”
