around the airport to the rental car return. Once they’d turned in the key, he led the way to their gate.
“Oh, damn.” Jasmine stopped in her tracks.
Following her gaze, he saw the flight status display. All flights were delayed or canceled. “What the hell?”
The crowd grew thicker the closer they got to the counter. In front of him, travelers asked the same questions repeatedly.
“What do you mean, there are no alternate flights?”
“What are we supposed to do now?”
“You people can’t fly in a little rain?”
That one made Joey chuckle. If they were smart, they’d all be building arks.
Jasmine set down her bags and stood beside him in the line that wasn’t moving. “What do we do now?”
“I guess we pray there are a couple of chairs free while we wait.”
Of course, the seats were all taken, as was much of the wall space. They squeezed into a small spot. Jasmine had her phone out. She always had it in her hand, like it was permanently attached. At least he put his away once in awhile.
Now wasn’t one of those times.
He sat way too close to Jasmine. Her thick black hair kept brushing against the side of his face. It smelled like mai tais, like coconuts. All she needed was a little pink umbrella tucked in her hair. His silent laugh shook his body.
“What?”
“What what?” No way would he admit he’d been thinking about how good her hair smelled.
“Fine.” She went back to her phone. “I feel trapped.”
“Feel free to get up and move around.” He wouldn’t mind the extra space.
“No, I mean not being able to use my apps. If we could get a signal, we could find alternate transportation. Maybe we can fly out of Cork or Shannon.”
“This island is only so big. From what I saw on the weather map before my service disappeared, we’re going to be stuck for days.”
“We can’t. I want to spend Christmas with my family, not with…”
He cleared his throat, knowing where her sentence was headed. “An airport full of strangers?”
“Um, yeah, that’s what I was going to say. I think we should see if the train will take us to Shannon.”
“So we can sit in a different airport? I’m all for a change of scenery, but that seems like a waste of time.”
Instead, they wasted a good part of the afternoon sitting against the wall. Feeling his right foot tingling, Joey stood to get his circulation going. “We should get another rental car and go back to the B&B. It’ll be easier than trying to find a room around here. They’re probably all booked by now.”
“That doesn’t get us closer to home.”
“I think you need to face the fact we’re stuck here until after Christmas.” He didn’t like the idea any more than she did, but at least no one was waiting for him back in the States.
“Let’s go, then.” No whining or moaning. She surprised him.
The line at the rental car place was as bad as the airline counter. The customers were no more pleased than Joey was to hear the cars were all taken.
“How does that happen?” Jasmine’s voice was now on the verge of a whine.
“Let’s take the shuttle to the train. There might be a long line, but at least another train will be coming shortly.”
The porter told them there wasn’t a shuttle. Taxi or bus were the choices. “But I doubt you can get a cab today. You can wait and try, but I’d take the Airlink, myself.” He directed them where to board one.
Thankfully they arrived at the train station without much hassle, even if they did have to wait forever for the Airlink bus to show up. After another long wait at the train station in Dublin and at the bus station in Wexford, they were finally back in Kilmore Quay.
And it was still raining.
“Now what?” Jasmine stood beside him looking at the waterfall pouring off the roof of the bus station.
“The pub isn’t far. We can use the phone there to call Mrs. O’Neal and get our rooms back. Besides, it’s not like we aren’t wet already.” Joey grabbed the
“Oh, damn.” Jasmine stopped in her tracks.
Following her gaze, he saw the flight status display. All flights were delayed or canceled. “What the hell?”
The crowd grew thicker the closer they got to the counter. In front of him, travelers asked the same questions repeatedly.
“What do you mean, there are no alternate flights?”
“What are we supposed to do now?”
“You people can’t fly in a little rain?”
That one made Joey chuckle. If they were smart, they’d all be building arks.
Jasmine set down her bags and stood beside him in the line that wasn’t moving. “What do we do now?”
“I guess we pray there are a couple of chairs free while we wait.”
Of course, the seats were all taken, as was much of the wall space. They squeezed into a small spot. Jasmine had her phone out. She always had it in her hand, like it was permanently attached. At least he put his away once in awhile.
Now wasn’t one of those times.
He sat way too close to Jasmine. Her thick black hair kept brushing against the side of his face. It smelled like mai tais, like coconuts. All she needed was a little pink umbrella tucked in her hair. His silent laugh shook his body.
“What?”
“What what?” No way would he admit he’d been thinking about how good her hair smelled.
“Fine.” She went back to her phone. “I feel trapped.”
“Feel free to get up and move around.” He wouldn’t mind the extra space.
“No, I mean not being able to use my apps. If we could get a signal, we could find alternate transportation. Maybe we can fly out of Cork or Shannon.”
“This island is only so big. From what I saw on the weather map before my service disappeared, we’re going to be stuck for days.”
“We can’t. I want to spend Christmas with my family, not with…”
He cleared his throat, knowing where her sentence was headed. “An airport full of strangers?”
“Um, yeah, that’s what I was going to say. I think we should see if the train will take us to Shannon.”
“So we can sit in a different airport? I’m all for a change of scenery, but that seems like a waste of time.”
Instead, they wasted a good part of the afternoon sitting against the wall. Feeling his right foot tingling, Joey stood to get his circulation going. “We should get another rental car and go back to the B&B. It’ll be easier than trying to find a room around here. They’re probably all booked by now.”
“That doesn’t get us closer to home.”
“I think you need to face the fact we’re stuck here until after Christmas.” He didn’t like the idea any more than she did, but at least no one was waiting for him back in the States.
“Let’s go, then.” No whining or moaning. She surprised him.
The line at the rental car place was as bad as the airline counter. The customers were no more pleased than Joey was to hear the cars were all taken.
“How does that happen?” Jasmine’s voice was now on the verge of a whine.
“Let’s take the shuttle to the train. There might be a long line, but at least another train will be coming shortly.”
The porter told them there wasn’t a shuttle. Taxi or bus were the choices. “But I doubt you can get a cab today. You can wait and try, but I’d take the Airlink, myself.” He directed them where to board one.
Thankfully they arrived at the train station without much hassle, even if they did have to wait forever for the Airlink bus to show up. After another long wait at the train station in Dublin and at the bus station in Wexford, they were finally back in Kilmore Quay.
And it was still raining.
“Now what?” Jasmine stood beside him looking at the waterfall pouring off the roof of the bus station.
“The pub isn’t far. We can use the phone there to call Mrs. O’Neal and get our rooms back. Besides, it’s not like we aren’t wet already.” Joey grabbed the
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