Leo wrinkled his nose in anticipation. “How do you feel about taking off somewhere?”
“What do you mean, taking off?”
Leo put his hands around my waist. “Only for a couple of nights.”
“It’s a bit short notice,” I said, surprised we were talking about going anywhere at all.
I could see Leo’s mind was set, and as he willed me to agree, I felt myself relent. “You have somewhere in mind?”
Leo smiled. “As a matter of fact, I do. I spoke to Mum and Dad earlier and asked them if they fancied a couple of visitors?”
“Really?” Just the thought of meeting Leo’s parents in the flesh for the first time made me nervous.
Leo nodded. “And you don’t have to look so worried. They’ll love you as much as I do.”
I pictured the two of us, hand in hand, strolling along a vast expanse of beach, trying to keep an eye on Otis who danced and pranced at the shoreline, before racing off into the distance.
I envisaged us enjoying a pint of Guinness in a crowded pub, where everyone sang traditional Irish folk songs to the sound of fiddles, Uilleann pipes, and Bodhrán drums. More importantly, I saw Leo getting to spend time with his own mum and dad instead of mine for a change. “I’m not so sure about that,” I said. “But it would be better to meet them before our actual wedding day.”
“Brilliant,” Leo said, smiling. He leaned in and kissed me. “I love you, Tess Cavendish.”
“And I you.”
Leo suddenly stepped back and eagerly indicated the house. “Come on. We need to get packing.”
I laughed. “What? Now?”
“Oh, yes. We’re booked on the early morning ferry from Scotland.”
Chapter 28
Turning green might be a fallacy when it came to sea sickness, but as we drove off the ferry I felt like the exception to the rule. To say it had only lasted two hours, that was some crossing. Even Otis, who sat upright on the back seat, had done better than me, and he’d been stuck in the car throughout.
I knew that my growing nerves at meeting Leo’s parents for the first time weren’t helping, but as we left Belfast port behind, the swaying sensation of the boat refused to abate. Nausea continued to well through my body and I had to focus on not throwing up. “If this is anything like Chloe’s pregnancy sickness, she has my deepest sympathy.”
“It wasn’t even rough,” Leo said, doing his best not to laugh.
I knew he was picturing me laid flat on my back, in the centre on the inner-deck floor. But he and my fellow passengers could chuckle all they wanted. Having read somewhere that that was where a boat was at its most stable, sea sickness was worse than any embarrassment and I’d have done anything to make it stop.
“I’ll be all right soon,” I said. Bile rose in my throat and forced to swallow, I already dreaded the return journey. “How long before we get there?”
Leo put his hand on my knee. “A good few hours, I’m afraid.”
Oh, Lordy.Just the thought of driving for that long made me want to heave.Desperate, I wound my window down and stuck my head out into the open air. My hair blew around in all directions and as the wind hit my face, my eyes began to water.
“You can’t travel like that,” Leo said.
“Watch me.”
Chapter 29
Over three hours and two dog walks later, I’d finally begun to feel better.
“Good to see you smiling again,” Leo said.
With all signs of modern civilisation well behind us, we travelled on the coastal road that led to Leo’s parents’ house. To our right, there were rugged mountains, to our left it was next stop Canada. I looked down onto mile-long beaches and wild blue seas. Waves frothed as they swept onto the sands or crashed against cliff sides. “It’s hard not to smile looking at this scenery.”
Leo chuckled as he glanced at the raging ocean. “You can see why they call it the Wild Atlantic Way.”
