The older gentleman growled and shook his fist, but the grandmotherly woman at his side caught hold of his arm and gave a sharp shake of her head.“Enough, Leonard,” she said overly loud, which made Jessa wonder if the fuming senior had trouble hearing.“Perhaps this nice young lady can translate for us.”The poor woman’s imploring look told Jessa everything she needed to know.The pair were exhausted and struggling with the Glaswegian employee’s slang.
Thankfully, she and Emily had come across this very topic on social media and researched it further since they were landing in Glasgow and then taking the train to Inverness where they intended to rent a car and drive to Seven Cairns.She picked up the keys and jingled them at the equally frustrated Scot behind the counter.“Which one?”
“Red.Far side.Third row.It’ll make’m look right minted, it will.”
She had a fair idea that the guy was very proud of the car and guaranteed it would make the weary couple look like they were rich.Jessa doubted if the oldsters cared about that particular point, but she would pass it on to them.“Have they signed everything?Can they take it and go?”
The cute in an overgrown puppy sort of way Glaswegian grinned.“Aye.”
She turned and waved Emily forward.“While I get Mr.and Mrs.—?
“Reedsbee,” the scowling gentleman said with a growl, his shaggy white mustache twitching as if he wanted to bite the next person who dared to speak to him.
“While I get Mr.and Mrs.Reedsbee into their car, you find out about the train.”She smiled at the pair who could be anywhere from their sixties to their nineties.It was hard to tell because it wasn’t the years that aged a person but their experiences.“Let’s find this pretty red car that he guarantees will make you look like the richest couple in Glasgow.”
“Great.We’ll get mugged,” the old man said as he hitched the strap of his suitcase higher on his shoulder.
“Stop it, Leonard.”His wife gave Jessa a relieved smile.“Thank you so very much for your help.”
Once they found the car and Jessa had helped them stow their bags, Mr.Reedsbee tried to press some money into her hand.“Here.For your trouble.”
She shook her head and backed away.“No.None of that now.You and Mrs.Reedsbee enjoy Scotland, okay?”
Still grumbling under his breath, he shook the wad of cash at her again.“You helped us out.Take it.”
“Goodbye, Mr.Reedsbee,” she said as she turned and walked away.“Don’t forget to drive on the left side of the road.”
“I know that,” he said with another snarl, then muttered more that she couldn’t hear.
Jessa smiled to herself as she headed back to the rental car center of the terminal, hoping the couple got some rest and enjoyed their trip.Good deeds always made her feel warm and fuzzy, but had this one really been all that good?She’d done it to get access to the guy behind the counter and his knowledge about the train.So did that mean it wasn’t good after all, because she’d done it for her own benefit?The thought wiped away her smile and made her sigh.Seems like there was always a dark side to everything.
Emily met her at the door and pointed at a sleek black limousine pulling up to the curb.“Guess what?We get a free ride in style to Glasgow Central as a hearty thank you for bailing out that guy so he could call his girlfriend about their date tonight.At least, I think that’s what he said.Anyway—we’re all set.”
The much happier Glaswegian brought their luggage out on the trolley and helped the limo driver load everything into the trunk.
“Hope yer stay’s a right peach!”he called out as he headed back inside.
“The last time I rode in a limo was senior prom, I think.”Jessa slid across the sumptuous leather seat, hugging her backpack and trying not to touch anything.She was grubby from travel, and the child seated in front of them on the plane had thrown his sippy cup at his mother and showered them all with a sticky substance that was some sort of fruit juice.
“This is nice,” Emily said, touching everything she could reach.
“You’re as bad as that toddler on the plane.”
“What is this?”Emily pulled open a door and gasped.“Look!All kinds of drinks and snackies.”
“Traffic’s no’ bad this time of day, ladies,” the driver said.“Should have ye there in no time at all.”
“I think that’s code forleave stuff alone,” Jessa whispered to Emily while snatching away the soda and crisps Emily had taken from the minibar.She returned the items to where they belonged, then threatened her friend with a stern shake of her head.“We’ll eat when we get there.The lady said she’d stocked the cottage with enough essentials to get us started.”
“It’s a little over three hours to Inverness,” Emily said.“I’m starving.”
“We’ll grab something at the station.Surely, there’ll be vending machines there.If not, I’ve got a nutrition bar you can eat on the train.”Jessa hugged her backpack tighter, her anxiousness ratcheting even higher than before they’d boarded the plane back in Jersey.They were in Scotland—men in kilts, bagpipes, and adorably hairy cows freaking Scotland.She had spent most of her hard-earned savings to spend a month here because…Well, because she was a lunatic, she guessed.What in blue blazes had she been thinking?She shifted in the seat and happened to meet the driver’s amused gaze in the rearview mirror.The connection with him squeezed the air out of her lungs, making her choke and gasp.His uniform had somehow disappeared, replaced with clothing that made him look like he belonged in some historical reenactment.
“Jess!What the hell?”Emily pounded her on the back.“Are you all right?
“It’s him,” she wheezed while nodding at the driver.
Emily glanced at the man, then frowned and leaned closer.“Who?”she whispered.
