“Mr.MacSexy.”Jessa thumped her chest, fighting to calm down.How could she have missed it when he’d held the door for them while they climbed into the limo?How could she not recognize that face she’d studied for the past month on the app?And how in blue blazes had he changed clothes while driving?Was he some sort of freaking magician?“It’s him.And he changed clothes.It’s him from the tarot dating app.”
“I think that motion sickness patch is making you hallucinate.”Emily took out her phone and started texting.“I’m going to wake up Papa and ask if that’s a side effect.”
Jessa risked looking at the driver again and shuddered with an eerie chill.He was back in his uniform and unquestionably handsome, but old enough to be her grandfather and most definitelynotthe Mr.MacSexy who always glowered at her from the app on her phone.
“Yeah,” she weakly mumbled as she sagged back into the buttery soft seat.“Find out if hallucinations are a side effect.”
“Papa says,possibly,but it’s more likely due to anxiety and travel fatigue.”Emily texted a reply, her thumbs flying as she messaged her parent again.She stared at the phone, waiting.When it softly dinged with another message, her eyes narrowed, and she nodded, then reached over and peeled the patch off Jessa's neck.“Just to be on the safe side, he said.”
“What if I puke on the train?”Jessa rubbed the spot where the patch had been stuck behind her ear.
“Then you puke on the train.”Emily fixed her with a stern look.“Or would you rather choke until you pass out because of a hallucination?”
“Puking sounds the better of the two.”
“You need to try to relax, Jess.I’m worried about you.”Emily rubbed her back, making Jessa wince as she thumped her between the shoulder blades.“Everything is going to be all right.We’re here for a glorious month, and when we get home, you’ll be safely nested in the loft above the garage.That’s not so bad now, is it?”
“Almost there, ladies,” the driver said.“Is yer friend there all right, miss?She’s gone a bit peely-wally.”
“I’m fine, thank you,” Jessa hurried to say before Emily could answer.“I think the long flight’s catching up with me.”
The driver responded with a polite nod, but Jessa noticed he kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror.Poor man.He probably thought she was about to throw up all over the expensive leather interior or pass out, and he’d have to deal with getting her medical assistance or clean up her mess.
She sat straighter, forced a smile, and pulled in a deep breath to put his mind at ease.Emily was right.She needed to relax and tackle—no—enjoyeach moment as it came.This free ride was very nice, much better than a taxi or an Uber.It was like floating on a cloud as the vibrant buildings and busy sidewalks of Glasgow slipped by beyond the tinted windows.
Just as she was breathing easier, they arrived at Central Station.After unloading their luggage, the driver tipped his hat, then eyed Jessa a moment longer and winked before getting back inside the limo and driving away.
Hiswinksent a tingle through her that lasted far longer than it should have.She stared after the car with the definite feeling that something important—she had no idea what—was dangling just beyond her reach.“I think I’m losing my mind.”
“Anxiety and travel fatigue, remember?”Emily nudged her along.“Come on.This place is huge.We better get a move on and find where we’re supposed to be.”
Jessa brought up the ticket information on her phone.“According to this, we’re going to have to change trains at Glasgow Queen Street.Looks like we should’ve gone through there instead of starting here at Glasgow Central.”
“Yeah, well, live and learn.”Emily squinted up at the boards.“What number was it again?”
“Four zero five.They estimated it would be Platform Four.”
“It is.”Emily pointed.“That way.”
After stopping at a shop and loading up on snacks and energy drinks, they scanned their tickets at the platform and discovered that, somehow, they had been upgraded to first class.A smiling attendant confirmed it and pointed them in the right direction.
“See?”Emily said.“Scotland is already bringing us goodjuju.”
Jessa settled into the roomy seat in front of a wide window and patted the table in front of her.“This is nice.Shame we have to lose it when we switch to Glasgow Queen Street.”
“Didn’t you catch what he said?We’re first class all the way to Inverness.”Emily set her energy drink on the table and tore into her bag of chips.“I wonder why they call them crisps?”she said while studying the package and crunchingloudly.
“From the sound of it, probably because that’s what they are.You don’t find it strange that we mysteriously won the railway ticket lottery and got upgraded to first-class seats?”Jessa welcomed good luck whenever it came, but lately, anytime something good happened, something bad quickly followed.
Emily shook the bag and held it out to her.“Eat some crisps and be thankful.”
“I think I’d better hold off on eating until we get to the cottage.”She jumped and grabbed hold of the table as the train slid into motion.
“Papa should’ve prescribed you something stronger than motion sickness patches,” Emily said.“You’re a wreck.”
“Sorry.”Jessa felt guilty about casting a pall over the trip that would surely give them memories that lasted a lifetime.She pulled in a deep breath, then let it ease out while assuming a pose of serenity.“My calm is coming.Sometimes, it’s just a little late to the party.”
“Wow, by the time we get comfortable, it’ll be time to switch trains.”Emily stuffed the half-eaten bag of chips into her carry-on and gulped down her energy drink.
