Page 108 of Twist of Fate
My mom raises an eyebrow and smiles. “Do you want to keep the earbuds? I know you left yours behind.”
“Yes, if that’s all right.”
“I have another pair.”
“Great, thanks.” I tuck them into my travel purse and follow her.
We shuffle off the bus, and I almost trip when I see Finn since my mind is still in fairyland, and I might have imagined his face in one or two of those scenes.
Okay, it was definitely all of them.
“Hi,” he says, greeting me with a smile that makes my knees wobble.
“Hi.”
“Sorry, you got stuck in the back today. Manage all right?”
I nod. “My mom lent me one of her audiobooks, which made the time pass pretty quickly.”
“Yeah? Anything good?”
So good, I want to say, but I just nod again because words seem scarce at the moment.
“I need to go pick up everyone’s tickets, but meet me afterward? Unless you’re planning to kiss the stone?”
I shake my head. “No, I would rather kiss a frog.”
He laughs and then leans closer. “Good choice. The line is so long, you’d miss out on the gardens.”
“And what’s so great about the gardens?”
He flashes a wicked smile that sends my stomach into flip-flops and makes my toes curl in anticipation. “You’ll see.”
TWENTY-NINE
Finn
PAST
Many people believe Blarney Castle is a waste of time, and I tend to agree if your sole purpose is to kiss the stone.
If you want the bragging rights, then by all means, go for it. Kiss that stone. But be ready to wait. I’ve been told by many of my American guests that the line to do so rivals something right out of Disney World.
Today, in mid-May and close to summer, the estimated wait is close to two hours. When I come back with groups in June and July, it might be closer to three or even longer.
Whether or not you decide to kiss the stone, a visit to the castle and grounds is worth the ticket price. The castle itself is stunning—a true testament to Irish history—and the gardens, with ruins dating back to the Druids, are just straight-up magical.
I can’t wait to take Ash there.
After I distributed all the entry tickets to the group, I made plans to meet up with Ash in an hour. She’s going to grab a quick lunch with her mom, and then they are going to spend some time together walking the castle grounds. When she asks her mom if she minds being left behind, the smile that spreads across her face…
She doesn’t mind. Not in the slightest.
Since I’ve been to Blarney more times than I can count, I grab a sandwich and spend some time with a few other guests so I don’t seem to be neglecting my duties and head out to our meeting spot early. I congratulate myself on the back for this decision a while later; I look up from my phone and get to witness Ash walking down the path.
It’s a sunny spring day, and it’s warm enough to leave coats behind.
And thank God for that.
