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"I don't need you to arrange anything. I know exactly where I'm going to go. I think it's the one place I've always felt at peace."
"Where's that? And can I get a ticket there as well? I don't know if I've ever known a moment's peace since I came screaming out of my mother's womb." Grant laughed. "Not that I think I'd even know how to enjoy it. To me, that sounds terrifying."
"It's a little town on the west coast of Ireland called Grace's Cove. I've only been for a few days before. Alison and I took a long weekend there. And I remember I thought about that town for a long time after. That's where I want to go."
"You don't think it will remind you too much of Alison?" Grant asked.
"No. You know what reminds me of Alison, Grant? Sitting here in this apartment we used to share and staring at some of her clothes she still has yet to pick up. That reminds me of her," Kane said, pulling up a flight schedule on his laptop. "I'll let you know when I get in."
"All right, man. Safe travels, and try to get laid while you're there. It might do you some good."
"Do you want me to get laid, or do you want me to write a book?" Kane asked.
"Scratch that. Write the book, then get laid. I'll check in with you soon."
Chapter 3
"What do you mean there are no cars?"
It had never once occurred to Iris that she'd need to book a car in advance. Airports always had rental cars available, didn't they? Now, as she stood at the almost empty counter of the car rental place in Shannon Airport, Iris stared at the clerk, who looked like a kindly grandfather. It was one more thing in a long line of mishaps, and Iris wondered if this would be the moment that finally sent her over the edge. She'd barely slept in the past three days. Between dyeing her hair, packing her bags, and dodging the paparazzi, Iris was certain she was careening toward a breakdown. True to his word, John had not only engaged the services of an entertainment attorney, but he'd also hired a PR firm, who had immediately jumped into action defending Iris's reputation. And while the magazines, well at least some of them, had printed her denial, a psychic fraud was a far juicier story than a vengeful now ex-boyfriend.
She still hadn't been able to get in touch with Warren, but she'd changed the locks and her passwords. Before blocking him, she’d let him know just what she thought of him. John had suggested that she open a legal case against Warren. Though the thought of pursuing legal action against someone she had recently shared a bed with made her stomach turn, Iris had meekly followed John's advice. He had been her guiding star through this chaos. While Iris was typically capable of making decisions for herself, she realized that she must have been far closer to burnout and emotional overwhelm than she thought. Having John come in and essentially take control of the situation felt like her guardian angel had come down from the heavens and was lifting her up. Maybe her hand had shook a bit when she'd signed her statement and pressed criminal charges against Warren for stealing from her company, but she'd still signed her name, hadn’t she? At that moment, she started gaining some of her strength back. Now, however, she looked at the smiling older gentleman who shrugged his shoulders sheepishly and tried to compute what was happening.
"Sure, and it's a sad thing, isn't it, miss? However, we have a huge festival going on right now, which is popular with a lot of Europe, and we've sold out of all our cars. Because we're a bit of a smaller airport, we don't have the same availability as a larger airport like Dublin. However, I can take a look and see what I can get for you at the end of this week or into next weekend?"
"Next weekend?" Iris stared blankly at the man. Next weekend? She didn't even know what she was going to do tomorrow, let alone next weekend. All she knew was that John had booked her a long-term rental accommodation in a town that was still quite a drive from the airport. Perhaps she could hire a taxi to take her there. However, based on the emptiness of the airport, she suspected that might be a long shot. "Um, I'm not sure if next weekend will work for me. I don't… I don't know what to do."
Iris realized she was dangerously close to tears and stepped back from the counter, not wanting to turn into a blubbering mess in front of other people. The man seemed to sense her distress, and his eyes softened.
"Sure, and if you'll be letting me just take care of this gentleman behind you, I can see what I can be doing to help you. Don't worry, we'll figure something out for you, okay?" Iris nodded her thanks, gripping her purse tightly in her hands, and moved aside. She spotted a little bench not far from the car rental counter and dragged her luggage over to it, plopping down onto the seat as she tried to get control of her emotions. She envied the man standing at the counter, looking carefree and well-organized. He probably didn't have any problems in his life, Iris thought, though she knew that wasn't likely. After reading hundreds of people over the years, she realized everybody had their own issues. However, the way he smiled confidently at the man behind the counter and was handed a car key in a matter of moments made Iris just a little bit jealous.
The man was well-dressed in the way of Europeans. Where she wore leggings, her purple boots, and an oversized sweatshirt topped with her leather jacket, this man had on a checked suit coat thrown over an old band T-shirt with fitted denim pants and nice boots. He looked casually cool and confident, and when he turned, a smile still on his face, Iris's breath caught. He was also ridiculously handsome, she realized. He was good-looking in a polished sort of way, with dancing blue eyes, thick brown hair, and an easy air of seeming to know his space in the world. Iris always admired people who carried themselves in such a way. It was as though they were comfortable in the fact that they belonged here and were allowed to take up space. Iris had spent a long time fighting to prove her worth, both to the skeptics and to herself, when she should have just been claiming her space instead.
Warren had done that to her. He'd always wanted to be famous. However, he’d never had any real talent in their industry. Before she could go down the dark hole of beating herself up about Warren, Iris realized that the man she was currently ogling was walking directly toward her. Her eyes widened when he stopped in front of the bench and gave her a smile that eradicated all thoughts of her ex-boyfriend and made her want to step into this man's arms. This was such an unnatural reaction for Iris that she shrank back into her seat. The man, catching her reaction, lifted both hands in the air as though to say he meant no harm.
"I couldn't help but overhear your predicament and thought I would ask where you were headed?" He smiled easily at her, the whisper of Ireland in his accent. "I thought perhaps I could be giving you a ride if we were heading the same way?"
"You want to give me a ride?" As soon as she said it, Iris realized that her tone had sounded far more suggestive than she'd meant to imply, and immediately, her face flushed. "Um, I'm going to a town called Grace's Cove. Do you know it?"
"Sure, and that's lucky for us both, isn't it? I'm headed there meself, and I'd be more than happy to have you join me on the drive and drop you at your accommodation. My name's Kane, by the way." Kane smiled at her again, and Iris was instantly put on alert.
"My mother warned me about accepting rides from strangers." Iris narrowed her eyes at him, not liking how quickly he’d charmed her. Warren had also been charismatic, and now she tuned into her spirit guides to see if they had something to say about this far too handsome man offering to give her a ride.
"He's safe," Ophelia whispered in her mind. "I promise you he's safe. You need someone safe. Go with him."
One of the things bothering Iris over the past few days between trying not to read all the articles being written about her was that she'd so roundly ignored her spirit guides when it came to Warren. They had warned her for years about him, and she'd brushed their advice aside, like a rebellious teenager not wanting to listen to her mother's words of caution. Now, she realized that it had been stupid of her to do so. Here she was, relying on spirit guides to help her clients on their various paths, yet when it came to her own life, she'd ignored their words of wisdom. She'd promised herself moving forward that she would stop being her own worst enemy and actually listen to her guides because she had a tool in her tool belt that most people didn't. So even though it went against what she'd been taught, Iris decided to take the ride. Not only was she exhausted but she also wanted to get out of a somewhat public space in case someone recognized her. She couldn't be certain that the news hadn’t been picked up internationally, and though she'd since dyed the purple out of her hair and now sported auburn locks, there was still a slight chance she could be spotted.
"Is it a habit of yours to offer rides to strange women in airports?" Iris arched an eyebrow at Kane.
"Oh sure, I do it every weekend. That's how I pick my victims." Kane smiled at her again, and when Iris narrowed her eyes, he burst out laughing. "No, it's not the usual for me. However, it's hard for me to resist a damsel in distress. And since we're both headed the same way, I don't mind sharing my car with you. I don't know what help I can be once we're in Grace's Cove. However, from what I remember of the town, you should be able to get around on foot just fine. Of course, it depends where you've rented your accommodation, but if you're right in town, you'll be able to walk to shops and restaurants and should be just fine on foot until you figure out what to do about your car."
"Oh, you've been before? I guess that makes me feel a little bit better. I will accept your offer of a ride," Iris said and stood. She held out her hand. "My name is Iris, and I thank you for your assistance." When Kane took her hand, a jolt ran up her arm, and warmth flooded her body. She caught, for a moment, on his eyes, and saw that he, too, felt something. They dropped their hands, quickly stepping away from each other, and Kane cleared his throat.
"The car park's this way. I don't think we'll have trouble finding which one's ours," Kane joked, breaking the moment.
They trundled their suitcases out of the airport and across the empty lot to where a midsize car sat in the very last space. Iris was happy she hadn't packed more because she was certain the car wouldn't have fit more than their two suitcases. Once they were on the road, Iris became immediately grateful that she had listened to her spirit guides. She'd forgotten about driving on the other side of the road, not to mention a stick shift, as well as having to navigate. Her stomach twisted as Kane shot around a corner with a cheerful beep of the horn and zipped along a narrow road. Iris was certain they would take out a wall at any moment.
"So, Iris, what brings you to my lovely country? You're American, right?" Kane asked.
