Page 34 of Journey to Cheshire Bay

In the warmth of a Saturday evening on a long weekend.

On a mountain side turnout.

It would’ve been romantic had it not been so cheesy.

It would’ve been perfect if Holden hadn’t spoken.

“Oh, please don’t post our picture on social media.”

“Huh?” Stunned wouldn’t have been the right word. Gobsmacked summed it up better. “I haven’t posted anything about this trip.”

“Well, I’ve seen you on there.”

“Yeah, scrolling.” Stalking myfriends’pages, checking my IMs to see if they’ve inquired as to where I’ve been. It had just proven my point that it was best to have left it all behind. Good riddance to them all. However, the perfect moment with Holden had been ruined, and sarcasm laced my words. “We’re not even connected, so you’re good.”

“I can change that, you know.” He opened an app on his phone to show me.

“I think right now it’s more important we get moving.” I patted his arm and sent a quick text to Amber, updating her.

She responded quickly how late it would be by the time we arrived in Victoria, but she said she’d get back to me tomorrow morning with a flight out of there. Her pilot friend Eric didn’t fly in the evening, and since he was my ride to Cheshire Bay, it depended on which flight had room in his tomorrow’s runs. My plans now included another overnight stay. Somewhere.

Once back on the highway, I relayed what Amber had said.

“Grandma said the same thing.”

“Is she leaving the house unlocked for you or a key under the mat?”

He kept his focus on the road. “No, but she said she’d stay awake until I arrive.”

Calculating the drive ahead, plus whatever ferry or flight we could find, there’d be no way he’d get to the house before two am, and that was being generous.

“It’s going to be super late when you finally get there. We shouldn’t have stopped. I’m so sorry.” Fully prepared to handle the burden, I sunk into my seat.

“I’m not too worried, and you shouldn’t be either.” He held his breath for a minute before he stole a quick peek in my direction. “Besides… I already told her I’ll be grabbing a hotel room, and I’d be home before noon tomorrow.”

“You what? A hotel room?” The last three words dangled in the air but when he didn’t elaborate, I focused on the big picture of what he’d said. “That’s cutting it way too close.”

“It only gives me a little visit with them before I start work, that’s true.” He tapped his finger against his chin. It was playful as if he’d already thought that through.

“Yeah, like half a day.”

He laughed. “A little more than that, but I’ll have the day with them, and then everything will be all switched.”

“How so?”

“I’ll have late afternoons at the university, and evenings and nights at the observatory. I won’t be home until the sun starts coming up.”

“And that’s why you wanted to be there for the weekend?”

“Precisely.”

“And the unscheduled landing in Calgary changed all that?”

He reached for my hand and gave it a tender squeeze. “But in a good way. I’m getting to know you – the real you. Plus, I’ve never done a road trip without family along, and this has been entertaining and interesting.”

Interesting was a great word for it.

Still, it gave me pause. Enough to speak about it. “And what happens after we get to our destination?”