Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Great,” I reply and give her my phone number.
“Here is your ticket number.” She hands me the white ticket. “Also, this is a little something to tide you over.” She hands me a little bag. “It has some toiletries in there.”
“Thank you,” I say, shaking my head, “but I won’t be needing that. My parents have things at their house.”
“Well then, you have a great day.” She smiles. “Happy holidays.”
I pick up my bag and head toward the exit, my phone in my hand as I brace for the cold. The wind whips my hair to the side as I walk toward the taxi line. I’m waiting in line, going from one foot to the other as I wait for my turn. I’m literally shivering when the SUV stops at the curb and I get into the back seat.
“No luggage?” he asks me as I rub my hands together.
“Santa Claus won’t make me happy with a toy on Christmas Day” blares out of the radio.
“No, they lost my luggage.”
He hisses, “That’s not good.”
“Yeah, you’re telling me,” I grouse and give him the address to my parents’ house.
An hour and forty-five minutes later, he’s pulling into the end of the driveway since it’s packed with cars. All the lights in the house are on. He stops the vehicle, and I take my credit card out and pay the fee before grabbing my bag and rushing to the front door.
I turn and push open the door but the door is locked. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I grumble and then ring the fucking doorbell.
“I’ve got it,” I hear my father yelling and then he comes to the door and swings it open. “Oh my gosh, Elizabeth.” He reaches for me and pulls me to him. “You’re here.” He hugs me and the warmth of the house hits me. “We’ve been calling and calling you and it’s going straight to voicemail.”
“That would happen,” I snap and put my hands on my hips, “when you’ve been flying for twenty-four hours and your phone dies.”
“Why didn’t you charge it on the plane?” He shuts the door behind me.
“Yeah, why didn’t I do that?” I throw up my hands. “I should have done that,” I say sarcastically, kicking off my sneakers. “I don’t know why it didn’t dawn on me to do this before.”
“I’m sensing sarcasm,” he replies, smiling at me. Even though he retired from hockey a long time ago, he’s stayed fit.
“You would be sensing right,” I retort and then I hear my mother shrieking when she runs into the room.
“My baby,” she wails, running to me. “My baby is home.”
“Oh, now she cares.” I roll my eyes as she hugs me and swings me from side to side.
“It’s been two and a half hours since I landed, and instead of you guys tearing up the country looking for me, you’re all here. I could have been kidnapped and taken to some cellar somewhere.”
“Okay, let’s simmer down.” My brother Jack comes into the room, a huge smile on his face. He looks exactly like my dad. “I think you’re giving yourself a lot of credit.”
He takes me in his arms and gives me the biggest bear hug ever. “I’m prime picking.” I look over at my father, who rolls his eyes, and then at my mother, who smiles through her tears.
“All my kids together.”
“What took you so long?” Jack asks when he lets me go.
“They lost my luggage,” I reply and my mother gasps. “I know, so much for packing early.”
“You must be starving. Let’s get you something to eat,” my mother says, grabbing my hands and pulling me into the kitchen where I’m greeted with about forty family members. It takes me forever to make it through to everyone and then stop beside Joshua, who has his foot up on the table with a bag of ice draped over it. “Oh, here we go.” I roll my eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”
“It’s badly sprained,” he states as I bend to hug him and then ruffle his hair. He tries to get away from me, but given the fact he has one foot, it’s easy for me to fuck with him.
“You better go rub some dirt on that and get your ass up. Lots to do.” I clap my hand sitting next to him. “Chop-chop, groomzilla.”
He laughs at me and I can feel eyes on me. My head turns to the side and there he is. My brother’s best friend. My brother’s very hot best friend. The same best friend who shared one night with me right before I decided to go away on my semester abroad. The same guy who I had a crush on my whole teenage era. “Nate.” I nod my head at him, the same guy who ghosted me when I left. “Surprised to see you here.”