“Yeah.”
Who knew one word could make everything seembetter?
I opened my eyes and stared at my cup while the Hula Hoop-obsessed rodents sang me back to the here andnow.
It was almost Christmas. Songs were playing, people were laughing. That lift of kindness and hope and nostalgia filled the air, thicker than the scents of cinnamon andpeppermint.
Bright lights blinked along the edges of windows and silvery snowflakes hung glittering from theceiling.
“I’ll be there,” he said. “Soon.” Promising me. Promisinghimself.
“We’ll talk. Okay, Delaney? We’ll really talk. Because I have things to say to you. Important things I need you to know. About us. Things I’ve been thinking a lotabout.”
“Okay.” Even I heard how soft my voice hadgone.
He made a frustrated sound. “I need to say them when I can see your eyes. When I can feel yourheartbeat.”
“Okay.” He was coming home. That was good. That was enough. “I miss you like I miss the stars in thesky.”
“Aw,” Bathin whispered as he settled down with half an apple pie. “Stars. How poetic. Most people only aim for themoon.”
I reached across the table with my spoon and scooped all of the whipped cream off hispie.
“Hey.”
I stuffed the entire pile in my mouth and gave him a what-you-gonna-do-about-itlook.
“Baby.” Was all Ryder seemed able to get out. But it wasenough.
That word waslove.
“Hey.” I swallowed the sweet cream then took a quick sip of coffee. “There is a storm headed inland. It’s going to dump a lot of snow in the passes. Do you think you should wait until it blowsthrough?”
“No. I want to be home. I’ll be careful. Ipromise.”
“Just…don’t push it if it looks toobad.”
“Iwon’t.”
“Call me before you leave. And make sure you have a full tank ofgas.”
“And cold weather gear, chains, water, granola bars and jerky. I’m only three hours away, Delaney, not trekking acrossSiberia.”
“A hundred and ninety-one miles, Ryder. There are two mountain ranges betweenus.”
“You think a couple mountain ranges could keep me from spending Christmas withyou?”
“If they’re going to throw a blizzard at your head?Maybe.”
“Let them try. I’m still coming home. Blizzard or noblizzard.”
“Okay.”
“Delaney.” Soft, intimate. “I’ll be home forChristmas.”
“Don’t you start quoting songs atme.”
He chuckled, and just like that, things felt better again. Things felt right. “Jean’s right,” he said. “You have no Christmasspirit.”
