“Nope, I’m all set. I don’t want you to have to worry about anything on this trip. Including bringing your wish list to life.” In true form, Eliana emailed me a bulleted, color-coded, Christmas-themed to-do list earlier this week. She’d be thrilled to know I’ve been plotting away ever since.
“Music to my ears.”
We stand there long enough for my whole family to come over and tease us. My mom and sisters get all their annoying but endearing comments in before we decide to hit the road.
“Is it alright if I drive up with you guys?” Sienna asks.
“Yup. You can sit in the back with Josie and Eliana.” I respond, unlocking my car.
Ollie shakes his head and playfully smacks my shoulder. “C’mon man. I think your girlfriend should sit in the front, don’t you?”
My eyebrows scrunch together. “I thought you wanted to sit next to me?”
“Jake, I love you and all, but we live together. I think I can manage not sittingrightnext to you.” He grabs the door of the back seat and holds it open. “Josie, Sienna, after you.”
My mouth hangs open as Ollie sits next to them, then shuts the door in my face. Wow. So much for bro code.
“You okay?” Eliana asks.
“Yeah, I just…Goalies are weird.” We both get settled in the car before getting on the I-89 towards Vermont.
Sienna and Josie are quick to que up their favorite songs and require Ollie to learn the different dance moves.
I reach over and thread my fingers with Eliana’s as she chews on her lip, likely overthinking about coming on this trip. “Hey, look at me.”
She gives me a sheepish smile, realizing I caught her in an anxious spiral.
“I’m happy you’re here, and I’m happy Josie is here. So is my entire family. The only thing you need to be worried about is whether we’re building a snowman or star gazing first.”
I get an eye roll in response, but I can see the tension slowly leaving her shoulders. She takes a quick glance at the back seat, finding Sienna and Josie deep in conversation, before she fully relaxes, leaning her head against the window as she falls asleep.
Chapter 40
Eliana
“Babe, we’re here.” Jake presses a kiss to my temple, and I wake up to him holding the car door open for me.
“Where’s Josie?” I yawn, noticing the empty car.
“In the lobby with my family, they’re checking us in.”
“Lobby?” I freeze in place, finally taking in my surroundings. To my left was a ski lift, currently carrying dozens of people up the mountain. On my right was not one butthreemassive skating rinks, and in front of me was a massive building that made the Four Seasons look like a budget motel. “I thought you said your family rented a small cabin.”
“We do have a cabin…Sort of…It’s just a cabin-styled suite. And small is in the eyes of the beholder.” He winks, dragging me inside before I can protest.
Josie comes barreling towards me and catches me up to speed. Or really screams in excitement about the fact that she was called “Madame” and handed a hot chocolate with whipped cream as soon as she walked through the doors. Sienna’s the one to inform me that our luggage has been taken toour cabin suite and that, if I need to, I can borrow one of her dresses for dinner tonight at the upscale restaurant inside the lodge.
I squeeze Jake’s hand so hard he winces.
“Why don’t you all head over to the cabin and Eliana and I will join you in a little bit?” Jake calls out to our families before pulling me aside to a remote corner of the lobby. He lets me start.
“Jacob Keeley.”
“Actually my legal first name is Jake. Not Jacob. I’ll let you call me Jacob any day of the week though.” He winks.
“Stop trying to be funny.”
“Aww you think I’m funny?” he teases.
