Piper must be doing her mind reading thing again, because one moment we are awkwardly staring at each other in the middle of Whoville, and the next she’s punching me in the arm—hard I might add. “I missed you too, Spen-Sirrrr.”
“I hate that fucking nickname,” I gripe. Her smile is infectious and I feel the corners of my lips curl up.
“I know, but I love saying it.” She looks down at the box of Christmas lights and then looks around the mostly set up market. By tonight the market should be ready for business. “Let's hang these lights so we can go get lunch. I can’t wait to hear all about this teaching thing you’ve got going on now, Mr. Larson. God that sounds so freaking professional,” she beams proudly up at me before she continues. “And, I know you’re dying to hear alllll about my gorgeous and single sister.” She tries to throw a wink my way and I can’t contain the loud laughter that erupts from my chest at the sight of it. Piper’s winks are literally just a rapid succession of blinks.
“Five years later, and you still can’t do a proper wink!” I tease her and she rolls her eyes at me while flipping me the bird. I swat at her hand like a child and reach down to grab the box of lights before that last bit she said really clicks in my brain. “Wait, did you say Phoebe is single? What happened to that banker dude she was dating?”
“First off, it’s creepy that you’ve been cyber-stalking my sister. Secondly, just because he lives in New York doesn’t automatically make him a banker,” she replies.
“What did he do then?”
“I actually have no idea. I didn’t like him enough to ask, but who cares about that douchebag. Now let’s go Romeo. I’ll tell you all about what’s new with Pheebs,afteryou buy me a beer.”
I know I shouldn’t let myself get excited. Nothing has changed between us and I’ve let five years of resentment build on her shoulders. Phoebe hates me, and I can’t ever tell her what really happened without risking ruining her relationship with her sister.
But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see her again.
Chapter Three
Phoebe
Theplanehasfinallygotten under the thick layer of fluffy white clouds and the sky is a perfect shade of baby blue. I have my face pressed close against the cold window as I desperately try to spot my parents house from above—a useless task since every house looks identical. All I can make out are rows and rows of perfect little boxes, each one surrounded by white snow, and most of the chimneys have little puffs of smoke coming out of them.
I can’t believe I’ve spent so long away from this place, my knee bounces wildly in anticipation as the plane gets closer to the ground. I’m ready to breathe in the smells of my home, and hug my parents tightly. I’m even ready to see my siblings, though they’re both on my shit list still.
Only Piper could guilt trip me into coming back, and only Phil could have the means to help her.
I can’t believe that little weasel recorded me singing my heartache out with Taylor Swift. I’ve got to find a way to get him to erase that stupid video. I don’t need any reminders of how badly Kevin broke my heart a year ago.
The flight attendant announces over the intercom that we are preparing to land, and I’m more than ready to comply with her list of demands so that we can get out of this sardine can and back on steady ground. Flying doesn’t typically bother me, but I’ve felt extra anxious today about this trip home ever since Piper texted me and told me that Spencer was volunteering at the town Christmas Market. Of course she would run into him the minute she landed. You’d think she’d have better things to do, like I don’t know, sleep, so she could get adjusted to the huge time difference between here and Germany.
When she texted me and told me they were going out for lunch, my stomach twisted and turned into a green-eyed monster of a mess. It’s been five years, why am I still so jealous over her hanging out with him?
I walked out on him.
I chose to not let him explain his side of the story because I couldn’t handle the fact that he liked my sister more than he liked me. They were inseparable all throughout our lives, and I always had this feeling that he wanted her, which is why it makes no sense why he asked me to be his date. Unless I was just an easier version of her that seemed attainable since Piper had always made it clear she only thought of him as a friend.
Earth to Phoebe, you’re still worried about that because deep down you know that you’ll never really let go of that childhood crush you’ve had on Spencer your whole life.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t realize how close we are to the ground when the plane lands roughly. A startled scream escapes my throat and I grab onto the armrests of my seat as the plane hops on the runway several times. It sways back and forth until the pilot is able to slow the plane to a steady glide. Everyone starts clapping as we pull up to our gate. I never really understood why clapping at the end of the plane ride is a thing, but I join right along with my fellow passengers because I’m so freaking ready to get out of this plane.
A half hour later, I finally see my zebra printed suitcase getting dropped onto the luggage carousel. I send a quick text to Piper to let her know to come pick me up outside of the baggage claim doors. I really should have just taken a carry-on, but I didn’t want to mess up the supplies for the epic ugly Christmas sweater that I have wrapped up carefully in my bag. Not to mention, the Christmas gifts I have for the family definitely wouldn’t have fit in a carry-on.
Waiting on luggage after a flight is very reminiscent of being on the diving pad at a swim meet, waiting on the high pitched tone of the whistle being blown to signal the start of the race. Everyone around me waits to charge the moment the carousel lets out the loud beep, indicating that it’s being turned on. I patiently wait my turn, watching as my bag gets closer, but as I step forward to grab it, someone else beats me to it and I have to reign in a gasp when this tall stranger turns around with my suitcase in his hands.
Spencer freaking Larson.
My mind goes completely blank as I stare up at him. I’m too focused on his lips and the way they are moving as he speaks to me. He still looks like the same Spencer I knew five years ago, but my goodness he has aged like a fine wine. He’s still tall, but his arms and shoulders are broader andmuchmore muscular. The red and green flannel he’s wearing is fitted tightly across his chest, and I vaguely wonder if he still hits the gym on a regular basis. My eyes wander up and down his body and I feel the moisture in my mouth completely dry up as I chew on my bottom lip.
This is so unfair, he’s still absolutely gorgeous…and looking up at his bright hazel eyes, I truly wish that I could shut off the nagging voice in the back of my head that’s telling me to stay away from him.
Stay far, far away Phoebe.
“PHEEBS!”
Hearing that voice…I feel as though a bucket of ice water has been tossed on to me. I turn towards the annoyingly loud screech that belongs solely to my sister, when she tackles me from behind…and throws me right into a Spencer-Piper hug sandwich.
It’s easy to tell that pesky voice in the back of my head to screw off when I’m pressed this close to Spencer’s muscular body, with his broad arms wrapped tightly around my body. It’s almost like he’s protecting me from the onslaught of my sister, and I can’t say I’m upset about it. My face is pressed flush with his chest and I can’t stop myself from inhaling the scent of him. A girls gotta breathe right? He smells like cinnamon, with notes of evergreen. Oh my God. He smells like a Christmas tree. A delicious six-foot tall Christmas tree.
