“They might.”
“They won’t.”
“It doesn’t make a good impression though, does it? I knew I shouldn’t have booked a flight so close.” Not that she’d had much choice. The move back to her hometown hadn’t exactly been planned and selling her apartment and packing up her things—as well as finishing up her last two weeks at work—had meant cutting it fine.
“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have predicted this.”
“Should’ve. It is hurricane season.”
“True. You did abandon us for the sunshine of Florida.”
“Not for much longer.” As nice as it would be to be back around her family, Lily would miss Miami. It had been where she’d found herself, her place in the world, and she’d be sad to leave it behind. “Can you call Mom and let her know?”
“’Course.”
Lily spotted a sign for the MIA Hotel and quickened her pace, ducking around a group of British tourists arguing about the best way to proceed. “I hope she’ll be okay watching Hades for a while longer.”
“Please. She loves having a cat in the house again. You might not get her back.”
“She’s welcome to cat sit whenever she likes.” Lily stepped inside the hotel and joined the back of the line snaking from the check-in desk. It wasn’t too long; she hoped they had enough rooms left for the handful of people in front of her. “Right, I’d better go. I’ll call you later.”
“Bye!” Daisy hung up, and Lily tapped her foot as she waited to reach the front of the line.
“Do you have any rooms free for the night?” Lily said, when she could finally step up to the desk.
“You’re in luck,” the clerk said with a tired smile. “There’s one left.”
Lily didn’t feel particularly lucky as she forked out a hundred and twenty dollars for the luxury of not having to sleep on the airport floor.
But at least Lily was inside. And the room was nice enough, a queen-sized bed in the center and a comfortable-looking red leather armchair tucked into the corner.
Sinking onto it, Lily abandoned her suitcase by the bed and pulled out her phone. She had a call to make.
Lily hoped her new boss would be forgiving.
* * *
“Look who finally made it!” Lily was greeted by Daisy, her face alight with a broad grin, outside Arrivals at O’Hare. Lily was swept into a tight hug as soon as she was within arm’s reach, and nearly inhaled a mouthful of her sister’s hair.
When they were younger, they’d often been mistaken for twins with only a one-year age gap between them. They had the same dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, a spattering of freckles across white cheeks that were easy to redden. Lily was an inch taller—and never let Daisy forget it.
“Glad to be back?”
Lily squeezed her sister tight. “You have no idea.” Her bank balance sure was—one night at the MIA Hotel had turned into three while she waited for a space on a flight to Chicago to become available.
“How’s my favorite sister-in-law?” Alex stood beside Daisy, a baby carrier in one hand.
“I’m your only sister-in-law,” Lily said, feeling tiny standing in front of him. “And I’m good.” Lily glanced inside the carrier; Emma slept soundly within. “I see she’s stopped screaming.”
“Don’t jinx it. This is the longest she’s slept this week.” Daisy started off toward the exit. “I’m guessing you still have a job?”
Lily rolled her suitcase behind her, squinting in the late afternoon sun as they stepped outside. She regretted her decision to pack away her sunglasses. It was a warm day, and though it didn’t compare to the Miami heat, she couldn’t complain.
“I do. They were understanding.”
“I told you.” Daisy nudged Lily with her shoulder. “Wasn’t it an institute day you missed anyway?”
“Yeah, but still. It was supposed to be my chance to familiarize myself with the school and the staff.” Which she’d have to do between classes on Monday morning.
