6
JANUARY 15TH
Megan stepped out of the airport in Arizona and stared up at the sun. She thought she’d enjoy the heat compared to the snow in Montana, but right now, she was missing the cold. She sighed and pulled out her phone, snapping a photo of herself with the sun blaring behind her.
Then she opened a text thread to Jessa and sent her the picture.
Megan: Made it.
Jessa: I miss you already.
Megan: Same.
Then Megan opened up another text thread, sending a photo to Jeff while holding the ten-dollar bill she found stuck in her purse.
Megan: Found a stowaway.
Jeff: Darn those tricky bills.
Megan: Don’t you just wish you were here?
Jeff: Actually, yes. Yes, I do.
Megan laughed. Then a photo of Jeff came through wearing his ski patrol gear. The sun shone there, but it looked cold as the snow sparkled in the background. She sent a heart on the photo and then tucked her phone away, dragging her suitcase behind her to a waiting cab.
FEBRUARY 16TH
Jeff hadn’t expected to hear from Megan, but now that she had opened the doors to conversation, he couldn’t help checking his phone for more texts from her. None had come since the first day she had left, so he decided he would do something about that.
It had been a month since she had left town, and he was sitting in the resort bar with a plate of nachos in front of him. Something about the nachos was calling him, but he also didn’t want to admit to himself that he ordered them just so he could have a text to send Megan.
He snapped a photo of the nachos and a chip halfway in his mouth and then sent it over to her.
Jeff: Bet you wish you were here right now.
Megan: Tease. What I wouldn’t give for some nachos right now.
Jeff mulled over a response before clicking a few buttons on his phone and then opening the text thread again. Then he waited.
Megan: Jeff! You didn’t!
He smiled and took another bite of his food.
Jeff: Nachos are on me tonight. I wasn’t sure where you were, but I figured you could use an Uber Eats gift card.
Megan: I’m in Florida. And yes, I can. Thank you for being so thoughtful.
“Who are you flirting with?”
Jeff startled and looked up to find Dixie leaning against the table with a smile on her face.
“I’m not flirting,” Jeff said, stuffing another chip into his mouth. He’d never been much of a nacho person, but the girls were right. These were delicious.
“Uh huh. Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
