Miguel pulled out his phone and typed out a text.I’m going to the newsstand. You need anything?He sat with his thumb hovering over send. Chances were good he’d almost passed from kind of annoying to definitely annoying. But a text was less annoying than marching up to her and begging her to talk to him.
He sent the text, then held his breath. He forced himself not to look at her or his phone. Just because hewaspathetic, he didn’t have toactpathetic. But man, if her number was different now and he’d just texted some random person...
His phone beeped. Miguel forced himself to pull it out slowly, casually. He held his breath and opened the text.
Are you bribing me with more junk food?
Miguel gave a mental fist pump. Not only did he have her number, but she’d responded with something other than “Leave me alone, creep.”
He quickly typed back.Or a U-shaped travel pillow. Everyone needs a good travel pillow.
Tim, Darren, and crew were across the gate deep in conversation. Miguel hoped whatever they were planning worked. He wasn’t failing completely, but he could use all the help he could get.
A new text came through.What about a keychain with my name on it? Or I <3 NY?
Jane hated the cheesy touristy souvenirs.A tacky keychain? I don’t know who you are anymore.This was working even better than he’d hoped. She must not have completely hated him if she was joking around.
He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She laughed as she read the text. Miguel couldn’t help grinning. She might not have wanted to marry him and was hesitant to even talk to him, but she was laughing and willingly texting with him.
Her response came quickly:You. Me. Newsstand. Person who finds the cheesiest souvenir buys the other one a drink.
It was exactly the sort of thing Jane would have suggested while they were dating.You’re on, Schoonenburg.
He didn’t wait to watch her get the text. She was likely watching him already. He jumped up and rushed to the newsstand. Jane arrived behind him.
“No cheating,” he said, pretending to block her view of the rows and rows of souvenirs.
“Just know, if you’re reaching for the Statue of Liberty rubber duck, I can top it with at least a dozen different things.”
He gave her a suspicious look. “Lucy, you have some ’splainin to do,” he said in his Ricky Ricardo voice.
She laughed.
Thank you, Darren!
“You’ve done this souvenir hunt before,” he said.
Her bright eyes sparkled with mischief. “It’s a good way to pass the time in an airport.”
Miguel shook his head. “You’re such a cheater.”
“Maybe, but this cheater’s gonna win.” She folded her arms across her chest and tossed him a look of challenge. “Do your best, Ricardo.”
He looked over the souvenirs then let his hand hover over a neon-green Statue of Liberty bottle opener.
“I could top that with the box of taxi-shaped butter cookies,” Jane said smugly.
He took another look at the selection. “What about that puzzle of the Empire State Building?”
“That’s theChryslerBuilding.” She shook her head in disappointment. “I’m going to have to dock you points for getting that wrong.”
“Did I mention I haven’t even left the airport?”
She set her hands on her hips. “No excuses, Santos. Make your choice.”
“Okay, but you have to make your pick without seeing mine.”
They’d always enjoyed goofy games like this. She stepped away, and Miguel got to work.Think cheesy.
