“Tell me about your family,” she says instead, trying to ignore the pressure in her bladder, because Jesus, they’ve barely been in the car fifteen minutes. “What am I going to be walking into?”
“My parents, Miguel and Dawn. My aunt and uncle, and her daughter and wife and their young kids. And obviously Lexi and Audrey.”
All of a sudden that sounds like a hell of a lot of people. “And they’re all completely fine that I’m the one you’re bringing.”
“I mean, they might ask if this is some kind of Make-A-Wish for adults.” Ramona pushes at his shoulder and he laughs, catching her hand and kissing her knuckles. “My parents don’t follow pop culture, or really much of current anything. My dad does crossword puzzles every morning in the newspaper and acted offended when my sister told him he could find them all online. My cousins…they did go a bit catatonic when I mentioned you, but now that you’ve gotten all this training in being normal, I’m sure they won’t even recognize you.”
“We’ll be sleeping in the same room?”
He nods. “Is that okay?”
They’ve spent the night together at her place, of course, but sharing space while traveling isn’t quite the same. She tries not to worry about him thinking it takes too long for her to get ready in the morning. Or that she brought too much baggage, both literally and metaphorically.
Maybe once he spends all this time with her, the fun will have run its course.
“Depends on the other options. Is your dad cute?” she asks, and he lets out this horrified groan that makes her laugh so hard she snorts seltzer up her nose.
Four hours and five pit stops later, he pulls off the freeway.
“We’re not there yet, are we?”
“Nope.” He parks on a dusty pebbled road, gesturing for her to follow him down a little path to a sign that saysAda’s Antiques.
There’s a flutter in her chest that has nothing to do with antiques.
“Nick.”
“I saw it on the map and couldn’t resist. You get them when you travel, right? So you can find something to add to your collection.” The way he’s looking at her, creases at the corners of his eyes, the complete fucking earnestness…
He is sogood, this man, and it makes her terrified that she’s never going to be good enough.
—
Now the proud new ownerof a set of lemon- and orange-shaped salt and pepper shakers, Ramona unbuckles her seat belt when Nick announces they’ve finally reached the cabin.
Inside the antique shop, she could pretend they were a regular couple on vacation. A dangerous way of thinking, but she wanted a moment to indulge. She’d dragged him over to the record section, loving the way his face lit up when he spotted a rare Miles Davis LP. “I already have so much Miles,” he said. “And not nearly enough space.” When he put it away and Ramona paid for her shakers, she lied and said she had to go to the bathroom, showing back up at the car with the record in her hand.
Which he proceeded to lace his fingers through, keeping them on the center console until he needed both hands to turn.
The cabin looks like a charming ski chalet, with its triangle roof and wraparound deck, pine trees stretching into the sky. No snow on the ground yet, but there’s enough of a chill in the air that Ramona is convinced it’s on the way. The sun is beginning to set, across-the-street neighbors sitting down to dinner in front of the windows. An elderly couple with two majestic Samoyeds. Nick waves hello, and they wave back.
Once they’ve dragged their suitcases inside, Nick hurries to start a fire.
“Are we the first ones here?” Ramona asks, gazing around the cabin. Tall exposed-beam ceilings, rustic furniture, plaid throw blankets and accent pillows. The scent of cedar and, now that the fire is going, woodsmoke.
Nick taps a finger to his mouth, a little sheepish. “Everyone else is coming tomorrow. I thought maybe we could settle in first.” He steps closer, places a hand on her hip, voice even warmer than the fire. “Just the two of us.”
She shuts her eyes for a moment, imagining spending every year here with loving parents, getting to bring your own kids to the place you grew up.
“This has been in your family for a while?”
“My parents and aunt and uncle went in on it together a few decades ago. They rent it out most of the time, and we try to make a few trips out as a family every year. Growing up, it was always my favorite place. Now that my parents are retired, they spend more time here.”
“Is your family going to think—I don’t know.” Ramona bites down on her lip. “I’m guessing you and your ex came here every Christmas.”
He nods. “Yes. But it’s been two years since the last time that happened. I don’t think they assumed I’d stay single forever.”
Every time he brings up his ex, she’s struck with a feeling of—not jealousy, but something else. A little rage. A lot of heartbreak.
