Miles hurries and stands up, greeting the girl with a big hug. I finally realize that it’s his little sister, Karis. The one I met on the video call. I stand up as Miles rests a hand on my shoulder.
“Hi, Karis. It’s great to meet you in real life.” I try to give her a quick hug, but she latches on like a leech.
“I’m still mad you guys had Ainsley in the wedding but not me,” she says, but her smile eases the teasing.
“We’ll try to make it up to you,” Miles promises.
“You’re darn right. I want to be in your guys’ Christmas card this year. Smack dab in the middle.”
“Spoken like a true baby of the family,” Miles mutters.
But Karis just winks at me. “Someone has to keep annoying him.”
“Stop letting Ainsley influence you. I don’t need to be annoyed anymore.” Karis scowls up at him, then motions to the boy next to her. “Lucy, this is Holden my boyfriend.”
Holden reaches a hand out to shake mine, smiling brightly. I like him immediately and the way he and Karis seem so perfectly matched in this five minute encounter. “Nice to meet you. You’ve been the topic of conversation ever since you got married.”
I raise my eyebrows and look at Karis. She shrugs and grins. “Prepare for a million questions. I want to know more about my only sister-in-law. But first I’m hungry.”
Karis turns away to grab some dinner, dragging Holden with her. I get distracted by the text on my phone when I sit down next to Miles.
Krystal: We’ll be coming through Sisters tomorrow around lunch time. Does that timing work for you? Where should we meet?
Me: That works great. Maybe there’s a coffee shop in town or something? Thanks so much for doing this. How has the drive been?
Krystal: It was great until Alexander snuck into my Cheetos bag. He’s had horrible gas ever since.
Me: Nasty. I’m so sorry. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
I slide my phone toward Miles and lean close so he can hear me over the raucous noise level of his family. “Would it work to pick up my dog around this time?”
“Of course. We can go anytime you need to,” he answers.
“Thanks, sugar lips,” I say with a grin.
He leans close and whispers, “I think that makes you spicy lips.”
I feel my cheeks flush, and I turn my attention back to my plate before I do something silly…like lean over and kiss my husband.
We stayed up late talking with Miles’s family and were the last ones to head to our tent. Inevitably, we couldn’t just stay out by the fire all night long.
Because I didn’t want to get eaten by a bear.
After Miles walked me to the bathroom, which luckily had electricity and even some showers, we started back to the tent like we were walking to our execution.
Miles unzipped the tent flap and we stared inside.
The air mattress is decidedly smaller than Miles’s bed.
Like infinitely smaller.
“Maybe I’ll climb in first so I don’t launch you off the air mattress,” Miles says as he takes off his shoes and bends down to crawl into the tent. I don’t think it’s even big enough for him to stand up in.
He rolls over and lays his head on his pillow while lying on top of the sleeping bag.
“You should probably crawl inside of it. I don’t want you to get cold,” I suggest.
“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he whispers.
