Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
“You should sit,” Josie says as she slides out of the booth, making room for me next to Maddie. Then, she climbs back in, effectively trapping me. “So, you met on the plane?”
“We did,” Maddie confirms. “Dylan is here on business.”
“What kind of business?” Drew wants to know. “Besides hitting on women on airplanes.”
“Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever done that before.” I steal some fruit from Maddie’s plate and fill the others in on what I do for a living and why I’m in Iceland. “What about the rest of you?”
“I’m a nurse,” Josie says with a smile. “Keaton restores cars, and Drew plays for a living.”
“I’m a fucking coach,” Drew says with a scowl. “I don’t play.”
“It’s kind of the same thing,” Maddie adds but reaches over to pat her brother on the shoulder. “But if it makes you feel any better, you’re really good at it.”
“So, are you saying that Uncle Will just played for a living?” Drew demands.
“No, he kicked ass,” Josie replies.
“Wait, who’s Uncle Will?” I ask.
“Will Montgomery,” Maddie says with a shrug. “Have you heard of him?”
I swallow hard and keep the fact that I had posters of the man on my wall when I was a kid to myself.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of him.”
“Anyway, we got off on a tangent,” Josie says. “We’ve been trying to talk Maddie into staying for the week. The rest of us are here through New Year’s, but she thinks she has to run back home to work.”
“I do have to work,” Maddie insists, and I can see from the look in her eyes that she’s nervous about the job.
“Maybe you can compromise,” I suggest. “Since you brought your laptop, set aside a few hours each morning for work, then enjoy the rest of your vacation.”
“A working vacation,” Josie agrees with a smile. “You have to admit, that’s a good idea.”
“You need the time, Mads.” Keaton’s the quietest of the bunch, but Maddie nods at his words, seeming to let them soak in. “You deserve it, too—just like the rest of us.”
“My boss isn’t thrilled that I came,” she admits softly. “It’s not a great time for me to take a vacation.”
“How many have you taken since you started that job eight years ago?” Josie asks but answers before her sister can. “Zero. The big nada. So, if he has an issue with this trip, he can kiss your fine ass.”
“It really is a fine ass,” I agree, turning everyone’s attention to me.
“Don’t make us beat the shit out of you on Christmas, dude,” Drew says. “You can’t just say shit like that about my sister right to my face.”
“Sure, I can.” I smile at him and then turn my attention back to Maddie. “It’s the truth. I’d also like it if you stayed.”
“You can’t spend all your time with the family,” Josie says, nudging her sister once more. “Say you’ll stay. You know you want to.”
“Okay.” Maddie takes a deep breath as if that were the most difficult word she’s ever uttered. “I’ll stay. Of course, I didn’t bring enough clothes for the whole week. I only packed for a day or two.”
“Please.” Josie rolls her eyes. “You know the rest of us girls overpacked. We’ve got you and every other woman in this resort covered for a month.”
“That’s not an exaggeration,” Keaton says to me. “Not even close.”
* * * *
With Maddie off enjoying the holiday with her family, I head back to my room to get ahead on my work. Now that I know she’ll be here all week, I want to make sure I can spend as much time with her as possible.
I’m in the middle of writing a paragraph and considering placing an order with room service when my phone rings.
“Merry Christmas, Mom.”
“You know, I find it funny that you were in Seattle just yesterday and couldn’t stay long enough to spend the holiday with your mother.”
I wince and sit back in the chair. “You know I needed to experience Christmas at this resort for the channel.”
“You likely could have gone tomorrow and seen all the same things, but we’ve had this argument at least three times this month, so I’ll stop for now.”
“Try six times.”
“Your father sends his love. He’s napping in his chair.”
I grin, thinking of my parents. They’re the best. Though I don’t remember the last time I spent the holidays with them.
Next year, I’ll be there. I won’t leave for a scouting mission until after the first of January.
Probably.
“Your aunt Suzie and her family are coming over later,” Mom says, filling me in on what’s happening for the festivities at their house later today. I haven’t seen Aunt Suzie in years. “What will you have to eat?”
“I don’t know, whatever sounds good from the room service menu.”
And maybe a certain brunette later.