And there it was—a reminder of why we were worlds apart. He was going to get a three-hundred-dollar massage, while my battle with the airline was about to begin for a single ticket that I’d gotten for free.
A knock on the door prompted me to quickly grab my coat and run over there, opening it. “Marcus!” I exhaled his name in relief. “Thank God.”
“I’m so sorry. Mom was in the hospital. Pete’s sitter bailed. Lucy had the flu…”
“It’s okay.” I held up both hands. “How’s everyone now?”
“Out of the woods, thank God.” He looked over my shoulder, and I glanced back, seeing Nathan button his coat. “How did you guys manage?”
“I’ll have to reimburse the entire office for all their snacks, beverages, and towels.”
He chuckled before leaning closer, lowering his voice. “Who’s that?”
“Oh. Alex had a meeting with him on Friday. We got snowed in before he could get on the road back to New York.”
“New York, huh?” I saw his eyes scan Nathan from head to toe. “Anyway, do you need a ride home?”
“I’m sure you have more to do with this. Oak’s Way and Pun Lane must be a dead end now. I’ll manage.”
“I’ll take you home,” Nathan said, and we both looked at him. “Nathan Wright, nice to meet you.” His eyes then moved back to me as he shrugged, wrapping his scarf around his neck. “I’ll drive you. As a thank you?”
Tittering, I turned to Marcus and wrung my hands. “See? Sorted.”
“Alright.” He nodded, tugging on his knitted hat with one hand while waving to Nathan with the other. “Nice to meet you, Nathan.” He then leaned to me. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Deal.” I watched him turn around. “Uh—I’ll probably be at The Brew tonight, if they all wanna hang?”
“I’m down!”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blue BMW parked near the driveway and went to examine it. It was covered in melting snow. Turning back inside, I saw Nathan check on the items in his laptop bag.
Wordlessly, I went to my desk and started gathering my belongings, tossing them into my tote bag in no specific order. We were finally free, and I could go home, take a nice hot shower, eat a proper meal and begin my attempts of saving my trip.
Then why was I so… disenchanted?
When I glanced in his direction, I tried to let Nathan’s practical mode inspire me. In just a couple of minutes, he had managed to get everything together and was now standing at the door, waiting for me.
In the passenger’s seat, I watched Nathan’s transformation become complete. He was now back to his original self—Nathan Wright, attorney at law and wealthy socialite. The car suited him, and so did the calls he began receiving as soon as he plugged his phone into the car’s charger.
“Nate, we were legit worried, bro.” His friend’s voice rang through the speakers. “Glad you’re okay.”
“Nathan, darling. You must know, I instructed Keegan to inform me the minute you get home.” That one sounded like his mother.
“Oh, man,” his father’s words dripped from between his hearty chuckles. “That’ll teach you! You don’t go to the client, they come to you.”
I watched his face as he kept it as plain as possible. “Dad, I’m not about to change my ways now.”
“It’s never too late, son.”
“Well, anyway. I gotta run. Talk to you later. Bye.” When the call dropped, he glanced in my direction, and I smiled. “So, tell me. Did we make it?”
I shrugged, looking ahead. “We are alive.”
“I meant the other thing we talked about.” He paused. “Coming out of there as friends?”
“Oh.” I tittered.
“Friends have each other’s numbers.”