Page 16 of Planes, Trains, and Candy Canes

Reese stopped watching Derrick and thinking how sweet and helpful he was as someone tapped her elbow. She turned with a cheery smile to find a middle-aged couple behind her. “Lot Seven-A? That’s the Our Car Is Your Car lot! May I ask where you’re driving today?” Reese held out two candy canes.

“Oh, thank you. Just to Jacksonville. Now, it says we have to turn the car back in by noon tomorrow. Will the Jacksonville branch be open on Christmas Day?” the man asked.

Bingo. “Actually, no, it won’t, but that’s why we’ve introduced our new Santa’s Helper program. Derrick from Customer Care and I, the head of the Santa’s Helper initiative, will gladly load your bags in your rental, drive you to your Jacksonville destination, unload your bags, and return the car to an OCIYC location! Free of charge! All you have to do is give Derrick over there the address of your destination.”

“Did you hear that, Jack? Chauffeur service! I told you this trip wouldn’t be so bad.”

“I can’t sleep on planes. We just got in from Denver—and we had the most hellacious wait at the terminal, our flight was delayed by three hours, then—”

“We know how busy and stressful the holidays are!” Reese ushered the couple toward Derrick and took the key and tag from them. “You chose wisely! A black Lincoln Corsair. Perfection! Derrick, can you please fill out the customer satisfaction survey with Mr. and Mrs.—”

“Netherton.”

“With the Nethertons, and I’ll bring their car around. We’ll be delivering them to Jacksonville today!” Reese planted the Nethertons firmly in front of Derrick, who smiled and opened his laptop. An official-looking spreadsheet was already up on his screen.

They never even noticed her dragging her own luggage along behind her as she raced to find the rental car.

“I DON’T KNOW HOW YOUdid this,” Derrick whispered as he drove. He checked the rearview mirror for the hundredth time.

The Nethertons were both snoring away, mouths open and bodies limp. Mr. Netherton’s hairpiece rested in his lap like a flat brown guinea pig. Mrs. Netherton’s head slumped on his shoulder.

Reese tapped the screen in the expensive luxury vehicle. “It says we’ll be there in an hour. We’re making good time. And we have the car until noon tomorrow.”

“Okay, fine, but we’re stopping and getting a hotel at some point. If I don’t stretch out somewhere flat soon, you’re going to have to carve me out of the car.”

“That’s fine! There’s an Our Car Is Your Car lot in pretty much every major city, and every major city has a train stationor a bus system. We might even be close enough to have our relatives come get us by that point.”

“Shh. They might wake up.”

“They might, but that’s okay. We’re just talking about our holiday plans.” Reese’s bright smile faltered. “How often do you travel for work?”

“Off and on. Once or twice a month.”

“But the rest of the time you live in Pine Ridge?”

“I do. I have one of those little townhouses in the Pine Point development. They’re adding onto it. I’m at the end of the old subdivision, and my neighbors live in the new one. Nice couple, just moved in like two weeks ago, and they’re already picking up my mail for me and bringing over cookies. Kev and Marina.”

“I’m going to save up for a townhouse. I’m glad they’re still adding onto that development. In the meantime, I’ll probably stay with my parents. Until we drive each other insane.”

They laughed softly together as he zoomed up 301 North. “What if we don’t get it back in time?” he whispered.

“You worry too much. We’ll get it back in time. We’ll get it back early, even if it means we’re stuck somewhere, celebrating Christmas alone in a little hotel room.” Reese leaned forward in her seat and rubbed her lower back.

He tried not to look.Eyes on the road. Eyes on the road. Don’t crash the rented car that I’m not actually supposed to be driving.

Reese kept talking, unintentionally showing off her flexible body as she laid her chest flat against her slender legs and turned her head to face him, smiling up at him in her doubled-up position. “Eating a Christmas dinner from the convenience store that’s open twenty-four hours, no matter what. WatchingIt’s A Wonderful LifeorA Charlie Brown Christmas. Giving each other presents we bought at a highway rest stop.”

His fingers flexed on the sleek leather wheel as a fine mist of rain began to fall. “That doesn’t sound so bad. I mean, it sounds better than what a lot of other people have on Christmas day. At least we’d have Christmas candy.”

Reese giggled.

“I know you’ve got some candy canes left. My mom always put candy canes in our stockings and on the tree.”

“Mine did that, too.” Reese opened one of the red and white peppermint sticks as she sat up, slowly sucking on it as she reclined.

Eyes on the road. Eyes on the road. Do not be that guy.

His eyes watched her lips wrap and pull, her tongue dart out.

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