Page 5 of Planes, Trains, and Candy Canes

Derrick never heard what the friendly staff would do because, at that point, a travel-size bottle of shampoo whizzedover his head and hit the flight attendant in the shoulder, bouncing off her red and gray uniform in a parabola that would have been comical—if it wasn’t a federal offense to mess with any member of the flight crew.

“Flyaroundthe Rockies! Just skip over Colorado!” a drunken voice slurred.

“Fly over the storm!” a younger, whinier voice demanded.

“Someone didn’t take geography in school,” Reese whispered.

The flight attendant approached the slurring and whining passengers in the middle section of the plane.“Sir, ma’am, I’m going to have to—”

“There goes the conditioner,” Derrick muttered as another tiny bottle flew squarely into the attendant’s chest. “Thatperson won’t ever fly again.”

“All right! U.S. Marshall service! Sir, ma’am, you’re coming with me!”

“This is insane,” Derrick watched wide-eyed as a tall, Chuck Norris type rose from the front row of the plane, badge over his head and zip ties emerging from his pocket.

Reese gave a tearful gulp beside him.

It was purely instinct to squeeze her hand and tuck it under his arm. “Don’t worry. You’ll get another flight.”

I kinda hope we get on the same one!

Chapter Two

“There are no other flights this evening. Tomorrow morning, there will be flights.”

“But tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is in three—no, two hours!” Reese was trying to keep calm. She was, honestly. She knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault that there was a storm. She knew she was lucky that they were fast-tracked off the plane once the U.S. Marshall hauled out Mr. Drunk and Ms. Whiny. She even had three out of her five suitcases back. She’d made a new friend—a calm, cute, organized kind of friend.

Think of the positives. Derrick. Meeting Derrick is a positive. I bet we stay in touch after this. He’s a nice guy. How many guys would let you get in front of them in the most chaotic travel situation on Christmas Eve Eve? He wants to get home just as bad as you do.

“Ma’am—”

“And the time difference. I forgot the time difference. It’s already Christmas Eve in New York!” Reese clutched her chest and sent a complimentary bag of pretzels skidding to the ground. Behind her, Derrick, with his simple, sensible laptop case and backpack, sighed and retrieved her snack.

She would smile about that. Later.

“The storm will lift in a few hours, right? Or—or what about a flight south? Yeah! What about flights to Texas or Arizona? Anywhere on the Gulf Coast? Louisiana! And then give us a connecting flight to Buffalo.”

“Or Binghamton! Anywhere in New York,” Derrick spoke up behind her.

“I’m sorry, are you two together? I’ve been looking for single seats this entire time,” the clerk said, her smile fixed and a dark glare beginning to form.

“Uh. Yes!” Reese nodded—unfortunately just as Derrick said—

“No, not really.”

“He means that we’ll take flights together or separately, but we’re going to the same place.”Preferably together.

“I’ll look—for both of you. Sir, let me see your boarding pass and credit card, please,” the clerk sighed.

Reese stepped back while Derrick stepped up and handed over his paperwork and card, already prepared.

This is an emergency. I’m all out of spoons. I do not have enough spoons for an emergency tonight. I have to call Mom.

I have to keep Derrick with me.

That’s silly... but kinda true.

She was jarred from her internal panic by a huffy voice to her left.

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