Page 7 of Planes, Trains, and Candy Canes

She gripped his hand hard, forcing off Jeff’s misbegotten promise ring and shoving it into his palm. “Oh, Derrick! I’m sorry. I just... I so wanted you to meet my family this year—before it’s too late. You know my mother hasn’t been well. Oh, honey! And now... Now we’ll never make it to Pensacola!” she sobbed, flinging herself forward.

Reese raised her eyes from the soft white shoulder of Derrick’s shirt, telling herself not to notice the nice, crisp scentof his neck, that faint smell of aftershave that was subtle and spicy without making you wish you could open a window.

People were milling away now. Big city. Airport drama. Seen one hysterical lady, seen them all.

But this show wasn’t for them—it was for Hannah and Lou.

“Oh, honey. Shhh. Don’t talk like that. There, now.” Derrick patted her back awkwardly.

“I know you said you had something that would make me feel better, but—but I honestly don’t know what could make not getting home to see my mother this Christmas seem okay...” she sniffled.

“Um. Well...”

“Propose,” she mumbled in his ear under the guise of nuzzling into his neck to dry her tears.

His hands gripped her convulsively, and it felt—good. Definitely good. Strong and safe, although bewildered. “What?” he demanded, turning his head so that his lips collided with her ear.

It was probably static that zipped down her neck and spine, reminding her that Jeff hadn’t touched her since before they had that fight on Thanksgiving morning. “The ring is in your hand. Pop the question. Trust me!”

“I... Reese, look.” Derrick sat her back into her seat and stayed kneeling in front of her with a grave expression on his face.

Oh, shit. I blew it. I blew this so bad. He’s going to hand back the ring and walk away and everyone in this airport will know I’m a pathetic liar. I can’t even keep a fictional fianceé.

“Reese Brittijn—I know we both want to get home this Christmas. The memories we’ve shared, growing up in the same town—the gingerbread building contests... The Halloween parades... When I left for college without making you my girlfriend, I never thought I’d be lucky enough to run intoyou half a world away—and then I did. We met again in San Francisco, and everything just felt so right. So perfect. You’re the only girl for me, Reese. I want to spend this Christmas and every Christmas with you. Marry me?”

Her throat temporarily closed up. It seemed like a million years had passed before she took her own ring back and slipped it onto her finger with a squeaky “Yes!”

Derrick swooped her up and whirled her around, his cheek to hers. “Oh, my holiday wishes are coming true! If only I could make yours come true and somehow get you on a plane to Pensacola. I want to ask your parents for their blessing.”

“Excuse me! Did you say Pensacola?”

Derrick put her down and shoved her forward. Behind her, she could hear his shaky exhalation and the soft thud as he collapsed into a chair.

“Yes, yes, I did.” Reese wiped her eyes and beamed tremulously at Hannah.

Lou took out his cigar, threw up his hands, and pulled out his phone. “Hank? We’re not coming,” he muttered as he walked away.

“Honey, I just knew we weren’t meant to get on that plane. You hurry home to your family. And congrats! I was just thinking to myself that you two looked like the cutest couple!” Hannah opened her beige purse and took two tickets from it. “You’ll have to come to the ticketing agent with us—and fast! It looks like they’ll be pre-boarding soon.”

“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me. Honey? Come on! Grab your bags,” Reese cooed, smiling at Derrick.

He shook his head once, then grabbed the luggage. “Coming, darling.”

DERRICK WAITED WHILEHannah confirmed that his money had made it into her Paypal—which he’d also had to walk her through setting up. He’d insisted on paying top dollar, but Hannah wouldn’t hear of accepting a penny above what they’d paid—a paltry one hundred and fifty bucks thanks to booking months in advance on a super saver date.

Reese was getting her new boarding pass and making a final search for her two missing bags.

He was thinking.

I hate acting. I’m no good at it.

Remember the time you were supposed to be the Letter A in the school’s alphabet play, and you barfed all over Letter E?

Where the hell did that proposal come from? It sounded real—even to me, and I knew it was fake! She looked so surprised. Didn’t think the nerd could act, huh?

Well, that’s fair. I didn’t think I could act, either.

But because I followed the human tornado and her cascade of candy wrappers, I might make it home for Christmas dinner—maybe even Christmas morning, if miracles happen.

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