Page 7 of Just This Once

Rolling my eyes, I turned to peer out the window, only to grit my teeth at the sight of buildings and streets below growing larger and closer.

Please don’t crash into any of them, plane. Please.

On my other side, my seatmate hissed in rejection. “Fuck,” he grumbled under his breath. “You’re a prickly little bitch, ain’t ya?”

Buddy, you don’t even know the half of it, I wanted to warn him. But I was too busy ignoring him so he wouldn’t feel the need to touch me again.

Just five more minutes of this, and then we’d be back on land again. Only five more minutes.

Thankfully, Mr. Hands got the point and left me alone, sniffing acerbically as he pointedly turned away.

And the seconds ticked by in the slowest, most uncomfortable increments of time ever. I watched with dread as the landing strip came into view.

Please be down, wheels. Please be down.

The first touchdown jolt made me whimper a sound that was part relief, part fear.

The jackass beside me snickered, enjoying my misery.

But I kept ignoring him, staring straight ahead with the back of my head plastered to my seat and my hands probably permanently fused to the strap of my purse by now.

When the back wheels followed and we were finally, one hundred percent on the ground, I exhaled slowly and looked out my window again.

Home.

God, it felt good to be back.

I’d been fifteen when my mother had moved us to Akron with her new husband and his kids. But I used to return every summer to stay with my half brother and his mom. Except my last visit hadn’t been since Alec’s high school graduation.

Sixteen months had passed where I hadn’t gotten to see him or the beach or all the brown and gold horse statues that Westport was so famous for hosting.

Now, my baby brother was a big university man, living away from home with a handful of roommates, already weeks into hissecondyear of college.

I was so damn proud of him. I couldn’t wait to see him again.

As soon as we were told we could turn our devices off airplane mode, I tugged my phone from my purse and logged into a group chat that I hadn’t used since organizing Alec’s graduation party.

Addressing all six recipients—none of which were my brother—I wrote two simple words that I knew would strike immediate fear into their hearts.

Howdy, boys.

I’m back…

No one responded.

Very typical.

I shivered in pleasure, already picturing the panic and alarm they must feel crawling up the backs of their necks as they beheld my greeting, wondering whatshemust want now since I only ever contacted them whenever I needed a favor.

They knew oneof them would get stuck assisting Alec’s dreaded sister. And no one wanted to be the first to reply, well aware he’d be the unlucky bastard who got drafted into my services.

But it was just so freaking amusing how little ol’ Hope could scare six grown-ass men the way I did. It always inspired me tobotherthem just a little bit more every time I visited.

So I’m in town to treat Alec to a surprise visit. Who wants to pick me up from the airport?

Keene was the first to reply within two seconds flat.

Not it.

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