Page 6 of Flown in for Christmas

But he doesn’t need to know that.

“What’s her name?” Eric presses.

I search my brain for a name—any name—but only one comes to mind. Her stunning smile and airy laugh flood my thoughts, leaving no room for anyone else. “Joy. Joy Bell.”

The moment her name rolls off my tongue, a warmth spreads throughout my chest. Whether it’s nerves I’ll be called out on my clear, boldfaced lie or just the thought of being with my assistant, I couldn’t tell you.

“Joy, huh,” my father muses. “Why haven’t I heard you talk about her?”

“Yeah,Nick, why haven’t we heard anything about this airport…fling?”

It’s right then I realize: I’vegotto sell this.

I need this ring.

It’smine.

“You’ll meether when she gets here,” I announce, pushing the lie home. “She had to do some traveling of her own to see her family before heading this way. I wanted it to be a surprise. You know how Mom is about my dating life. And with the holiday season… I couldn’t be answering all of her calls about her future daughter-in-law.” I say the words with so much confidence, I can tell, my father is sold.

He leans over, rifling through his top desk drawer. He retrieves a small, velvet box, and stands to slap it in my hand. I quell the urge to ask why the hell he was keeping the ring in his desk and not the safe, when he grips my shoulder. “I completely understand, son. It’s yours. Your mother is going to be over the moon with this news. When will she get here?”

Ah, right.The details.

“I need to call her and let her know I got in. Her flight was, uh, rescheduled. I’ll give her a call now.”

Eric stands with a huff. “Yes, well, you better do that. What a romantic proposal it will be in the middle of the airport…”

Dad rumbles a hearty chuckle. “That it will. Proposing in the airport where you two met—we’ll be able to have the whole family in attendance for this.” He pats me on the back as he moves past me, calling out to my mother with pure joy in his voice. “What a Christmas!”

I stare at the velvet box in my hand. “What a Christmas.”

Three.

Joy

What a nightmare.

Not only was my first flight delayed bythreehours, I missed my connecting flight. Then, I had to waitsixhours for the next flight. It’s been a heck of a trip, but I’ve finally landed at LAX and I’m itching to see my brother.

It’s been too long.

He didn’t respond to any of my messages about my crazy travel issues, but it was the middle of the night. So, as I turn my phone off airplane mode, I expect a plethora of return messages from him, but…I don’t have any.

Maybe he knew I wouldn’t be available while on the plane?Probably, I tellmyself.

I grab my carry-on and purse and deboard the plane, heading for baggage claim. I try to call my brother twice before he finally answers. “Hello?”

“Hey,” I say, breathing a silent sigh of relief. “I finally landed. What a nightmare that was. Where are you? I’m at baggage now.”

There’s a long pause before Emmett exhales, “Listen, Joy, I’ve…got to work. A producer is willing to look at my latest project and I can’t miss out on an opportunity like this. You understand how it is.”

I don’t know if it’s the overwhelming exhaustion or the fact he’s ditching me after I’m already here. “No, Emmett, I don’t understand,” I practically scream, shocking myself and several people around me with my outburst, their heads whipping in my direction. I take in a deep breath and turn away, speaking in a much calmer, but still agitated tone. “You can’t do this to me again. We’ve had this planned formonths.” When he doesn’t respond, I add weakly, “It’s Christmas.”

“Yeah, I know what time of year it is, sis,” he mutters. “I’m sorry, but I have to do this. We’ll do Easter on the beach. I promise.”

I fight back the tears. He said the same thing last year.

I can’t believe I wasted my time and money without hearing from him the last few days. That should’ve been a sign all on its own. I am an absolute idiot.

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