Page 29 of Winter Glam in Amsterdam

It's taking me all my willpower not to continuously glance at Tanner. It doesn’t help that I hear him joking around with his brothers and he sits right in my line of sight five rows in front of me.

"Well, if you're ever ready to talk, I'm here." She gently pats my hand. "And I promise I'll be impartial."

I roll my eyes. Will she really? After all, she’s with his older brother. No, this is staying a secret.

Nevertheless, I shoot her a grateful smile, watching as she gets up and makes her way back to her boyfriend. He immediately lifts his arm and drapes it over her shoulders as soon as she sits down next to him, and I can't help but stare.

God, those two are such a cute couple.

"Thanks for dragging me along," I tell my mother, a genuine smile playing at my lips. When she asked me, I wasn’t so sure it would be fun coming along. After all the third-wheeling, I was hoping for another day to myself, but when she mentioned that Dad wouldn’t come along, I just couldn’t pass up some mother-daughter time.

We spent the day exploring the beautiful city, walking by the canals, strolling markets we found on our way, and she made me climb a cathedral tower so we could have a look at the city from above.

Now we’re starting to stroll back to the bus as it’s almost time to return.

"Thank you for agreeing," she says and comes to a stop at a souvenir shop, eyes sparkling as they take in all the little trinkets. I’ve seen some of those in souvenir shops in Amsterdam and I just can’t decide if I find them adorable or, well, horrible.

"Look at these!” Mom exclaims and pulls me to a stop. “Come on, let's pick something out for your dad."

"Oh God," I mutter under my breath as I follow her inside the little shop.

The walls are lined with a mix of tiny and giant magnets featuring every kind of image you can think of. There are windmills, tulips, cityscapes, even bikes—any cliché you have about the Netherlands, they are all coming together, right here.

"We should write him a postcard from here," she giggles and reaches for one. “He’s going to be so confused.”

I grin as I step closer, eyes wandering over the various postcards. Most of them are pictures of the city thrown together, but there are also illustrated ones.

"Glitter?" I ask with a grin as I step closer. "Oh my God. This is so bad. I love it."

"Right?" Her eyes are glistening with mischief as she scurries to pay, grabbing a pen while she’s at it.

But my eyes are drawn to the little magnet wall.

I wanted to start getting one in every city I visit and decorate my future fridge with them—not that there's much city traveling happening at the moment—but I can't decide. They're all equally pretty, or so horrendous it actually makes them pretty again. I wish I could just grab all of them.

I hear my mother chatting with the salesperson as I try to decide.

Suddenly, I feel eyes on me, a light prickly feeling on the side of my head. When I glance up, it's to meet familiar hazel eyes. Veryfamiliar because that face had been between my legs not too long ago.

So, quickly, I look back at the magnets. God, those eyes might be enough to throw my resolve into the wind, the intensity in his stare making memories from last night bubble up in my brain, and as long as I feel his stare on me, I can’t shake them.

But suddenly, I hear a high-pitched giggle and see a smaller person joining him from the corner of my eye.

What the-

When I turn my head to see what’s going on, Tanner is leaning down to talk to a brunette who has come to a stop beside him, latching onto his arm, her fake eyelashes fluttering as she's very obviously flirting.

And him?

Well, he's got a smile playing at his lips, as he answers her something I can’t hear, but clearly enjoying the attention as he lets her pull him away from the shop window.

"Are you okay?" Mom asks, linking her arm with mine again, and I let her drag me outside, all intentions of buying a magnet forgotten. I’ll start that tradition once I have my own fridge after all. “You look a bit down.”

"Yeah, I’m fine," I say, but my eyes are trailing after Tanner and his new companion.

I've never made it a habit to lie to my mom. She knows me too well, and even though she doesn’t always call me out on it, I’m sure she has caught me in every lie I ever told her.

But is it really a lie if I evade the truth? I mean, all things considered, Iamfine. I’m on a great vacation, am finally able to take my mind off my bleak real life and had a night I’ll probably remember for the rest of my life.

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