Page 16 of Hooked on Lane

I rubbed the back of my neck. “He needs to learn that he can't talk to you like that—or anybody, for that matter.”

As she sat back down, her hand fell to mine with a soft thud. She grabbed it and examined the wound on my knuckles—a deep cut caused by hitting one of his teeth. “You should put some ice on that before it swells. Don't think you want your mother to see that.”

“On the contrary,” I replied, a faint smile playing on my lips. “She was the one who taught me to stand up for women. She would probably give me a high five.”

She wrapped a napkin around my injured hand as if she had done this many times before. “Can we get some ice for his hand, please?”

I longed to feel her body against mine, her lips brushing against my own. I wanted to tell her she had a special place in my heart and show her how much I valued her, but then the wall was back up—professionalism. Something inside me broke, and my heart was telling me to be patient.

I wish this wasn’t so god damn complicated.

Chapter Sixteen

Jennifer

Maybe, I was overthinking this whole trip. This doesn’t mean anything. He was just being kind. Plus, the pictures of the town were gorgeous. And honestly, I hadn’t been out of the city since moving here. Small towns always had a different vibe. Slower pace. And I loved it.

“I really hope this doesn’t turn out to be a massive mistake. It’s all your fault.”

Laura turned toward me. “You can't get mad at me.”

I packed my warmest clothes. I had never been to a place like this before and wasn't sure what to expect. Laura seemed to think we were going to come back married, but we weren't going to Vegas.

“You and Lane are meant to be together.” She pressed her lips tight. “This could be the trip you need to figure it out, away from all the stress and chaos of work.” Her eyebrows wiggled.

I folded the last shirt and packed it. No matter what happened on this trip, it was going to be an experience that would stay with me for a lifetime. I heaved it off the bed and carried it across the room to the door.

“Seriously, stop all the anxiety. You're single, and you get to spend the next week with a handsome man for Christmas. Stop acting like you're headed off to prison.”

I rolled my eyes and took one last look around the apartment, making sure I hadn't missed anything. "Alright. Chill. It's all your expectations that are giving me jitters. Just let me have a good time… Can’t that be it?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

My phone vibrated, signaling that the cab I ordered was waiting out front. Laura, who had to board her flight an hour after mine, grabbed her suitcase and followed me out the door. “Let’s go have the best Christmas ever.”

The taxi driver put our suitcases in the trunk and we didn’t say a word the whole drive. Something about being in the car with a complete stranger made me anxious. Always had. But finally, we arrived at the airport, grabbed our bags and went inside.

“Alright, I’m going to check my bag. Too bad we didn’t book with the same airline. Anywho, text me all the deets.”

Gathering my courage, I followed suit until I saw him. He came right up to me. “I already checked us in, so let's drop our bags off with TSA and go through security.”

My gaze lingered on him as I took in his new look—tight black jeans, a leather jacket, and scuffed combat boots. He was usually all buttoned-up at the office. He had a rebellious edge that I hadn't noticed before. I wondered if this was how he usually looked outside of the office, a far cry from the pressed slacks and crisp white shirts. Maybe there was more to him… It was the right week to find out.

Chapter Seventeen

Lane

The gate was almost full and the board showed we would be boarding soon. I leaned closer to her, our shoulders touching as I took in the waft of her shampoo. She deftly maneuvered a finger across the glowing screen of her phone. “Planning something?”

“Just looking at a few places in Amesbury.”

She was such a planner, and I loved that about her. Her long black joggers were tucked into her shoes, and her oversized cream sweater hugged her. This was going to be harder than I thought. A whole week with her.

A cheery female voice came through the speakers, announcing the beginning of boarding for Delta Airlines Flight 2122 to Minneapolis. I stood up, and she peered at me. “What are you doing?”

“They’re boarding. First class.”

She gaped as it dawned on her. The smiling ticket agent glanced at our phones, scanned the boarding passes, and we were going down the jet bridge. This must be her first time flying in comfort.

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