Page 18 of Hooked on Lane

Laura: You have to be kidding me! Maybe I should ditch my parents and join you and Lane. =)

I rolled my eyes and slipped the phone and room key into my back pocket before hefting my backpack onto my shoulders. I descended the stairs and stepped out. My first destination was a small café bookstore. It looked like an older building that used to be a small bank and was converted. I chose a table by the window and looked out at the snow-covered streets.

This place reminded me of Coffee Chaos because of the spaced-out bistro tables. They were almost the exact same tables. The Christmas tree sat right in the corner by the front door, making it the first thing you noticed when you walked in, giving it just that extra oomph of Christmas vibe. The shelves overflowed with books from floor to ceiling, and in the back of the shop was a small counter where two men were busy making drinks for customers.

I scanned the bookshelves of the small café, patiently waiting for my turn in line. I spotted Amy Stephens’ newest novel and my heart raced. Sparkling pink and teal lettering adorned the cover, declaring a romantic comedy involving a precious pup—it was perfect. Eagerly, I snatched it off the shelf and held it close to my chest like a priceless treasure as I approached the counter.I’m so in! Take my money.

“Next!” the man shouted from behind the counter.

At the sound of his gruff demand, I looked up. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline that reminded me of one of the hunks in that romantic comedy Laura and I watched last year. He wore a red flannel shirt tucked into dark jeans. His name tag identified him as Cole.

“I’ll take a mocha, hot please,” I managed to squeak out, feeling my face flush.

“That’ll be four dollars.”His large calloused hand extended to collect the five-dollar bill. His eyes flicked over my outfit. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

“Nope, brand new. Just checked into the lodge up the road.” I glanced around his store, taking in all of its charming details. “Can’t wait to see what all you have here.”

“Do you intend on paying for that?” he asked, pointing to the book clutched in my hand.

My palm hit my forehead. “Oh my God, of course. Here.” I handed him another twenty-dollar bill and motioned for him to keep the change. His face softened as he took it from me and immediately bellowed out, “Next!”

Okay, that was my cue to get the heck out of his way so he could tend to more customers.Message received.He must be the broody type.

As I waited for my drink to be ready, I opened my book and nestled back into the armchair. The pages depicted a romanticscene in a park, where two characters were slowly falling in love as they watched their dogs play together in the sunshine.

“Mocha!” the man yelled, and I made my way up to the counter to grab it and his eyes peered at me. Maybe they didn't like outsiders. Hmm…

The first sip of coffee was always the best, and it didn't disappoint. Once again, another small store beat Starbucks by a long shot.

Chapter Nineteen

Lane

My mother grinned from ear to ear as she took a few steps out into the sun. She looked very much like the woman I remembered. Her eyes sparkled as we walked toward the car. She clapped her hands in joy, the wrinkles on her face deepening. A warmth filled me, knowing How lucky was I to give my mother the Christmas she wanted in our hometown?

I pulled the car up to the nursing home entrance and loaded my mother's bag into the back seat. “Come on, let’s get you settled in the front seat.” I opened her door and helped her in the passenger seat. “Amesbury, here we come.”

We drove for an hour, taking the more scenic route out of Sikita. Every time I looked over, she had a smile on her face. This was a breakout that she desperately needed. Her smile only got bigger with each passing mile.

The nurses in the nursing home kindly warned me about what to expect when I took care of my mother over the holidays. The memories of her doctor's appointment when she received her diagnosis was still fresh in my mind, and I remembered how he described every symptom she might succumb to due to her condition. I spent months researching and consulting with her doctor.

That day she told me, “Giving up your life to take care of me isn't what I want.” The weight of her words hung heavy. She knew how hard I worked. My journey to pass the bar exam, the years of long hours and sleepless nights I spent preparing for it. Not using my degree would be detrimental to any future career, and she reminded me of that. I was willing to let it all go to take care of the woman who gave up so much to take care of me.

Dad's playlist was bringing joy to this trip, a tribute to all the times we took trips to Missoula. So many memories were embedded along with the songs playing, and by the looks of it, Mom agreed. Like the time when Dad had to pee so bad and there wasn't a gas station for miles, so he pulled over and stepped behind a tree in a meadow. Mom and I heard screaming, and then my father was running with his pants down, swatting at the air. Turns out, there was a beehive above his head. Mom made fun of him the rest of the trip after getting him some Benadryl. We never did make it to our destination, instead we turned around and went home. Dad felt so bad for ruining our trip to the zoo. Truth be told, it wasn't about the places we went, but the time I got. As long as I was with them, I had fun.

My mother turned down the radio. “So, you've been there for a while now. How are you liking it? You never seemed like the big city type.”

I looked over toward her, letting go of the steering wheel with my right hand to take hold of hers. “Honestly, it would be better if you were there. Walking around Times Square just isn't as fun when you are alone.”

She smiled and pinched my cheek. “Oh, Lane, baby, you need to get a good woman. A man as amazing as you are shouldn't be lonely.”

If only my mom knew about Jennifer. It wasn't like I could tell her because then she would spend the next few days trying to push us together, and that could be uncomfortable for mysassy assistant. “Focusing on my career will always be lonely, but that's okay. Someday, the woman of my dreams will say yes, and lonely I'll never be again.”

I turned the radio back up, so she didn't pry into that subject any further, because if there was one thing I wasn't good at, it was lying to my mother. She could spot it a mile away.

As I rounded the corner, the Amesbury sign came into view and I took a right turn, approaching the town that held so many memories for us both. Being surrounded by her friends that she had known all her life might do her some good.

As we pulled into the lodge's lot, Mom couldn't wipe the smile off her face as I went around and helped her out of the vehicle.

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