Page 2 of Snowbound Hearts
The last time I saw her, she was standing in my doorway telling me that it was over between us; that we couldn’t work it out; how she couldn’t have a long-distance relationship with someone in the military halfway around the globe.
She never understood my reasoning for joining the Marines, but I had to do it. It was a calling for me. I just never expected to have my heart torn apart when I did.
Thank god for Emily showing up and checking her in when she did because I couldn’t move. Sydney looks amazing standing at the check in desk in her fancy clothes and boots. She looks likeshe just stepped out of an LL Bean catalogue. Life has been good to her.
My sister jabs me in the ribs, “Mason, take the woman’s luggage to her room for her.”
“No, no. I’ve got it.” Sydney says quickly. “Really. I’m fine. Thank you.”
I watch her bend over to pick up the contents of her purse she dumped all over the floor before grabbing the handle of her suitcase. “See? I’ve got it.” She looks even better than I remember, and I need to shake off my thoughts.Not the time, Mason.
Sydney struggles to get her suitcase up the stairs and Emily looks at me with wide eyes and nods towards her, silently urging me to go help her, but I shake my head. She said she has it, I’m going to let her do it her way.
A sudden and loud bang grabs our attention and all three of us watch as Sydney’s suitcase tumbles once, twice, and then a third time down the steps before exploding clothes and toiletries in all directions.
Emily pushes me out of the way and runs over to the base of the staircase. “Are you okay?”
Sydney avoids all eye contact with me, but I can see the embarrassment from way over here. “I’m fine. Just clumsy. I’m so sorry.” She rushes down the stairs picking up her stuff as she goes. Emily and Sydney stuff everything back into her suitcase and try to zip it closed.
“Oh no. The zipper broke.” Emily is trying to get the zipper to catch.
“That’s okay. I’ll just carry it up.” Sydney tries to lift the suitcase while trying to hold it closed.
I quickly climb the stairs and take it out of her hands without looking or touching her. “I’ll carry it. Follow me.”
Sydney lets me take the broken suitcase as she follows me up the staircase and down the hallway to her suite. I purposefully don’t look at her in fear of my heart just stopping. Fuck, she smells good.
“This is your suite,” I grumble.
She unlocks the door and I follow her into the room, place the suitcase on the bed, and try to hightail it out of the room before this gets anymore awkward.
“Mason, wait.”
I almost made it to the door. Damn it. “Yeah?”
“Um… how are you?” She asks hesitantly.
I nod. “Good. You?”
“Good. Um… how are your parents?”
“Gone.”
She gasps. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I hadn’t heard.”
I nod and turn to face her. “Look. Let’s just get through this wedding stuff and then you can go back to your life, and I can go back to mine. Okay?”
Her face falls, but she recovers quickly straightening her shoulders. “Yes, yes. Of course. You’re right. Well, it is nice seeing you again.”
Looking directly in her expressive emerald eyes, I nod and close the door behind me.
Fuck, the next few days are going to suck.
Chapter 3
Sydney
Isit at the coffee bar in the lobby. “Hello. Can I get a cappuccino, please?”
