Page 67 of Love on Deck

“I’ll do my best to convince him,” Lauren said.

Hey, whose side was she on here?

It worked to snap Annie’s attention her way. She smiled brightly. “I’m so glad we’ve met! Don’t let him keep you away from us.”

“I think we’re boarding now,” I said, gesturing to the gate behind my cousin. The airline employees had been announcing first class boarding for a few minutes already, but our group was close enough.

She pulled me in for another hug. “Love you, Jack!”

Levi patted my shoulder in his condescending way. I am the same age as you, I wanted to shout. He wouldn’t listen.

We were quiet while we stood in line, showed our tickets, and boarded the plane. When we reached Lauren’s seat, I squeezed her arm. “See you in a few hours.”

She bit her lip. “You know, you should really think about going to that party.”

My stomach clenched.

She continued. “It sounds like maybe your brother just forgot to pass on the information. Annie seems to think there will be a lot of people who would be happy to see you.”

A man waited in the aisle behind me, so I slid into the row across from Lauren to let him pass. “I don’t think I can, not without being invited. It just feels weird.”

“But it’s your family. Aren’t they supposed to welcome you with open arms?”

“It’s not really that simple.” It was hard putting myself out there. Just showing up. Pretending I wasn’t the one who’d ditched all of them for Dallas the moment I graduated. I didn’t know how much resentment they’d held onto all these years.

“Just think about it,” Lauren said. “I told Annie I’d try, and I tried.”

“Well done.”

She rolled her eyes playfully. “For what it’s worth, I agree with her. I think you should go.”

Maybe they were both right, but that didn’t make it easy. “I don’t think I could do it alone.”

“Go early and arrive with Annie and Levi.”

“That’s not the same.”

She held my gaze.

A throat cleared in the aisle. “I think you’re in my seat.”

I looked up to find an older woman gesturing to me. “Sorry, ma’am. I’ll just get out of your way.”

I started down the aisle toward my own row, walking backwards.

Lauren pivoted to watch me. “Just think about it,” she repeated.

“Okay, fine.”

Her mouth split into a grin. “And finish that email while you’re at it.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “See you in Dallas.”

* * *

The email was sent. I’d done it the moment we touched down and I was able to take my phone off airplane mode. My reasons for requesting the change in venue sounded valid. When Lauren left her seat mid-flight to use the restroom, I commandeered her for a minute and had her tell me the top five reasons my bosses would like her hotel better than the one we were already contracted with. Turned out, they were pretty good.

To say nothing of the steep discount she was offering and the fact that I’d already promised this to her. I wanted to make her happy, and she seemed to think this conference was the answer to her prayers.

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