“Wait,” I blurt. Reaching up, I rub the back of my neck, looking down at the ground, before meeting her gaze again. “Can I get your phone number?”
Can I get your phone number? Why do I have to sound like I’m a timid eighth grader?
All I know is I can’t let her get away again.
Her brows knit together. “You want my phone number?”
“Yeah, Elizabeth. I do.”
Then she does something I haven’t seen since last night, and it makes the damn fluttering in my gut happen again.
She smiles.
Chapter Fourteen
“Are you sure you can’t stay longer? Christmas dinner will be at about two,” Tina tries to persuade as she hugs me tight, gripping the back of my shoulders in her embrace.
“I really can’t stay, Tina. But thank you for the invitation. Yesterday and this morning were wonderful.”
When she releases me, I fight against tears. This goodbye feels bittersweet—like when you drop a loved one off at the airport, unsure of when the next visit will be. It hurts, but you’ll carry the memories from your time with them until you see them again.
Tina’s hand drops to mine, and she squeezes it in a motherly way as she smiles at me, obviously attempting to cheer me up.
“Well, kiddo, it was so nice to meet you.” Tim pushes his way past his wife and envelops me into a giant bear hug. His arms are warm as he gives me a squeeze, then, as he steps back, the cold threatens to swallow me whole.
I shiver and turn to Lincoln, who’s standing just a few steps away, watching me say goodbye to his parents.
“Thank you again,” I tell them, swiping away a tear. “For everything. Truly.”
Lincoln puts his arm around me and guides me to the car. He opens my door, then turns our bodies so his back is to his family, concealing me from view. Leaning down, he speaks by my ear, so it looks like we’re sharing a kiss.
“I owe you one, Holly North.”
“No, you don’t. Thank you for sharing your family with me. Even if it was under false pretenses, it’s because of you all that I actually got to enjoy the holiday.”
He gives me a weak smile, knowing I won’t say more. Nodding, he brings me to his chest and hugs me tight. “Get home safe, and please, let's stay in contact. I’d really like to be your friend.”
A sob lodges in my throat, but I try to hold myself together. My voice is small as I choke out, “I will,” then pull away from his arms and sink into my driver's seat.
Lincoln closes my door for me, and I crank the key in the ignition, turning the heater on full blast as the engine comes to life.
The tears start to fall before I’ve even made it back to the main road. As I pull away from the Stokes’ house, my heart feels like there’s a brick tied around it.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, I see Tim and Tina watching me leave as they hold each other around the waist. Lincoln and Miller seem to be arguing about something on the porch—Lincoln gestures toward my car, but I have to force myself to pry my eyes away and refocus on the road as Miller's gaze follows Lincoln’s outstretched hand.
This is so stupid. They’renotmy family.
But it almost feels as though in the last twenty-four hours I’ve become a part of theirs.
I’m delusional, I think to myself.
With the GPS secured on my dashboard screen, I grab my cell phone and pull up Genesis’ number while keeping my eye on the road.
“Hey!” she answers on the second ring. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Gen!” My tone is brighter than I’m feeling, especially when I pass by the Ryan Family Tree Farm. My heart sinks and lodges in my throat, which doesn’t even make sense. “How’s Potato?”
“He was just fine. Didn’t even come out of the room until I went to find him, then he realized I was there to feed him.”
