woman across the aisle began to clap her hands.
“Bravo to you, honey,” she said.
Then the man in front of them joined in, and then the couple behind them, and by the time Laura got back to her seat the whole front of the plane had joined in the applause.
Cameron stood up and then slipped into the aisle to give her room to get in. Instead, she walked into his arms and hugged him.
“Once again you came to my rescue when I needed you most. Thank you forever,” she said.
He hugged her back and then scooted her in.
“Buckle up before we both get in trouble all over again,” he said.
“We got in trouble?”
He grinned. “It’s a long story best told over a bottle of wine.”
“And in front of a fire, please. I don’t think I’ll ever be warm again.”
Cameron leaned over and kissed Laura squarely on the lips.
“You are the best,” he whispered.
“My mouth feels weird. I could barely feel that kiss,” she said.
He cupped her cheek. “It’s the pills. Go to sleep, baby. I’ll wake you up when we land.”
She pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, reclined her seat and passed out.
The next thing she knew they were landing.
Five
T he sun was only an hour or so from setting when their plane landed, and it was almost dark by the time the cab finally reached Laura’s house. The tires made crunching noises as they rolled through the crust on the snow-packed driveway.
The driver jumped out and quickly carried the suitcases to the porch while Cameron carried Laura through the snow. There were dark shadows beneath her eyes and a slight muscle tic near her left eye. The journey had exhausted her, both physically and mentally.
“Easy does it, honey,” he said as he set her down on the covered porch.
She smiled. “I’m okay.”
But he could see she wasn’t. Cameron turned to pay the driver as Laura unlocked the door and then held it open as he carried the suitcases into the house.
The cab driver backed out of the drive and took off down the street as Laura closed the door behind them. Her voice was shaking as she reached for Cameron’s hand.
“I didn’t think I would ever see this again.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I have no words for what you’ve endured. I’m just so grateful that you’re here. Welcome home, honey. Welcome home.”
Laura closed her eyes for the kiss, waiting for the wave of love to wash through her, and it did.
Cameron smiled as he let go, but his gaze was focused on her pallor.
“I’m going to take the suitcases into the bedroom,” he said.
She nodded absently as she absorbed the familiar surroundings of the home in which she’d grown up. Her sister had been careful to leave the heat on so that pipes wouldn’t freeze in their absence, but it smelled a little stuffy. Still, she was at peace. This was her refuge.
Her leg was hurting, probably from too much sitting, and she needed something to flush the drugged feeling out of her system. She limped her way into the kitchen, taking joy in the simple act of being able to make a pot of coffee. She measured out hazelnut crème, which was her favorite grind, but noticed her hands were shaking as she poured the water into the reservoir. She had just turned on the machine when she heard Cameron’s footsteps. From the look on his face, he was worried about her, so she pushed past the exhaustion and made herself smile.
“I thought some coffee might help me shake the effects of those pills. I don’t know what was in them, but once they kicked in, I was gone.”
“I’m seriously glad we had them,” he said.
“I can only imagine what a scene I made. I’m grateful I only remember bits and pieces of that.”
He smiled. “On a good note, I just got a text from Tate and Nola asking if we were home. I told them we’d just arrived. They sent their love and a heads-up that they ordered take-out dinner for us. We should expect a delivery of Chinese food within the hour.”
Her shoulders slumped as she
“Bravo to you, honey,” she said.
Then the man in front of them joined in, and then the couple behind them, and by the time Laura got back to her seat the whole front of the plane had joined in the applause.
Cameron stood up and then slipped into the aisle to give her room to get in. Instead, she walked into his arms and hugged him.
“Once again you came to my rescue when I needed you most. Thank you forever,” she said.
He hugged her back and then scooted her in.
“Buckle up before we both get in trouble all over again,” he said.
“We got in trouble?”
He grinned. “It’s a long story best told over a bottle of wine.”
“And in front of a fire, please. I don’t think I’ll ever be warm again.”
Cameron leaned over and kissed Laura squarely on the lips.
“You are the best,” he whispered.
“My mouth feels weird. I could barely feel that kiss,” she said.
He cupped her cheek. “It’s the pills. Go to sleep, baby. I’ll wake you up when we land.”
She pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, reclined her seat and passed out.
The next thing she knew they were landing.
Five
T he sun was only an hour or so from setting when their plane landed, and it was almost dark by the time the cab finally reached Laura’s house. The tires made crunching noises as they rolled through the crust on the snow-packed driveway.
The driver jumped out and quickly carried the suitcases to the porch while Cameron carried Laura through the snow. There were dark shadows beneath her eyes and a slight muscle tic near her left eye. The journey had exhausted her, both physically and mentally.
“Easy does it, honey,” he said as he set her down on the covered porch.
She smiled. “I’m okay.”
But he could see she wasn’t. Cameron turned to pay the driver as Laura unlocked the door and then held it open as he carried the suitcases into the house.
The cab driver backed out of the drive and took off down the street as Laura closed the door behind them. Her voice was shaking as she reached for Cameron’s hand.
“I didn’t think I would ever see this again.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I have no words for what you’ve endured. I’m just so grateful that you’re here. Welcome home, honey. Welcome home.”
Laura closed her eyes for the kiss, waiting for the wave of love to wash through her, and it did.
Cameron smiled as he let go, but his gaze was focused on her pallor.
“I’m going to take the suitcases into the bedroom,” he said.
She nodded absently as she absorbed the familiar surroundings of the home in which she’d grown up. Her sister had been careful to leave the heat on so that pipes wouldn’t freeze in their absence, but it smelled a little stuffy. Still, she was at peace. This was her refuge.
Her leg was hurting, probably from too much sitting, and she needed something to flush the drugged feeling out of her system. She limped her way into the kitchen, taking joy in the simple act of being able to make a pot of coffee. She measured out hazelnut crème, which was her favorite grind, but noticed her hands were shaking as she poured the water into the reservoir. She had just turned on the machine when she heard Cameron’s footsteps. From the look on his face, he was worried about her, so she pushed past the exhaustion and made herself smile.
“I thought some coffee might help me shake the effects of those pills. I don’t know what was in them, but once they kicked in, I was gone.”
“I’m seriously glad we had them,” he said.
“I can only imagine what a scene I made. I’m grateful I only remember bits and pieces of that.”
He smiled. “On a good note, I just got a text from Tate and Nola asking if we were home. I told them we’d just arrived. They sent their love and a heads-up that they ordered take-out dinner for us. We should expect a delivery of Chinese food within the hour.”
Her shoulders slumped as she
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