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“It’s okay.” I tried to hide my frown.
“Maybe we can come back tomorrow night,” Zoe suggested. “If he was really into you, then maybe he’ll be back too.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Can’t. Have my dad’s holiday party.”
“Oh, right,” Zoe replied.
“It’s okay. Maybe I’ll run into him again somewhere else.”
My friends looked at me like I was crazy, probably figuring I had zero chance of seeing him again since we lived in New York City with a population of over eight million people. Because I wasn’t sure what would happen, I didn’t want to tell them I knew who he was, had his last name, and could look him up online. Instead, I boarded the train with them when it arrived. As we rode to our stop, I searched on social media for him.
I smiled when I saw he had a profile and instantly sent him a message:
Me:
Hey! Sorry I ran off tonight. Harper wasn’t feeling well. I went back to look for you but didn’t see you. Maybe we can grab coffee sometime and catch up?
By the time I got home, woke my mom to tell her I was home, showered, and slipped into bed, he still hadn’t replied.
* * *
Stretching my arms above my head, I reached for my phone on the nightstand, hoping I’d have a message from Ezra. But the message I had sent was still unread. It had been a sleepless night as I tossed and turned and checked my phone a million times. I just wanted to hear from him again.
I sighed, sitting up and running a hand through my disheveled hair. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I slipped into my slippers and padded out into the hallway.
The aroma of breakfast wafted through the air as I walked down the stairs. My parents were in the kitchen, the clatter of pans and the sizzle of bacon filling the space. They greeted me with smiles, oblivious to my internal turmoil.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” my mom chirped, flipping a pancake with practiced ease. “Have a good night last night?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“You didn’t?” she asked.
My gaze met hers as I walked to the coffeemaker. “I ran into Ezra last night.”
Her eyes widened. “You did?”
Dad cleared his throat from where he sat at the island, drinking his coffee and eating a bowl of fruit. “How did that go?”
I pressed the button to make my coffee. Since my parents knew Ezra and how I was in love with him in high school, I told them everything. “Well, we ended up on the same subway last night.” I turned and leaned against the counter. “His friends dared him to kiss me. No one knew we knew each other, and I helped him make fifty dollars.” I smiled, thinking about the kiss. “Then we all ended up at the same nightclub, but before we could figure out what was actually happening between us, Harper got sick and ran out of the club.”
“Is she okay?” Mom asked.
I nodded. “She’ll be fine.”
“That’s good,” Dad said. “What happened with Ezra?”
“Well, when I went back into the club, I couldn’t find him.” I looked down at the floor, trying to hide the sudden sting in my eyes. “We left, and I messaged him on social media, but I haven’t heard from him.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Mom gave me a side hug.
Dad took a sip of his coffee. “It’s the season for miracles. Maybe you will hear from him tonight.”
* * *
The living room was in chaos as people decorated every square inch of our first floor into a winter wonderland. I tried to distract myself as I helped decorate one of the three extra trees that were for the party only, but every few minutes, I couldn’t resist the urge to glance at my phone, hoping to see Ezra’s name light up the screen.
Still nothing.
