CHAPTER 1
TYRELL
“What do you mean, there’snothingelse?” I frown at the poor Singaporean woman behind the counter. I must be at least the tenth person to have said this to her in the last half hour.
She remains calm, giving me a sympathetic smile and repeating, “I’m sorry, sir. But the flight has been canceled.” Her accent is thick, but her English is very good, so I’m able to understand every unwanted word coming out of her mouth. “There’s nothing I can do to change that. Like I said, I can offer you a voucher for one of the guest rooms so you and your family can get some sleep while you wait for the next flight. It’s due to depart in seven hours.”
“Seven hours,” I mutter, shaking my head. “I’m due somewhere in seven hours.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” she says, yet again, placing the voucher on the counter and already looking past me at the long line of unhappy travelers.
There’s no point sticking around and demanding to know why the flight was canceled and why we have to wait so freaking long for the next one.
Shit.
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I grab the voucher with a soft growl and spin away from the counter, stalking back to the lounge where I left Dani and a crying Tucker.
Traveling with a six-month-old is hard work. But we were after some adventure, so as soon as Tuck turned three months old, we left the States once more to visit Thailand. We’d had the best time there a few years earlier, and November to January is a great time to travel because it’s cool and dry and… we’ve had the best experience.
But nothing was going to stop us from getting back for the Football Frat annual Christmas weekend in February. It’s a tradition we’ve had going for ten years now. We’ve only missed two, and this year, everyone can make it.
I growl again.
Well, everyone wassupposedto make it. I knew visiting Singapore two weeks before flying home was a risky move, but we thought it’d be fun to hit up a bustling city after months of beaches and national parks. Tucker loved the monkeys in Thailand, and seeing him giggle and kick his little legs while they jumped around in front of us? Pure gold.
But sitting around in airports, traveling on planes, and living out of suitcases with a baby?
Yeah, that part kind of sucks.
And it makes me seriously doubt if we can maintain this nomadic lifestyle.
Dani and I have spent the last decade jumping from one country to the next. After our first twelve-month overseas adventure, we settled in the States for a while. I worked my ass off and managed to score myself a job as a structural design engineer. I work for an amazing company, and the best part about it—I can do it remotely. I have to attend one conference a year, and that’s it. The rest is all online. So, it’s given us the chance to see the world, just the way we wanted to. Sure, it costsevery penny of what we earn to do it, and yes, depending on what country we’re in, the time zone thing can seriously suck. But damn, it’s been a good life.
Dani also managed to pick up some freelancing work—editing and proofreading for a small-press publishing company. She loves it, and although it doesn’t pay that well, it gives her something to do when I’m stuck at my laptop and she doesn’t feel like touring solo.
Yeah, we’ve had a pretty cool life since I graduated from Nolan U.
When we got pregnant with Tucker, we were determined to not give up our awesome lifestyle just because a kid was coming along.
Now… I’m not so sure.
Weaving my way around a clump of tired travelers, a mother and son both bawling and wailing to their frazzled husband and father, I scrub my face again and let out an irritated huff.
Fuck.
I was so looking forward to seeing my football family.
I can’t believe we’re going to miss it, or at least be so fucking late that we’ll only catch the tail end of it.
My chest constricts into a hard knot that starts to burn… until I round the corner into the waiting area and spot Dani and my baby boy.
He’s tucked up in her arms, his Afro curls poking out from the covering she’s draped over him. He’s happily feeding, and I can picture his little fingers curling into her shirt as he suckles her. I’ve watched it a thousand times already, and I could watch it a thousand more.
It’s beautiful.
Dani has this quiet, contented smile on her face, gently brushing her fingers over the top of his head and looking completely enamored with our son.
Easily done. He’s the cutest kid on the planet.
