8
APRIL 13TH
Megan stared out the window of her hotel. The streets of the city were bustling with people and vehicles. She had been to New York City before, but this time it felt lonelier despite there being millions of people around.
It had been three months since she had left Wintervale, and Jessa was set to meet up with her in Washington, D.C. next month. She couldn’t wait. She missed the company.
She picked up her phone and stared at her wallpaper, which was a photo of her and Jessa on their first trip to Wintervale. At that moment, a text lit up her screen with a photo of Jeff smiling in front of the resort. He was pointing at one lone flower growing in the overgrown flowerbeds with a sprinkle of snow still on the ground.
She laughed.
Megan: Aw. Poor little buddy won’t survive.
Jeff: Should I dig it up and put it in a pot? Give it a fighting chance?
Megan: Absolutely, but will Jackson be mad?
Jackson worked on the landscape at the Wintervale Resort, and according to Jessa, he was pretty protective of his plants. Nearly as protective as he was of his cats.
Jeff: He might appreciate me saving it.
Megan: I expect a report back.
He sent a thumbs-up emoji, and she set her phone aside with a smile. She loved the texts she received from Jeff. It was a nice surprise every time she got one, and it did something to her—something she couldn’t quite explain. But with each text she received, she wanted more. She just wasn’t quite sure how to get it.
MAY 20TH
Jeff: How did your trip with Jessa go?
Megan: A lot of fun and very much needed.
Jeff had overheard Jessa telling Noah about how she was concerned about Megan. While Jessa was in D.C., Megan hadseemed lonely. A little too lonely for an extroverted personality, according to Jessa. All it did was make Jeff want to text Megan and ask her how she was and if there was anything he could do for her. But he knew that would be too forward.
Jeff: Where are you off to next?
Megan: I’m thinking about coming to Wintervale for a bit.
Jeff read the text over and over again. His heart rate sped up. Could she really be coming back to Wintervale?
Jeff: When are you thinking of going?
Megan: Oh, in a few hours. Boarding my plane now. Could I ask you a huge favor of picking me up at the airport so I can surprise Jessa?
Jeff’s stomach did a somersault.
Jeff: Absolutely. Just tell me what time, and I’ll be there.
