“Fourteen hours or so, if we go hard and barely stop,” he corrected.“Fair warning, I have a few deliveries along the way, Ridge Heights, Lake Louise, Blind Bay, Merritt, Abbotsford, you know, scenic detours.Which will include ...an overnight stay—”
“An overnight stay?”Not that it was a big deal because at this point I was already planning on that, but still.
“So if you agree, we need to leave immediately.”He glanced at his watch.“Considering it’s nearly eleven.”A short pause stabbed the air, barely giving me time to process.“And we can take turns picking songs, as long as you promise not to select anything with Stompin’ Tom.”
“The Hockey Song is a classic, thank you very much.”
He grinned.“So is the best Ortega wine, which I have a lot of in the back of my truck.And relax, if we end up overnight somewhere, I’m sure you still have ...well, your nightlight.”
The reference slid out of him so effortlessly I almost missed it, like it had been waiting on his tongue for years.
I crossed my arms, pretending to weigh my options.“So my choices are: hotel coffee, airport chairs, and a 10:17 flight tomorrow...”
“Possible flight.The airline strike is only just beginning.”
“Hmm...or a cross-province road trip with my former best friend’s older brother, who, last I checked, once tried to impress girls by balancing a hockey stick on his chin.”
“I’ve matured since then.”He reached across and handed me my coffee.“Come on.My company, while not as exciting as a flight attendant’s safety check, will be better than watching reruns of That 70s Show.”
Which just so happened to be one of my favourite shows, but before I could argue the point with him, he’d spun and was headed toward the exit.
It wasn’t lost on me that the last time I’d followed him anywhere, I’d been barely standing upright and trying not to fall apart.But that was then, and this was now.
What would my kids say?I hadn’t been spontaneous since the early 2000s.These days, I needed three lists, a backup plan, and a family group chat confirmation before any rational decision could be made.
Besides, it wasn’t like Tristan was a stranger.We’d known each other since we were awkward middle schoolers wondering if he would ever grow into his arms, and if the breast fairy would ever visit and pump up my flat chest.
Yes, it was true how I had the biggest yet most self-contained crush on him, but he’s married, and I wasn’t worried about anything happening.Even if he was single, I wasn’t into complications, and relationships were the number one cause of complications and therefore a solid reason for avoidance.
Every sensible part of me whispered to stay put, wait for the morning flight, keep things simple.
But another part—smaller, reckless, long buried under work schedules and grocery lists—tugged me forward anyway.
Shaking my head and wondering if this was the most impulsive decision I’d made in years, I followed Tristan Graham toward the sliding doors and away from the airport.
Chapter Three
