Page 68 of Deck the Hauls

Dana shrugged. “It’s fine. I’ve got all day to sleep.”

“Do you want me to drive so you can rest?”

She waved her hand. “It’s okay. It shouldn’t take us that long to get down to the station, and then I need to drive back anyway.”

I glanced at the clock on the truck. 7:20. It only took about ten minutes to drive from Sapphire Springs to the farm, so we had plenty of time to stop at the Airbnb and grab my bags. Thank god I’d packed yesterday afternoon.

“Oh, by the way”—Dana cleared her throat—“I got you a small present. It’s in the box next to your feet.”

Dana had gotten me a present too? I bent down and picked up a box wrapped in silver paper. I pulled the wrapping paper off, opened the box, and gasped.

It was the Sapphire Springs snow globe, the one I’d decided not to buy at the Christmas market because of the expense.

Tears filled my eyes. “Dana! This is so lovely, thank you.”

Dana glanced at me as we passed Roz and Olivia’s farmhouse. “I’m glad you like it. I wanted to get you a reminder of Sapphire Springs so you don’t forget about us.”

“As if I could do that.” There was no way I would forget Sapphire Springs or Dana, especially not after last night. How was I going to go back home and pretend like none of this had happened?

My phone pinged as we headed toward the main road.

My eyes widened as I read the message that had popped up. “Shit! The trains are canceled.”

“What?”

“Mihira messaged. There’s been a mudslide near Tarrytown.”

“Damn.” Dana pressed her lips together. “The last time that happened it took them well over a day to fix it.”

“What terrible timing. There’ll be so many people who won’t be able to make it home because of the weather.” Me included. I swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. Not only would I miss dinner, but poor Dana had busted her butt trying to get me home safely. It almost would have been better if we were still trapped at her place. At least then we could have extended last night for one more day…

I recalled Dana, her breath ragged, running her hands over my body, and a surge of desire hit me. I swallowed.

“Can you check if Route 9D and the Palisades Interstate Parkway is open?” Dana’s words brought me back to reality.

Was she thinking I could drive home? That hadn’t even crossed my mind. I’d dropped my rental car off yesterday, and the rental company had been plastered with posters stating they were closed on Thanksgiving. And getting an Uber or a taxi would set me back hundreds of dollars I didn’t have, if I could even find a driver willing to take me. No, the best-case scenario was that Mihira and I would find a gas station that was open and scrape together a Thanksgiving dinner of cold sandwiches, chips and soda. The lump in my throat swelled.

I checked the 511NY website and Google Maps anyway. “Yep. They’re open. But I don’t have a car.”

“Excellent, do you want to text Mihira and let her know we’ll pick her up in fifteen minutes. She’s staying at the bed and breakfast in town, isn’t she?”

I stared at Dana. “Um, why are we picking her up?”

“We’re driving to Brooklyn.”

My eyebrows shot up. “What! No, Dana, you don’t have to do that. It’s too far. You’re too tired.”

Dana shrugged. “I don’t have any plans and I can think of worse ways to spend my day than hanging out with you and Mihira. Anyway, it will be nice to have a change of scenery. I haven’t been into the city for ages.”

“But everything will be closed!”

Dana’s voice softened. “Hey, I know how much you were looking forward to Thanksgiving. Let me do this for you...and for Mihira too. Please.”

I had to admit it was appealing. A road trip with two of my new favorite people, culminating in my family Thanksgiving, especially when compared with my gas station Thanksgiving alternative. And it would delay having to say goodbye to Dana.

But Dana had hardly slept last night. She was in no state to drive.

“How about I drive, and you can sleep? Then when we get to Brooklyn, you come and have Thanksgiving dinner with my family to refuel?”