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Thanksgiving comes and dinner has died down. I keep waiting for Logan to leave the table, but he doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. I didn’t really want him here because he’s going to give me knowing looks.
“So, Mom,” I start, needing to get it over with. “Can I spend a week with Dad for Christmas?”
She immediately glances at my stepdad, Chris, with surprise.
“I haven’t seen him in over a year—since Grandma’s funeral,” I add.
“He asked you to come?”
I nod. Every year, Dad asks me to come, but I usually turn him down without ever mentioning it to Mom. This year, I told him I would ask. I can still hear his surprise ringing in my ears. Logan is staring at me and he reaches under the table to grab my knee. I shove it off of me. The last thing I need is for my plan to be foiled now.
“You want to spend an entire week with him?”
“He’s my dad and I haven’t seen him in forever. He wants to spend Christmas with me, so yes.”
“Okay. If he pays for the plane ticket, then you can go.”
“Thanks!” It takes everything I have not to squeal with excitement. I pull out my phone and text Ian first and then Dad.
“Let’s clean up,” Logan says, standing. He picks up his plate and raises an eyebrow at me. I grab my plate and follow him into the kitchen. “You’re going to see him, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I answer simply.
“Do you even plan to spend time with your dad?”
“Some of it, yeah.”
“This is crazy!”
Frowning, I ask, “Why? It’s not like we haven’t met before.”
“You’ve met once!”
“And we’ve been talking ever since. Shut up about it, Logan. I’m going.”
“Fine. Who asked who?”
“He asked me to come.”
Logan grumbles under his breath, and I leave to continue clearing off the table since he volunteered us for the job. My phone vibrates with a text.
Ian: Can’t fucking wait, gorgeous!
“Stop texting and help me, Syd.”
I put my phone away for now and help him. Soon, I’ll see Ian again. Can’t fucking wait is the biggest understatement ever.
Ian: Think of our kiss.
That’s the text Ian sends me when the time has finally come and I tell him I’m boarding the plane. It’s been so long that I’m sure the details aren’t as good as the real thing. Instead of imagining the kiss we had, I imagine the kiss I’ll get. Dad
is supposed to pick me up, but I’m hoping to have dinner with Ian tonight.
I’m so nervous about seeing him. I’ve gotten used to the texts and the occasional phone calls. Between that and it being so long since we last saw one another, what if it’s different between us when we’re together in person again? What is it going to be like between us now? I end up worrying about that so much that I almost miss the takeoff. Almost.
The flight seems to take forever. At least this time, I’m certain Dad will be there waiting for me. He’s been in contact with me all day. My legs bounce for the length of the flight and finally, we’re landing. I only have my carry-on because I can pack like a pro, but I head to the baggage claim anyway since that’s where Dad said he’d meet me.
Worry starts to creep in when I don’t see him.
