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“Did you practice this morning?” he asks.
I grin, a wave of excitement coursing through me. “Of course. Jake put me through my paces. I’ll be ready for my fight next week.” Griff’s family owns a martial arts gym and school. When we began dating, they didn’t have classes for beginners. But this summer, when he and his brothers took over the management, they expanded the facility. Now they run courses for every level of fighter, and I’ve been training there since the spring. I’m scheduled for my first Brazilian jujitsu tournament next weekend.
“You’re going to do great, and I can’t wait to watch you.” He pauses. “As long as we can get out of Chicago.”
I bite my lip and glance at Hannah. “Keep me posted, okay? I’m sure Cord’s working his magic, but maybe I should call Cami or Shea? They might know someone or be able to pull some strings?” Cami Alvarez is a budding movie star, and Shea Carmichael’s family owns one of the largest real estate development companies in the world. Surely they’ll have connections we can use.
“That might be a good idea. Just to have a backup plan.”
“Good luck today, Griff. I’ll be watching.” A wave of longing sweeps over me as I smile. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
“Fingers crossed, Pen. I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Sounds good.”
We disconnect. Across the room, Hannah huddles with my mother and Rebecca. They spread the floor plans on a table in front of them. Gray skies fill the windows around the room.
Hannah and Cord deserve the perfect day. I’m sure that Cord’s doing everything he can to get here on time, but I refuse to leave even that much to chance. It’s time to call in the cavalry.
Opening my phone, I skim through my contact list and hit send at Shea’s name. I drop into her voicemail. “Hey, babe. Could use your help. Call me back.”
Undeterred, I dial Cami Alvarez. As it rings, I square my shoulders. One way or another, we need to get Cord to Chesterboro before tomorrow night.
Cami Alvarez
“I’mgoingwiththeMidas skin with the laser chomp glider.” My twelve-year-old brother, Joey, makes modifications to his Fortnite character with a few clicks on his Xbox controller.
My boyfriend, Ash, looks up from his laptop to inspect Joey’s work. “Does your guy have a cat in his backpack?”
Joey doesn’t pause in his character alterations. “Where else would you keep your cat?”
“Indeed,” Ash concedes, returning his attention to the screen where he’s doctoring up his own character. “I’ll start the party. Join, then ready up.”
My brother nods, his tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth, a sure sign of intense concentration.
I roll my eyes at my mom, and she shakes her head, chuckling, before motioning me back into the kitchen.
Ash and I have been at my parents’ house for two days. In that time, he and my brother have become sloths. They’ve played a marathon stretch of video games and eaten more snacks than I imagined possible. I don’t blame either of them. Joey’s on winter break, and Ash’s last hockey game for Chesterboro University was last weekend, leaving him two blissful weeks before the season resumes in January. He even skipped his run this morning and had a second helping of my mom’s cinnamon rolls. He’s in peak vacation mode.
I’m glad to see it. After repeated struggles with his knees over the past years, he returned for a final year to our alma mater. He had some professional interest from Philadelphia and Florida but stuck around at Chesterboro. He’ll graduate in the spring with majors in biology and chemistry in an advanced degree program with Temple University. Ash is so smart. If he wanted to, he could go to medical next year. But his dream has always been to play in the NHL.
I only want what makes him happy.
In the kitchen, my mother retrieves the cookie dough from the refrigerator. “We need to get these in the oven. The storm will be here in a few hours. I want you and Ashton tucked in at Chesterboro before the first flakes fall.”
“You know it won’t be bad until the sun goes down.”
“Still. No risks.” She’s got her protective, I-won’t-be-argued-with face on. Ash and I need to head back to Chesterboro tonight because our friends Cord Spellman and Hannah Marshall are getting married tomorrow. Though I’m sad to be missing the actual holiday with my family, we plan to return to my parents’ Christmas day in time for dinner. The quick hour trip between my college town and my parents was why I chose Chesterboro University for my degree. I hate being far from my family.
“Yes, Mami.” I tuck my head so she doesn’t see my grin. I’ve missed her.
The past few months, I’ve been traveling for work. I spent some weeks in Vancouver shooting a pilot for a teenage drama series. Right on the heels of that, I flew to Amsterdam to shoot for a movie. I’m home for a few weeks, and then I’ll travel to Georgia for another movie. These stolen moments between jobs with my family and Ash are bliss.
My cell vibrates in my back pocket, and I reach for it. “This is Penny, Mami. Let me take it.”
She shoos me away, and I step into the hall to answer Penny, smiling. “Hey, girl. I can’t wait to see you tonight.”
