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She focused on her keyboard, her fingers flying for one hour and then two. Then she gave up and called an airline, but waited on hold for another thirty endless minutes before someone answered.
After the call ended, she leaned back in her chair with a groan of frustration. “I can’t believe this. I found a single seat available on a flight leaving early tomorrow, with long layovers in Los Angeles and Dallas. It would take over nineteen hours to get home, and that’s if all the connections are on time. But I couldn’t take Sniper with me on that flight.”
“Did you find other options?”
“There are few seats available to the Mainland between now and Christmas. Only the flight I already booked on the 26thwould allow him to fly with me. But that’stwelve daysfrom now.” She twisted the birthstone ring on her finger. “And my uneasy feeling about Adam just keeps building. I feel so guilty about coming here.”
“You did say he was rarely in contact with you,” Nick said gently. “And that he hadn’t been home for Christmas in at least two years.”
She nodded. “Three. But that doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“If you’re worried about Sniper, he can stay here. Maybe someone will still show up and claim him. And if not, I’ll keep him.” Sniper jumped up in his lap and licked Nick’s chin as if he understood. “Or I could bring him to you when I go back to St. Paul after Jenna’s baby is born.”
She looked over at him, taking in the warmth and compassion in his eyes as he spoke, his deep, gentle voice flowing over her and giving her the peace and comfort she needed so much.
His late wife had been so blessed to be married to him. And now Lucy had been beyond blessed to have him in her life, if only for a little while.
Being held in his arms and sharing that kiss outside of the restaurant had made her heart feel...whole, somehow. As if she could now go through the rest of her life on that sweet memory and never search for anything more.
She took a deep breath, looked at her iPad, and took the steps to buy her ticket home.
And felt only deep regret when it was done.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Thanks for gettingup this early,” Lucy said quietly as Nick stowed her luggage in the trunk of the sedan. “I should have taken an Uber so you could sleep in.”
Sniper bounced at his heels as he closed the trunk and strode up to her, his eyes dark and unfathomable. He pulled her into a long embrace. “And let Sniper and me miss taking you to the airport?”
She nestled closer, her cheek against his chest. She could feel the steady, reassuring beat of his heart. Detect the faint scent of his aftershave.
She hoped she would remember everything about this moment after she was gone.
Sniper growled. Stiffened against her leg. Then he erupted in shrill barking that had to be awakening every last person on this street.
A dark form stepped out of the shadows at the front end of the car, his face silhouetted by the high street lamp behind him. A gun glinted in his hand.
