Page 3 of Her Surprise Vacation Date

“Shane’s going to stand in for me until I feel better. He should be halfway to the Santa Barbara airport by now. He’ll be the one picking you up and driving you to Solvang.”

“Wait a minute. You’re sending your brother to go onourvacation? Your little brother who used to hide in your closet when I slept over and would jump out and scare me in the middle of the night?”

“He’s not so little anymore, Hope. And he’s actually not bad company now that he’s older. Just think of him as your chauffeur and tour guide. As soon as my insides return to normal, I’ll come and switch places with him.”

I swallow hard. Now it’smyinsides that feel twisted up into a knot. Nothing about this day is going according to plan. Those Ts I had talked about before? They’ve turned into troubling, trapped, and terrifying. I can’t believe I’m about to go on vacation with my best friend’s younger brother.

CHAPTER 2

Shane

“Brothers are always helpingyou out for free; they work pro-bro-no.” ~Anonymous

Amelia is going to owe me so much for this favor.

My head had barely hit the pillow when my phone rang this morning. After working a 48-hour shift as an EMT, I’d been looking forward to some good R and R. Ninety-six hours of sleeping, eating, and thinking in peace is just what my overworked body needs at this point in the week.

And precisely what my sister is now denying me of.

“Come on, Shane,” she begs, her normally bossy tone turning desperate. “It’s just a couple of days. Think of it as a vacation. It’s been a while since you took one of those, right?”

I put my phone on speaker mode as I drag myself to a sitting position. My bare feet hit the carpet as I run a hand down my face. The clock on my bedside table says eight-twenty in the morning, which is at least three hours before I had planned on waking up. “A couple of days is half of my time off. And I wouldn’t call Solvang a prime vacation spot.It’s a tourist trap in the middle of nowhere. And now I have to play chauffeur and tour guide for one of your friends?”

“Yikes, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today! I hope you don’t look as horrible as you sound. You know what you need? A strong dose of caffeine!”

I roll my eyes. Leave it to my sister to give it to me straight. Not that I ever expect Amelia to keep her thoughts to herself. According to my parents, she started talking to me from the moment they told her she was going to be a big sister. I seriously haven’t had a moment of peace since I was in the womb. “There’s only so much adrenaline and caffeine that I can run on, sis. I’ve barely slept in two days. I’ve been kinda busy.”

“Saving lives, I know, I know,” her tone softens. As a nurse, she understands firsthand how much mental and physical energy it takes to work in the medical field. We both make it a point to never wake the other person up if we don’t have to. “I’m sorry for interrupting your sleep and messing up your plans. If I could go today, I totally would. I just don’t think it’d be safe for me to be on the road where I don’t have access to a bathroom.”

I release a heavy breath. “I get it. It’s not like you want to be sick. Are you drinking enough fluids to replace the ones you’re losing?”

“Yes, dear brother, I am.” Her reply has a smile in it. “Thanks for caring about my state of hydration, Shane.”

“Whatever. It’s the EMT in me.”

“I know it’s because I’m your favorite sister.”

“You’re myonlysister.”

“But I’m still your favorite.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

“I really appreciate you doing this.” A gagging sound comes over the line. “I’ll text you the details in a bit! Thank you! You’re the best!”

My phone screen goes dark as the call ends, leaving me to get dressed and packed, so I can tackle yet another task that Amelia has assigned to me.

That’s my wonderful big sister for you.

Our mom jokes that because Amelia doesn’t have a boyfriend or a husband to do her so-called honey-do-list, those duties fall to me. Whether it’s unclogging her sink, changing her car’s oil, or capturing a wayward spider, I’m the first one she calls. I don’t mind, most of the time. I don’t have a significant other either, and since we’re the only two Morgans still living in the San Francisco Bay Area—our parents moved to Florida—we watch out for one another. Fortunately for me, Amelia’s an awesome cook, and I stay well fed because of her. I also kind of owe my existence to her; she prayed for a sibling and God gave her me. And despite her occasional bossiness, we get along well. I don’t usually feel grumpy about the favors she asks of me.

Except this time, I do.

My annoyance isn’t all my sister’s fault. Lately, I’ve been feeling trapped by my job. An EMT’s schedule is not the most conducive for a successful social life. And bysuccessful, I mean having opportunities to meet people who’re interested in more than my ability to bandage wounds or splint broken bones. I’ve had several well-meaning patients want to introduce me to their daughter, granddaughter, or niece, but they never stick around long enough to give me any contact information.

Don’t worry, it’s not as tragic as it sounds. It’s just that as soon as I get them stabilized, they’re whisked away by the hospital staff.

Where does that leave me, a twenty-seven-year-old guy whose longest relationship has been with my childhood orthodontist? Other than a set of straight teeth, of course. I’mleft spending my days off wandering the aisles of the grocery store or jogging at a park in hopes that I’ll miraculously run into the woman of my dreams who won’t mind foregoing small talk in exchange for meaningful conversation.

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