Page 8 of Her Surprise Vacation Date

Once Hope stops moving, I give her shirt a swift tug upwards and release her from her cocoon. The motion knocks her off balance and sends her falling forward. She lands against my chest with a softoomph, and I quickly wrap my arms around her waist to steady her. Soft strands of her hair tickle my chin, and her sweet, intoxicating scent hangs in the air. The sensation of her body against mine sends a rush of adrenaline through my system. All of my senses are on high alert as I soak in this moment. My teenage self would be out of his mind to be this close to Hope. Meanwhile, my adult self is surprised to feel emotions I haven’t felt in a long, long time.

Maybe ever.

Hope pulls back, her cheeks flushed. Her expression is one of embarrassment mixed with relief as she steps out of my grip. “I’m free! Thank you, Shane! Who knew a shirt could be so dangerous?”

“No problem. That was by far the easiest life-saving measure I’ve ever had to do,” I joke as I hand her the shirt. “Are you good now?”

“Yes, much better. I have a couple more to take off, but these should be easier since they’re short-sleeved ones.”

“Oo-kay.” I figure it’s better to help first and ask questionslater, so I gesture for her to come closer. “I can help you with those.”

“Oh, thank you, but I’ve got this.”

She turns her back to me and starts taking off not one T-shirt, but three. When she’s done shedding her top layers, I half-expect a clown to emerge from a hidden pocket as part of a grand finale, but by the end, it’s just Hope standing in front of me in a pair of leggings and a top. She does some kind of ninja-like move with her hair and twists it into a bun at the top of her head, then pulls the end through the middle as if tying a knot. By this time, I am thoroughly intriguedandconfused at what I’ve just witnessed.

“Ahhh, so much better!” she exclaims as she folds all the pieces of clothing and puts them in a pile on her seat. When she’s done, she turns to me and confides, “To tell you the truth, Shane, I was kind of worried before about what it would be like to hang out with you on this trip. It’s nothing personal,” she quickly adds, “it’s only because we hadn’t seen each other in such a long time. I didn’t know what to expect, if you’d still be the same boy I knew growing up.”

“That’s fair. It has been a while since we’ve seen each other. Were you wondering if I’d still be fun-sized? Cute, sweet, and a little nutty?”

Hope’s gaze roams over me slowly, traveling from my head to my toes, as if mapping out uncharted territory. She licks her lips as she looks back up, then murmurs, “You are definitely not fun-sized anymore. Cute and sweet—sure. Nutty? That’s to be determined.”

“Says the woman who was wearing half the contents of her closet at the same time,” I tease. “Forgive me for being fashion-challenged, but is that some kind of new trend? I’m still in awe at how you were able to pile on so many layers.”

“That was not a fashion trend, believe me.” The bun onHope’s head wobbles as she shakes her head. “Long story short, my luggage was over the weight limit, so I had to do a little improvisation.”

“As a walking, talking dresser?”

Hope rolls her eyes in her usual good-natured way. “Hey, it worked, didn’t it? But more importantly, I still have clothes to wear even though I lost my luggage. I call that a win.”

“That is a win. Good on you to plan ahead like that.” We share a chuckle like we’re old friends, which I suppose we are. It’s the first time in a long while that I’ve done anything social, and I’m happy to see I haven’t lost the ability to make someone laugh.

“I have my talents,” she responds with a wink that’s sweeter than any cookie.

“It looks like your optimism is returning.”

“I think so. This trip may not have gotten off to the best start, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. Ames said she booked a really cute inn, and we even have a private patio with a fire pit.”

“Nice. We should try to make s’mores. It’ll be like old times when you used to come over for sleepovers.”

As soon as the suggestion leaves my mouth, Hope’s brows shoot up high on her forehead. “Um, Shane, I just realized there’s a slight problem.”

I swallow hard, wondering what could be the reason for the wariness in her voice. Did she leave her wallet in her luggage and potentially get her identity stolen, too? “What kind of problem?”

“Ames only booked one room.”

My shoulders fall in relief. “No big deal, I can book myself another one.”

“But she said she got the last one.”

“Really? Well, I’m sure there are other places to stay.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. We had to make reservations almost a year in advance. Summer’s the most popular time of the year in Solvang.”

“So, you’re saying there’s no more rooms at the inn or possibly anywhere else?”

Hope nods wordlessly.

“Well, I guess we’re not only friends—we’re going to be roommates, too.”

---