Page 9 of Her Surprise Vacation Date

CHAPTER 5

Hope

“Other than dying,I think puberty is probably about as rough as it gets.” ~Rick Springfield

“How’re you feeling, Ames?”

“Oh, my goodness, you wouldn’t believe…”

I hold my phone a few inches from my ear as my dear friend proceeds to tell me the number of times she’s visited the porcelain throne since the last time we talked. She seems to be feeling better because her storytelling skills are getting more elaborate and descriptive—a little too descriptive for my taste. She’s a nurse, so I’m glad she has a stomach of steel to handle all the unique things she sees on the job. I, on the other hand, live by the motto of “no, thank you, that’s TMI.” It’s a must when you deal with pre-teens on a regular basis. The less I know about anyone’s bathroom habits, the better. But because I love Amelia and I know she’d do the same for me, I try my best to listen without judgmentorlosing my breakfast.

I wrinkle my nose in disgust and stare out the window at the passing cars on the freeway. Shane and I have been onHighway 101 North for a while on our way to Solvang. Now that I’m wearing one outfit instead of a dozen, I feel a lot lighter and free. Physically, that is. I’m still reeling emotionally from the fact that I gave away my luggage, along with Amelia’s gift, to a stranger. If it weren’t for Shane’s calmness, I’d be a lot worse off. Possibly camped out in baggage claim and weeping over an angsty book, just so I can stew in my misery longer. Instead, my tears are at bay and I’m moving forward with my vacation. Who knew Shane would be such a surprising source of comfort during this most extra-unordinary day? Or maybe it’s the cookies he brought for me… or both.

Yes, definitely both.

Shane gives a soft chuckle from the driver’s seat. “Is my sister giving you a play-by-play of her bathroom escapades?”

I nod and whisper, “Yup.”

“I thought so,” he replies with a knowing smile. “That’s why you’re turning green. Just tell her it’s TMI.”

I put a finger to my lips to shush him. “Sh!”

“Are you done yet, sis?” he speaks up loudly enough for Amelia to stop talking in my ear. “Hope didn’t ask for a full patient care report. Give her a break, will ya?”

“How rude, Shane!” Amelia exclaims. “Put me on speakerphone, Hope.”

“Sure thing.” I do as I’m told, more than happy to have a reprieve from Amelia’s tale. “You’re on speaker.”

“Hello, dear brother of mine. Here I am in utter misery and my own flesh and blood shows no sympathy. I should ask Hope to punch you in the arm for me.”

Shane balks. “Hope’s too nice to do something like that.”

“It’s true, I really can’t.” I eye the impressive bulge of Shane’s bicep and shake my head. “Not because I’m too nice.He has muscles now, Ames. Muscles that look like they’d do damage to my knuckles if I tried to punch them.”

As if to prove my point, Shane flexes said muscles, making them pulse in time to the pop song playing through the car speakers.

“Let me guess, is he flexing right now?” Amelia asks. “Shane Bartholomew Morgan, please, please,pleasedo not subject my best friend to such nonsensical behavior.”

I burst out laughing. “How did you know he’s flexing?”

“He does it all the time, if not to annoy me, then to impress a girl. Which obviously would not work on you, even if you weren’t on a sabbatical, so he shouldn’t even try.”

I quirk a brow at his level of multi-tasking. Shane’s not only flexing, he’s now snapping his fingers, too—all while he drives. “He has really good rhythmandfast reflexes. It’s not completely unimpressive.”

“Hear that, sis?” Shane calls out. “Hope’s semi-impressed.”

Amelia groans. “I’m so sorry, Hope. He still acts like a teenage boy sometimes. I guess that’s because his brain only reached full maturity two years ago.”

“Have you forgotten the huge favor I’m doing for you on my day off?” Shane says. “I’d say that’s pretty mature behavior on my part.”

I shake my head at their exchange that takes me back to our adolescent years. “You guys are totally regressing. I feel like I’m in high school again listening to you two go back and forth like this.”

“Ugh, you’re right,” Amelia remarks. “I’m a grown adult; I’m bigger than this. But for the record, he started it.”

“Did not,” Shane murmurs out of the side of his mouth. Then he raises his volume and says, “I think the biggest person here actually is Hope for putting up with both of us.”

I start to laugh at his joke, but then I notice the look on his face as he glances my way. It’s a cross between gratitude and appreciation and is somewhat sentimental. I’ve never seen this side of Shane before, and it throws me off kilter. I’m still having a hard time reconciling the man-sized Shane beside me with the pint-sized Shane of years past.

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