Page 8 of When You're Home for the Holidays
He sucked in a sharp breath. He hadn’t let himself think about the possibility ofnotbeing home for the holidays. He refused to even entertain the idea.
“I’ll make it, Maddie. There’s no way I’m not spending this Christmas with my wife.”
“How did I know you were going to say that…” He could see her rolling her eyes in his mind. “When’s the latest you’d have to leave if you decided to drive?”
He stilled at her question. She wasn’t the first to suggest it— his assistant, Quinn, had floated the idea past him yesterday, but he had instantly shot him down. Truth be told, Rhett hadn’t driven much at all since the accident. He had a driver in Virginia for his company car. And Tori insisted on picking him up at the airport when he came home to Hampton.
Even though he had caused the accident, he still had lingering anxiety behind the wheel. He felt twitchy every time he had to get in the driver’s seat of a car. There was just something about gripping the steering wheel while pressing the gas pedal that transported him right back to the moment of impact.
“Rhett? You there?”
He unclenched his jaw and took a steadying breath. “I’m here. It’s a ten or eleven-hour drive from here to Michigan in decent conditions. That’s not accounting for the storm or the holiday traffic. I’d probably have to leave by tomorrow afternoon at the latest to make it to the cabin by Christmas Eve.”
The line was quiet for a few breaths before she spoke again. “Hey, do you know what time mom and dad’s cruise leaves? I wanted to call them before they lose cell reception for the week.”
He was grateful for the subject change.
“I don’t think they leave port until tomorrow night. You should be able to call them when you land and still catch them.”
“Okay, cool. I’m gonna go finish packing then. Text me an update once you know your final plans?”
“Yeah, I’ll figure it out and keep you posted. Fly safe. Text me when you land. And Maddie… behave.”
She guffawed on the other end of the line. “Behave? Why would you even say that to me, bro? I’m just flying home to spend the holidays with you, Tori, your deliciously ripped and tattooed best friend, and that hot trust fund fuckboy you let hang around with your wife. What could go wrong?”
Rhett groaned and shook his head. If he needed more motivation to get to his final destination, Maddie had just served it up for him. He didn’t love the reminder that Fielding Haas would be part of their holiday festivities this year, but he had to stay in a positive headspace. Tori had made it abundantly clear that Fielding was a friend, and a nonnegotiable one at that. If having him around for the holidays was what she wanted, he was happy to oblige.
“Be-have,” he repeated into the phone before adding, “Love you, Maddie girl. I’ll see you soon.”
Chapter five
Tori
Toriwokeuptothe sweet smells of cinnamon and maple syrup wafting from the kitchen into the master bedroom. She had slept well enough but still woke up with a lingering nag in the pit of her stomach, saddened by all the space around her that reminded her of why she was waking up alone.
Rhett had texted her late last night to let her know he was heading back to his apartment. There weren’t any flights scheduled to go out between one and five am, so he figured he might as well try to sleep. He promised to keep her updated today.
She looked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed out at the lake. The overcast, tumultuous sky matched her mood. It was somehowstillraining. Jake had been right. Global warming was a bitch.
She rolled out of bed in search of a bra and sweatpants. Having guests at the cabin meant she couldn’t walk around her home barely dressed like she normally did when it was just her and Rhett. Plus, unless the boys had woken up earlier than expected, she figured Judy was responsible for the aromatic smells coming from the kitchen.
“Good morning,” she offered quietly as she made her way to the breakfast bar. The older woman with tightly permed curls and the kindest eyes turned around and smiled.
“Good morning, Miss Tori. You’re the first one up today. How did you sleep?”
“Good. Really good. Will I be in your way if I make my coffee?” She attempted to move around the bar toward the coffee machine.
“I’ve already got the coffee made and your mug ready for you, dear.”
Tori smiled affectionately as Judy slid the mug across the counter. Coffee with a splash of heavy cream—just how she liked it.
Rhett had insisted they hire someone to keep up with the cabin since they only visited a few times a month. Tori had been resistant to the idea at first—it was weird to hire someone to do the things she was capable of doing, especially since she had taken the year off school for her surgeries. But Rhett insisted it would take a lot of the burden of the cabin off his plate, so ultimately she obliged.
Judy was responsible for the care and keeping of the house. She shopped for groceries before they arrived, she scheduled regular maintenance and kept things running smoothly. She insisted on cooking for them when they visited, too, unless Rhett specifically asked her not to come because they wanted privacy. Even on those occasions, they would find the fridge and freezer stocked with easy-to-reheat meals.
“Morning,” Jake grunted as he entered the kitchen in nothing but his gray sweatpants, Fielding hot on his heels. Field at least had a shirt on, but that didn’t discourage Tori from raising her eyebrows at their attire before turning to gauge Judy’s response.
“Oh my,” the older woman muttered under her breath before scurrying over to the sink. Tori lowered her head and tried to hold in a tremor of laughter.
