How am I going to survive this trip with him? My finger absently scrolls, and I read the first question at the top of the screen. “Would you rather be famous or rich?”
“Neither. I like my privacy, and money doesn’t buy happiness. I make a good living, and that’s more than enough.”
“You’re not allowed to say neither. That’s not how this works.”
“Fine. New rule. If I answer, then so do you.”
“Rich. Not because I love money, well, I mean, who doesn’t love money? But there are so many people I could help if I had more of it.” I chance a look at him, and he nods as if he accepts my answer.
I’m scrolling for another question, and my phone rings. My sister’s smiling face shines back at me. I accept the video call and hold the phone up so she can see me better. “Hey.”
“You were supposed to call me. What are your plans? You can’t spend another night in that airport,” Charity says in greeting. The phone jostles as she places it on the mantel and begins pacing back and forth in their living room, from the looks of the background, and I can see that her hand is resting protectively over her baby bump. She moves in and out of the screen with her pacing and it’s making me nervous.
“First, sit your ass down. You need to stop stressing. You can’t have my niece until I get home, and I am on my way home. We rented an SUV, well, Silas rented an SUV, and we’re already on the road.”
Charity stops pacing. “Silas?” she questions, her eyebrows raised.
“Yeah, it turns out he was traveling as well. He noticed me in the airport, and well, we’re headed in the same direction.”
“Brody, did you know that Silas was bringing Callista home?” she calls out to her husband.
A few seconds later, he appears on the screen. “Hey, Cal, and no, I didn’t know.”
I turn the phone to Silas. “What’s happening, brother?” Brody asks.
“You know, trying to get home to meet my niece,” he says.
I turn the phone to the front windshield so they can see what we’re driving in.
“It’s going to take some time,” Silas says, so I turn the screen back to him. “The roads are complete shit.”
“I went to the doctor, and no change,” Charity tells us. “She’s not ready to meet us yet, so take your time and be safe.”
“Always,” Silas and I reply at the same time.
“Where are you now?” Brody asks.
I turn the phone to Silas because I have no idea where we are. I blame him, his dimples, his sweet confessions, and that damn hand that’s still holding tightly to mine. Oh, and the sweatpants. We can’t forget the sweatpants.
“We’re just about an hour in, but it’s slow-moving. I’ve not been able to drive over forty-five miles an hour.”
“You should stop somewhere for the night. Don’t try to do it all at once,” my sister suggests.
“We’ll see how it goes.”
“We all know that Callista isn’t going to want to drive in that,” my sister adds.
I make a mental note to ask her what’s up with her comments when it’s just the two of us. She and I both know that driving in the snow doesn’t bother me. Sure, it’s stressful, but I want to get home to see my niece be born. That’s the only motivation I need, and she knows that.
“I’ve got Callista,” Silas replies, giving my hand a squeeze.
Is it just me or is his voice huskier? “Keep us posted,” Charity says. “Bye.” She waves at the screen, and the calls goes black. I stare at the screen for a few seconds. My sister is acting weird. When my phone vibrates with a text message and her name pops up, worry grabs hold of my chest.
Charity: This is your chance!
I have no idea what she’s talking about.
Me: What in the hell are you talking about?
Charity: Silas. Go for it.
Suddenly, her rush to get off the phone and her insistence that I can’t drive or won’t drive in the snow and that we should stop and rest for the night all makes sense. She’s playing matchmaker. I should have known. All those years ago, when I first met Silas, I told her how hot I thought he was. That’s a given. All you have to do is look at him. She’s been telling me I should at least hook-up with him for years, but I’m not that kind of girl. I’m going to be twenty-six, and I’m ready to settle down. I want what my sister and Brody have, and Silas seems to be content to remain single and play the field. Hell, he’s going to be on a book cover. I know how the women readers react to a sexy man on the cover of their favorite book. I am one of those readers. He’s going to be thrust into the limelight of the romance book world and will have his pick of whoever he wants.
Charity: I saw him holding your hand.
How is that possible?
Charity: When you dropped the phone in your lap.
It’s as if she’s in my head. She follows her message up with a row of emojis that are winking at me.
Me: It’s nothing.
Charity: Didn’t look like nothing.
Charity: Keep telling yourself that.
Me: Take care of my niece.
Charity: Take care of Silas.
I ignore her and go back to the screen full of questions. Over the next hour, I read random questions, and we both answer. I started this to pass the time and to hopefully help dissipate some of the sexual tension; it doesn’t. Now when he never lets go of my hand, he draws circles on my palm with his thumb. Not only that, but I find out more about him. Not just the hot guy who is my brother-in-law’s best friend, but the man himself.
I was already harboring a crush of sorts, and now, well, now I’m falling.
Chapter Four
SILAS
“I have to pee,” Callista announces.
We’ve been driving for a few hours now, and the thought of stretching my legs, and maybe some food sounds pretty damn good right now. “We’re going to fill up anyway, and I’m starving. You?”
“Did you not hear my stomach growl about an hour ago?”
“You should have told me. Wait, how long have you had to pee?”
“About the same time.”
“Babe, you have to tell me these things. I don’t mind stopping, but I don’t know to stop unless you tell me.”
“I don’t want to be that passenger. The ‘are we there yet, I have to pee, and I’m hungry every ten miles’ whiner.”
I throw my head back and laugh as I signal to take the next exit. “You aren’t. You need something. You tell me, and I make it happen. That’s how this works.” I feel like an ass. I was so lost in the feel of her hand in mine and her scent that seems to be overpowering the inside of the vehicle. I was in my own little Callista world.
“Looks like there’s a diner attached to the gas station. Is that good with you?” I ask.