Natasha ~ Present
THE EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM HAD been great. Very informative and cool to see, and watching Jackson positively swoon as he meandered through was the icing on the cake.
We drove a little more after our tour was over, eager to be on our way to Boonsboro, Maryland, but ended up agreeing to stop for the night. We’d done a lot of traveling, and although the van was a luxury, we decided sitting down to a nice dinner and sleeping in a hotel would be best. That way we could wake up and be refreshed, ready to finish the drive and explore Nora’s town.
We’d found a hotel with a restaurant and bar inside on the map and made our way to it. Before we’d even arrived, Jericho had already called, secured four rooms, and paid for all of them.
“You know we could have paid for our own rooms tonight. You’ve already done so much,” I’d whispered to Jericho as we exited the van, grabbed our bags, and followed the others inside.
“It’s no big deal. I said I’d cover the trip, and this is still part of it. The money’s just sitting there, not being used,” Jericho said, his face sharing his exasperation.
I knew he was probably getting tired of me talking about it, but . . .”I don’t want you to feel like we’re using you for your money. That’s all.”
“Hey,” Jericho called softly, pulling me to him so I was facing him, his arm coming around me. “I know you guys wouldn’t do that, okay . . . and, this was all my idea, so quit worrying about it.”
I nodded, then let my eyelids flutter shut when he bent to kiss me.
“Now, no more talk of money. Promise?” he asked, his breath warm against my lips.
“Promise,” I vowed, opening my eyes and smiling up at him. “Let’s go put our bags in the room and find that restaurant, I’m starving.”
“You got it.”
It looked like everyone had the same idea, so we agreed to meet back downstairs in five minutes and go to dinner. While in the elevator, Jericho called ahead to let the restaurant know that a party of seven was headed there way.
“This is nice,” I said when he opened the door to reveal a contemporary-style room with a king-sized bed. It wasn’t big or elaborate, but it was clean and the bed looked inviting.
“It’s a room,” Jericho said with a shrug, unimpressed. Right then, my stomach growled loudly, causing us both to laugh. “Let’s get you down to dinner.”
When we stepped off the elevator, Rob, Ty, and Dru were standing off to the side talking. As we drew near, I could hear them say Jackson and Millie’s names.
“What’s up?” I asked as we approached.
Dru looked over at me and wiggled her eyebrows.
“Jackson and Millie won’t be joining us, they’re ordering in.”
“Can’t say I blame them,” Jericho said roughly in my ear, then more loudly to the group, “Let’s go on in then, we can tell the hostess when we arrive that we’ll be two less.”
Once we were seated, placed our orders, and our drinks arrived, I felt like I could finally sit back and relax. Enjoy a moment of calm in a day that had been full of go, go, go. I leaned back in my chair and sipped my wine as I listened to Rob and Ty go back and forth about who drove the van better.
“You have to admit, my lane transitions were totally smooth,” Ty said.
“True, but did you see the way I handled The Beast when that Rav 4 cut in front of me?” Rob asked.
They’d started calling the luxury van The Beast around mile ten.
“Tomorrow, I’m driving,” Dru informed us, causing everyone to groan in response. Even me.
Dru scowled and asked, “What?”
I loved my sister, truly, but Dru was a terrible driver. The worst. Anytime I got in the car with her I said a prayer and held on for dear life. I don’t know why she was so bad, she’d learned from our mom, just like Millie and I had, and had the same Driver’s Ed teacher. She just never got the hang of it.
“Didn’t I hear that you once drove straight into a row of shopping carts? Not backed into, but hit them head on?” Rob asked, leaning on the table as he grinned at Dru, who looked like she wanted to kick him.
“And, what about the time you literally hit a chicken that was crossing the road?” Ty added.
“Did you guys hear about the time when she gunned it through a light after it had turned red, and totaled the car?” I asked, and this time Dru did kick me under the table.
“Ow!” I cried, frowning at her.
“Good thing it’s not up to any of you. Jericho is the one who rented the van, so he can decide if I can drive it or not.”
Dru looked at Jericho expectantly, her expression daring him to deny her.
He opened his mouth, then shut it again, and I knew he was conflicted because he was doing his best to make Dru like him, but he wanted us to arrive at Nora’s Inn in one piece.
Knowing I needed to save him from her wrath, I turned to my sister and said, “Dru, you don’t even have a license right now. It’s still suspended, remember? You can’t drive on a suspended license. If you got caught, Jericho could get in trouble with the rental agency and you’d get more than a slap on the wrist this time.”
Dru pursed her lips, then nodded reluctantly and agreed, “I guess you’re right. I don’t want to get Jericho in trouble.”
The table let out a collective sigh of relief, then laughed when Dru shot daggers at all of us.
“Thanks, babe,” Jericho whispered, and I squeezed his hand under the table.
“Anytime.”