Читать книгу Wrapped In Red: Mistletoe Mantra / White Hot Holiday - Sherelle Green, Sheryl Lister - Страница 12

Chapter 3

It was official. Hell had frozen over. And it looked an awful lot like Faith, Virginia. Nomi strode through the train station looking around at the white canvas outside. Of course it was snowing. This was Virginia, after all, and there were only a few days left till Christmas. What had she expected? The balmy seventy-degree weather in Los Angeles looked mighty good right about now.

Get in and get out and you can go back.

She was giving herself three days to get what she needed and be back at home in the safety of her apartment before Christmas hit.

She turned on her phone and checked her messages. So far nothing from Linc. Hopefully he was already here. She was behind the curve as it was. Amber had used her miles to upgrade herself to an earlier flight and presumably had caught the afternoon train, so Nomi was playing catch up.

She took the escalator down, choosing to walk rather than ride it. All the while she scanned the luggage area for Linc. Frowning when she didn’t see him, she craned her neck. Don’t be ridiculous. He might have changed in all this time.

The last she’d seen him, his dark hair had dusted his shoulders and he’d been rail thin and barely taller than her at maybe five feet nine inches if she was being generous. She had no idea what to picture now. Maybe he’d gone extra emo like every other hipster she knew and had grown a beard or a mustache to be ironic.

As she looked around, the memories of the last time she’d been home washed over her. When she’d left here five years ago, the plan had been to never come back.

Thanks to her AP courses and the summer sessions she’d taken at the local community college, she’d finished all her high school credits just before the holiday and had planned to work from December through graduation and then head for UCLA in the fall. Brad was supposed to move out with her and had been planning on attending the University of Southern California. But that night had changed everything.

When he’d picked her up, he’d taken her to the big lake by the country club. Over the summers there were usually parties out there, bonfires on the tiny beach. It was also the standard make-out spot. But he hadn’t taken her there to make out. Or, hell, propose like her idiotic seventeen-year-old self had thought.

Just thinking about what he’d said made her blood boil. “Nomi, it’s been a fun two years, but we need to think about our futures. Or rather, I need to think about my future.”

She’d been too shocked to cry in the moment. And since she hadn’t said anything he’d continued.

“As great as you are, you’re not the right person to take into my future. I need to be with someone who complements me. Someone who has the same vision.”

What he’d meant was someone with a rich family and even richer connections. For the most part, his parents had been okay with her. His mother was more disapproving of her middle-class roots than the color of her skin. But she’d never missed an opportunity to parade rich, blonde debutants in front of Brad. The ass wipe had finally taken notice. His next words still sat with her today. “I’m seeing Lila Banks now.”

She’d finally found her voice then. “Lila Banks? That wannabe socialite barely has one brain cell.”

“Well, she’s perfect and her family is perfect. And I also got into Georgetown. I think even you can agree that it’s is a better school than USC. You don’t really fit into my circles. And, let’s face it, not everyone would understand our relationship. You’re the only one who didn’t see this coming.”

“H-how long?” She’d never regretted a question more.

“A few weeks. I’d have told you sooner. But your dad, he implied my history grade would be in jeopardy if I hurt you.” Nomi could still visualize his strong shoulders as they shrugged. “So I waited until after the report cards had been sent.”

Even now, Nomi could remember the instant nausea when he’d said that. Her parents had known. They could have insulated her or protected her and they hadn’t said a word. That verbal slap had left scars.

Brad had been with her as a note of rebellion, but now that real life was starting, he wanted his perfect blonde girlfriend and perfect life, and Nomi didn’t fit.

She’d walked away from him, leaving him at the top of the hill. Tears streaming down her face, she’d walked across the golf course and through the trails to Jilly’s house. Somewhere along the way it had started to rain, the frozen splashes stinging her face as she walked.

Jilly hadn’t been there. But Linc had. He’d opened the door and dragged her inside by the fire and wrapped a blanket around her. After a change of clothes, a go-around with Jilly’s blow-dryer and some hot cocoa, she had felt better.

He hadn’t asked her a thing, merely been there. Linc hadn’t batted an eyelash when she had asked for a ride home so she could pack. His only objection when she had asked for a ride to the train station was that she should wait for Jilly to come back before she left. But her friend was at Villanova visiting the college, and Nomi wanted out so bad she couldn’t wait.

She would never forget his last words to her. “You always deserved better than him.”

Then he’d given her a hug and his phone number and told her to call him if she ever needed anything. And that was that. Before that, they’d only been peripheral friends. She’d always seen him just as Jilly’s brother. But she’d always liked him. Unlike most of the other kids at her school, he’d talked to her when Brad wasn’t around. Nothing heavy, but he always went out of his way to make her feel comfortable. She’d always assumed it was because her mom worked for his father, but given that he was braving the cold to come pick her up now, maybe he was just a nice guy.

When she didn’t see him, she shuffled to the baggage claim wishing she’d worn her Uggs instead of her Cole Haan stiletto boots. She’d opted to check her bag instead of lugging it from car to car. Her train from Dulles had carried the usual commuter crowd, so the claims area was practically empty even though there were plenty of people waiting for their passengers.

For the most part, no one paid her any attention, but after several minutes the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. Nervously, she whipped around, expecting to see someone behind her. There was no one there. But at the far corner of the arrivals area, a man stared at her. He was tall, maybe around six feet or so. And he had one of those thin, rangy builds that screamed soccer player or some sort of athlete. His dark hair curled over his forehead and framed one hell of a face. Holy hell. There were men that hot in Faith? Maybe she’d been missing out.

Nervously she turned back and dragged her roll along off the luggage carousel.

Her neck still prickled with awareness. Oh jeez, was he staring? She hazarded another glance over her shoulder. This time when their eyes met, the corner of his lips tipped up in a hint of a smile and her insides flipped.

No. No. No. She was not getting distracted by some hottie. She had a job to do. Tall-dark-and-rip-your-clothes-off over there was a dime a dozen in Los Angeles. Granted, the ones in LA were also pompous ass hats for the most part.

She turned back around to keep from staring some more, pulled up Linc’s contact info on her phone and sent a quick text. Hey, are you still okay to pick me up?

His reply came quickly. Yeah. I’m already here.

Her brows snapped down. Had she missed him? The station was slowly thinning out. Despite her brain’s commands to not look at the guy in the corner, she couldn’t help a furtive glance. He smiled at her then and something pulled low in her belly, making her ache.

Oh hell. She’d never been the one-night-stand type, but for that smile, she’d give it some serious considerations. Focus, Nomi. She turned her attention back to her phone. Where are you? What are you wearing?

The suggestive nature of the text didn’t hit her until she’d already hit send. Aww hell. She’d been home all of five minutes and she was already a hot mess.

He was slower to respond now. Dark jeans. Dark jacket. And I’m waving.

This time she looked up and her jaw went slack. Tall-dark-and-turns-good-girls-bad was waving.

Pushing off the wall, he sauntered over with one of those panty-dropping smiles. As he got closer, Nomi’s heart hammered faster and faster; she was certain she’d have a heart attack.

He paused just in front of her. “I guess you didn’t recognize me.”

Still slack jawed, she stared up at him and catalogued his face. His jade green eyes were dark and reminded her of the forest after a heavy rainfall. The cleft in the chin that had only been hinted at when they were kids was more defined. His angled jaw and chiseled cheekbones, combined with full sensual lips, meant Lincoln Porter had turned into a full-blown hottie.

Speak. Close your mouth, swallow and then find some intelligent words. The brain’s commands were sound, but all she managed was, “Linc?”

He chuckled. “Yeah.” He ran a hand over his hair. “It’s me. I guess I look a little different.”

“Understatement of the year.”

The smile was back. “How about we get out of here and get you settled?”