sat painting toenails.
“You’re going snow sledding with a hot guy.” Naomi didn’t glance up from her handiwork. Reagan puffed out a breath, mocking a panic attack, which she might have at any moment. She needed attention right now from her cousin, who wasn’t giving her the time of day. Naomi’s attention was too focused on applying bright pink polish to her toenails.
“Why?” Reagan whined.
“Because you’re a sexy single beautiful woman who deserves to have a good time. You’ll find that good time with this guy.”
“I don’t need — ”
“You’re gonna go and love every minute of it.” Naomi slammed the nail polish brush into the bottle and closed it, finally focusing her attention on Reagan, her bright blue eyes intensified by a turquoise sweater.
Naomi was always in control of things. Well, except for relationships. With immaculate hair and a complexion radiating joy even when she didn’t feel joyful, Reagan couldn’t see the bruise on her cheek. She got paid to dress celebrities and knew how to act in every situation.
Reagan only knew how to cause disaster.
“I can’t go like this. Look at my nails.” For added measure, she stuck her fingernails in Naomi’s face, though they’d never been a problem before. As a graphic designer, she was either too busy with a sketchpad or her computer to worry about manicures.
But now … now she had someone to impress.
Naomi took her hands. “So they’re a little blemished. Nothing we can’t fix later. You’ll be wearing your gloves, and if he didn’t notice last night, he won’t notice today. And if he does notice.” Naomi shrugged. “Oh well.”
“Oh well?” Reagan screeched. “That’s not your usual philosophy.”
“You’re not paying me for my philosophy.”
Reagan thrust out her hip and lowered her chin, throwing Naomi a teasing glare. “And if I was paying you?”
Smiling, Naomi nabbed Dr. Till from her arms. “I’d tell you to fix your nails.” With that, she ran down the hall toward Reagan’s room. “And you can’t take your moose with you!”
“Naomi, be careful with Dr. Till.”
Naomi peeked out the bedroom door. “Yes, dear. I’ll tuck him in bed where he’ll be safe.”
Checking the mirror one last time before donning a coat, hat, gloves, and scarf, Reagan stepped out the door and took the elevator down. Dressed in layers, she thought to be warm and cozy and protected, but she felt the cold even in her eyeballs.
Vapor steamed from her breath as she exhaled. The sun shivered through a thin layer of clouds and snow dotted the trees like an aqueous coating of gloss on paper. Her bulky parka crinkled as she waddled her way to Air Dog, where she would meet Garret. He stood at the entrance, leaning against an upright sled as he chatted animatedly with another man. A black and green ski hat covered his head and protected his ears from elements that jagged into her skin.
She paused, but when he glanced at her and waved, she knew she couldn’t change her mind and run. She gritted her teeth, smiled, and waved with a pitiful attempt to look at ease. As she walked toward him, he continued to talk to his friend and her heart continued to race along the tracks of her insecurities.
“Hi,” she said, stopping far enough away so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed by his presence. Didn’t matter. Even at this distance, her limbs quivered. He smelled like pine and leather sprinkled with a dash of musk and spice.
“Hey, Reagan. This is Andy.”
“Good to meet you,” Andy said as they exchanged awkward handshakes through beefy gloves. His garments made it impossible to see anything but a smooth face and gray eyes. She wondered if he planned to join them on their sledding adventure. “Catch you later, Gar,” he said, answering Reagan’s question.
“Yeah, man.” Garret popped him on his upper arm. “We’re on for tomorrow.” Turning to Reagan, he asked, “You ready?”
She eyeballed the bright orange saucer.
“You’re going snow sledding with a hot guy.” Naomi didn’t glance up from her handiwork. Reagan puffed out a breath, mocking a panic attack, which she might have at any moment. She needed attention right now from her cousin, who wasn’t giving her the time of day. Naomi’s attention was too focused on applying bright pink polish to her toenails.
“Why?” Reagan whined.
“Because you’re a sexy single beautiful woman who deserves to have a good time. You’ll find that good time with this guy.”
“I don’t need — ”
“You’re gonna go and love every minute of it.” Naomi slammed the nail polish brush into the bottle and closed it, finally focusing her attention on Reagan, her bright blue eyes intensified by a turquoise sweater.
Naomi was always in control of things. Well, except for relationships. With immaculate hair and a complexion radiating joy even when she didn’t feel joyful, Reagan couldn’t see the bruise on her cheek. She got paid to dress celebrities and knew how to act in every situation.
Reagan only knew how to cause disaster.
“I can’t go like this. Look at my nails.” For added measure, she stuck her fingernails in Naomi’s face, though they’d never been a problem before. As a graphic designer, she was either too busy with a sketchpad or her computer to worry about manicures.
But now … now she had someone to impress.
Naomi took her hands. “So they’re a little blemished. Nothing we can’t fix later. You’ll be wearing your gloves, and if he didn’t notice last night, he won’t notice today. And if he does notice.” Naomi shrugged. “Oh well.”
“Oh well?” Reagan screeched. “That’s not your usual philosophy.”
“You’re not paying me for my philosophy.”
Reagan thrust out her hip and lowered her chin, throwing Naomi a teasing glare. “And if I was paying you?”
Smiling, Naomi nabbed Dr. Till from her arms. “I’d tell you to fix your nails.” With that, she ran down the hall toward Reagan’s room. “And you can’t take your moose with you!”
“Naomi, be careful with Dr. Till.”
Naomi peeked out the bedroom door. “Yes, dear. I’ll tuck him in bed where he’ll be safe.”
Checking the mirror one last time before donning a coat, hat, gloves, and scarf, Reagan stepped out the door and took the elevator down. Dressed in layers, she thought to be warm and cozy and protected, but she felt the cold even in her eyeballs.
Vapor steamed from her breath as she exhaled. The sun shivered through a thin layer of clouds and snow dotted the trees like an aqueous coating of gloss on paper. Her bulky parka crinkled as she waddled her way to Air Dog, where she would meet Garret. He stood at the entrance, leaning against an upright sled as he chatted animatedly with another man. A black and green ski hat covered his head and protected his ears from elements that jagged into her skin.
She paused, but when he glanced at her and waved, she knew she couldn’t change her mind and run. She gritted her teeth, smiled, and waved with a pitiful attempt to look at ease. As she walked toward him, he continued to talk to his friend and her heart continued to race along the tracks of her insecurities.
“Hi,” she said, stopping far enough away so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed by his presence. Didn’t matter. Even at this distance, her limbs quivered. He smelled like pine and leather sprinkled with a dash of musk and spice.
“Hey, Reagan. This is Andy.”
“Good to meet you,” Andy said as they exchanged awkward handshakes through beefy gloves. His garments made it impossible to see anything but a smooth face and gray eyes. She wondered if he planned to join them on their sledding adventure. “Catch you later, Gar,” he said, answering Reagan’s question.
“Yeah, man.” Garret popped him on his upper arm. “We’re on for tomorrow.” Turning to Reagan, he asked, “You ready?”
She eyeballed the bright orange saucer.
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