Chapter 78
Nate gripped the back of his neck. “Listen. I’m not telling you how to do your job. It’s just that I’ve heard this story before and I’m pretty certain my luggage is here.”
Against his better instincts Nate had flown into the small airport close to Bugle for Christmas.
And now here he was back at the customer service desk with Ms. Doing My Best, who looked rather festive in her Santa hat and green sweater vest with a red turtleneck.
Of course when he tried telling her that, she told him to knock off the sarcasm.
Nate leaned his elbows on the counter.
“Too close,” she said.
He straightened. “Do you mind just taking a quick look wherever it was that you found my carry-on the last time you said it went missing only for it to be here all along?”
“I do mind. I’m busy.”
Nate glanced over his shoulder to where a few workers and a handful of people—all with their luggage—departed the terminal. “Place is really hopping.”
Without changing her expression, Vivi made a slow half circle, pulled open the door behind her, and disappeared inside.
Nate couldn’t afford to lose his luggage again. Once Christmas was over, he planned to hop on a plane to Nebraska and spend the rest of his winter break with McKenna. And this time he hoped to leave her behind with a very expensive and important ring on her finger.
He shifted his weight back and forth, ignoring the itch to hop over the counter in search of that luggage himself. Why on earth had he put the ring inside his carry-on?
The door where Vivi disappeared banged open. She sauntered back to the desk. “Didn’t find it.”
Nate caught a glimpse of a counter with a microwave and coffee pot through the open door. “That’s just your break room, isn’t it?”
“Yep. Not a single trace of your luggage. We’ll call you when we find it.”
“Is Alice here? Can we maybe call a Code Hot Potato or something?”
She lifted her hand. “Next customer, please.”
“What next customer? There is no next customer. I’m the only fool that uses this airport.” Nate motioned behind him, then froze. There was a next customer. She was wearing a puffy turquoise coat the same shade as her eyes while her curly red hair sprawled out from beneath a white stocking cap.
“This one giving you trouble again, Vivi?” she said, grinning at Nate.
“Save me, Santa,” Nate heard Vivi mutter behind him. “Not the other one, too.”
“Are you really here right now?” said Nate, stepping closer to McKenna. He wound a strand of her curls around his finger just to make sure she was real.
“I hope it’s okay.” McKenna reached up and brushed a thumb across the faint scar above his eyebrow like maybe she needed to touch him in order to convince herself, too.
“I thought I wouldn’t see you until after Christmas.” Nate let his hand slide beneath her hair to the back of her neck.
“Okay, that’s enough,” said Vivi. “This is an airport, not a lovey-dovey center.”
“What can I say?” McKenna said, ignoring Vivi.
“I missed your face. I couldn’t wait until after Christmas.
Plus . . .” She bit her lip, then hit him with a full-wattage smile.
“I’ve sort of taken a job here. Not sure if you’ve heard, but you’re looking at the most active and thriving photographer in all of middle Tennessee, including the Nashville area.
At least that’s what I’m planning to put on my business card whenever I make one. ” She kissed Nate’s cheek.
“Take it outside,” said Vivi.
Was this happening? Was McKenna really moving to Bugle? “What about Bobbi?”
“She knows I’m just a phone call away.” She kissed his other cheek.
“I said outside,” growled Vivi.
“You’re seriously telling me that you’re moving to Bugle.”
She shrugged. “Hey, it’s at least a little bit closer to you now, right?”
“McKenna, it’s . . . it’s way closer. I—” He wrapped his arms around her and started to laugh. “I was going to tell you next week when I saw you in person. I’m moving back to Bugle.”
“You are?” McKenna squeezed him tighter.
“What part about outside do you two not understand?”
“Yeah,” Nate said, leaning back enough to see McKenna’s face.
“Mom’s B&B is blowing up. Guess all that publicity from the concert last summer worked.
She’s getting guests in from everywhere now.
For everything. Family reunions. Weddings.
Even a few celebrities looking for a quiet getaway.
Anyway, since she needs more help keeping up—and I don’t mind being a little closer to my dad now—I talked to the dean at my college.
He’s going to let me continue teaching classes, but they’ll all be online.
I’ll occasionally have to pop back to the campus in Buffalo from time to time, but I’ll be living here now. ”
“So what you’re saying is we can be together now? Forever? From this day forward until death do us part?”
“Why, McKenna Boston, are you proposing to me? Because if so, the answer is most definitely yes.” He leaned forward, pausing right in front of her lips. “Can I just say for the record that I am so glad I didn’t give up that bench?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Can I just say for the record that I’ll be a whole lot gladder when you finally kiss me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Nate kissed McKenna with the type of kiss that almost made up for all the kisses they’d missed out on while they were apart.
The type of kiss that made Vivi yell, “That’s it. Security!”