She had always tried not to be jealous of her friend’s happiness. Steph certainly deserved it after all she’d been through. But sometimes, Laurie wished she could have what Steph had. What would it be like to have one person in your life who cared more about you than anyone else?
Finn: Want to know my answer?
She responded with classic evasion.
Laurie: Prefer a different subject
The next message came so fast, she knew he hadn’t waited for her response.
Finn: I would buy a special gift
She could picture Finn doing just that, though she’d never experienced it herself. He once mentioned that he spent a ridiculous amount on birthday and Christmas presents for his family.
The phone beeped again.
Finn: Your turn
Laurie: No thanks
Finn: Doesn’t matter. Already know your answer.
He didn’t know her well enough to know her answer to the question, but he sure knew how to irritate her.
Laurie: No you don’t
Finn: I do (laughing emoticon)
Laurie: Tell me
Finn: I will
Finn: Eventually…
The man was such a tease. He made her absolutely crazy.
Laurie: Don’t you have something else you should be doing?
Finn: Should be? Maybe. Want to be? No.
Why did he have to say things like that? Things that she could so easily misinterpret? Things that made her hope when she shouldn’t? As she feared, talking to Finn, even with text messages, made her want what she couldn’t have. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she swiped at them, angry that they made texting difficult.
Laurie: Phone dying. Gotta go.
She turned her cell off before he could send a response and slumped in her chair. Her body felt like someone had drained all the blood out of it. So far, she hadn’t done too well forgetting about Finn Anderson. Maybe she could try again tomorrow.
Once Laurie was in her small compartment on the train, unpacked and organized, her spirits picked up. She had three days ahead and a backlog of books downloaded on her phone. She could hide out in her roomette compartment and avoid everyone, only coming out for quick meals in the dining car. From her private window she could see the beautiful landscapes as the train whizzed across the country. The trip was perfect to recharge the introvert hidden behind her outgoing personality, in addition to helping her concentrate on anything besides Finn. At this point, even worrying about her family seemed preferable.
She slipped into the small shower room and cleaned off the day’s grime and towel-dried her curls. She pulled on a long shirt and comfy yoga pants, the same clothes she intended to sleep in, and she stepped into the hallway, where an attendant offered to make up her bed while she was at dinner. When she reached the dining car, she found an empty table behind a young couple, obviously in love. They sat on the same side of the table, their heads close together, murmuring softly to one another as they ate, occasional laughter ringing out. Laurie sat down with her back to the couple. Who wants to look at that?
She ordered her dinner and started reading her book, oblivious to the bustling around her. Until she heard a familiar voice and from the corner of her eye saw a man with blond hair and a close-cropped beard. Finn!
With a gasp, she turned to her left, her hand already pressing against her chest to calm her racing heart. The surprised eyes that met hers were brown, not blue. “Sorry,” the stranger murmured, before turning to the small blond-haired child standing on the seat beside him. “Grayson, don’t make me say it again. Sit down on your bottom.”
Feeling like an idiot, she forced her attention back to her sweet romance story, but a few pages in, she realized she was getting depressed. Switching to a mystery suspense novel, she began to read, but struggled to concentrate. Appetite gone, she picked at her dinner, which might’ve been tasty any other time. She returned to her roomette, where her enticing bed reminded her how little sleep she’d had the night before. No wonder she was so emotional. She grabbed her toiletry bag and padded down to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
No sooner had she returned and locked her door for the night, when someone knocked.
“Excuse me,” said a muffled male voice through the door. “I have an evening snack for you, complimentary.”
“No thanks,” she replied. “I’ve already brushed my teeth.”
She heard murmuring outside. There must be two attendants.
“Ma’am, it’s chocolate pecan pie. I’ll have to throw it away if you don’t eat it.”
Her mouth watered at the thought, but she really didn’t want to have to brush her teeth again.
“You can give my piece to someone else, then.”
More murmuring voices.
“If you don’t accept this room service, I could lose my job.”
“Oh for goodness’ sake! I’ll take it, but I don’t have change for a tip.”
The relief was obvious in his tone. “That’s okay. I don’t need a tip.”
