XOXO, Winter

by Bloom, Nikki

  “Will do.”

  Some of my fellow flyers had fancy champagne glasses in their hands. I was tempted to order one when the guy from the convenient store started walking my way.

  My heart seemed to skip a beat as he stopped right in front of me. “It would seem we meet again.” He flashed a charming smile. “What are the odds of that?”

  “Slim to none,” I whispered underneath my breath.

  “Excuse me,” he said as he shimmied his way to his seat by the window. Just those few moments of proximity had my body burning up. I tried to keep from blushing, but I could tell by the heat radiating from my face that I probably looked like a ripened tomato. “Seriously, what are the odds?” he asked once more as soon as he was settled into his seat. “Is it Freaky Friday or something?”

  “It doesn’t sound like you’re very happy to see me.”

  “Oh no, not at all. I would rather sit beside you than some of the uptights that usually ride first class.” He tipped his head towards some older gentlemen wearing business suits. “I’ve had one guy on a conference call during the entirety of a six-hour flight. And, of course, that’s when I forgot my headphones. I came this close to losing my mind.”

  “Jeez, I can only imagine,” I said. “I promise I won’t nag your ear off.”

  “Well, at least you have a nice voice.”

  The blush returned. “Oh, do I?”

  “I think so,” he smiled. “Do you sing at all?”

  “Sing?” I scoffed. “Only in the shower.”

  “That’s something.” A grin flashed across his face. “I’d definitely pay to hear that.”

  “Careful,” I warned. “You might be cute, but any more perverted comments and I might be forced to slow you.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” He held up both hands in a gesture of innocence.

  Who was I kidding? Of course he didn’t. A guy like this wouldn’t waste his time with a girl like me. Still, there’s no harm in dreaming…

  I was about to say something when the captain’s voice came on. “Hello!” He was overly chipper.

  My flight buddy groaned. “I can already tell he’s going to be the kind of pilot to crack jokes. I hope he’s not the corny type.”

  “My name is Captain Phillips and I’ll be taking you to Portland International. That’s Portland, Maine. Those of you looking to get to Oregon, you better hitch up your wagons and head down the trail because you’re on the wrong plane.”

  This time we both groaned.

  “What did I tell you?”

  “Do we have to suffer through this the entire flight?”

  “I’m afraid so,” he said. “I have some spare headphones if you need them.”

  “You carry around spares?”

  “After what happened with conference call guy, yeah, I do.”

  “I might take you up on the offer.”

  We were forced to quiet down as the flight crew went through the safety drill. It was the same old spiel, but by law they were forced to show us how to inflate our lifejackets and whatnot.

  When that was over, the plane became eerily quiet. I looked around and saw everyone tightening up their seatbelts. For some reason, I had failed to buckle myself in. I went to do so but the buckles wouldn’t connect and lock together. “Um, excuse me.” I tried to get the attention of one of the stewardesses, but she was busy helping someone else with their spoiled child.

  “Here, let me,” the unnamed surgeon reached over and took hold of the seatbelt. Since he had taken off his jacket, I was free to see his sculpted arms and the way his muscles moved underneath the skin. What a sight.

  Click.

  “Thanks,” I breathed.

  “Don’t mention it.”

  “By the way, I never got your name.”

  “How rude of me,” he said. “Name’s Reed. And yours?”

  “Winter.”

  “Winter,” he repeated. The way he said my name had shivers running up and down my spine. “That’s a nice name for a girl from Maine. Fitting.”

  “You think so? Our winters are so mild it's like they don’t even exist,” I said sarcastically.

  He laughed. “Oh yeah, it’s really easy to ignore ten feet of snow piled in your driveway.”

  “That’s what I’m saying.”

  Wow, this guy was super easy to talk to. He just had a certain charisma that made him feel like a regular guy instead of this unapproachable hunk.

  Suddenly, I felt the plane move. I gripped the arms of my seat. “I hate this part…” I whispered aloud.

  To my surprise, Reed took hold of my hand and squeezed it against his. “Me too.”

  The plane picked up speed, forcing my heart to the back of my chest. Then came that weightless feeling of the plane taking off. It shook rather violently, catching a gust of air on its way up. If not for Reed’s hand, I probably would have crapped my pants.

  Finally, it leveled out and I was able to breathe again.

  “That wasn’t so bad.”

  “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

  “Or to make myself feel better,” he said.

  The seatbelt light clicked off and everyone started to move. Reed was one of them. He grabbed the plastic bag that I had seen on his luggage earlier. Just as I had predicted, it was a brand-new laptop.

  “One of the hazards of going to Florida for a medical conference is that you risk dropping your electronics into the water.”

  “What? You lost your laptop in the ocean or something?”

  “Actually…” he struggled with the packaging as he spoke.

  “How does that even happen?”

  “Well, I was on a boat–”

  “What kind of medical conference was this and how do I get an invite?”

  He chuckled. “Well, you’d have to switch over to human medicine. I’m not sure if vets get the same perks.”

  “Such a rip-off.” I pouted.

  “Trust me, they aren’t that great.”

  “You’re riding first class,” I pointed out.

  “So are you,” he countered.

  “Only because they overbooked my original flight and this was my consolation prize.”

  “Nice.” He booted up the computer. It was the newest model for the MacBook. If I had to guess, that thing was worth more than my monthly salary. “Anyway, where are you from?”

  “Kittery.”

  “No kidding?”

  “Why would I lie about that?”

  “Well, it just so happens that I’m headed that way as well. I’ve worked in Boston for a while, but I was getting sick and tired of the city. I took a pay cut, but at least I get to come back to my home state. It’ll be nice to enjoy that suburban peace and quiet.”

  “Do you have a place to stay?”

  “Yeah, down by the Rafters.”

  “The Rafters?” I repeated. That’s where all the millionaires live, I thought to myself. I mean, I know that doctors make good money, but even a heart surgeon doesn’t crack a million.

  “Yeah. An old friend of mine handles the real estate in that part of town. He was able to get me a pretty good deal.”

  I can only imagine what that deal was. I’ll knock a couple of million off the ticket price.

  “Well, I hope you like it. Kittery’s kind of a sleepy little town.”

  “And that’s exactly what I’m looking for.”

  “Any particular reason why you hate the city?”

  “I don’t hate it,” he clarified. He seemed to be the kind of guy who was good at multitasking because somehow, he was having a full-blown conversation with me whilst setting up his computer with what seemed to be a million email accounts. “But there’s this sort of atmosphere where everyone’s out to get something. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.”

  “Well, if you ever need some fresh air there’s some pretty good hiking trails…” I was about to offer to take him but then I stopped myself. Sure, this guy was strikingly handsome and I couldn’
t deny the attraction I felt, but I wasn’t going to let myself get wrapped up in yet another failed relationship. The last one had nearly ruined my chances of getting into veterinarian school. No. My dream comes before any dreamboat – that’s the promise. I had to get through school first and then I might consider getting a boyfriend. Until then, I was riding solo.

  3

  Reed

  Two hours later.

  I looked over and Winter was fast asleep. There were goosebumps decorating her arm, so I draped the blanket over her shoulders. I liked her. She had this sweetness to her that made me want to have her.

  Plus, there was that long, sandy-colored hair. Even from my seat, I could smell the strawberry shampoo and the subtle hint of vanilla. Paired with her stunning green eyes and that bright, cheerful smile of hers, I really couldn’t help myself. She was gorgeous.

  And it probably means something that we bumped into each other by pure chance only to ride on the same exact flight, side by side. Now, I’m not saying I’m superstitious but sometimes certain things happen that make you want to believe in fate. This was one of those times.

  All I wanted to do was climb under that blanket and wrap my arms around her slender torso, but I had work to do. My new job had emailed over a million forms they wanted me to fill out before I could officially start working at the hospital. It was a royal pain in my ass.

  * * *

  I closed my laptop as the captain announced our descent. His voice was loud enough to wake Winter from her peaceful slumber.

  “Morning, sleeping beauty.”

  “What?” Her voice was muddled as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. “Are we there yet?”

  “Just about,” I told her. “You should probably put your seatbelt back on. I wouldn’t want you flying out of your seat.”

  “Right.” Just like last time, she had a hard time pressing the clips together, so I brought it upon myself to help her. I was very tempted to let my fingers wander elsewhere, but I barely knew this woman. I wasn’t about to overstep any boundaries. What I wanted to do would just have to remain as fantasies inside my head.

  “Thanks.” Her cheeks flared with a hint of pink. Honestly, it was one of the cutest things I had seen in a long time.

  “Hey, I was wondering if you’d like to grab some coffee?”

  “Where?”

  “Kittery, of course.”

  “Today?”

  “Oh no,” I said. “I’m sure you’re as exhausted as I am, but tomorrow maybe? I don’t officially start at the hospital until Monday, so I’ll be free tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow’s Saturday, right?” I could tell that Winter was still slightly disoriented from her nap.

  “As far as I can tell.”

  She hesitated. For a moment, I thought she was going to reject my offer. “Yeah, that should be fine. But I’m paying.”

  “What? I can’t let you do that.”

  “Consider it my good deed for that day.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Using my own words against me, huh? That’s dirty.”

  She shrugged. “It’s only fair. You paid for my overpriced airport snacks and now I’ll pay for your overpriced cup of coffee.”

  “You aren’t going to let this go, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  “Fine. If that’s the way it’s got to be for me to see you again, then so be it.”

  The plane started at a nosedive towards the ground. I reached for Winter’s hand but she had already taken hold of mine.

  “I’ll let you pick where we go since you know the area,” I said in hopes that the conversation might distract her from the landing.

  “Java House for sure then. They have the best coffee in town. Pretty good food too. It’s really a cornerstone to the town. Everyone goes there.”

  “Sounds good to me. What time should I be there?”

  “I’m usually an early riser.”

  “Same here.”

  “How does eight sound?”

  “Perfect.” I flashed her a smile. “I look forward to it.” At that moment, we touched down. The plane bounced as it skipped over the asphalt. When the wheels were firmly on the ground, the pilot jacked on the brakes. Winter leaned forward but I held out my arm to keep her from banging her head on the seat right in front of her.

  She looked over at me. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  “You seem to have a knack for helping me.”

  “I had no idea,” I said.

  “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

  “Tomorrow.” I agreed, and amidst the hustle and bustle of getting off the plane, we were separated. I tried to pick her out from the crowd, but there were too many moving bodies for me to tell her apart. I had wanted to give her my cell phone number, but it was too late for that now. I guess I would just have to wait until tomorrow morning.

  * * *

  It took a downright eternity for the morning to arrive. I woke up before my alarm and laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. The overhead chandelier glittered with the morning sun sneaking in through the window blinds. There was a remote somewhere that controlled them, but I hadn’t bothered to look for it.

  I rolled out of bed and looked out the window. I could see Maine’s rocky coast. The waves cracked against the rocks, breaking in a sea of white foam. It was one hell of a view but after paying 3.5 million dollars for the place, it better well be.

  A few birds soared past only to settle on one of the naked trees. Shouldn’t you have migrated down south? I thought. It’s too cold for you to be twittering about. But the birds seemed to share none of my concerns.

  It was definitely quieter here than in the city. As I took my morning coffee in the kitchen, I could actually hear myself think.

  “Now, what to do until eight?” I spoke aloud.

  * * *

  I passed most of the time getting ready. While meeting up with Winter wasn’t actually a date, it certainly felt like one. I swear, I’ve never taken so long to style my hair before. And then it was a total nightmare to try and decide on an outfit. I didn’t want to overdress, but I didn’t want to look like a slob either. It didn’t help that I had a walk-in closet worth of clothes and shoes to choose from.

  By some miracle, I made it out of the house. One of my favorite cars had been shipped over from Boston and was waiting for me in the garage. It purred like a kitten when I turned it on. That’s what a hundred grand of German engineering will get you.

  I backed out of the garage and cruised down the driveway. Unlike Boston, the streets were nice and empty as they curved this way and that. I could get used to this.

  “Right turn ahead,” came the female voice of my navigation system.

  I did as she asked of me and wound up what appeared to be the heart of the town. Shops lined either side, and despite the winter temperatures, people strolled through the streets, bags in hand.

  “Your destination will be on the right.”

  “Got it,” I said. There wasn’t much in terms of parking, but at the end of the block someone pulled out and I took the opportunity to put one of my car’s added features to work.

  “Parallel parking,” announced the car assistant.

  I took my hands off the wheel and it started to spin on its own. I honestly have no idea how car manufacturers managed this black-magic parking technology. but I sure was glad for it. Every guy boasts that he’s a professional parker, but I’ll be the first one to admit that it’s my driving kryptonite.

  “Parking complete.” Looking through the side mirrors, I saw that the car was as snug as a bug.

  Grinning, I got out and saw Winter coming down the street. She wore a beanie with a great big pompom on the top of her head. Somehow, it made her look even cuter.

  “Nice ride,” she commented as soon as she saw me leaning against the side of my car. “BMW. A classic.”

  “I just got it on a lease. This baby drives itself.”

  “Seriously?” She s
ized up the SUV with a bit of skepticism. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Not at all. It’s semi-autonomous.”

  “Sounds expensive.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” I shrugged. “But it’s pretty damn cool. Worth it, in my opinion.”

  “Looks to me like you’ve got quite the taste.”

  “What’s life if you don’t live a little?” I asked as I followed her down the street. Once we reached the diner, I made it a point to open the door.

  “Thanks.” She ducked inside.

  The atmosphere was something else. Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face. Laughter echoed all around. “I like it.”

  “I thought you would,” she said as she slipped into a booth. Almost immediately, a waitress greeted us with a hot pot of coffee in her hand. “Yes, please.” Winter held out her mug before the woman could even speak a single word.

  She laughed. “How was your trip?”

  “It was good.”

  “I bet Florida’s a lot nicer than it is up here.”

  “Definitely warmer.”

  “I bet.” She turned in my direction. “And you’re new. I’ve never seen you before and I would have remembered a face like yours.”

  “Yes. I’m Dr. Goodman.”

  “Dr. Goodman? That’s one hell of a name you’ve got there.” She looked me up and down like I was a hog at the country fair. “Name’s Deloris, by the way,” she added. “Apologies for not introducing myself sooner.”

  “Not a worry,” I said as I offered my hand. She squeezed it and tightened her lips in that mandatory smile expected during such introductions.

  “He’s a heart surgeon,” Winter announced almost as a way to get Deloris’ attention away from my person. Or was I just imagining it? “Moved here from Boston to the Rafters.”

  “The Rafters?” The woman clicked her tongue. “I could dream about those mansions and never even come close to owning one.”

  I felt a tad bit awkward considering I probably made ten times her wages and that was on the conservative end.

  “Anyway, what can I get you two? Our special is shrimp and cheesy grits with bacon.”