She grins. “You didn’t leave an itinerary for where you would be and what you would be doing. I wanted to be prepared for anything.”

“How many places did you think I could be?”

“Well, one bag is for Nebraska and the other for South Carolina. I didn’t think you’d be here.”

“So, the third is for…?”

“Shoes,” she admits.

I chuckle. “Michael’s on standby. I’m going to take a quick shower.”

Viv nods and unzips a suitcase. I step into the bathroom, dropping my shorts and stepping into the shower under the warm spray of water. It washes away dried sweat as I scrub my hair. I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my waist before brushing my teeth and spraying some cologne on my neck.

Emerging from the bathroom, I find Viv is ready to go. She’s leaning against the bed, scrolling through her phone. I let out a low whistle as I enter the room and take her in. She’s wearing a short black dress made of some smooth, slippery fabric with a black leather jacket over it. Her strawberry-blonde hair falls in messy waves, the ends still damp. She looks absolutely stunning, and I’m floored she’s somehow mine.

She smirks as she takes in my awestruck expression. “See something you like, Dawson?” She brushes past me, trailing her fingers across my abs as she walks into the bathroom.

I shake off the temptation to follow her and change into jeans and a faded red Henley as I listen to the whir of the hair dryer.

Viv steps out of the bathroom a moment later. “Ready?” she asks, digging through one of her suitcases and pulling out a pair of black heels.

“Ready,” I affirm, walking over toward her. Her heels place her just a few inches lower than my six-foot-three frame. Viv pulls her phone out of her jacket pocket and types something.

“They’re meeting us in the lobby.”

I double-check I have my own phone, then follow Viv out of our hotel room and into the hallway. My phone rings as we walk down the hallway. I pull it out of my pocket and glance at the screen. It’s Anderson again.

“You seriously don’t have anything better to be doing?” I grumble to Anderson.

He simply laughs.

“We’re on our way,” I inform him, and hang up.

My phone rings as soon as I shove it into my pocket. I groan and answer it without even glancing at the screen.

“What?”

“Jace?” My mom’s voice comes through the phone.

“Mom? Is everything okay?” I ask. The sound of crying comes through the phone. “Mom?” Panic fills me.

“I’m fine,” she tells me. “I just saw the video.”

“What video?”

“The one of you and Vivienne earlier!” My mom sniffles.

I laugh, relieved. “That’s what you’re calling about?”

Viv hits the elevator button and glances over at me. “Everything okay?” she mouths. I nod.

“Mom, I’m glad you’re so…happy,” I tell her. The word doesn’t seem to fit as I listen to the sound of her cries still coming through the phone. “I’ve got to go, but we’ll be there tomorrow, okay?”