“I wasn’t supposed to come back until Sunday, but I’ve been looking at the forecast, and I’m worried that I’m going to get stuck in Chicago. Again.”

Deja nodded absently. “So you changed your ticket? That must have been expensive.”

“Not really, one of my sisters-in-law is a travel agent. She found me a ticket, but I need someone to pick me up from the airport. Normally, Mike and I drive back together in his car, but he’s not changing his ticket.” Alejandro chuckled. “I’m pretty certain that he’s trying to get stuck somewhere so he can miss the first day of classes.”

Deja licked her lips, too shocked to laugh. “I... Yeah, I can pick you up.”

“You sure?” Alejandro asked, his voice brightening. “I can fill up your tank, or—”

“No, that’s okay. Not necessary at all. I’m happy to.” Her face warmed. Was she putting it on too thick? She thought she might have been, but she’d missed him all break and was finding it hard to contain her excitement at getting to see him earlier than she’d planned and that he’d called her for a ride.

“Okay.” She could hear the smile in Alejandro’s voice. “Um, I’ll send you my itinerary as soon as we get off the phone. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m excited to see you.”

His sigh was so soft that she almost thought she’d hallucinated it, but she hadn’t. She knew that she hadn’t because when he spoke, his voice was just as soft. “I’m really excited to see you, too.”

Alejandro believed in protecting the sanctity of winter break.

He loved being home with his family, running the same streets where he’d played as a kid and seeing all his friends from school and getting a break from the responsibilities of his job. He always made sure to put his Out of Office message on his email before he left town, it was as much a part of his packing rituals as remembering his travel pillow. He still checked his inbox while he was away, but he was the kind of academic who didn’t feel the need to respond to anything less than an urgent message between semesters.