Vivian looked at the security lines and sighed as if she were about to be led off to a firing squad. “Well, here we go.”

Jules cleared her throat.

Vivian glanced over at her.

She hoped her smile didn’t look too timid or weird. “Have a good trip,” she said. “Oh, and, um, Merry Christmas. Or happy holidays. Whichever.”

Vivian’s lips quirked up in something very smile-like, but it disappeared almost immediately. Then to Jules’s shock, she said, “You as well,” before heading for the Global Entry line.

Jules left right away, already thinking about whether she’d packed everything yet and what time she’d have to leave her apartment for Penn Station. Before she turned the corner, she looked over her shoulder just in time to see Vivian dropping her Marni bag on the conveyer belt with an expression of profound irritation.

Jules laughed and hurried for the exit. To her surprise, Ben was still waiting at the curb. Jules dithered for a second, then got in the back seat. Getting in the front would have given him the wrong idea.

“You didn’t have to wait,” she said. “I was going to take the subway home.”

“Yeah, well, my afternoon’s kind of open now.” He sounded downright perky.

Jules couldn’t blame him. She closed her eyes, luxuriating in the realization of her own freedom for the next week.

“What time’s your train?” he asked.

“At 6:05 p.m.” Jules checked her watch. It was 2:45 now. She wanted to be at the station about twenty minutes before departure. The subway was going to be nuts, so she should leave by—

“Want a lift there?” Ben said.

Jules managed a weak little smile. Crap. “Oh, no, Ben. I’ll be fine. Thanks, though.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind, you know?”

“I know.” She tilted her head toward the window, toward the crush of traffic outside. “But I’m not going to make you get out in this again when you don’t have to. I’ll be fine. Thanks,” she added, hoping her tone was final enough without sounding mean.

“Well, if you’re sure.” To her relief, he didn’t press.

Looking for an excuse not to talk for the next half hour, Jules said, “You mind if I catch some shut-eye? I hardly slept at all last night, and getting back together with my family’s going to be chaos.”

“I guess I can hold off on playing deadmau5,” he said.

Jules couldn’t stop a smile. He really was nice. But…no. Bad, bad idea.

“You get some rest,” he added.

Jules hadn’t planned on actually falling asleep, but she did. It was a nice surprise.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11