Ian: Happy Thanksgiving.
Kate: Happy Thanksgiving to you too. She went into her bedroom, closed the door, and stretched out on her childhood bed.
Kate: What are you doing?
Ian: Eating dinner.
Kate: Turkey?
Ian: Thai carryout.
Kate: : (
Ian: I’m a rebel. And I like Thai.
Kate: Are you at least having pie for dessert?
Ian: I’m having bourbon, which is way better than pie.
Kate: What have you been doing today?
Ian: Hack, hack, hack, hack, hack, hack.
Kate: All work and no play…
Ian: There are no holidays in cyberspace.
Kate: I bet they can’t hear you scream there, either.
Ian: You are such a clever girl.
Kate: Did that make you LOL?
Ian: I will admit to a chuckle. Nothing more.
Kate: Tough crowd. : )
Ian: What are your plans for the rest of the evening?
Kate: My mom and I are going to do a little mother-daughter bonding over a glass or two of wine.
Ian: The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, did it?
Kate: Clearly it did not.
Ian: I’m ready for you to come home. I haven’t kissed anyone in days.
Kate: I’ll be sure to give you lots of extra kisses to make up for it.
Ian: Now there’s something to be thankful for.
Kate: I’ll text you my flight information on Saturday morning.
Ian: Seriously?
Kate: You’re not supposed to be in my computer!
Ian: I’m not. I hacked American Airlines. Their site is not at all secure.
Kate: Oh. SORRY.
Ian: I’m no longer tempted by the thought of accessing your personal information. If there’s something I want to know, I’ll ask you.
Kate: WHO IS THIS IMPOSTER? IF YOU HAVE IAN LOCKED UP SOMEWHERE, LET HIM OUT RIGHT NOW!
Ian: You’re adorable. I’m working on my SHORTCOMINGS.
Kate: You’ve made real progress.
Ian: I’m still going to access your Victoria’s Secret account, but I can just hack into the website.
Kate: Yes!
Kate: I mean, if you must.
Ian: Maybe I’ll drink my bourbon and put some things in your shopping cart later.
Kate: You’re the best.
Ian: Go drink your wine. I will be waiting for you inside the airport on Saturday.
Kate: Can’t wait.
Ian: : )
Kate: OMG, an emoticon! I bet LOL will be next.
Ian: Look what you’ve done to me.
Kate: Malleable.
Ian: NEVER.
Ian: Maybe occasionally, but only because I like you so much. Saturday I will have you.
Kate read the text twice. The message aroused her. If he could do that to her with his words, she couldn’t wait to see what would happen when they were in the same room together.
Kate: We’ll see. : )
Ian: That only encourages me. I do love a good challenge.
Kate: Then I’ll make sure you have your work cut out for you.
Ian: I can hardly wait. Good night, sweetness.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate thumbed through a magazine while she waited for her connecting flight from Chicago to Minneapolis.
The man sitting across from her was talking loudly on his phone, complaining about the vomiting and diarrhea that had ruined his holiday and left him severely dehydrated. “I swear to God, I didn’t think there was anything left in me, but I barely made it through security before I had to find a bathroom.”
Kate gagged. She did not wish to be privy to this information, not to mention the complete lack of consideration he was showing his fellow travelers by plunking himself right down in the middle of everyone. She got up from her seat and moved as far away as she could. Having been illness-free for only a short time, she was in no mood to get sick again and wondered if there was any place in the airport where she could buy a surgical mask. Her phone vibrated, alerting her to an incoming text.
Ian: What’s up, buttercup?
Kate: Killing time at the gate. I’m going to need a decontamination shower when I get home. The guy who was sitting across from me is trying to bring cholera back. Seriously, it’s like the Black Death up in here. Ten bucks says he’s my seatmate on the plane.