Page 113 of Over the Line
As if it was any kind of choice with her emotional state. At the idea of greasy, salty, carb-loaded deliciousness, her mouth watered. “Do you have sweet potato fries?” At least that was healthier than the regular variety. Right? But if Vanessa had been with her, Sydney would have opted for a double helping of them.
“Absolutely.”
Just as she was paying, a barista slid the cup in her direction. “We’ll have your food right out.”
“Thank you.” While Sydney waited, she took a long drink of the much-needed caffeine and found a quiet table in the corner where she dropped into a chair.
From her small waist pack, she pulled out her phone and turned it on.
Where she’d been, testing her skills in the back country near Vail and Beaver Creek, cell phone service wasn’t always one hundred percent. And having her phone ring might have been distracting enough for her to wreck her bike.
Seconds later, her notifications populated. One missed call and half a dozen text messages.
Her heart stopped when she saw one from Michael.
For a moment, she believed her mind was playing tricks on her.
But when she blinked and looked again, his name was still there.
Telling herself to delete the message unread, she squeezed her eyes shut.
But resisting him hadn’t been possible since that very first summer night at the Den when she’d sashayed past him, trying to ensnare his attention.
Finger shaking, she clicked the icon.
An image opened. Of a…
Penguin.
A yellow-eyed, if her guess was right.
Completely captivated, she scrolled to the next message that had a picture of a home overlooking the water in Dunedin, New Zealand.
And then came a snapshot of an airline booking reservation for two, in January, when it was summer in the southern hemisphere and miserably cold in the Colorado mountains.
Another photo showed a close-up of the details, including Michael’s name and hers, along with a private suite on an airline she’d never even dreamed of flying with.
He was offering her the trip of a lifetime—one she’d never be able to afford.
Breathless, she pressed the phone to her heart.
Her mind whirred with his possible meanings.
But only one thing truly mattered. Had he retracted his ultimatum? Or was this merely an enticement for her to agree with what he wanted?
Words flashed onto her screen.
Let’s figure this out. Together.
Though she waited, nothing else appeared.
Her food arrived, and she turned her phone upside down to resist the temptation to keep looking through the same set of texts.
New Zealand.
Somewhere she’d never been and had wanted to visit.
Suddenly food didn’t matter.