Page 21 of Always Almost You

There she was. The woman from the plane. He blinked, half convinced fatigue had conjured her. But no—she was real. And so was the small dog beside her, now wearing the most outrageously festive pair of red flannel dog pajamas he had ever seen.

Pumpkin’s tail wagged at the sight of him.

“It’s our friend!” Lauren cried, walking toward him.

He felt his pulse quicken.

“I looked for you at the airport while we were waiting for vouchers,” she continued. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She extended her hand. “I’m Lauren. And this is Pumpkin. Mike, isn’t it?”

Mike took her hand. It was warm and steady, her grip confident. “Yes, Mike,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m so glad I get to thank you in person,” she added. “You were a real lifesaver back there.”

“Not at all,” Mike replied. “Pumpkin was the perfect traveler. Much more pleasant than our aisle neighbor.” He crouched to greet the little dog.

Pumpkin’s tail swung in rapid, enthusiastic arcs.

The clerk approached. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to close out my register.”

“Of course,” Lauren said, holding up the red flannel pajama set and the torn tag from Pumpkin’s matching pair. “I’ll take both of these.” She turned back to Mike. “I overheard your conversation when you came in. I’ve already been through everything back there. The only thing that might fit you is another pair of these.” She lifted the pajama set. “They had two 2XLs left. I bought one.”

A smile tugged at Mike’s mouth.

“I know,” she continued. “A little tacky. But Pumpkin and I were freezing, and I had no choice.”

“They’re adorable on her,” Mike said. They’ll be adorable on you too, he thought. He gestured to his stained shirt. “Beggars can’t be choosers.”

“I’ll grab the other pair,” Lauren said. She ran to the display and handed him the matching set. They walked to the register together.

“I’ll bet somewhere out there,” Lauren said as she handed over her card, “a family has taken their Christmas card photo in these.”

“I’m sure they have,” Mike replied, examining the shirt more closely. “I’m visiting my family for Christmas. My sister’s big on Christmas pajamas. I’ve avoided participating until now.” He held up the shirt. “This will definitely give them something to talk about.”

Lauren laughed.

The clerk handed her a bag with her purchase. “Thank you again, Mike of the shining armor,” Lauren said warmly. “May the rest of your travels be smooth. And I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.” She and Pumpkin headed toward the door.

Mike watched them go, the red flannel garment in his hands suddenly feeling less ridiculous than it had a moment ago.

CHAPTER 18

Lauren’s phone pinged with a notification from the airline. She pushed herself up on one elbow and tapped the screen. She’d been rebooked on a 9:30 a.m. flight from Raleigh to JFK. The itinerary showed a lengthy layover there, but she would arrive in Providence by early evening. The message prompted her to click Accept or Rebook.

She bit her lip. She preferred a direct flight, but she wanted to reach Newport tomorrow. Waiting for something more convenient felt risky under the circumstances.

She stifled a yawn and glanced at the time. It was almost midnight. After returning from the gift shop, she’d taken a long, steamy shower. Then she’d sat on the edge of the bed, using safety pins from the hotel’s complimentary sewing kit to cinch the waist of her oversized dog-print pajama pants. She’d meant to lie back on the bed for only a moment. Instead, she’d fallen asleep for nearly two hours.

Lauren tapped Accept. She didn’t have the energy to search for alternate routes that might not even exist. Accepting what she had already received was best. “We’ll be on our way again first thing tomorrow,” she said aloud, scanning the room for Pumpkin.

A soft whimper answered her, followed by the faint scratch-scratch of paws at the door.

“Okay, girl,” Lauren said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I know you need to go.” She slipped into her sneakers and grabbed her jacket from the desk chair.

Pumpkin squirmed anxiously.

“Good thing you’re still wearing your pajamas,” Lauren murmured, clipping the leash to Pumpkin’s collar. They headed for the lobby.

The hotel was quiet at this hour. Only the night clerk remained behind the desk. “Is there somewhere I should take my dog for a comfort break?” Lauren asked.