Chapter 2: Cold Nights, Hot Messes

Flight delayed! I didn’t get off the plane until midnight, my shoulders tightening as I checked the time—2:47 a.m. My nose was numb from the cold, and my battery was at 8%.

Couldn’t get an Uber! Honestly, I was kind of freaked out!

The air had that sharp bite only Georgia winters can bring, making my fingers stiff as I scrolled through my phone. The streetlights flickered, shadows stretching long. The only other people were a janitor mopping in the distance and a TSA agent sipping coffee.

I hesitated over my message to Derek. First I typed, 'Hey, are you up?' then deleted it, nerves jangling, and tried, 'Are you awake, dude?' After a second, I sent it—awkward or not.

We have each other’s numbers, but the chat window was empty. That’s just how siblings are—grown up, not much left to say. Still, it didn’t mean we had a bad relationship, just that real conversations were rare, saved for holidays or dog pickups.

I sat on my suitcase, chin in hand, trying not to think about the last time we’d really talked. That’s just how it goes, I guess.

Ten minutes later, two voice messages popped up:

[Who’s this little sister?]

[Send a pic, let me check.]

He sounded so flippant! I pressed my lips together, fighting a laugh. He definitely never saved my name in his contacts. Derek was a flirt, but this was the first time I’d experienced his shamelessness up close.

I FaceTimed him right away! The lighting was dim, some music in the background. Derek sprawled on the couch, eyebrows raised, eyes full of mischief, wine glass in hand.

We stared at each other for a few seconds. He immediately tried to look serious, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitching.

I said, “Tomorrow I’m asking Mom and Dad how many sisters you want! So, big shot, you trading sisters now?”

Derek snorted out his wine, coughing awkwardly. Someone next to him heckled:

“Derek, your little sister’s actually cute!”

“If you’re not interested, introduce her to me!”

Derek’s face darkened and he kicked the guy. “Get lost, she’s my real sister! Shut up!”

I guess the phone was on the coffee table at first—Derek reached out, the screen zoomed in, and he looked a bit embarrassed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”

I kept smiling. “If I told you, I wouldn’t have found out you have so many sisters! I’ll tell Mom and Dad when I get home!”

Derek rubbed his temples and begged, “My bad, please don’t tell Mom and Dad!”

I pressed my lips together, fighting a laugh.

A low, pleasant laugh drifted from the screen—dangerously attractive, and definitely not Derek’s. Derek shot a glare to the side.

“I’ve been drinking, so I can’t drive. I’ll have someone come pick you up!”

As soon as he finished, a chorus erupted:

“I’ll go!”

“Sis, I’ll pick you up!”

“Your brother might have lots of sisters, but you can have lots of brothers!”

Derek groaned, “Get lost, none of you are any good! You want to pick up my sister? Not happening!”

He looked at me and said, “Alright, I’ll have my most charming, best-mannered buddy pick you up!”

The camera swung over—

I saw a strikingly handsome face. Not just a showstopper, but like he’d stepped out of a Calvin Klein ad—all jawline and easy confidence.

Miles Carter. My brother’s best buddy. I’d only seen him a few times before, back when Derek and I overlapped at high school. We weren’t strangers, but we’d never really talked. Now, suddenly, we made eye contact through the screen.

I froze, caught off guard. Miles smiled at me, calm and composed. For a second, I forgot I was sitting in a nearly empty airport, hair in a messy bun, jacket zipped to my chin. The sight of him—the guy I’d once overheard cheerleaders whispering about in the gym bleachers—felt like being dropped into an old high school movie.

Before I could react, Derek hung up the call.

Miles’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. Whatever he was thinking, I wasn’t sure I was ready to find out.