Christmas Road Trip

  Amelia Sinclair

  Inspired by the song “There’s No Place like Home for the Holidays”

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  Thanks for reading!

  Sneak Peek

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2019

  Christmas Road Trip by Amelia Sinclair

  Cover design: German Creative

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without written consent from the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Locales or public names are sometimes used for accuracy. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or settings is entirely coincidental.

  Chapter 1

  Five days until Christmas

  It was 7:30 in the morning, and all the flights at the Portland airport were canceled.

  Everyone else was frantic and upset that their holiday plans had been completely derailed, but Gary Hart was too tired to care. With no power in the entire complex, there were no TV’s to portray the news. Using his spotty cell phone service, Gary had been able to deduce that a massive snow storm in Seattle, rare as it was, had wiped out electricity from Vancouver, Canada to Eugene, Oregon, and they were the lucky ones in the middle.

  No one was flying out today.

  Not that Gary minded. He hadn’t been excited about the trip anyway. He loved his family dearly, but the thought of going home was still… depressing. He had paid for the ticket long ago at his brother’s urging, but his brother had no control over the weather or the electricity in the Pacific Northwest. Gary only mildly checked for other travel options, but they weren’t looking promising, so he stared down at the retro carpeting and wondered what he should do.

  “I don’t know if I can make it home for Christmas, daddy.”

  A crumbling voice somewhere behind him caught Gary’s attention. The airport was in such an uproar, but perhaps this one stood out for being so quiet and forlorn.

  “I know, I saw the news. I thought maybe I could get a rental car to Salt Lake City and fly out from there, but every single car here is already booked, and the flights in Utah are like thirteen hundred dollars. I can’t afford that. Not till payday after Christmas, anyway.”

  He understood her dilemma. He’d been looking into similar options for flying home to South Carolina, and the price had been about the same, which made staying look like the much more agreeable option. He had the money for a new plane ticket in his savings, but he didn’t want to blow it all right before Christmas.

  “No, Dad. We both know you can’t afford it,” she continued. “But don’t tell mom or Ellie yet. I’ve still got a few days, so I’ll try to figure something out. I’ll keep you updated… Yes, please pray for me. I need all the help I can get… I love you too.”

  Then his chair jostled as someone, likely the woman from the phone call, landed in the seat behind him. She moaned and whispered, “Oh, what am I going to do?”

  Gary glanced over his shoulder and saw golden hair peeking out from under a knit cap, a red sweater covering slender shoulders. Light from the sunrise started to fill the large terminal windows that had been dark since the power outage, and he wished it would illuminate her features a little more. He tried to go back to his phone and continue a search for his own travel plans, but he couldn’t focus.

  Clicking the phone locked, Gary angled himself a little in the seat. “Where are you headed?”

  The woman turned around, and it pained him to see tears filling her beautiful blue eyes. “Nowhere, apparently.”

  “Did you see the news?” Gary motioned to the dead TV monitors above, and then cringed. “I mean…”

  The woman held up her phone. “Yeah, it’s all over social media.”

  “Who knew knocking out power in Seattle would cause so many problems?”

  She nodded sadly. “They don’t anticipate being open before Christmas if this storm is headed down this way, so that means lots of people will be displaced for the holidays. But I’m not worried. I’ve already seen posts online, and there are plenty of communities opening their homes to people who might be stranded. Portland is good for things like that.”

  Gary smiled. He didn’t always love Portland, but she was right.

  “I can’t be one of them, though. I really need to get home.” Emotion thickened in her voice. “My sister was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago, and I haven’t been able to go home yet. She just finished her first year of college, and she’s still going strong, but I really need to see her.”

  Gary’s stomach sunk. He knew what that felt like. “I’m so sorry. That must be awful to deal with around the holidays.”

  She nodded. “Thanks. It’s been pretty hard. I bought the plane tickets the moment I found out, but I was already booked up at work. I’m in hotel events, and this is one of our busy seasons. Fan conventions, writing conferences, holiday work parties, it never ends.”

  “Yeah… man, you have to get home. Now I’m a little more invested in your trip than I am in mine. Where are you headed again?”

  She chuckled, wiping the tears from her eyes. “North Carolina. I’m Piper, by the way.”

  “Gary,” he said, reaching out to shake her hand. “So do you have a plan?”

  “I was trying to fly in to Charlotte, but so close to Christmas, the prices for a replacement flight anywhere else are completely insane.”

  “I saw that,” Gary said. “I’m trying to get home to Charleston, and prices are about the same.”

  Her features fell. “This is so awful. What are we even going to do?”

  The way she said we made it sound like they were a team, and Gary found he didn’t mind being on her side.

  While she lamented, a thought occurred to Gary and he let it simmer for a moment. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to do it, let alone inviting someone else along, especially a stranger. But maybe making the suggestion would spark other ideas that would help one or both of them?

  “You said you were in hotels right? Do you get a discount?”

  She nodded, slight confusion in her eyes. “Well, yeah, but I don’t see…”

  Recognition dawned on her face, but she didn’t look pleased with the idea.

  “Listen,” Gary said, turning more in his chair to face her. “I know we don’t even know each other, but I just wanted to throw out an idea. I’ve been thinking about making the drive. My SUV is old, but sturdy, and there are still enough days to make the trip across the country in time for Christmas. I’ve done it lots of times before, but it’s better with company. We could split the gas, you could use your discount on each of our stops, and I could drop you in North Carolina before getting myself home to Charleston. I mean, it’s not perfect, but it’s an idea. Plus, I just got new tires, and I’m about to hit 200,000 miles on my car, so this would be a pretty epic way to ring that in.”

  Her blue eyes were no longer sad, but attentive. She blinked repeatedly, processing as he spoke, and she didn’t appear averse to his idea. “I… I can’t just get in a car with a stranger for a cross country road trip.”

  Gary raised his hands in defense. “I know, I know. We’d need to get to know each other and make some plans first, but it’s better than doing nothing and being stuck in this airport. If they can’t get up and running before Christmas, and there aren’t any other plane or rental options nearby, then this could be our best bet.”

  Piper bit her lip, so Gary went on. “You can even give your parents my number and have them interview me to make sure I’m not a creep.”

  “I think I just need details first,” she said, turning more in her seat to face him. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

  He should have expected this, but suddenly felt unprepared. “Um, sure. Well, my name is Gary Hart, and I’m 32 years old. I’m a history professor at Portland State – go Vikings. I grew up in Charleston, but I went to school at University of Georgia and got my degree before getting a job out here, where I’ve been for five years or so.”

  The woman cringed. “I hate to be the person that asks this, but the situation demands it. My best friend studied teaching at University of Georgia. Did you ever meet someone named Jackie Fischer?”

  Gary smiled. “You mean Jackie Fischer married to Todd Scott?”

  She gasped.

  “Living in Albuquerque with two kids and one on the way?”

  “No way! How is this possible?” she asked.

  “We had one class together, and Todd was my roommate. They met one time at study group, and were together ever since.”

  She looked almost relieved. “I can’t believe this. How can I confirm? Are you friends on social media?”

  Gary nodded. “I am, but I’m not often on. My name’s Gary Hart, and I should be friends with both of them.”

  Pulling out her phone, Piper quickly typed and then her eyes widened in surprise, no doubt with her results. “Wow, that’s a great picture.”

  “I haven’t changed it i

n years,” Gary said with a chuckle, remembering the vintage jacket with elbow patches.

  “This is crazy. Do you mind if I call her real quick?”

  Gary smiled. “Be my guest.”

  She stood and pulled out her phone, then pressed it to her ear. “Hey, it’s me… Yes, I’m fine, I’m just trying to figure out how to get home, but I have a question. Do you know a Gary Hart?”

  Piper Chapman had to pull the phone away from her ear at the shrieking on the other end.

  “Gare-bear?” Jackie said through the phone. “I haven't heard from him in forever. How did y’all meet?”

  “He's stranded here in the airport with me, and we're both trying to get back to the Carolinas.” She paused. “He’s suggested we road trip together, but I wanted to check in with you. You know, to get some validation for his character.”

  “Oh, he's a gem. Great guy. Ten out of ten, would recommend. I can't believe I haven't tried to get you guys together before. Maybe he was dating someone...”

  Piper smiled wryly. She couldn't deny Gary was an attractive man. A scruffy professor definitely appealed to her, but dating hadn’t been on her schedule much lately. “That's irrelevant. I'm just wanting to know if you'd trust him as a traveling companion for a few days across the country.”

  “Absolutely. No hesitation. He's part of the group we went to Florida with over summer break that one year. Very generous, super respectable, a proper gentleman.”

  Piper had no response. It sounded like the perfect plan was being plopped in her lap. So why did she pause?

  “You're still hesitant?” Jackie asked. Like a best friend, she just knew.

  “I just… I don't know this guy. It seems crazy.”

  “Well, it is, but you can trust me when I tell you Gary is a blast to hang with. And you should seriously consider taking the southern route instead of going through the mountains with all that snow. Then you can come visit me, and you don’t have to worry about staying in a hotel every single night.”

  The last thing Piper wanted to think about was the Grand Northwestern Hotel, but it was a perk she could take advantage of while they were traveling.

  “If you're still worried, share your phone’s location with me, and I'll monitor your every move. I promise everything is going to be fine.”

  Piper huffed. “Okay, I'll have a talk with him. But if it doesn't work out, then I'm taking a bus to Albuquerque and I'm going to sleep on your couch for Christmas.”

  “That’s a win-win for me, Piper,” Jackie said, the smile apparent in her voice. “Finalize things with Gary, and let me know when you hit the road.”

  Piper hung up the phone, and looked back over her shoulder. Gary had his arm draped over the back of his seat, scrolling through his phone in the other hand. He didn't look dangerous, and with Jackie's ringing endorsement, it was hard to say no to such an easy solution. But she continued to hesitate. Was it too easy?

  She pulled up her favorite contacts and quickly called back her dad.

  “Hang on, baby,” he whispered in the phone, and Piper could imagine him hurrying out to the front porch for privacy. “Is the power back on?”

  “No, Dad. My news isn't that great,” Piper chuckled. “But by chance, I met one of Jackie's college friends here in the airport, and we might road trip back to the South.”

  “Oh, well, that's a blessing. Who is she?”

  Piper cleared her throat. “His name is Gary Hart.”

  Dad remained silent. “A man?”

  “He was friends with Todd, and they both give him five stars.”

  “I don't know, baby,” Dad went on. “Where will you stay?”

  “With my job, I get free hotel stays, and we can get separate rooms. All I have to do is split gas money. It might be the only way, Dad.”

  She didn't need his approval. She was a grown adult who had lived on her own for years. But she knew her father was a worrier. Especially with Ellie’s condition, Piper didn't want to add to that stress.

  “I'll call you every night when we make a stop, so you know I'm okay.”

  “When will you get here?” Dad asked, his voice still low with concern.

  “I'll have to map it out to see where the hotels are and make sure they have space for us, but I imagine no more than 3 or 4 days. I should still be home in time for Christmas Eve.”

  Dad still didn't have much to say, but finally he grunted. “Well, all right. I don't love this, but if you're sure. You'll text me every little while too, so I can know where you are.”

  “I will, Dad. Try not to worry. I'll see you in a few days.”

  “Love you, baby.”

  “Love you too.”

  Hanging up the call, Piper opened up her web browser and searched the hotel website. There were more than enough locations scattered across the country to accommodate their trip, and Piper knew her badge would get her a room anywhere without needing approval from her boss. Agreeing to the trip would be completely out of the ordinary – spontaneity was not her strong suit. But since all her careful planning had been for naught, her only option was to trust this guy who was waiting for her answer.

  Heart pounding in her chest, she returned to his side.

  Gary looked up from his phone, dark velvety eyes sparkling with excitement. “Well?”

  Piper shrugged. “I'm in. Let's do it.”

  Chapter 2

  Gary didn’t anticipate getting out of the airport would be such a struggle. But with the power outage and faulty backup generators, that meant things like no sliding doors. With the help of one functioning revolving door, flocks of people funneled out of the airport.

  Piper audibly shivered as she pulled her suitcase behind him. “How do we have clear blue skies while a blizzard has knocked out the power in three major cities?”

  “Well, we should probably get out of here before the storm gets any closer. I’m up this way, the tan SUV,” Gary said, fixing the shoulder strap of his duffel bag.

  They made it to the vehicle in long term parking, and Gary opened the back to deposit their luggage. He turned to grab Piper’s things, but she stood frozen, eyeing the vehicle.

  “You’re sure this can get us across the country?” she asked, and he couldn’t tell if her tone was teasing or serious.

  “She’s old, but she’ll get the job done,” Gary assured her.

  “She?” Piper raised an eyebrow as he loaded her luggage and closed the door.

  “Yes, her name is Cat,” Gary said. They climbed into the front seats, and he turned the ignition, the car roaring to life.

  “Sounds like there’s a good story behind that name.” Piper put her hands up to the air vents, trying to warm her frozen fingers.

  “Well, I bought this used right before my senior year. Named it Catherine after my mom.” There was always an undertone of sadness when talking about his mom, but he shook it off. “But then a few years into college, before I ever met Jackie, Hurricane Catherine rolled through the South… were you there for that?”

  Piper shook her head. “I was up at NYU.”

  “It was a category 5 and did massive damage. Not just on the coast, but inland too. And this vehicle was one of the few working on campus for a while. I was helping friends and strangers, students and non-students alike. They eventually made a vinyl for the side that said “Catastrophe Aid,” so people would know to reach out if they needed help. After that, Catherine just became Cat, because in my head, she was the catastrophe helper.”

  Piper smiled and sat back in her seat. “That is a good story.”

  “It is, and I’m sure Cat will be just fine getting us home.” Then Gary put his hands on the wheel. “All right, let’s evaluate. Where are we headed?”

  Piper sprang into action like it was her job. “Okay, so from what I can tell, the two closest hotels where I can get us in will either be Salt Lake City or San Francisco. It makes more sense to go East, even though it’s going to be a longer first stretch of driving. It’s almost 8 now, and it’s about 12 hours away, so with the time change… I think that will put us rolling in around 9pm.”

 

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