After I make one last look around to make sure I didn’t forget anything, I grab another bottle of wine because I’m going to need it, set the security alarm, then lock the door. Ryan’s waiting inside the SUV, and once I climb in, I turn on the heated seat. A chill runs through me as he backs out of the driveway. His GPS is already set for Roxbury, and it says we should be there around three as long as there aren't any accidents or issues.
Once we’re out of my neighborhood, I suck in a deep breath realizing I didn’t bring any snacks with me. It’s a total fail on my part.
I turn to Ryan and put on a sweet smile. “Do you think we can stop and get some coffee before we leave civilization?” I’m already mentally making my order of a skinny mocha with extra whip cream and a pumpkin loaf just in case I get hungry. My mouth waters thinking about it.
“Absolutely not.” Ryan doesn’t even look at me.
“Wait, seriously?” My mouth falls open because I can’t be without coffee, especially on a trip this long. Plus, it’s cold as fuck outside, and a hot drink makes it all better.
“We’re not stopping, Kendall,” he says flatly without hesitation, and I realize he’s not joking. If I had known he was going to be this much of an asshole, I would’ve just driven myself. I’m so frustrated I bite my tongue before I say something I regret. Trying to calm down, I force myself to stare out the window but I can’t stop drinking about mochas and warm bread.
This might be the most painful three hours of my life.
When he turns on the radio, and I hear a bunch of doctors discussing medical procedures in full detail, I’m convinced I’m living in my own personal hell.
It’s times like this I wished I carried a corkscrew in my purse, because if I had one, I’d open that wine I packed right now.Chapter TwoRyanKendall can whine all she wants, but she should’ve come fully prepared. One of my biggest pet peeves when traveling is stopping. If it takes thirty minutes, that’s too much time wasted, and I just want to get to the cabin so I can get this weekend over with.
The only reason I agreed is because my best friend Eli asked me to join Kendall so she wouldn’t be alone in the big house by herself. It was important to him, and I want my sister to be happy on her honeymoon, so I said yes. I should’ve known Kendall was going to go overboard with her shopping, but I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt.
After we’re out of the city, Kendall reaches over and turns off the radio. I glance over at her, and she gives me a death glare. “I can’t handle listening to this for the next two hours, so we’re going to have to compromise.”
I turn it back on. “Trust me when I say this is compromising.”
She lets out a growl, and I wonder if she’s going to knock the shit out of me by how angry she becomes. Reactions like this aren't new for me. Considering Kendall and Cami have been best friends for as long as I can remember, I’m used to her temper tantrums. They’re each other’s ride or die and growing up she was always around. If Cami wasn’t at her house, Kendall was at ours, and they’re still just as close.
Somehow Kendall was able to stay out of the eye of the paparazzi. Cami wasn’t so lucky and basically had her teenage years documented in photos. It’s another reason I was so adamant about breaking away from the glitz and glam of being a St. James. While I could’ve lived off my parents' money for the rest of my life, I’m wired differently than most who grew up in a family like mine.
An underlying current has always streamed between us, and it’s why I’ve kept my distance. I never wanted to become a wedge between her and Cami’s friendship, plus we’re completely opposite. I want to be with someone who aspires to do more in life than look pretty. I need substance in a relationship and she’s too vain to understand that.
The rest of the drive we ride in silence. Eventually, her breathing slows and I glance over noticing how peaceful looks sleeping. The closer we get to Roxbury, the harder the snow starts to fall and we drive into a whiteout. I change the radio to the local weather station to get an update.
“Massive snowfall happening in Upstate New York. If you’re on the roads, be careful. We’ll be right back after this message from our advertisers,” the announcer says.
“Great,” I mutter. I turn it off and focus on the road. I knew it would be snowing, but I thought we’d miss most of it. Kendall stirs and her eyes flutter open. Immediately, she repositions herself in the seat and her mouth falls open.