Thomas & January (Sleepless 2)

“Congrats, son.”

I looked around and swallowed the faces surrounding me. The love and admiration from each of them was so incredibly humbling. Everyone I loved was in that room. Every single one save for the one I loved the most.

Knock. Knock.

We all froze where we stood, unsure what to do.

“Answer it, you dolt!” Cherry playfully jeered, making everyone laugh.

I opened the door and was stunned silent.

“Uh, hi,” January MacLochlainn told me.

She was just as stunning as I’d memorized her to be, if not more so. She’d trimmed her hair since last I saw her and her skin was a bit less tan. She wasn’t any better put together or anything but she obviously wasn’t being forced to improvise on the road. She had access to a permanent wardrobe.

She was unbelievably beautiful. I’d wondered what she’d been doing since I last saw her. I wanted to throw her into my arms and kiss her senseless but I didn’t. I couldn’t. She wasn’t mine to throw.

“Hi,” I stupidly replied after too long a silence. Things were awkward.

“I-I just wanted to stop by and congratulate you. Everyone’s really excited to have you back,” she said, then cleared her throat. “Anyway, I see you’re busy,” she said, popping her head in the room and smiling at everyone. “I won’t bother you anymore. It was nice to see you again.” She waved to everyone in the room then left.

I closed the door behind her, dumbstruck. No, struck mute, like a complete idiot. She’d left me tongue-tied. I knew if I had opened my mouth I would have just spouted nonsense or worse, proclaim that I loved her again but at the top of my lungs and in front of my entire family.

I turned toward that family and caught a sea of shocked faces with mouths agape.

I swallowed as I took them all in. “What?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“Was that her?” Cherry asked quietly.

“Yeah, that was January.”

All the girls yelped at once, startling me.

“What!” I yelled.

“Go after her!” Harper commanded. “Right now!”

“What?”

“Are you nuts? That’s the January you couldn’t shut up about?” My dad interjected, the complete surprise etched all over his aging face.

“Yeah,” I sang, more nervous than I’d ever been.

Callum slapped me on the shoulder. “If you don’t go after that girl, Tom, I believe these women may skin you alive.”

“What do I do?” I asked them, desperation seeping into my voice.

“Do you know how you got this job?” Jason asked evenly, interrupting the already conspiring females. He stared absently out the window before turning toward me.

Everyone grew quiet.

“No,” I said truthfully.

“Can you not guess?”

“I have no clue.” I was being honest. I had no idea. I figured Jonah had quit or thrown himself off a bridge. I didn’t care. What?

“January.”