She stood in the living room for a few more minutes. The fire was down to embers now, and she knew it would be fine to leave it. The evening was only a tad chilly, but she knew how her grandfather loved to cozy next to the fireplace. She heard her grandparents’ bedroom door close and decided she should get her toiletries and go to the restroom to brush her teeth and get ready for bed.
Slipping her hands into her jacket pocket, she felt her phone and remembered she needed to let her parents know she’d arrived. They were likely still up because of the time change. As she walked to the guest room, she sent them a quick text telling them she’d gotten to her grandparents’ house safely and that she’d call them sometime in the morning—their time. She also sent one to Alec, thinking he’d probably
