Chapter 1

Jared Acosta pulled the hose out of the greenhouse in his back yard and wrapped it up near the side of the house. It was close to midnight, but the stars were shining extra bright tonight. He had worked until late finishing a project, and almost forgotten to water the plants. He stretched, glad to be away from his computer. The sky was blue and deep. He took a breath, savoring the night air.

Christmas was in a few days and he wondered what he’d do. Rarely had he ever celebrated it with anyone else. His father had never made much of the holiday. “It’s just there to make us feel better,” he would tell Jared. “I buy you everything you want anyway.”

Jared walked back into the greenhouse, appreciative of the solar powered warmth that kept the big room toasty all day long.

“I guess I can spend it with you guys,” he whispered to the plants, then closed the door and returned to the crisp night air.

Something in the sky caught Jared’s eye and he laughed. “A shooting star. I haven’t seen one in forever.”

Jared stared in wonder as another burst from the sky. Was tonight some sort of special meteorological night? He had no idea. Work had consumed him all day.

Jared smiled, remembering old sayings about wishing on shooting stars. Even at forty, the idea seemed appealing. He closed his eyes and opened his heart. “I wouldn’t mind feeling a little better,” he said to the night. 1

David wasn’t sure why he was going home for Christmas, but he was. He thought of this as he made his way off the plane and into the terminal at Jacksonville International. It was enormous. Well, at least compared to the tiny airport he remembered when he was twelve when they had first moved to Florida. At that time, you could position yourself in the center part of the lobby area and wait, knowing that anyone coming from a flight would have to walk by you. He and his mother had done it a hundred times when they were waiting for his father’s return from a business trip.

Although he’d seen them before, David was a still a little amazed at the changes in the airport. It had been a long time since he had flown home, but despite the fact that he was now forty, every time he landed he still expected to see the airport of his youth.

His early morning flight from LaGuardia was the first flight he could remember in years where he hadn’t spent most of the time talking to the passenger next to him. Every person on the plane was knocked out. Everyone except for him, that is. While they slept, he stared out the window, enjoying the quiet as the plane flew over most of the East Coast that morning. David wasn’t sure if he was excited to be going home, or just glad to be off work for a few days, but for some reason, sleep had not been an option.

That same excitement coursed through him as he made his way to the car rental agency.

“Do you have any convertibles?” David asked, a mischievous grin on his face, almost bouncing up to the counter.

The car rental agent was old enough to be his mother, and it showed in her response to him.

“You do realize that we’re in Northern Florida, don’t you, son?”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m from here, but it’s a whole lot warmer than New York was this morning, and my phone app has promised a beautiful day.”

“As long you aren’t expecting Miami Beach weather,” she said, and then began to search for something on her screen. “So, you live in New York now?”

“Yes, ma’am,” David answered, a smile on his face.

“I can tell,” the woman said.

David looked down. Jeans, dress shoes, a black turtleneck, and a blazer. He had seen his face in the mirror on the plane bathroom. He was a little pale, and his blond hair was the darkest it had ever been. He figured he had another few years before it morphed to mousy brown. In New York, he would be fine with his appearance. Here, he was remembering what he looked like twenty years ago.

“My oldest lives in the Big Apple. Incredible city, but I know sometimes you need to get away. I’m not charging you full price for the convertible. Enjoy the air,” the woman said.

David laughed, and thanked the rental agent. After filling out a few papers, he was on his way out of the airport and onto the road. The sun was incredible and he had the top down before he reached I-95.