I laugh, and steam from my breath clouds around us. “Until I got shut down for giving one to Sophie that said bitch. Shewasa bitch, though—still is.”
His tongue pokes the inside of his cheek, and a smile extends well beyond his eyes. “She fucking deserved that, for sure. I convinced Grandpa Wells to pay me for doing extra farm chores so I could buy your bracelets. I was a goddamn eleven-year-old boy—I had no need forfriendship bracelets,but I wanted an excuse to talk to you. This”—he holds his wrist up and twists the leather bracelet in the moonlight—“means the fucking world to me because of that. I think part of me was already in love with you back then, even though I didn’t know what love meant. In high school, it didn’t seem to matter to you that you were smarter and funnier and cooler than everybody else. You tutored for free, helped show new kids around the school, volunteered for all kinds of projects. I thought you were fucking incredible, and it was also very clear you werewayout of my league. You were so nice to everybody, but you never looked my way.”
My eyebrows scrunch together, and I open my mouth to protest, but he stops me with a smirk. “You know I’m right. I’m not trying to give you shit, Cass—I’m just saying, I’ve always paid attention to you. You didn’t notice, because you didn’t give a shit about me, and I don’t blame you at all. I wasn’t exactly doing anything to help my case, even though I’ve liked you for years. Maybe it was selfish of me to agree to hook up at the rodeo when you didn’t know all of this, but how could I turn it down? My dream girl was finally giving me a shred of attention beyond the sassy comments I lived for every time I saw you. Then you told me you were pregnant, and it felt like I finally had my chance. I’ve been busting my ass ever since because I want you to see me.”
He brushes a snowflake from my eyelashes. “So I had my suspicions. Because, despite all the bad—all the reasons why you shouldn’t give me the time of day—you’re here. Looking at me with these big, beautiful eyes and a smile I’ve never seen you give anyone else. That’s more than I ever dreamed of having. I didn’t ever need to hear you say the words.”
“Thank you for being patient with me. I know I’m a mess and suck at telling you how I feel. I’m sorry. I wish I’d found you sooner. I wish I didn’t fuck it all up when you said you wanted to be together.”
“You didn’t fuck anything up. We’re here now.” He kisses me deeply, with a hand holding tight on my jaw. My cheeks are damp, and I’m not sure if I’m crying or if the warmth between us is melting the falling snow.
“I love you, Cassidy.” He whispers the words directly into my kiss-drunk mouth.
I shut my eyes, focusing only on the feel of his lips hovering over mine—not expecting or demanding a response, but patiently hoping. “I love you, Chase.”
The kiss that follows has me turning into molten lava, hot and barely able to stop myself from becoming a puddle on the floor. I don’t know if we’re kissing for five minutes or five hours. My mouth feels bruised and I’m tingling from head to toe, but I can’t let go—wouldn’t want to if I could. But slowly he pulls back and nods toward the moonlit path.
“C’mon, sweetheart. I can’t risk you getting frostbite or pneumonia. Let’s continue this inside.”
I nod, struggling to remain upright without his steady, thick body holding me. “Why did you leave me alone in the cabin?”
“Could tell you were nervous. Thought you needed a minute to panic alone, text Blair, figure out if you should admit to feeling the same, maybe consider running—I would have stopped you if you tried to leave, by the way.”
He might know me better than I do.
“I didn’t consider running, but I did the other three.”
He laughs under his breath. “And what did Blair say?”
“She said I was a dumbass and I needed to talk to you.”
“I always knew I liked her.” He leans to pick up the blocks of wood scattered across the snow.
“Well, good. She’s moving home in a couple weeks, so you’ll be seeing a lot of her.” Grabbing hold of his thick bicep, I walk beside him back up the dark path. “We might need a bigger couch to fit all three of us for our reality TV binges.”
“No way. You’re the only person on Earth allowed to know I watch that shit.”
I scrunch my nose at him. “Too late. She knows you’re a big sucker for dating shows. I think you might’ve watched enough seasons to officially be considered a superfan. Hope you know I’m buying you merch for your birthday.” A brilliant idea flows into my brain, and I squeeze his arm tight. “Holy shit. I’m buying us matching T-shirts to wear while we watch the season finale. Why haven’t I thought of this before?”
He laughs. “What part of not wanting people to know I’ve watched that stupid show makes you think I want a T-shirt?”
“Told you that you’d regret making me fall in love with you.”
“I don’t regret it for a single second, sweetheart. The T-shirt is living permanently at your house, though—can’t risk any of the guys seeing.”
“So you mean we can’t take a cute couple photo for social media?” I tease, nudging my elbow into his ribs. “Kidding.”
I’m not kidding. I’m taking a photo.
“Bullshit—you’re not kidding. You’re really putting in effort to make sure I have regrets, eh?”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re stuck with me.” My free hand rubs over my stomach, and I’ve never had so few regrets in my life. Everything feels perfectly inplace.
The room’s still dark when I wake with a jolt. A painful, cramping sensation rocketing through my pelvis.
Maybe I just held my bladder for too long.
By the time I’ve pulled myself from the bed, it’s gone. I shuffle to the bathroom, refusing to open my eyes more than a sliver so I don’t fully wake up, then back to the bed, tucking a pillow under my stomach and throwing an arm over Chase’s torso. Warmed by the wood heat, I’m in a half-asleep daze when the pressure forces my hands to my stomach.
