Avery stops mid-sparkle. “What life, Noelle? The job you hate?”
“That’s not…”
“You belonghere,” she says softly. “You always have. And Gabriel Frost has probably been waiting for you to figure that out since high school.”
“He hasn’t been waiting?—”
“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes.
I pick up a silver ornament, watching my warped reflection shimmer back at me. “It’s not that simple.”
“It is.” She hangs a garland over the order window. “You just have to decide what you want. The life you think you should have… or the life that’s waiting for you in Snowflake Falls.”
Chapter Four
GABRIEL
Noelle’s wearing a red coat and matching red lipstick. She’s standing in her doorway, cheeks pink from the cold, amber eyes bright behind her glasses, smiling like she has absolutely no idea that she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen all year.
“You look gorgeous,” I tell her.
Her cheeks go pinker. “It’s just the coat.”
“It’s who’sinthe coat.”
She ducks her head, and my heart beats faster in my chest, warm and certain.
The drive to the rink is quiet except for the Christmas music on the radio. She’s nervous. Her hands keep fidgeting with that old, broken watch, and she bites her lip until I’m tempted to stop the truck and ask her what’s wrong.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Great! Perfect!Loooooveice skating!” The words come out too fast.
When I park, I circle around to open her door, offering my hand. She hesitates a second before slipping her gloved fingers into mine, and heat punches through me despite the freezing air. She looks up, and for a heartbeat, the whole world narrows to her beautiful eyes, and I can’t look away.
The rink’s busy but not packed, and the scent of hot cocoa and popcorn fills the cold air. Strings of colored lights crisscross overhead, casting glimmers of color across the ice.
“When’s the last time you skated?” I ask, handing her the rental skates.
“Oh, you know. Pretty recently.” She waves vaguely.
I crouch to tie my laces, watching her from the corner of my eye as she fumbles with hers, squinting at the loops. She’s so determined it’s adorable. When we step onto the ice, she grabs the wall like it’s a lifeline.
“Noelle? You don’t actually skate, do you?”
“I’m skating right now.” She pushes off, wobbles, and grabs the wall again. “See?”
I move closer, fighting a grin, and offer her my hand. “Trust me?”
She stares at my hand for a long second, then takes it. “If you let me fall, Gabriel Frost…”
“I promise, no falling.”
Her hand fits perfectly in mine. I guide her away from the wall, keeping her tucked close. Her right arm loops through my elbow, and she’s pressed against my side, soft and warm beneath the layers of fabric. Every few feet she wobbles, and I steady her with a hand at her waist. The contact sparks straight through me.
“You’re doing great. Just look at me, not the ice.”
“If I look at you, I’ll—” She stops, blushing furiously.
