I snort. “Speaking of… now that we’re—what?—officially dating?” I raise a brow at him.
He nods without hesitation. “Yeah, I’d say we’re officially dating.”
“Okay, so we’re officially dating.” I chew another bite and gesture with my pizza. “What are we going to tell our friends? Are we keeping it a secret? Letting it just trickle through the group? I don’t really want to make a big deal about it, but people are going to find out.”
Miles thinks on it, his head bobbing in the ridiculous pile of blankets like a confused, cozy turtle. “I say we tell Jaden and Anna and let them inform the others. As long as one person knows, it’ll work its way through the group. No need for some big announcement.”
“True.”
“Plus,” he adds, shrugging, “if I’m being honest, I don’t think anyone’s going to be surprised.”
“Really?”
“Hell no. Everyone knew the second you moved in with me that we were going to hook up.”
I gasp. “No way.”
“Yeah, totally, Miranda. It’s obvious we have chemistry and a connection. I think they’ll be more surprised it took us this long.”
“Well, they don’t know me very well,” I say, lifting my chin. “Because I am one stubborn lady.”
Miles nods, leaning back with a grin. “That you are.”
The lights flicker once, twice, and then—WHOOMPH.
The furnace hums alive, a warm rush filling the vents as the entire room wakes up in a blanket of golden, beautiful light.
I launch off the couch like a firework. “Oh my gosh—we have power! We havepower!”
My hands shoot into the air, and I burst into a full-body happy dance. Miles laughs, his blanket cocoon slipping off his shoulders as he watches me lose my mind.
“Do you know what this means?” I demand, pointing at him. “We can take a hot shower.”
I bounce on the balls of my feet, knees lifting high like I’m doing some sort of victory parade. My entire body vibrates with relief.
“Yes, we can.” Miles grins. “See? I told you it wouldn’t be much longer.”
“Oh my gosh, it’s like we talked about it and the universe listened. We manifested this. We did that. We made it happen.”
“Yep.” He nods solemnly. “Totally us. Absolutely our doing.”
“I am so happy to have power,” I say, hands on my cheeks. “And I’m telling you right now—if I’m going to live here, we are getting a generator. There is no universe in which you do not have a generator. I didn’t harp on it before because we were busy, you know, surviving, but now that time is over? Miles—you are forking out the cash. We’re getting one.”
“Really?” He tilts his head, that soft smile tugging at his lips. “Because I kind of liked being snowed in with you. In fact… I think it was perfect.”
“Next time,” I counter, holding up a finger, “we canpretendwe don’t have power. We can do all the fun things we did this time, but without freezing our asses off. Deal?”
“Okay, fine.” He laughs, surrendering. “First thing tomorrow, I’ll call and set up an appointment to get a generator installed. Are you happy?”
“I am so happy.”
I extend my hand. Miles reaches for it immediately, his palm warm against mine. With zero hesitation, I tug him up from the couch.
“Come on,” I say, already dragging him down the hall, our laughter echoing off the newly lit walls. “I am not waiting another second.”
Together, we sprint toward the bathroom—because I am about to take the longest, hottest, most glorious shower of my entire life.
The hot water is blissful, a velvety rush against my chilled skin. Steam curls around me, softening every edge. When Miles steps in behind me, the curtain of heat parts, and I turn—slowly, deliberately—to face him.
