It hurt a little less every day.
The Josh stuff.
The Silas stuff.
More… more so the Silas stuff. Josh was hardly a blip on the radar now, but the week with Silas… it had changed me, I think.
I threw myself into teaching. The kidsandmyself. I was in therapy, I’d adjusted my medications, and things were looking… better.
Until I saw a damned book on theNew Releasesrack at my local bookstore.
SNOWED IN
By Silas Reed.
I walked straight past it, blinking away tears.
But it was almostmagneticthe way my feetkept bringing me to that table.
To that book.
To that stupid author picture on the back.
I picked it up.
Put it down again.
And with an exasperated sigh, I peeled open the front cover.
My jaw dropped as I read the dedication.
To the girl that made my heart melt faster than snow.
And the nights I’ve spent regretting my cowardice ever since.
I’ll never be so stupid as to expect forgiveness.
But the cabin’s ours if you want to run away in April.
I’ll be waiting.
My fingers trembled as I clutched the book to my chest. My heart was hammering, loud enough that I was certain anyone nearby could hear it. I should have been angry — furious, even.
But I wasn’t.
I was breathless. And maybe, just a little, I was smiling.
The chaos of last December, the firelight, the snow, the ache, the laughter, the heat — it all came rushing back like a tidal wave I hadn’t realized I’d been holding back. My cheeks burned as I realized how much I’d missed it… him.
I sank into a nearby chair, the book open in my lap, and for a long moment, I let myself simplyfeel.
No logic.
No plans. Just the weight of the words, the pull of the invitation, the undeniable truth that I had never stopped thinking about him.
A soft laugh escaped me — surprised, a little shaky. “Damn it, Silas Reed,” I whispered to the empty bookstore aisle. “You’re impossible.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, snappingme back. I ignored it. Right now, I didn’t care about texts, emails, or obligations. All that mattered was the promise in front of me.
