So I’ll take it slow. Keep being nice to her. Keep being the guy she can trust. The guy who doesn’t yell at her. And the guy who wants to crawl onto that mattress and kiss the wariness right off her face, but who knows she needs to be the one to make the next move.
I shoot to my feet. “I’m gonna move the chicken to the freezer with the ice. If the power’s not back on tomorrow, we can try roasting it over the fire.”
She watches me go.
Doesn’t say another word.
Doesn’t ask me to tell her more about liking her.
Doesn’t ask me not to either.
Fucking mouth.
It’s gonna be an even longer night tonight.
10
Aspen
It’s awkward again,and I’m not sleeping.
Every time I think I might doze off, I start to feel cold, and within seconds—seconds—Cash is up putting more wood on the fire, then returning to the couch, where the fake leather gives one singular groan and goes silent, like he’s fallen immediately back to sleep.
The way I want to text him right now is overwhelming.
This guy I have an unfortunate crush on told me he likes me too, and now I feel awkward because I want to do something about it, but he’s my landlord, and I don’t want to lose one more place to live because it got weird between us.
He’d text me back something likeIs it already weird enough to move? If so, seize the day.
And I’d replyMight not even matter depending on how long this storm lasts.
He’d sayYOLO.
I’d sayI just want him to crawl into bed and snuggle me because it’s dark and cold and no matter how much I tell myselfthat I’m fine by myself, I don’t like being alone in the cold and dark.
There’s something about the night that makes everything seem worse.
Like the night is when the bear comes. Or a snow monster. Or the family I walked away from.
And then they’re here.
My family.
Marching to the door of my cabin castle, led by the bear who was sent to sniff me out.
You have pebbles! We want pebbles!
I don’t have pebbles, I cry.
You made pebbles and you kept them from us!They have guitars that shoot arrows, and they’re sending flaming arrows through the air as they advance.We will burn it all down for you turning your back on us!
Do your worst!I yell back.You’ve made me rise from the ashes before, and I’ll do it again!
“Aspen,” a whiskey-smooth voice says beside me. The world shakes, and I hear it again. “Aspen.”
I sit straight up with a gasp, the dream clearing, the darkness cut by the glow of the fire coming back into focus.
Cash.
