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“Thank you,” he said, seeming genuinely touched.

The sun was heading down the sky as I walked across the street. The lights in our yard clicked on, bathing the scene in a magical glow. Harris and Marcus were laughing as they packed and threw snowballs. Fiona was hiding behind the corner of the house, creating her own arsenal of ammunition. Just as my foot hit the sidewalk, the lights and music kicked on in Ryan’s yard, turning the glowy, happy scene bright white and stark. I rolled my eyes.

I scooped up a handful of snow and immediately threw it at Marcus as I joined the chaos in our yard. It hit him squarely on the side of the face. He roared and came charging at me. Harris followed after him like a duckling. Soon I was being pelted from all sides, holding my clipboard up like a shield.

“No!” I screamed. “Fiona! Help!”

She came with her coat pockets full of snowballs and helped me attack. It wasn’t long before we were all calling a truce, our hair wet, noses red, fingers numb.

“I’ll get a fire going,” Marcus said, running toward the house. Again, Harris was right on his heels.

“I actually have to go,” Fiona said. “My mom will be worried about me driving in this in the dark.”

“Okay, be safe. Text me when you get home.”

I was heading to my front door when the light in Ryan’s bedroom window clicked on.

I paused and bit my lip. I’d been waiting for him to make the next move, but I was feeling happy from the snow and the snowball fight, so I didn’t stop to analyze as I went to the side yard of my house. I wasn’t sure if I had the ability to throw a snowball at a second-story window, but I decided to try. I perched my clipboard on the ledge under one of our side windows, then formed several snowballs. It took me four attempts with many adjustments before one finally connected with glass. Splat. Then I waited.

Chapter 23

I thought I saw a rustle of the curtains, but I wasn’t sure. Had Ryan even heard the snowball hit his window? Maybe he had left his room before I’d connected. I made more snowballs. This time, two of the five hit. I had another one in my hand, ready to throw, when snow hit my shoulder. I turned just in time to see a streak of white coming straight for my face. I ducked and it flew over my head. Then Ryan was running away. I chased after him, into his backyard. He was hiding inside the gate, and he crashed into me, holding me steady with one hand while smashing a snowball onto my neck with his other.

“You are so dead,” I said, taking the snowball I held and pressing it against his cheek.

He leaned over and wiped his cheek against my hair.

“You’re all wet,” he said.

I laughed. “Yes. There’s been a war at my house.”

“And you thought I needed to be involved?”

“I did.”

“Is the war over now?” he asked, looking toward the open gate. Cars slowly moved down the road, everyone looking at lights. Buddy had arrived sometime between me talking to Mr. Lenny and now. He already had a line. We were in Ryan’s dark backyard, though, so I didn’t think anyone could see us.

“My brothers went inside to sit by the fire,” I said, meeting his eyes.

“You should probably join them. You look very cold.” I was sure my face was rosy.

I took a step back. Was that his way of saying he didn’t want me here? “Right.”

Ryan reached out and snatched my hand, as if reading my mind. “Only because you’re cold. Not because I don’t want to see you.”

My heart fluttered back to life. “It’s snowing,” I said with a smile. Flakes were still falling from the sky.

His smile widened. “And winter is your favorite.”

“It is.”

He opened his coat and took a step toward me. He was offering me warmth again, like the night before in my room. Maybe he didn’t regret it. I snaked my arms around his waist, pushing my nose against his neck. Heat radiated off him.

“My very favorite,” I said.

“You’re freezing,” he said, adjusting his coat around me.

I nodded. I was, and yet I didn’t want to move. I was getting warmer by the second.