Falling for my boyfriend’s Navy brother
Chapter 125: Penny
The snow squeaks beneath our boots as we stomp acts the packed trail toward the little pet off area where the snowman contesting place. The san’s sharp above, the kind that gleams eff every white surface and makes you sprint, but the air still tastes like ice and pine.
| glance sideways at Asher. He doesn’t look sold. Obviously. He’s in a black thermal and a charcoal beanie pulled low over his dark, hair, sterers pushed up just enough to shows the thick veins in his forearms. I, on the other hand, am layered like a meshmallow–cost, art, gloves, the works
freezing.
“I didn’t think you’d actually come here,” I say, watching him keel down and start rolling a snowball like he’s done this professionally. “I figured you’d pull out a wide range of excuses and stay at the lodge.”
Asher smirks, the smallest twitch of his mouth. “You were excited. I’m not a monster?
His hands work with absand efficiency. The snowball he’s rolling is already half the size of a tire, and still perfectly round. I blink at it. Then at hun
A voice from behind us calls, “Hey! Is it even fair for a guy like that to be competing in this?”
I turn to see some girl pointing directly at Asher while whisper laughing with her friend.
I laugh un
under
breath. “You’ve been clocked, Hayes.”
He just glances over his shoulder, shrugs, and keeps going. “I’ve been clocked before. That one was friendlier than most.”
I try not to sinile. But fail
For the next twenty minutes, we work in rhythm. Or, more accurately, he builds at lightning speed while I hover and give creative direction. I’m carving the base for a snowy little crown while he stacks massive snowballs like he’s loading artillery. His face is serious, focused, as he slides on a chunk of snow to
abilize the torsd
“Can you slow down for two seconds?” I tease. “This isn’t a military operation.”
He raises a bow, hands on his hips. “You’re more intense than half the squad leaders I’ve met.”
I cackle. “Did you just call me a sergeant?”
“You’re almost there.”
“Wow Bude.”
“I said almost, you have to shout a bit more to make it official.”
throw a snowhall at him. He catches it midair without looking.
Eventually, we settle into a quieter pace. The wind brushes my cheek and the distant sounds of other people working and laughing drift on the air, minutes, neither of us speaks.
Then
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Asher asks,
1 look over. “What?”
“That Tyler at kind of… dips.”
Chapter 125: Penny
1 pause. Not because I didn’t expect it – I’ve been esperting something like this from him for days — but because the answer isn’t dar
“Yes and no,” I say dowly. “I mean……. prab, it sucks sometimes, just knowing he doesn’t even think about asking
this was supposed to be a trip with his friends. I tagged along. I can’t expect him to mot hang out with them “
Asher noc, lår be’s listening but doesn’t agree.
“He begged you to come,” he says.
1igh. “Yeah. And like I said… I think I jest slip his mind sometimes.”
Silence again. I focus on shaping little wings for the snowman’s back, trying to shake off the sadness curling inside me
But then I say it. The thing that’s really been sitting in my gut.
“I’m more said for you, honestly.”
Asher freezes, mid–pat of the snow’s head. “What?”
I look at him. “Every time Tyler disappears or ditches me, you’re the one who ends up having to deal with me. It’s like you feel bad, so you pick up the Hack. And I hate that. I’m mad at him, because it makes you feel responsible,”
He turns slowly to face me, something dark and unreadable in his eyes, something almost scary. He crouches low, right in front of me, until we’re eye to eye.
“Listen carefully,” he says, voice low, almost rough. “I’m only saying this once.”
I hold my breath.
“No amount of time I spend with you is because Tyler wasn’t there. Not une second. I’m here because I want to be here. With you.”
I blick at him.
“And maybe I don’t know a lot about what I want yet,” he adds, “but I know that.”
My cheeks burn instantly. My heart is somewhere near my throat. He’s still looking at me like I’m something important, like I’m a target he’s charm for a different kind of mission.
He stanch and go back to work like he di
just blow a hole through my emotional stability.
I manage to recoman by focusing on
on the
I’ve made or tried to make. I’m about to lift it when I realize just how tall this snowman in
“Um… Asher?” I call.
on that? It’s taller than you.”
“Hmm?”
I point “How am I supposed to put the crowni
He actually steps back, eyes the snowman, then me, then the crown. Smiles a little. “You’re not wrong.”
“I can’t levitate, you know.”
“Lucky for you…” he mutters, stepping behind my Without warning, his hands settle on my waist and I squeak
He lifts me like I weigh nothing, holding me steady as I press the now crown onto the top of
“Okay, okay, I got it!”
out monster showman’s head. I’m laughing the whole time.
He lowers me, but not before my mittened hands land on his shoulders, and for a second too long, we stay like that. Close. His breath curling warm through the cold air. My heart doing absolutely unhinged things in my chet
Chapter 125: Penny
1 clear my throat and step back.
We finish the new with claw like branches, a tiny and perched on its shoulder made from a snow limp I shaped earlier, and a grofy face that somehow still looks a battle threatening. Asher adds stick legs too long awkward and I burst out laughing
“It’s perfect!” I grin.
He stands beside me, watching mit strange creation like it might salute him at any second. Itis
dis smile – barely there — makes me feel warmer than my car
We wait around for a few more minutes while the volunteer judge walks around to impect the entries. Some people made adorable ones, sone scary, and one group just made a giant snow–tace, which is confusing but impressive
Then, she points to ours.
“Winner! Most creative use of limbs and accessories. That ul is a nice touch
I squeal and throw my arms in the air. “YESSS.”
Asher holds up a hand. I high–five him like we’ve just won a world championship.
The volunteer hands us a small gold plastic medal with a snowman on it. I hold it like it made of real gold. He leans down just slightly, voice quiet.
“Ready?”
“Ready for what?” I ask, confused.
He glances sideways. “Didn’t I promise that winners get pastries and hot chocolate?”
I stare at him for a second, grinning like a maniac.
“You did. You so did,”
“Then let’s go, princess.”
And when he gently places his hand at the small of my back and nudges me toward the nearest booth with steam rising from the pool and the smell of sugar floating in the air, I think for the first time in a while that I don’t feel like a tagalong at all.
I feel exactly where I’m supposed to be
–
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