Page 76 of Merry Mended Hearts

What didthatmean?

He didn’t explain, and I didn’t ask. I sat down, confusion fizzling beneath my skin like a newly opened bottle of carbonated soda.

We ate breakfast in silence, with only the sounds of the fire flickering in the grate and the scent of bacon swarming the kitchen. Ordinarily, I loved bacon, but I couldn’t enjoy its distinct taste.

With the way Boone stared at his plate, at the floor, at the wall, everywhere but at me, I suddenly wanted to be anywhere but where he was. The kisses we’d shared last night, the tenderness he’d shown, his mouth on mine—it was going to haunt me for the rest of my life. He’d said I had someone waiting for me back home, but I didn’t. Not really. And even if I did, Boone’s kiss had ruined me for anyone else.

I changed into my regular clothes—which were a little stiff but were warm having spent the night by the fire. One article at a time, we armored up in our snow garb. I stuffed my feet back into my thin boots.

The morning air was even chillier than it’d been last night. I stepped out of Boone’s front door and just stared, breathing the icy air into my lungs.

Sunlight made the snow blinding, but the forest view was a wonder to behold. Everything seemed so fragile, so breakable, being covered in whiteness as it was. The sun left a sparkle everywhere it touched. The sight helped to lift my momentary woes.

Just because Boone was a stick in the mud, that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy beauty like this.

“This is so gorgeous,” I said, holding out my hands as if I could catch the snow’s twinkle in my fingers.

Boone grunted.

“Oh, come on. Don’t you ever step outside and just stare at what you have here?”

He glared in the direction of the barn, which was made of faded gray wood. “I don’t know. I guess I see it all the time, so it’s not that amazing to me.”

I whacked his arm. “Then stop and look. Look!”

Boone’s brows lifted. I expected some repercussions, but instead, he inhaled, stood beside me, and gazed at the trees. We shared the moment, letting go of the urgency to leave and justlookinstead.

I inhaled, swallowing as much of the brisk morning air as I could. “I adore snow. There. I said it.”

His brow furrowed. “Are you not supposed to say it?”

I rubbed the sleeves of my puffy red coat. “Not according to my dad. He can’t stand the cold, and I get that; but how could anyone hate a view like this? And you have all of this right here, in your palm.”

He didn’t respond, and for some reason, that irritated me. He couldn’t appreciate what was right in front of him? Fine. I turned away, wanting a view of the cottage before we left it—and then something struck my shoulder.

I reacted, leaping with a little shriek. A splat of snow smattered my coat.

Grinning incredulously, I searched him out, only to dodge Boone’s second snowball just in time.

“What are you doing?” I asked, bracing my hands over my head.

“Snow isn’t that amazing,” he said, patting another snowball together and lobbing it in my direction.

“That’s it.” I shrieked with laughter and dove for a snowball of my own.

I was struck more often than I got him, but by the time our fight ended, I got close enough for him to capture me in his arms. And in a swift motion of surprising and impressive strength, Boone lifted me and tossed me to the ground on a blanket of soft snow.

My laughter reached the treetops. I fought him, squealing away as he tried to stuff snow down my back. The resulting cold was so stark, it stole a hiss from me.

“Come on! You know how much the cold affects me.”

He grinned and shamelessly dusted snow from his gloves. “Then I’ll just have to heat you up again, won’t I?”

The statement sent a hot streak of awareness up my spine. I froze on the snowy ground, panting, staring at this handsome, confusing man and wondering what in the heck was going on. Because this was a vast contradiction to his behavior when I woke up.

“What happened to ‘I need to take you back?’” I grabbed a handful of snow and tossed it in his face.

Boone shook off the snow’s white traces. I panted, chest tight. His shoulders heaved as well. The sun created a glow around him, stilling the moment and blurring everything else.

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