Page 50 of Snow Storm

“I had a feeling,” Lyric said. “You remind me a lot of me.”

“That’s a very nice compliment,” Harley told her.

She shifted to look at him, her brow raised. Then her eyes widened. “You mean that.”

Harley frowned in confusion. “Um. Yes?”

She shook her head and turned, holding him a little tighter. “I really like you. Will you stay?”

“Lyric,” Aminah warned, but her tone was a little heavy.

Harley smiled and shrugged. “I’m working on something. You might see me more often.”

“I knew it. I knew it! Didn’t I tell you this morning, babe? I said?—”

“Yes, yes, my beautiful genius,” Aminah said, cutting her off. She shuffled upward until she was sitting up over Lyric, and she grinned at Harley. “You two are working it out?”

“I think so.” Harley glanced back out at the snow. It was getting heavier now, and his stomach was hurting from the anxiety of thinking maybe he wasn’t okay. That maybe he wouldn’t make it back this time. “How safe is it out there for him?”

“Because of his legs?” Aminah asked.

“What? No! Because it’s snowing a literal new mountain out there, and it has to be below freezing by now,” Harley insisted.

Aminah’s face softened. “He’s been out in worse and come home just fine. It’s better to stay distracted, and before you know it, he’ll be back.”

Distracted. Right. That was one of the reasons he’d come looking for someone. “That reminds me, I need wrapping paper.”

Lyric shot up, almost bashing him in the face. “I can help. I’m such a slut for the holidays. Oh myGod, we should make cookies for him. Christmas cookies. Did you do that as a kid?” She clambered off the sofa and straightened her sweater. It was one of those ugly Christmas ones with a big reindeer on the front. “Aminah never did Christmas growing up, but she says she doesn’t mind with me.”

“Our kids will have a mixed-faith home, and I want to make sure I know what’s going on,” Aminah said with a sniff.

Harley smiled at her, then looked over at Lyric. “We didn’t celebrate much when I was little. And when I was older…” Darren had never cared. His brother was always too busy for him. And it wasn’t like he had friends who saw him as anything other than coattails they could ride to fame—but unfortunately, they picked the wrong social hermit for that.

And when they realized that about him, they disappeared.

Lyric was unfazed. “It’s cool. I know a bunch of recipes. And I know which ones Claude likes the most too. I can teach you. You know what they say about a man and his heart, right?”

“To watch his cholesterol when he starts getting grey hair?” Harley asked.

Lyric rolled her eyes. “It’s Christmas. Be quiet and say thank you for everything I’m about to do.”

“Bequietandsaythank you?” he pressed.

Lyric groaned loudly as Aminah laughed into her sleeve. “You’re a pain in the ass. You remind me of my old English teacher.”

Harley hunched into himself, but then he saw the grin on her face, and he realized this was it. This was a moment he could overthink it and panic and assume that everything she was saying was meant from the heart. But he wasn’t taking the bait. He laughed instead, and she joined him.

“I’m not good in the kitchen,” he finally admitted when his chuckles stopped.

Lyric walked over and pressed a hand to his cheek. “Don’t worry, babes. Baking is science, and I’m an amazing teacher.” She dropped her hand to seize his. “Come on. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

“Wow.”

Harley rubbed the back of his neck. “Um…”

“No, seriously.Wow.”

She did not mean that in a good way. Lyric picked up one of the cookies and knocked it on the counter. It was harder than cement.

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