Page 30 of Major Love

“The true winter weather is delayed down in town, but you can bet your ass that the snowstorms will be hitting us real soon.”

“Mama, you said ‘ass’!” Tucker, Haven’s son, calls from the backseat.

Haven slides a mischievous smile in my direction before twisting around and giggling, “Andyoujust said ‘ass’, too!”

“Noooooo!” Tucker howls, laughing like crazy as his mom tickles his belly.

“And now the ass police are gonna be after us,” she teases, laughing warmly as he peeks up out of the back window.

“I don’t see them,” he whispers back to her, settling down as his mom unstraps his seatbelt.

“Not yet,” Haven says darkly, and Tucker gasps, squealing as he clambers into the front seats with us.

Haven snickers and boops Tucker’s nose. “Kidding, you little softie.”

He stares up at her with wide eyes and then, after a long moment, whispers, “Asssss.”

Haven bursts out into laughter and pulls Tucker’s winter pom-pom hat down over his eyes.

“We say ‘tush’, not ‘ass’, or we don’t get any more secret nighttime ice cream, okay?” she says, giving me a playful roll of her eyes as she opens her door and hops out.

Tucker shoves his hat back up his forehead and peeps up at me with a guilty smile.

“I meant to say ‘tush’,” he whispers sweetly, his little cheeks flushing red. Then he reaches for me with his grabby hands and I let him snuggle against me as I step down into the recently snow-cleared lot. “Please don’t let the ass police get me,” he whispers, and now it’s my turn to giggle.

“We’re only gonna say ‘tush’ from now on, right?” I whisper back to him, and he gives me one of his extremely zealous nods, those huge round eyes not blinking as they stare up into mine.

I press a little kiss to his warm cheek and then set him down, warmth spreading through my chest when he cuddles my leg.

Seeing as we’ve been living on opposite sides of the country, I haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with Tucker. But every time that we hang out? My love for him only grows stronger.

He’s sweet, and thoughtful, and he looks so much like Casey I almost can’t handle it.

“Those boots look good on you,” Haven says as she rounds the bed of the truck, and I glance down at the snow-boots that she’s letting me borrow for our hike.

We aren’t going up into the mountains because they’re currently buried under seven inches of snow. Instead, we’re heading through one of the smaller forests, that’s being maintained by the Agriculture Department.

The natural walkway has been cleared, but the towering pines are still white and sparkling.

It’s breathtaking, and unlike anything I’ve seen in way too long.

I blow Haven athank youkiss and then turn my attention to the snow-covered forest.

“Are you sure that this is safe?” I ask, pulling up the hood of my baby blue puffer jacket and slipping my fingers inside my thermal mittens. Then I look down to where Tucker is patiently watching me, and I offer him my hand, which he immediately cuddles in his arms.

I twist my lips in a small smile.My little cutie.

“It’s totally fine as long as we stay on the trail,” Haven says casually, readjusting her ear-muffs before checking that Tucker’s thermal-wear is on securely. “They always keep half a mile of the path cleared. At least before blizzard-season hits.”

My eyes flash to hers. “Blizzard-season?” I ask breathlessly.

Haven nods and looks up at the pines, her irises sparkling as they refract the snow.

“The winter weather may be intense in Phoenix Falls, but up here?” She exhales gently. “In a couple weeks’ time you’ll barely be able to see two feet in front of you.”

I swallow nervously and follow her gaze. “O…okay.”

But in all honesty, that’s totallynotokay. Because I’ll be safe and warm in Casey’s cabin when ‘blizzard season’ arrives, but you know who won’t be?

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