Page 8 of Snowbody

Maybe it was because we were alone in his apartment. Dad and Melody weren’t here to make me feel like a kid. And the way Jacob kept looking at me, looking over my body…

I was definitely wet, just from being close to him.

He leaned back on the couch, looking at me. “So… I’m curious. And you can tell me to shut up if you want.”

“Okay.”

“Why is Melody such a bitch to you?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I don’t know. She wanted to stay an only child?” I paused to sip my beer. “She’s been awful my entire life. Always having to be better than me. And on the rare occasions where I came out on top, she would just… tear it down. Like it meant nothing.”

Jacob shook his head. “That’s messed up. I’m an only child, but I always wanted a sibling, you know? It’s so wild to me that she would just treat you like that.”

I laughed softly and nodded. “Right? It was… awful. And now Dad wants me to work with her and… I know it’s going to be my fault when stuff goes wrong.”

“Hey, I’ll have your back. I won’t let her lie about you and get you in trouble.”

He sounded so genuine that I was truly shocked.

“Wow. Um… thank you. Nobody’s ever really, you know… stood up for me before.”

Jacob shrugged. “It’s just the right thing to do. You don’t deserve to take the fall for her.”

I felt my face go hot again. I cleared my throat. “Hey, um, we should see if it’s still snowing.”

“Oh! Yeah, we can do that.” Jacob rose and went to the balcony door. He opened the blinds. Snow was still falling heavily, already six inches deep, at least.

I went to stand beside him, looking out over the parking lot. It wasn’t a scenic view, but the snow was still pretty.

I never got tired of watching it fall.

Jacob put his hand on my back. I swallowed, looking up at him for a moment before taking a long sip of my beer.

“For what it’s worth…”

“Yeah?” I bit my lower lip.

“...I think you’d be the better catch.”

I blinked, then started to laugh. “Oh. Oh, no. I mean, thank you, but… Like, I know I’m the plain sister. Melody’s so pretty, and she’s smart and ambitious.”

“Yeah, but… you’ve got a personality.” Jacob looked down at me, smiling. “And I like my women with some curves. Skinny girls don’t do it for me.”

I felt my face heat up, and I had to pull away. “Please. I’m just… I’m just a snowbody.”

There was a pause. Had my self-deprecating joke not landed?

And then Jacob started to laugh.

I let out a soft sigh of relief.

“Okay, but for real, Maddy. You’re my type. You’re gorgeous and I love your body.”

“Yeah, but… Melody…”

“I don’t care about Melody.” He turned toward me and put his hand on my waist.

I shivered.

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