Page 37 of Love Story

“Come on, Ben.You’ve got to see this.It’s all tradition and heritage and blah, blah, blah—but what I’m really here for is the maple syrup.Do you know how perfect this stuff is for my next batch of chocolates?”

“Uh—”

“No, seriously,” Haider continued, barely giving me time to breathe.“Last week, I made maple-infused truffles, a hint of dark chocolate, with sea salt on top.And don’t even get me started on the bonbons I’ve been perfecting.”He tugged me closer to the crowd, weaving us through clusters of people like a man on a mission.“You’re going to love it.This syrup?It’s liquid gold.I’ve already got ideas for an entire new line of—”

I nodded along, half-listening to Haider’s endless monologue about chocolate.

Then I saw him.

Sam.

He stood near one of the larger trees, a bucket in hand.His head bent as he spoke to an older man I didn’t recognize.His dark hair caught the sunlight, his boots crunched over the snow as he moved, and his stance was steady and sure, as though he was as much a part of the land as the trees he cared for.

Haider’s voice faded as though someone had turned the volume down on the world.All I could see was Sam.

Something about his quiet strength made it impossible to look away.He turned slightly, his profile sharp against the white snow, and I forgot how to breathe.

“You’re not even listening to me, are you?”Haider’s voice cut back in, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I blinked, startled, and turned to him.“What?No, I—sorry, what were you saying?”

Haider grinned, following my gaze.His expression shifted to something smug and knowing.“Oh, I see.Chocolate’s not on your mind.Sam is.”

I flushed, my cheeks burning from the cold, and shook my head.“It’s not—”

“Don’t even try to deny it,” he said, his tone teasing but not unkind.“You’re staring at him like he’s the last piece of triple-layer chocolate ganache.Go talk to him.”

“I can’t just—”

“Sure, you can,” Haider interrupted, nudging me forward.“It’s a party, Ben.Everyone’s here to celebrate.Go celebrate.”

I hesitated, but then I moved toward Sam.Now what?

I stood there like an idiot, hovering just out of Sam’s line of sight, my breath clouding in the cold air.My feet were rooted to the snowy ground, and I wasn’t sure why this felt so damn difficult.I’d never had trouble talking to someone before.

Then again, I’d never been in this position before, either.

Back in Boston, I’d always had a steady life—work, money, structure.I’d known who I was, or at least who I was supposed to be.But I’d blown all that up when I’d fucked everyone over, and now I wasn’t sure of anything anymore.Scared.Sad.Starting over.That was me in a nutshell.And what in God’s name was I doing now?

I stepped back, ready to retreat, before Sam noticed me.I could… not do this.I could stay invisible, leave him to his world of trees and syrup and whatever made him seem so solid, while I stayed in mine—messy and uncertain and not ready.

But then Sam turned, and his eyes caught mine.

The widest smile spread across his face, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners as if he were genuinely happy to see me.“You came!”he said, his voice warm and full of something I couldn’t quite name, like relief, excitement, or maybe both.

Before I could respond, he stepped forward and hugged me.I froze for half a second, caught off guard, but then his arms tightened around me, solid and strong, and all I could do was melt into them.

He smelled of woodsmoke and maple sweet.His warmth seeped through all my layers, chasing away the chill of the snow-covered world around us.His grip was firm and grounding as if saying, “You’re here, safe, and belong.”

Christ, I’m losing my shit here.

And then, for the briefest moment, he tightened his hold, draggingme closer as if he didn’t want to let go.

Yep, I’m reading things into this hug.

My breath caught, and my heart did this strange, uneven thing in my chest.It wasn’t only the warmth or the closeness—it was him.Steady, strong Sam, holding me as if I mattered, like he was glad I was there.It was overwhelming, but in the best possible way.

When he pulled back, his hands lingered on my shoulders for a moment longer than necessary.Even after he let go, the warmth of his embrace remained.Heat rose in my face, though I wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the way he looked at me, his smile unwavering.

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