Page 27 of Welded Defender
“Don’t even start with me. You’ve been working nonstop since you got here. You deserve fun. And honestly, the guys need someone to keep them from setting themselves on fire at the bonfire.”
Landon glances up at that, brows knitting together. “Nova...”
She ignores him, eyes still locked on me. “It’ll be amazing. Hot cider, bonfire, ice skating. It’s basically Black Pines’ excuse to show off who can stay upright on the rink the longest.”
Part of me wants to retreat, to say no. Crowds and noise, strangers brushing too close—it makes my stomach twist into knots. But another part of me… a quieter one… whispers yes.
“I don’t even own skates,” I say, fidgeting with the corner of a form.
“Please.” Nova waves her hand dismissively. “You rent them. Worst case, Landon keeps you from face-planting on the ice.”
My fingers freeze on the paper. The image flashes unbidden—his gloved hands steady on my waist, our breath clouding between us in the cold air. I duck my head, suddenly fascinated by the pen marks on my thumb.
Across the room, Landon’s pen stops scratching. He shifts in his stole, steel creaking under his weight. When I glance up, he’sstudying the same spot on his paperwork with intense focus, the tips of his ears matching the red toolbox behind him.
Wes leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, lips spreading into a slow grin. “Oh, now I’m definitely coming. Gotta see Hale try to teach someone how not to break an ankle.”
From the corner, the clink of metal stops. “Count me out,” Becket says without looking up from the tools he’s cleaning.
Nova swivels toward him, her smile widening until the dimple in her left cheek appears. “Come on, Becket.” She leans forward, elbows on knees. “I’ll even hold your hand if the ice gets too scary.”
Becket’s shoulders go rigid. He meets her eyes for half a second before returning to his work, the tips of his ears darkening to match the red shop calendar on the wall behind him. “Still no.”
“Your loss.” Nova slides off the counter, boots hitting the concrete with a soft thud.
My mouth opens before my brain catches up. “I’ll go.”
Nova claps her hands together, the silver bangles on her wrists jingling like victory bells. “Yes! Saturday. Done. Don’t make other plans.” She plants a quick kiss on my cheek, leaving behind the faint scent of cinnamon lip balm. “You’ll thank me later.”
By the time she sweeps out the door again, the garage feels louder in her absence, like the echo of her laughter still hangs in the rafters.
I shuffle the intake forms together, fingers clumsy, heart beating too fast for something as simple as a fair. When I glance up through my lashes, Landon's eyes are on me—steady, dark blue, questioning.
"You don't have to go," he says quietly, his voice a low rumble that barely carries across the room. "If it feels like too much."
My throat tightens, dry as sandpaper. "Do you want me to?"
There's no hesitation in his answer, just the slight forward tilt of his broad shoulders. "Yeah. I do."
Something steadies inside me, like a ship finding its anchor. "Then I'll go."
His mouth curves—just slightly, one corner lifting higher than the other, but enough to make warmth spread through me like honey in hot tea. "Good."
CHAPTER 16
Marcy
The fairground looks like something plucked straight from a snow globe. Strings of lights arc between poles, their glow soft against the falling snow. The air smells like cinnamon, fried dough, and pine. A band plays folk music on the gazebo, the notes carrying over the sound of children shrieking with laughter.
It’s the kind of thing I used to watch in movies and tell myself wasn’t real. Too perfect. Too safe. But here it is, and I’m walking through the middle of it with Landon, Wes, and Joon like it’s just another Saturday night.
Wes throws his arms out wide. “Ladies and gentlemen, behold—Black Pines Winter Fair. Greatest thing to ever happen north of the county line. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“You’re wrong,” Joon deadpans.
“Blasphemy.” Wes clutches his chest and winks at me. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just jealous no one ever wants to ride the Ferris wheel with him.”
Joon mutters something under his breath in Korean, and Wes cackles like he’s won the lottery. Landon only shakes his head, but I catch the twitch of amusement at the corner of his mouth.
