Page 41 of Catch Yourself a Snowmance
“Easy there, tiger,” Liam smiles with amusement. “Just say you both are with other people down the road. I’m sure you’ll be civil. We don’t have to make it weird.”
“That’s not the end game I’m shooting for. I didn’t come off thebench to lose.”
“That’s the spirit.” He smiles at me and then lightly shakes his head. “To think, you declared yourself a bachelor.”
“I had reasons.”
“For sure. It’s crazy how fast things change when the right woman comes along.” He smiles over at me, and just like that, I fully understand the changes I’ve seen in him over the past year since he met Noelle.
“I’m going to hit the sack.” Liam walks to the sink and dumps the rest of his drink down the drain and rinses his cup.
“Thanks, man.” I follow behind him, pouring out my drink.
“Anytime. I’ve got a good feeling about the two of you.”
“Yeah?”
He hits the light and we both step into the hallway.
“Yeah.”
I do too. I’ve got the best feeling I’ve had in a really long time.
I wake to the sound of men laughing and talking loudly in the kitchen. None of the women’s voices sound through the house. I roll over and look at the clock on the nightstand. Eight fifteen. Wow. I slept in. I roll over and smile to myself thinking of that kiss with Alyssa.
Liam’s words from last night roll through my mind in the lazy way thoughts do before my feet hit the floor. He’s right. I need to make sure she knows I’m interested in seeing her more than once. I was pretty vague on our walk. I think I was blown away by our kiss and the fact that a woman like her seems as into me as I am into her. Today, I’ll make sure she knows everything I’m thinking and feeling about us.
As soon as I’m dressed, I make my way to the kitchen.
Mitch, Gage and Liam are standing around laughing and talking. They each have a bowl of oatmeal in their hands.
“Hey! He’s up!” Mitch says.
“Hibernation is over,” Gage adds.
“Where are the girls?” I ask.
“Alyssa’s neighbor texted her early this morning,” Liam says. “She was taking in the mail and keeping an eye on Alyssa’s house for the week. Apparently the storm here hit Waterford in a combination of rain and snow with some wind. A branch broke off a tree in Alyssa’s yard and went through the roof over her guest room. The girls packed up and drove Alyssa home about an hour ago. We’re going to close up here after breakfast and turn in the key when the main rental office opens. I’ll go take a look at it as soon as we’re back.”
I’m stunned.
“Shouldn’t we leave now?”
Liam smiles at me. He knows. I’m hooked. I feel this as if it happened to my own house and my skin crawls with the need to get to her—to be there for her through this.
“We just need to throw out the perishables and take out the trash, turn off the heater and check the rooms,” Liam says. “We can’t leave before nine since that’s when the office opens. Once we drop the key there, we’re good to go.”
“Have some oatmeal,” Gage tells me. “We’ll get started packing up.”
“Are you two a thing now?” Mitch asks.
Alyssa and Me. I sure hope so.
“Maybe,” I say, absentmindedly.
I’m still in shock. I had thought this morning would involve another walk with Alyssa. This time I was going to make it more clear to her what I feel and tell her I hope we can start seeing one another regularly once we’re back.
“Here,” Gage says, handing me a cup of hot coffee. “Sit at the island. I’ll make you oatmeal.” He turns to Liam and Mitch. “Start going through the upstairs to make sure no one left anything behind and the lights are all off.”
