Page 24 of A Winter Admire
“Happy Solstice,” he said without pausing.
Shadows moved in the windows of Torin and Ulir’s house. Wareth, the potter, nodded at him as he passed. Absently, Edwin nodded back. Sero, the village baker, stood with Aryn, a man from Bordertown. But Edwin just kept walking.
He’d see Sinoe soon. Whatever the reason the flower wasn’t there, he would feel better once he saw him. A gust of wind blew, causing his scarf and coat to stir.
Maybe the wind blew the flower away!
It had been a particularly windy night. He should have looked around the cabin! No doubt if he had searched, he would have found it around the corner. When he returned home, he would look and find it.
He cupped the Solstice gift in his hands. To soothe his nerves, he imagined giving Sinoe the gift and telling Sinoe his feelings. He imagined a smile spreading across Sinoe’s face and then Sinoe leaning in to kiss him. Adrenaline pumped through Edwin’s body, quickening his steps.
Snowflakes floated down on the breeze. Despite the wind, it was a beautiful sight. It was the perfect day to confess his feelings to Sinoe. He smiled in nervous anticipation as he walked the last remaining distance to the river. But as it came into view, his footsteps slowed.
Sinoe wasn’t there.
ChapterEighteen
Every single day for the past couple of weeks, Sinoe had always been there waiting for him. But not today. His gloved fingers tightened around the dried flowers.
Now what do I do?
He hadn’t planned for this. Every time he had imagined this situation, he’d never pictured Sinoe not being there.
Maybe he is just a little late.
He paced back and forth along the river, the doubts and uncertainty growing inside him.
Where is he?
Back and forth he walked through the snow until it turned to muddy slush beneath his feet. As the hours dragged, the breeze became a harsh wind, stinging his nose and cheeks. Edwin cupped the flowers in his gloved hands, pulling them against his body to protect them.
Just a few more minutes. I’ll just wait a few more minutes. Surely he will come.
Snow caught in the wind and hit him like tiny pinpricks in the face. Edwin cupped the flowers in his gloved hands, pulling them against his body to protect them. He tried to suppress the shivers.
Just a few more minutes. I’ll wait a few more minutes. Surely he will come.
But finally, Edwin had to accept the truth: Sinoe wasn’t coming. He let out a shaky breath and, still holding the eustice flowers, began the journey back to the village.
Had he done or said something the previous day to upset Sinoe? To offend? Perhaps he had asked too many stupid questions. Perhaps it was because Edwin hadn’t kissed him under the mistletoe. Perhaps his parents hadn’t liked Edwin.
Or maybe now that Sinoe had gotten to know him, he realised that he wasn’t interested in Edwin at all. Perhaps he had finally realised Edwin was dull and unworthy of him. He blinked rapidly, throat tight. By the time he reached the outskirts of the forest, he was trembling. He kept his head down and walked. He needed to get back to the safety of his cabin, lock himself away until the Solstice, until winter was done.
To think this morning he had been so certain, so filled with hope. Opening his cupped hands, he looked at the eustice flowers. Despite his best attempts, the petals had been crushed and the red ribbon drooped off the stem. A pathetic Solstice gift.
“Watch where you’re going!”
Edwin looked up just in time to see Ulir stepping out of his way.
Ulir ran slender hands down his coat, straightening non-existent wrinkles, a scowl on his handsome face. “You almost ran straight into me! If I hadn’t dodged you, I would have ended up in the snow!”
“Sorry,” Edwin muttered and tried to brush past him.
But Ulir stepped right in front of him, his golden eyes zeroing in on the crushed, dried flowers Edwin held in the palm of his hand. Edwin dropped his hand, the flower falling to the sodden ground. But it was too late. Ulir had seen.
“What is that?”
“Nothing,” Edwin said, and this time, he stepped around Ulir and kept walking.
