Page 46 of Almost Ours
“Almost. And pineapple on pizza?”
I gave him a long, considering look. “I plead the fifth.”
“That means pro,” he said, mock horror on his face. “Nowthat’sthe dealbreaker.” he deadpanned.
We both laughed, and for a second, I forgot about all the things I usually kept tucked away. Just two people, sitting in a truck, giving each other a hard time–and it felt good.
We pulled up in front of Nina’s just as the laughter died down. The porch light glowed softly through the snow, and I felt that warmth again–not just from the heater.
Through the front window, the silhouette of chaos was obvious. Connor and Liam were likely in full sugar-fuelled madness, judging by the way shadows darted back and forth across the room. Nina was probably bossing Shane around, and Shane was probably ignoring her on purpose.
I tightened my grip on Connor’s overnight bag as Ryan stepped out of the truck beside me. We stood shoulder to shoulder on the walkway, and for a brief moment, our handsbrushed. Just a passing touch. Still–enough to make me hyper-aware of the space between us.
A loud crash echoed from inside, and I flinched before I could stop myself.
Ryan must’ve noticed, because his voice was gentle when he said, “All good?”
I forced a smile. “Yeah. Just… sounds a little crazy in there.”
He didn’t push. Just nodded and adjusted his jacket, like he wasn’t standing next to someone who couldn’t fully silence the ghosts in her chest. And I was grateful for that–his ability to make space for me without demanding anything in return.
Still, the moment lingered. The kind that made you realize you were standing next to someone steady. Someone who made it easier to breathe.
He reached up to knock, and our hands brushed again–fleeting, accidental. Yet, it still sent a little buzz through my chest.
The door flew open, revealing Nina with a blanket draped over one shoulder and a spatula in the other. “You’re late. I’ve already lost the remote and control of the living room.”
“Sounds about right,” Ryan said with a grin as we stepped inside.
Chaos indeed. The boys had transformed the space into a full-scale fort city, cushions and blankets stacked precariously high, and both of them were mid-argument about whether the fortress needed a snack room or a jail for intruders. Nina and Shane were mid-bickering near the TV.
“I’m telling you,” Shane was saying, “you can’t go wrong withThe Sandlot.”
“That’s not even a winter movie,” Nina retorted, tossing the spatula onto the coffee table. “It’s snowing outside, Shane.”
“It’s always snowing here! That’s why we need to watch it. Escapism,” he said.
Ryan leaned in toward me and murmured, “Think they’ve been arguing this whole time?”
“No question,” I whispered back.
He glanced over at the boys, then back at me with a smirk. “They’re going to be wired all night.”
“Wired and sticky,” I added. “Which is exactly how Nina loves her living room.”
Before I could say more, Connor popped out of the fort like a jack-in-the-box, eyes lighting up the second he spotted us.
“Ryan!” he shouted, sprinting across the room. “You’re staying right? You and mom both!”
I opened my mouth to gently decline, but Connor was already grabbing Ryan’s sleeve like it was a done deal. “Come on, please! We’re gonna watch a movie and there’s popcorn and Nina said we could have chocolate milk!”
From across the room, Nina chimed in without missing a beat. “You two have to stay. You can’t leave me to deal with these lunatics alone.” She jabbed a thumb toward Shane, who was now trying to wrestle a DVD case out of Liam’s hands, much to the boy's delight.
Ryan raised an eyebrow in my direction, waiting.
I sighed, knowing full well I was about to cave. “Okay, fine,” I said, shooting a half-hearted glare at Nina’s smug grin. “But only because I don’t want you to strangle Shane before the night’s over.”
“Perfect. I knew you’d see reason,” Nina said, clapping her hands like she’d just won a bet. “Now, snacks. Let’s go, people.”
