17. Brody
17 /
brody
I pressed my nose to the window in Gabe’s TV room like a little kid. “It’s a wonderland out there, and it’s still snowing.”
“You love it, don’t you?”
Gabe’s voice was closer than I expected. He’d been in the kitchen loading our hot chocolate mugs into the dishwasher, but now he was back, watching me with a big grin on his face.
“I always loved snow,” I said. “And now I…”
He stayed quiet, waiting for me to go on. When I didn’t, he prompted me. “You what?”
“I have you too.” I looked into his eyes. “You make me feel like my life’s on track, and the snow reminds me of that. So new, yet so perfect.”
Tears sprang to his eyes as he walked over beside me. “That’s beautiful. You make me feel like I’ve finally got it together.” Grinning, he added, “Only took me thirty-two years.”
I placed my hands on his shoulders. “Those thirty-two years made you the man you are. You’ve totally changed my life, Gabe. Not long ago, I dreaded every day because I was afraid of what it might bring. Now, I wake up excited every morning because I know the day will be better than the one before.”
His lips were still puffy from the kisses we’d already shared, but he leaned in for another. When he drew away, I smiled. “Want to go outside and play? We could build a snowman or something.”
His eyes lit up. “Yes. Do you like to sled?”
“Sure do. You have one?”
“As it happens, I do. One of my exes…” He cut himself off and chewed his lips.
“It’s okay,” I said. “We both have pasts, so one of your exes what?”
“He was big into Instagram and wanted to do a snowy shoot for his feed, so he talked me into buying a sled and paying a photographer. We went to Delaware Park where there are hills and…” Gabe dropped his eyes to the floor. “God, you must think I’m pathetic.”
My heart pinched. I knew he had dated a string of influencers, and it was clear they’d left him bruised and bleeding. I traced a finger over his jaw. “No, honey. In fact, it’s the opposite. I think you’re the sweetest man I’ve ever known. You enjoy taking care of people, doing things for them. That’s noble, not pathetic.” Unable to resist warming up his lips again, I pulled him close.
After the kiss broke, I grinned. “So, you’ve got a sled, and Otto and I have a hill next door. Let’s go have some fun.”
Gabe needed to use the bathroom, so I headed over to my place to be sure the heat was turned up. We’d need to thaw out after our sledding adventure, so I also checked to be sure I had cider to warm up.
The snow was still falling, and the hill behind my house looked like something from a Christmas card—smooth, untouched, and begging for a little chaos. It wasn’t long before Gabe arrived, holding up a wooden sled like it was a prize. “Told you I had one,” he said, his grin wide.
I crossed my arms, giving him my best unimpressed look. “That thing looks like it belongs in a museum. Are you sure it’s safe?”
“He wanted something retro for his pictures. As for safe ?” Gabe laughed, his breath pluming in the cold air. “The real question is whether you have the guts to ride it.”
“Oh, please.” I stepped closer, inspecting the sled. It seemed solid enough, even if it did look like something Abe Lincoln might have used. “I was fighting guys twice your size back in juniors. I think I can handle a hill.”
Gabe’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Big talk for someone who’s afraid of this antique.”
I snatched it out of his hands. “Fine. But we’re doing this right—timed runs, and whoever’s fastest, wins.”
“Now we’re talking.” He placed a gloved hand behind my neck, and the cold made me shudder. Laughing, he headed up the hill. “Hope you’re ready to eat snow, Tanner.”
I followed and let him take the first run, mainly so I could make fun when he wiped out.
He flashed a cocky grin before throwing himself onto the sled face-first, shouting like a kid on Christmas morning as he flew down the hill. Halfway to the bottom, he hit a bump and caught air, landing with a thud that sent the sled spinning wildly until he tumbled off.
I laughed my ass off, and Gabe sat up, snow plastered to his toque and a goofy grin on his face.
“You call that fast?” I asked. “You looked like a human snowplow.”
“Fast and stylish,” he shot back, brushing snow off his parka. “Your turn. Let’s see if you can make it down without eating it.”
After he brought the sled back up the hill, I took a seat and gripped the handles tightly. This wasn’t only about speed anymore; it was about showing my know-it-all boyfriend how it was done. I pushed off hard, and the sled launched into warp speed almost instantly. I nailed every turn and bump with precision. At the bottom, I skidded to a stop with my arms raised. “And that, Donovan, is how you win.”
He stared at me, his expression a mix of admiration and mock disbelief. “Beginner’s luck.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” I said, hauling the sled back up. “We both know who’s king of the hill.”
“Oh, it’s really on now.” He took the sled and pointed a finger at me. “Double or nothing. Next run decides the real champ.”
The competitive spark in his eyes was impossible to resist, and I could feel my own grin spreading. Gabe made everything feel bigger—every laugh, every challenge, and every moment.
We kept going for a while, neither of us willing to concede the title of sledding champ. My nose soon felt like it was frozen solid, but between the physical effort, my heavy coat, and a wool toque pulled low over my ears, I was warm enough to keep going.
Eventually, I broke the tie with a flawless run, putting me a point ahead. Instead of calling for another rematch, Gabe made his way down the hill. His eyes met mine, intense and warm despite the frigid air temperature. “I give up. Your youthful energy has clinched the win.”
I snorted. “Youthful energy? Don’t make me call you grandpa.”
He grinned while he brushed snow off my coat. His cheeks were flushed, either from the cold or something else entirely, and his expression relaxed into a soft smile. “You’re so sexy out here. Those red cheeks and sparkling eyes really do it for me.”
I chuckled, but my heart was racing from the look he was giving me. “If all it takes is rosy cheeks, maybe I should start pinching them when you’re not looking.”
“It isn’t just your cheeks. It’s you—determined, single-minded, and competitive as hell. Every time you tease me, you make me a little crazy.” He traced a gloved finger up the front of my coat. “And you make me want to play.”
As much fun as it might have been, a snow fuck was sure to freeze us both to death, so I thought about something else. “Want to play, huh? Then let’s play!” I gave him a gentle shove, knocking him backward into a snowbank and lying down next to him.
The snow fell in lazy, hypnotic spirals, each flake a tiny star descending from a faraway galaxy. Everything seemed muffled, even the thoughts tapping against the walls of my head. After the last few weeks, it was a relief to be alone with Gabe. Our relationship grew more serious every day, and I tried to think of a good way to start a conversation about that. Meanwhile, the snow kept falling, covering everything it touched. It was exactly like my feelings for Gabe.
I turned my head to look at him. He was staring up at the sky, and my chest tightened as I watched. How was this my reality? How was it that a confident, generous, dazzling man like Gabe was lying next to me, acting like there was nowhere else he’d rather be?
The thought made me giddy, but it scared me almost as much. For the first time in a long time, I had something to lose.
Snowflakes collected on his eyelashes, and he blinked them away. His tempting lips curved into a hint of a smile.
What are you thinking, Gabe? Do you know what you’re doing to me?
I tried to focus on the snow again, but my thoughts kept circling back to him. This day was something out of a dream, a cosmic gift allowing my feelings for Gabe to stretch and grow. Could I handle this? Or would the past find a way to rip through the fragile thing we were building?
“A penny for your thoughts?”
Gabe’s voice was soft, and it took a moment for me to understand. “I’m thinking about you,” I said. “Wondering how we got so lucky.”
He placed a hand on my stomach. “I was thinking about you too. We’re doing well with this, right? With each other?”
There was vulnerability in his question, and Gabe wasn’t a man who seemed vulnerable very often. I turned my head toward him again, and he was staring at me with wide eyes. There was no doubt he had a lot riding on my answer.
“We’re doing great, sweetheart. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” My heart fluttered. The truth always comes out, Mom liked to say. I may have been scared, but I was all in; judging from the smile spreading across Gabe’s face, so was he.
We both needed to move so we didn’t freeze, and we made snow angels. After admiring our work, we went inside to thaw out before heading back to Gabe’s.