Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
MILES
I nside his dorm, Miles rubbed his hands together, trying to shake off the lingering cold. Nova, his scruffy new roommate, stretched on the bed and flicked her tail at him. He grinned, leaning down to scratch behind her ears. “Guess you’re enjoying your new digs huh?” he said, listening to her load purr in response.
The calico cat had come into his life a few days ago, shivering and half-starved outside the back entrance to the dorm. It had been a no-brainer for him to scoop her up and sneak her inside. It wasn’t like anyone else would notice, most people were gone for winter break. And even though dorms weren’t exactly cat friendly, there was no way he could leave her in that condition, especially with a storm prediction.
The storm.
Miles groaned, running a hand through his hair. He had rushed inside after helping Emmarie with the door and completely forgotten to bring the rest of his supplies from the car. The bags, full of cat food, cans of soup, water, and anything else he could think of to wait out the storm, were still sitting there.
He grabbed his coat again, muttering to Nova, “Be right back. Don’t get too bored without me.”
The wind hit him like a wall when he opened the door. The sleet was coming down harder now, tiny ice pellets stinging his face as he hurried to the parking lot. His tennis shoes crunched on the icy ground, the cold biting through the fabric of his jeans. When he reached his Jeep Wrangler, he fumbled for the keys, his fingers already numb. He yanked the bags out of the passenger seat, juggling they awkwardly as he made his way back to the dorm.
At the entrance, he swiped his keycard. Nothing. Just the same red light Emmarie had gotten. He cursed under his breath, trying again. And again. Nothing. Just the red light taunting him while the wind whipped around him.
Before he could try for a fourth time, the door swung open, and there stood Emamrie. She leaned against the doorframe, a teasing smile on her lips, and a canned drink in her hand. She had changed into an oversized sweatshirt and leggings, her wet hair now pulled up in a messy bun. Even in something so casual, there was something effortlessly pretty about her.
“Key card decided to hate you too?” she asked, holding the door open.
Miles laughed, his breath visible in the freezing air. “Yeah, I guess so.” He let her take one of the bags, grateful for the help. “Thanks.”
She took the bag easily, balancing it on her hip while still sipping from her energy drink. “No problem.” As they walked up the stairs together, she glanced at him. “So why didn’t you leave with everyone else before the storm hit?”
Miles grinned, side stepping the question. “What about you? Why are you still here?”
Her playful grin faltered for a second. “My dad invited my ex and his family over for Christmas.” She sighed, rolling her eyes. “Didn’t exactly feel up to going home for that drama.”
Miles winced. Even though his breakup with his highschool girlfriend had been amicable, the idea of spending Christmas with an ex’s family sounded brutal. “That’s rough,” he said. “Pretty crappy of your dad to do that.”
“Right?” Emmarie huffed, shaking her head. “Especially since the jerk got what he wanted and then had his mom dump me.” As soon as she said it, she turned beet red, her gray eyes widening. “Oh my God, sorry! That was way too much information.”
“It’s fine,” Miles said, giving her a soft smile. “Seriously.”
Emmarie smiles, though her cheeks were still flushed. “So,” she started while they climbed the stairs, “why didn’t you leave?”
Miles hesitated for a second, gripping the bags a little tighter. “I’m staying here for break,” he said quietly. “My mom passed away a few years ago, and my dad’s stationed in Germany. He’s got a new girlfriend now, with kids and everything. It felt like I’d be in the way, so my coach got me permission to stay.”
They reached his door, and Miles fumbled for his keys, waiting for a response. Emmarie didn’t say anything at first, and he glanced over to see her biting her lip, looking unsure what to say. There was a long pause before she finally spoke, her voice hesitant, like she was testing the waters. “Maybe…we could have our own Christmas? If you’re up for it, I mean.”
Her flicked up to meet his, uncertainty in them, as though she wasn’t sure how he’d take the suggestion. Mile’s heart warmed at the thought, and he couldn’t help but smile, nodding slowly. “Yeah,” he said, feeling lighter all of a sudden. “I’d like that.”
Before they could say anything more, a meow came from inside the room, and Emmarie froze, her eyebrows lifting. “Wait…is that a cat?”
Miles felt his face heat up as he struggled to open the door. “Uh yeah. I found her outside a few days ago. She was freezing, so I brought her in.” He pushed the door open, and Nova padded over to greet them, her tail held high. “Couldn’t just leave her out there.”
Emmarie knelt, her eyes lighting up as she reached out to pet Nova’s head. “You’ve been hiding a cat in your dorm room?” she asked, laughing softly. “That’s actually really sweet.”
Miles grinned, the embarrassment melting away as he watched Emmarie with the cat. “Yeah, I guess she’s my new roommate.”
Emmarie stood, smiling as she bent to give Nova one last scratch behind the ears. “Well, looks like it’ll be three of us for Christmas then.”
Looking between Emmarie and Nova, Miles felt warmth spreading through him despite the cold outside. Maybe this Christmas wasn’t going to be so bad after all.