3 FINN
The sun was getting lower in the sky by the time we emerged from Lars’s family home. It quickly became clear that the roads had grown too icy for us to drive safely, so we decided to abandon the truck and come back for it later. While Olive chased Easton around the front yard, attempting to hit him with a snowball, Jo dragged an old-fashioned sled out of the garage.
“There! Now you can ride home in style,” she said.
Olive squealed with delight when she saw it and immediately hopped on, her mittened-hands clenched tightly as Lars pulled her down the middle of the snow-laden road.
Frida wrapped her arm around my shoulder as we watched them slalom down the street, Easton slipping and sliding after them.
“I’m proud of you, Finny.”
I turned to her, head cocked.
Her knowing gaze met mine. “For opening yourself up to receive all of this.”
I nodded, my throat too tight for words. “It was worth it,” I croaked out when the emotions eased enough for words to pass.
“It always is.” She gave me a fond smile before patting my cheek. “You better go catch up with them. Merry Christmas.”
I pulled her into one last hug before jogging after my pack, my family.
“Faster!” Olive shrieked, her peals of laughter filling the cold air. It was still afternoon, but little stars dotted the sky and darkness was already preparing to cloak the town.
“I’ll pull you!” Easton said as he almost fell again.
“No!” Lars and I responded, causing Olive to throw her head back with laughter.
“Come here, Finn!” she shouted, holding her hand out to me. The sled slowed enough for me to cram my too-large body behind Olive, enveloping her in a tangle of arms and legs.
Lars started pulling us, this time a little slower as we took the corner onto Main Street. Twinkle lights lit every store front, wreaths adorning every door. The gas lamps had already flickered on, guiding our way home.
“It’s so magical,” Olive sighed, leaning her weight back into my chest. I clung to her—partly out of fear of us falling off the sled, but mostly because I could never get close enough.
“Yeah, it is.”
Just then, we hit a small pothole disguised by the shadows and the world became a blur as we both tumbled to the ground. Lars swore, Easton shouted, and then the two of them crashed into each other, slipped on the ice, and landed on top of me. Air rushed out of my lungs and I let out a strangled groan as I shoved them off. A jolt of fear went through me at the thought of Olive being hurt. But then her giggles filled the air.
I reached out for her blindly until my hands landed on her soft body, cushioned by her new powder-blue winter jacket. I pressed sloppy kisses down the side of her bright red cheeks and drew in deep gulps of her sweet scent.
“I don’t think we’re strong contenders for the winter Olympics,” she said.
“Doesn’t count,” Lars muttered, sitting up with a groan. “There was course interference.”
My bones creaked as I stood, gently pulling Olive up with me. I started running my hands down her body, to make sure she was really uninjured, when she slipped from my grasp and took off running.
“Felix!” Olive’s arms were outstretched as the cat trotted towards us, wearing a blue knitted sweater.
“Slow down!” I barked.
Olive scowled at me over her shoulder, but her legs slowed. “I’m not the unstable one,” she snarked, but was quickly distracted from her ire when Felix leapt into her arms.
“Hi, cutie,” she cooed. “You look so fancy in your Christmas sweater. Did you have a good morning? I looked for you at the lighthouse this morning. I have a present for you.”
Felix purred and rubbed his head under Olive’s chin. Lars caught up to them, dragging the sled. He wrapped his arms around our omega, careful not to crush the cat. “Do you and Felix want to get on the sled? We’ll go slower this time.”
“Slow is boring,” Olive complained, but she settled on the sled with Felix curled up on her lap.
Easton and I walked alongside her on the rest of the journey home.