Chapter 17
Snowy Escapade
The next Saturday, Crestwood was blanketed in fresh snow, sparkling under a pale winter sun. Sophie trudged through the crisp white streets toward the small park, surprised to see Ethan waiting near the entrance, hands stuffed into his coat pockets and a wide grin on his face.
“Ready for some mischief?” he called.
Sophie laughed, dropping her violin case onto a nearby bench. “Mischief? What kind of mischief?”
Ethan’s grin widened. “Snowball war, obviously. Think you can survive it?”
Before Sophie could answer, he scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it at her. She yelped and retaliated, laughing as the snowballs flew back and forth. For a while, they were completely lost in the chaos, dodging and throwing, slipping on icy patches, and teasing each other endlessly.
Eventually, both were breathless, faces flushed and hair dusted with snow. Sophie sank onto a bench, giggling, as Ethan plopped down beside her, brushing snow from her coat.
“You’re impossible,” she said, though her smile was wide and genuine.
“And you love it,” Ethan replied, nudging her gently with his shoulder.
For a moment, they just sat there, snow falling softly around them. Sophie noticed how close they were, the warmth of his presence making the cold insignificant. Ethan’s hand brushed against hers, almost deliberately, and she didn’t pull away.
“You know,” Ethan said softly, eyes meeting hers, “I could get used to this… to spending time with you.”
Sophie’s heart skipped. “Me too,” she admitted, barely above a whisper.
The park around them was quiet except for the soft crunch of snow underfoot and the distant laughter of children. It was a perfect, fleeting moment — playful, intimate, and entirely theirs.
As they walked back toward their neighborhood, shoulders brushing, Sophie realized that winter in Crestwood had become something far more than she had imagined. It wasn’t just the snow or the music — it was him, and the way her heart had begun to race whenever he was near.