Chapter 18
Snowed In
The morning started with a heavy snowfall, Hawthorne’s streets quickly blanketed in white. Ivy shoveled the café entrance, grumbling under her breath as the flakes stuck to her hair and coat.
Lucas appeared, bundled in his usual scarf and coat, carrying a thermos. “Need a hand?” he asked, though his tone carried a teasing lilt.
“I’ve got it,” Ivy replied, though a faint edge of frustration crept into her voice.
He nodded but lingered, and Ivy, distracted by the snow and the cold, misread his quiet presence as judgment. “Are you just here to watch me work?” she snapped, cheeks flushing from both cold and embarrassment.
Lucas blinked, hurt flashing across his face. “I… no, Ivy. I just wanted to help. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Ivy paused, the words she had spoken hanging awkwardly between them. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just… this snow is relentless, and I’m stressed.”
Lucas’s expression softened, and he extended a gloved hand. “Truce?”
Ivy smiled, taking it. “Truce.”
They worked side by side, clearing the walkway, the tension melting away with each shove of snow. Once inside the café, Lucas poured them both steaming cocoa, the warmth a small comfort after the chilly morning.
“You know,” he said, handing her the mug, “misunderstandings happen, but it doesn’t change… how I feel about spending time with you.”
Ivy’s chest warmed, and she met his gaze. “I feel the same. I just… need to remember not to let stress get in the way.”
They clinked their mugs together lightly, the sound small but significant. Outside, the snow continued to fall, soft and persistent, just like the growing feelings between them.
By the time the snowfall slowed, Ivy realized that the small argument had only strengthened their connection.
They were learning, slowly but surely, how to navigate not just the playful, flirty moments, but also the tense ones—growing closer through trust, understanding, and the unspoken promise of something lasting.