Chapter 23 Andri
Chapter twenty-three
Andri
The bell over the diner’s door gives its usual half-hearted jingle as we step inside.
It’s warmer than I need, but I know that it’ll be just what the doctor ordered for Daphne.
She follows behind me and stomps the snow from her boots.
With cheeks flushed red from the wind, she pushes the hood of her jacket down from her neatly tucked hair.
She sighs as she whips off her gloves and rubs her hands together over the dry warmth of the buzzing radiator near the front door.
The trip down the mountain was dicey, and we’ve got a lot of work to get the resort dug out. But I wouldn’t trade the last few days for the world. Any time not dedicated to keeping her warm, fed, and digging our way out to town was spent in bed.
Not in the obvious way, we still haven’t completed all the bases, so to speak, but just together, holding each other through the storm.
I look at her, haloed there in the diner’s entrance, and can’t help but feel my heart bursting. She’s mine.
Lerana slides out from her post at the counter, one brow already raised like she’s been waiting for this all week.
“You two fare alright in that blizzard?” she says thick with amusement. “Thought that snow might have swallowed you two up—was about to send Ted for search and rescue—”
I wave a hand—she’s really laying it on thick, isn’t she?
Daphne laughs, the sound a bit too bright, her nerves evident. “We did alright.”
“Mmmm-hmmm.” Lerana leans forward on the counter, her ears twitching deviously. “I hope you managed to keep warm at least?”
I cough, suddenly choking on my own spit, thinking about just how warm we were.
“We had plenty of firewood,” I say as calmly as possible.
“I’m sure there was plenty of wood,” she says like she already knows everything.
Hell, she knows what I wanted—maybe this is her form of approval of our union.
“Well, it’s warm in here, so you two can focus on getting some grub in before resuming any fun cabin activities.
" She grabs two of the plastic-coated menus and leads us to a booth near the back.
Daphne's face is bright red as we walk, and I worry that maybe she wants to keep our relationship on the down low, but now is not the time to get into it. When we're back, safe in the love nest bubble that is our cabin, I can broach what exactly we are…and what her end goal is.
If it’s anything less than forever, I don’t know if I’ll recover.
We put our orders in, her blueberry pancakes and me, two of the businessman’s breakfasts.
“And how do you want your eggs, Andri?” Lerana asks me as she scribbles on our ticket, nose buried behind her notepad.
I open my mouth, but Daphne answers before I do.
“Over easy,” she says simply, as she unwraps the roll of silverware in front of her.
Lerana shoots her eyes over to me, eyebrows waggling, but thank god, Daphne doesn’t notice.
It’s strange how in just a few days someone can learn your preferences, how that information can be stored away so easily and recalled later.
It didn’t hurt that we had a few flats of eggs that were supposed to be slated for the lodge’s continental breakfast to make our way through… I’m calling a win a win.
“Got it.” She taps her pen one more time to the paper. “I’m glad you seemed to weather the storm okay.” Lerana gives us both a knowing smile and heads over to a table that walked in while we were ordering.
When I look back at Daphne, she’s got her hands cradling her chin, elbows on the table.
“You know, I think she might be catching on that there’s something going on between us.” She winks, flicking the crinkled paper napkin roll at me. I bat it away, and reach for her hand, holding it in mine.
“Something?” I ask before I can stop myself, the word slipping out softer, needier than I intend.
“Something wonderful.” The smile she gives me isn’t an answer, not really—just a little curve of her lips that knocks my balance out from under me. My knees actually loosen.
“You know,” I murmur, brushing my fingertips along the delicate underside of her palm, “you seem different lately. More sure of yourself.”
She exhales a tiny laugh. “Well, it’s easy when you’ve got someone willing to support you.
” Then she immediately winces, her whole face scrunching.
“Okay, wait—that sounded wrong. I didn’t mean financially.
I mean, you have helped—god, that’s not—ugh.
” She yanks her hand back like it’s burning her. “I swear that’s not what I meant.”
“Hey.” I keep my voice low, steady. “I’m not doing anything I don’t want to. And I hope that’s true for you too. We all need help sometimes. Getting to help you?” I shake my head. “It’s not a burden. It’s… honestly, it’s a joy.”
Before she can respond, Lerana swoops in with two coffees and a tiny dish with plastic cups of creamer, clattering them onto the table like she’s trying to break the tension on purpose. I almost thank her.
But then I catch Daphne, quick as a blink, swiping away a single tear with the side of her finger. Not sadness—relief. Like no one’s ever let her rest her weight on them without expectations.
And a knot in my chest tightens, warm and protective and maybe a little bit foolish. Maybe it’s the mate bond I’m not even sure I have…but it’s something.
Something wonderful.
We hold hands as we leave the diner and walk down Main Street toward the gondola. We pass the skating rink right as the Zamboni is exiting and heading back to its barn.
“They sure dug the rink out quickly,” I note offhandedly.
“You know, I’ve never been ice skating.” She peeks at the rink from around my body. “I bet I’m no good.”
“I’m actually terrible at ice skating, I don’t have the ankles for it at all.” I laugh.
“There’s no way you’re bad at something!”
“Oh, like a damn baby deer as soon as you strap blades to my feet—hey, we’ve got time, wanna try?”
“Ice skating? Didn’t you just say you were awful?” She laughs in disbelief.
“I am! But it doesn’t mean you’ll be.”
She looks at the ice and back at me. “Sure! As long as we can grab hot cocoa from the snack bar—I’m game!”
I drag her toward the cedar shack where the skate rentals are, and whip out some cash to pay.
“Didn’t think we’d get anyone to skate today, since the tourists have split,” the gangly teen minotaur complains as he gets up from the stool and takes one of his earbuds out.
“Well, here we are.” I grin broadly, flashing the tiniest bit of fang so hopefully this surly teen doesn’t ruin what I’m hoping is yet another in a long line of romantic moments between Daphne and me.
The disillusioned youth groans, takes my cash, and hands us two paper wristbands. “Sizes?”
“Eight please!” Daphne pipes up from behind me.
“Twenty-two.”
Daphne looks up at me, mouth agape. “Oh my god.” She gazes down at my bare feet. “I mean, I knew they were big, but damn, that’s huge”
“Same size as Shaq, but smaller than Ted’s,” I chuckle, grabbing both pairs of skates that the minotaur hands me. He pops the headphones back in his ears and turns his back to me as soon as he possibly can.
“I guess Ted is really putting the big in foot isn’t he?” She laughs before screwing up her brow. “Oh wait, would he be putting the foot in big—”
“I got you.” I take her hand and lead her over to the bench while she tries to figure out which is more important in the foot vs. big scenario.
It’s only once I get the worn skates on and try to stand do I realize that I’m actually as bad as I remember.
My ankles wobble, and my feet, unaccustomed to shoes of any size, burn with the feeling of being constricted inside the leather boot.
But even though I look like a newborn giraffe, I still offer to help Daphne up.
Much to my surprise, she stands not only quickly but gracefully.
“I take those fit alright?” I nod down to her own skates.
“Yeah, perfect actually…they feel really good!” She wiggles her ankles back and forth, testing the flexibility.
I wobble all the way to the rink, and as soon as I step through the gate and my blade hits the ice, I go down hard. My shoulder, then my cheek, slam into the freezing surface just as my hand thankfully lets go of hers.
I’m dazed, but I feel her mitten-covered palm stroking over my head as I come to.
“…Andri! Are you okay?”
“Physically? Yeah,” I groan as I roll to my back.
“My pride?” I force my eyes open only to see the most beautiful woman in the world fretting over me.
“Shattered,” I whisper as I crack a smile.
I start to sit up, but she pushes down on my chest. I still, even though she couldn’t keep me down by her strength alone.
“Stay there! You might be hurt.” She stands, and skates off the ice in a way that has her looking like she’s done it all her life. When she returns, the annoyed minotaur trails behind her, a small flashlight in hand.
He kneels down next to me and rattles off some questions.
“Do you know where you are? Do you have a headache or feel dizzy?” he asks before shining the tiny flashlight directly in my eyes.
“I’m fine,” I grumble before sitting up.
He shines the flashlight directly in my eyes for a few seconds before stuffing it in the pocket of his oversized jeans.
“His pupils seem to be working fine, I think he’s okay? Just be more careful out here, damn.” He turns and walks slowly off the ice.
“Wow, what great customer service.” I get to my knees.
“Maybe he’s just having a bad day.”
She swivels around on her skates and offers me her arm, which I take to rise unsteadily to my feet. Somehow, strapping these damn knives to my feet has let my legs magically morph into two noodles unable to support my bodyweight.
“You really do see the good in everyone, don’t you?” I arch a brow as I wobble into standing.
“I don’t hear any complaining when I see the good in you,” she laughs.
And that laugh hits me square in the sternum.
It’s so stupidly precious that I forget for a moment that I’m off-balance, her smile righting every part of me.
When I look at her now, and I mean really look, she seems so genuinely happy.
Her cheeks flushed from the cold, and sparkling flurries of snow kissing stray strands of hair that stick out from under my hat.
She’s glowing. And there’s this realization that, for as much as I’m head over heels for this sweet creature, some of the light behind her eyes might just be something I kindled.
That maybe our future together doesn’t feel so murky anymore.
She squeezes my fingers, dragging me along the ice as she does this little hop-glide move on her skates. It’s something that looks straight out of Disney on Ice. “Come on, we’ll go slower this time!”
Slow. Sure. Except she takes off with this ridiculous natural ease, and I’m dragged behind her like some kid who won’t let go of the Poma Lift.
“You’re completely sure this is your first time skating?” I ask, half-breathless, half-indignant. “How are you…doing… that?” I gesture vaguely at her feet, steadily cutting a path.
She shrugs, all casual. “I don’t know, but I like it! It’s fun, my body kind of just figured it out, I guess?” She gives me another heartwarming smile. “Or maybe having to rescue you took my mind off being bad long enough to just get it.”
Daphne winks.
“Happy to be of service,” I say before nearly hitting the boards as we make our first turn.
She laughs again, and I swear the sun gets brighter.
Or maybe it’s just me falling in love with her even harder.
Every smile, every laugh, every touch loosens something inside me.
She unravels some tired, knotted-up part of myself that I didn’t realize had been tangled. She brings me ease, peace, joy.
I stop and let go of her hand to steady myself against the wall. She skates ahead a bit before circling back around and swooping in like some kind of ice-skating woodland nymph before coming to an only slightly shaky stop in front of me.
“You’re honestly getting better.”
I huff. “If by better you mean vertical, that’s an incredibly low bar I’ve set.”
She smiles, all tender teasing, and brushes her mittened thumb over my cheek. “You’re doing great, and you’re here with me. That’s all I care about.”
The earth shifts on its axis, but it’s not because I’m about to fall again. I realize how deeply I want this. Her. Forever, if she’d let me. Hell, I’d do it in these damn skates, forever tumbling after her, learning whatever she makes look easy, to keep that light on her face.
But instead of saying anything that could scare this fragile bit of happiness I’ve found, I lean closer and murmur, “If I fall, you’re coming down with me.”
She grins. “Then we fall together.”