“What did you tell them?”
I saw him shrug from the corner of my eye. “I said you guys are dating. They didn’t really give me a hard time or anything.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. They’re on the wrestling team, but they think you’re pretty cool. It’s those guys who all wore bow ties on Monday at lunchtime.”
Ah-ha. I knew the group. They’d been the same boys who had complimented me on my bow ties the week before. I’d been surprised to see the athletes at lunch all wearing nice clothes and bow ties, and they said it was a new tradition to “start Mondays off right.” They had then proceeded to show off their real, not clip-on, bow ties to me. They were quite proud.
“No one has given you any problems, then?” I asked.
“Nope.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me too,” Alan answered. “I’ve never punched someone, but if anyone ever talked shit about Dad, I’d consider it.”
“I appreciate that, and while I feel the same,” I replied, glancing away from the road, “let’s not hit people. Got it?”
Alan sighed. “Got it,” he repeated.
I pulled up in front of the Hansen home as the snow started coming down heavy, blanketing the already white world in another fluffy layer and muting the surrounding forests so that it felt as if there was no one in the entire universe but us. Coming from New York City, it was eerie as hell. But it was also one of the most calming and beautiful moments I’d ever experienced. At least until standing outside to enjoy the snowstorm made me start coughing.
“Don’t die on the doorstep,” Alan warned me. “Dad will get pissy.”
Probably a good call.
I followed him inside, taking in several small breaths of the warm air as I shut the door behind us.
“We’re back!” Alan exclaimed, tugging off his jacket and shoes.
Once I managed to catch my breath, I was hit by a combination of fresh pine and something cooking in the kitchen. It sounds lame, but it was literally the smell I associated with family. It wasperfect. I felt like I was always supposed to be here.
“Welcome home,” Felix said, walking to the front door.
“Dinner almost ready?” Alan asked.
“Nice to see you too,” Felix replied, giving Alan a quick hug. “Twenty minutes.”
Alan grumbled, took my bag and violin case from my hands, and walked them into the living room.
“I guess the food I brought this afternoon didn’t last them long?” Felix asked.
“Teenagers are bottomless pits,” I replied, then gave Felix a kiss. “It smells amazing in here.”
“I brought the Christmas tree inside.”
“And you’ve got something in the oven that a lesser man would kill for.”
Felix laughed. “Lemon butter chicken.”
“Bowen,” Alan said, coming back to the front door. “Can I check out your violin?”
“Did you open the case?” I asked, raising a brow.
“Yeah.”
“Did you touch it?”
