Owen sneezed. “I’ll bring her back soon,” Owen said.
Then he sneezed again.
She waved us off without worry as I got on my hat and coat. I was so happy to see Owen, I didn’t even take the usual twenty minutes to say goodbye to each cat. (I’d be back and would rectify that before I went home for the night.) He raised an eyebrow at the bright green poof on my winter hat.
“Don’t judge the hat.”
“I’m not. I’m just happy to see you do own outerwear.” He flicked the ball on the top. “It’s the same color as your bikini.” His voice was low and gravelly as heat flooded me.
He grabbed my hand to loop through his arm, and I smiled big up at him. We strolled across the street into the town square, where the large gazebo was still decorated from Christmas. Families were out rolling giant balls for snow people and throwing snowballs at each other in the grass town square. Owen and I walked hand in hand, my chin held high, knowing without a doubt that this town wasn’t going to forget about me anytime soon.
Chapter 25
Owen
“Where are we going?”Bee asked after two and a half minutes of silent walking. Longer than I thought she’d manage to be quiet.
“Almost there.” Unexpected nerves had my palms sweating under these gloves. I’d spent the past day working on this surprise for her, but what if she didn’t like it?
“Guess what?” she said, her joy effusive.
“You found out there is a special edition Pop-Tarts flavor?” I teased.
“Har har. No.” She stopped, eyes widening. “Wait, is there?”
I shrugged. “Probably.”
“Not something to joke about,” she mumbled under her breath. “What I was going to say was that I’m famous!” She wiggled her shoulders, unable to contain her excitement. “Well, for Slippery Slopes. At least for today.”
“Is that right?” I glanced at her and almost tripped on a guinea pig when I forgot to look away. She looked beautiful with rosy cheeks and the tip of her nose red, alit from within withwhatever magic made her. Probably the same magic that made Keebler elves.
I couldn’t believe how much I’d missed her, though we’d only been a part for a little while. These feelings had grown so fast it had to be part of that same magic.
“Yes! So many people came into the café to see me and talk to me and ask me about my time in jail or about getting stuck in the tram or about the jump to the cabin.”
The side of my mouth pulled into a smile.
“Not to let this life of crime go to my head, but I’m sort of a big deal around here.” She nodded like she accepted her newfound burden of popularity.
“As you should be,” I said. I squeezed her to me.
We’d made it to the bench I wanted to bring her to. Despite the cold and snow, it couldn’t wait. The town of Slippery Slopes was tucked in the valley between mountain peaks, somewhat protected from last night’s storm, but a fresh layer of snow blanketed everything, like a clean, fresh start to the year.
The snow was already cleaned off the bench and the thick wool blanket sat waiting for her. She pushed them out of the way and sat.
“That was for—” I started. Her wide brown eyes blinked at me. “Never mind.” I sat next to her, the cold bench seeping through instantly. This could be my life. A joy like I never imagined warmed me from within. Sharing cold benches and making sure Bee was comfortable for decades to come made me feel excited.
If I was lucky. I unfurled the blanket and wrapped it around us. “Are you happy now?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t love wool. It’s pretty itchy.”
I couldn’t help myself. I bent and kissed her cold, rosy cheek. “I meant with all your newfound notoriety.”
“Oh. Yes!” Her head tilted. “Well, I mean. Sure.” She slouched back. “I think so?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“What’s going through that mind of yours?” I asked, accountably nervous.
I knew what I wanted. I understood that Bee was it for me. But I also understood that she’d spent her life being overlooked, and we just got close in the past couple of days. I wouldn’t want to scare her or make things happen too fast.
