AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Baby—”
“I’m not a baby,” I mutter.
My mother ignores me. “You fell into that job two years ago, and we were glad you did at the time, but we didn’t expect you tostayin a town as small as Conception Ridge. Don’t you want to do something more?”
The honest answer is no. I wanted more with Jacob, and when it became painfully clear that wouldn’t happen, I had to cut my losses.
But I have no idea what I’ll do next.
I shrug instead of explaining all of that for the hundredth time.
“Well, you’re young. You have time to figure it out.” My mom gives me a reassuring smile. “Maybe you can drive your van to California for the rest of the winter.”
“I’m not leaving Conception Ridge,” I protest, surprising myself as much as my family.
“Really?” That’s my sister. “Is this about Jake?”
“I…” I take a deep breath as they share a seven-way uneasy glance. “I don’t know. Why?”
Carina winces. “Well, if he can’t even come with you for Christmas…why would you stay in that town for him?”
A lump forms in my throat. How close she’s gotten to the truth, and I can’t even tell her. I nod and manage to squeak out two words. “I know.”
My brother gestures to the window, where snow is softly falling in the dark, the flakes lit up by the warm glow from the cabin. “Can I change the subject? How about a good old-fashioned snowball fight? Brother against sisters?”
“Oh, it’son.” I jump up. “Let’s go.”
Mom and Nana are charged with making hot cocoa for us while we’re outside, and Carina and Nathan’s spouses agree to be neutral referees. Dad joins Nathan to balance out the team, because Carina doesn’t want our victory to be tainted by any claims of being two against one.
The refs give us ten minutes in our respective corners of the yard to prepare our weapons, and then Carina’s husband gives a countdown from ten.
Nathan is ready as soon as the fight is on, winging a nice-looking snowball right at Carina, but she dodges it, and it lands between us, the fluffy snow cushioning the landing.
I grab it, cackling that it’s still in one piece. “You made it too well, big brother. It survived impact and now I get to use it against you,” I yell out before lobbing it at Dad’s shoulder.
“That’s a direct hit,” Nathan’s wife says solemnly.
He calls her a traitor, and she blows him a kiss.
I’m crowing at the first point scored when Nathan slams me right in the chest—hubris getting me good, as it always does. “Hey,” I sputter, laughing. “Carina, get his ass good.”
She takes vengeance while I circle behind her, and then it’s a two-sister full-on attack. Dad and Nathan throw back a heavy volley as well. It’s non-stop snowballs in all directions, and we’re all laughing hysterically.
I get knocked down, flat on my back, right after the Referee Spouses inform us it’s too hard to keep score. I make one final snowball as I lie there, staring up at the twinkly, starry night sky, and as a big male form approaches, I sit up with a start and throw it with all my might.
It’s a direct hit, exploding all over his face and neck, white snowflakes clinging to every surface of his expensive coat and frowning face.
Because it’s not my dad, and it’s not my brother.
It’s Jacob, and he’s furious.
“What are you…” I scramble to my feet. I didn’t even hear a car approach. But even if I had seen him arrive, nothing could stop my heart from lurching when I realize just how hard and scowling his gaze is as he glares at me from under a flop of reddish blond hair.
And my first ridiculous thought is, he needs a haircut.
I forgot to book that for him before I quit.
I swallow hard. “What are you doing here?”
