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“Oh, I have an idea for that,” I said. I bent my knees and put my shoulder behind Christopher’s knees and wrapped my arms around his calves. I stood upright and he sat on my shoulder.
I was showing off a bit. Sue me. This was my mate and I wanted him to have a fun time this morning.
Christopher squealed with laughter, and the triplets clapped their mitten-covered hands. He placed the head on top of the snowman.
I set him down and we admired our work.
“Now we just need a face, and a scarf. Maybe a hat too,” Christopher said.
“Think he’ll come to life?”
Christopher snorted. “Well, I would say no, but I’ve come to realize maybe I don’t know everything, and that some magic does exist in our world.”
I grinned and wrapped my arm around his shoulders. Even with our thick winter coats, I could still feel his warmth, and my wolf settled once we were touching. He rested his head on my shoulder.
“It really does,” I said.
Chapter Twelve
Christopher
Itwasnearlynoonwhen we finished breakfast, the triplets long ready for their naps, and fussy was putting it mildly. They clung to Nicholas and me, resisting the sleep that they so desperately needed. It was only with the promise of more snow time outside that we were finally able to get them to let us go.
“We’ve got the dishes,” I said to my mom after the triplets were upstairs. I grabbed the stack of plates on the table. “Why don’t you all rest, maybe watch that Christmas movie with the elf who looks for his father.” It had been an instant family favorite and I’d have been surprised if they hadn’t already watched it a dozen times.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve got the dishes.” Mom opened her eyes wide, looked at the dishes, and then back to me. I wasn’t sure what that was about, but if she wanted to do the dishes, I was going to let her.
“We don’t mind.” Nicholas came up next to me. “I’m used to dish duty.”
“Nope. Scram. I’m sure you two can find something… quiet to do.” She winked, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. “But before you go, can you grab me the Christmas box on the top shelf in the closet of your old room?”
My mom had turned that into a sewing room before I even left the driveway to go to college. I was sure of it.
“Is it the only one?” Knowing my mom, it was filled with so much more. Despite us never hosting Christmas, we had the decorations and other amenities for it.
“It’s the only one that says Christmas.” She started toward the kitchen, effectively ending our conversation.
I turned to Nicholas. “Wanna see the old room?” The two of us spent countless hours up there playing video games, cramming for tests, and procrastinating one big school project or another. It had been our safe haven here. His room had been the same for us at his house.
“Lead the way.” And away we went.
“Whoa,” he said as he stepped inside. “Your mom didn’t even pretend you were welcome back.” He chuckled. “My mom has mine exactly as it was that day.” He didn’t need to say which day. It was the day he left.
“I’d love to see it.” I crossed over to the closet. “My mom did this the same semester I went to college. I was a grown-up and done. I didn’t mind. It was nice for her to have her own space for her projects.” I didn’t mind then or now, it just was what it was. And she’d been right. There was no way I’d have come back to memory land. It was too hard, and for the first time in my life, I understood why.
I hadn’t been some overly dramatic, hormone filled teen, which was what everyone at the time had been convinced was happening. I was a rejected mate. Had I not been in such a bad state, that would’ve been a reason for concern. Only we hadn’t known it then, and it wasn’t like I could explain that to my parents now.
Nicholas came up behind me as I opened the door and told me he would grab it. He wasn’t being an alphahole holding onto some silly notion that omegas needed help with all things that required strength. That wasn’t him. He just wanted to help.
“I got it if you catch whatever falls down when I pull it to me.” I’d played this game with my mom before. There was more than likely something on top of the box that I couldn’t see.
“What do you mean?”
I explained, and he promised to spot me. And sure enough, once I pulled free, down came a shoe box.
“It didn’t whack you in the head, did it?” I turned around, attempting not to drop the box my mom had wanted. It was heavier than it looked. I wasn’t sure what was in there, but it wasn’t some random ornaments, that was for sure.
“No. I caught it.” He held it up. “This was where you used to keep your treasure when we were young kids. Like seven. You saved every rock you ever found, I swear.”
