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I’d been stuck with her my entire life, even when I tried not to be. But she followed me, even when she wanted nothing to do with my life.
“We can say I couldn’t get the truck out if it makes you feel any better.”
“So we lie?”
“I’m good at lying.”
“Good at lying? Since when?—”
The wind interrupted her words as it hit the house with a vengeance. The wood creaked and my eyes moved to the windows. Amma took care of her house, but it was old, and any of the glass could shatter if the wind hit it right.
As the seconds turned into minutes listening to the powerful winds, I prayed Amma’s ancient cottage held up.
Then an arm hit mine. “This feels like the beginning of a horror movie.”
Stella had gotten up and shuffled closer to me. I had to do a double take again to be sure I was seeing things right. It had been years since she was this close. Her hair was almost touching the sleeve of my flannel and her arm was a mere inch from mine.
I shook off the shock of it. She wasn’t close by because she wanted to be. She was here because she was scared.
“Heavy winds were predicted,” I said lowly. “Don’t worry.”
Stella came an inch closer. Now, her whole arm was pressed into my side, and I had to grit my teeth and avert my eyes. “Then why are you glaring at the walls like they’re offending you?”
“I’m listening to be sure the windows don’t break. Amma has very old ones.”And trying not to think too much about how close you are.
“What if a tree falls?”
“It’s a possibility.”
Her eyes went to the wall. Before I could stop myself, my hand went to her back. Stella’s breaths came out in stutters and she didn’t pull away.
I shouldn’t be touching her like this, and I definitely shouldn’t feel any sort of pleasure that she let me do it, but a white-hot heat erupted from where my hand touched her. It made it impossible to pull away.
We stayed still as the wind pounded on the house.
When it died down, only silence remained.
“Everything is so quiet,” she said in a hushed tone.
The second she did, my phone went off.
“Okay, never mind.”
I took out my phone and nearly cursed. Nick was calling, and it reminded me that I’d let Stella get far too close.
“I need to take this,” I said, stepping away from her. Her hand reached out, and I dodged it, heart in my throat. “I’ll be in the kitchen. Stay here.”
I walked away before I could convince myself to stay.
Nick needed to know who I was stuck with. I’d skated around Stella for years, never letting myself get too close, but there was no way I could do that while stuck in the same house as she was. He wasn’t going to be happy, but it wasn’t in my plan to let anything happen.
I hoped he believed me.
“Alden, did you see the snow on the ground? I’ve never seen anything come down so fast!” He sounded childlike, and I didn’t blame him. He loved the snow.
“I’m unfortunately not seeing snow. Only ice.”
“Oh, that’s not as fun. Where are you?”