Page 50

“It’s a little cold.”
“We have a fire.”
I didn’t know how to answer her. Iwantedto go, but I knew that the walls I’d built around us were cracking.
But then she sighed at my silence. “Never mind.”
I turned to find her curled into herself, looking as sad as she had when I first saw her again.
All of my control went out the window. I wasnotgoing to be the one who made her feel like this. Fuck no.
“We’ll go. If you were inviting me, that is.”
“Who else is around?” she asked. “And if I go alone, it’s no fun.”
“So, let’s do it. The sleds are in the shed?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” I got up and threw her my jacket.
“I’m not?—”
“If we’re doing this, you’re staying warm. And my jacket is the best option you have.”
Her nose crinkled. “But?—”
“Wear my jacket, Stella.”
She rolled her eyes as she put it on. “I’m only doing this because it’s cold. You’re getting this back when all of this is over.”
“Sure, whatever makes you feel better.” I didn’t know if I could take it back. It would smell like her, and I would be stuck with the memory of this time we had together.
“I only hope that this time it’syouwho falls on your ass,” she said as she put on gloves.
“That’s a rude thing to say. And besides, you’re notallowed to make fun of me. What happens in the snow, stays in the snow, remember?”
Her lips curled into a smile. “That only counts in the living room. And you embarrassing yourself? No way in hell I’m forgetting that.”
ELEVEN
The wind was brutal,but climbing up the hill was even more so. Out here, I could see why we weren’t allowed to leave. It made me wonder why Alden kept choosing to go outside rather than stay in.
“You surviving back there?” he asked as we got to the top.
“For the record,” I gasped out, “I always took the stairs at Reed’s apartment.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s different than climbing a hill.”
“Still. I work out, even if I don’t look like I do.”
He paused. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
“What?”
“That you’re tying physical weight to your health?”
“I mean, I know it doesn’t matter, but so many guys think it does.”