Page 33 of The Great Maple Mistake (Love in Maplewood #8)

Cody

Four months later

“Where are we going?”

The mostly excited and only slightly petulant tone to Alex’s question is adorable.

Pretty much like everything about him. “It’s a surprise.

” I pull on my gloves and bundle Alex outside to the already idling SUV.

I can’t have my baby get into a cold car.

“C’mon. It’s something you’ll like. Trust me. ”

He harrumphs. “Fine. I guess I shouldn’t complain. You just made me an incredible dinner. Which I very much appreciate.” He tugs on my hand, pulling me in for a quick kiss that I gladly return. “Thank you, again.”

“You’re very welcome, love.” Aunt Viv has been teaching me how to cook, and I’ve been trying my new skills on the guys at the firehouse and on Alex.

“I never really had a need to learn before, but now that I have someone else who will eat the results, it doesn’t feel like a waste of time.

” I open the passenger door for him, then jog around to the driver’s side and climb in.

“Well, if you’re willing to cook, I’m willing to eat. It’s the least I can do.”

He holds my gaze, eyes wide in the way he does when he’s serious but still teasing. I call it his anime look. Grinning, I roll my eyes. “Deal.”

I back out of Aunt Viv’s driveway, heading out of town. Alex notices far too quickly for my liking. “Where are we going?”

“I told you, it’s a surprise. You’ll figure it out soon enough. Just be patient.” He sighs dramatically. “Relax and watch the beautiful light displays on the houses. This is supposed to be a romantic evening with your boyfriend.”

That makes him smile. “Fine. This is an awfully romantic evening. And I’m happy to see you. I missed you while you were on shift.”

I raise his gloved hand to my lips and kiss the cloth-covered knuckles. “I missed you too.”

We drive for about fifteen minutes and it’s not until I turn onto Lake Road that Alex finally realizes where we’re going. And then his excitement is back. He turns to me, mouth open. “Really? We’re going ice skating on the lake?”

He practically vibrates with happiness, and I relax. I thought he’d love this, but I wanted tonight to be special for him, so I’ve been a bit nervous. “You said you loved doing this.”

“Wait!” His face clouds over. “I don’t have my skates!”

I jerk my thumb behind us. “In the back seat. I’m surprised you didn’t notice them when we got in the car.”

He twists around in his seat to check, like I’d make that up. “Hey, you have hockey skates too!”

That makes me laugh. “What did you think I was going to do, walk along while you glide over the ice?”

“Well, they do have skate rental at the lake.” I’m about to tell him that skate rentals are notoriously awful but he’s already moved on with the conversation. “When did you get hockey skates?” He frowns. “Did you bring them with you from Baltimore?”

“They do have ice rinks in Baltimore, love.”

His expression turns a bit sheepish, and he shrugs. “Yeah. I know. I guess I just assumed you didn’t skate.” He squeezes my hand. “But I’m glad you do!” He squints at me. “Wait, you do, don’t you?”

How is my boyfriend so freaking adorable? “Yes, I know how to ice skate, Alex.”

“Whew.” He sits back. “Because this is Vermont. We’re practically in Canada. Winter sports are almost a prerequisite to living here.” He watches out the window as we pull into the parking area by the lake. “Oooh! It’s so beautiful!”

Whoever decorated really outdid themselves.

Tiki torches flicker around this side of the lake, and the hut where Special Blend sells hot drinks is outlined with little white fairy lights.

Someone trimmed several fir trees around the lake with larger multi-colored holiday lights.

There are benches at the edge of the frozen lake decorated with large red holiday bows, filled with lots of people lacing up their skates for an evening spin on the ice.

“Let’s go check it out.” I hop out of the car, grab our skates from the back, and meet Alex at the front of the vehicle. “Ready?”

“Absolutely!” His grin is wide and beautiful, and my chest is full with how much I love him. I take his hand and lead him to an empty bench. “Fair warning. I know how to skate, but it’s been a minute. So I’m going to need to knock off the rust at first.”

Alex leans over and kisses my cheek. “I’ll help you, sweetheart.” I chuckle because his tone says he expects me to be horrible. Who knows? I might be, at first. But I do know how to skate. At least I used to know. It’s like riding a bike though. Right?

I hand him his skates, and one at a time, he takes off his shoes and slides his feet into the sturdy boots. I don my own skates under his watchful gaze. “Don’t forget to lace them up tightly, especially at the ankles.”

“Thank you, love.” My tone isn’t even sarcastic because he’s genuinely trying to be helpful. “When did you learn to skate?”

I can practically feel the eye roll in the dark. “Vermont. Next to Canada. We’re basically born with skates on our feet.”

“I doubt that. Your mothers would have objected.”

He laughs and stands, holding out his hand to me once I’m done lacing up. “Come on. Let’s see how rusty you really are.”

I take his hand, and we walk, only slightly awkwardly, to the edge of the lake. Then we step out onto the ice. I am a little wobbly, but it doesn’t take long before I figure out my balance. “How long has it been since you last ice-skated?”

He shrugs. “About a year. Luke and I used to belong to a local hockey league that would play at the high school rink, but we gave that up when we hit our thirties. You get to a certain age and your joints aren’t so forgiving anymore.”

“Oh, I know that feeling.”

Alex laughs. “Right. Mister ‘I’m in such good shape my eight-pack has a six-pack.’ You know you’re the reason we’re on our second run of calendars, right? We’re even getting purchases from out of state!”

He’s said that before, but it’s not anywhere near the truth. “No, the reason you’re selling so many calendars is because you take amazing pictures and your dad’s a genius at marketing.”

Now that he knows I’m stable enough that I won’t collapse onto the ice, dragging him with me, Alex takes my hand, and we skate along the shore, side by side.

“True, he really is. But you being on the cover, with your glorious man chest all out there, in your firefighting gear, and Tux perched on your shoulder? Yeah, that’s what’s selling the calendars. ”

I let it go because we’ve had this conversation enough times to know there’s no convincing Alex.

And it’s flattering that he thinks I’m sexy enough to be the reason for the great sales.

I speed up and turn around so I’m skating backward while he skates forward.

Okay, I might be showing off a little. “Hey. As long as you think I’m sexy, that’s all that matters.

” I pull him toward me, slowing down to a leisurely glide, and wrap my arms around him.

“There’s something I want to talk to you about.

” I grin when his brows furrow. “Nothing bad.” I kiss the tip of his very cold nose. “You know I love you.”

Alex’s soft smile is back, and he wraps his arms more tightly around my waist. “Yes. And I love you too.”

I nod. “Exactly. And I love your dad and Luke.” He quirks his eyebrow, and I chuckle. “Not in the same way. But you know what I mean.”

He laughs and nods. “Yes. And I love Aunt Viv. It’s all a big lovefest.” Alex started calling her Aunt Viv about a month ago, and the first time she heard it, she cried.

It was a whole thing, with hugs and tears.

Honestly, it was pretty incredible. And part of the reason I want to talk to him tonight.

“She loves us. And I’m so grateful that she let me live with her while I got acclimated to Maplewood and my work routine. But I was thinking, maybe it’s time to move out.”

Alex’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline.

At least, that’s what it looks like as we pass through the glow from the tiki torches.

“Get your own place?” I nod. “Wow.” Once the surprise passes, and he gets what that would mean for us, his smile is back.

“No more being quiet during sex! Or rushing so we’re not overheard or interrupted.

” He laughs. “We could get naked whenever and wherever we want. I definitely approve of this plan.”

Laughing, I kiss him soundly. “Yes, my insatiable boyfriend.” I point a finger at him.

“ Not that I’m complaining at all.” I slow our speed even further until we’re stopped in the middle of the ice.

I lean in and rest my forehead against his.

“But what if we found a place together? Would you consider that?”

He blinks up at me, like he’s truly surprised by the suggestion. “Really? You’d want to move in with me?”

“Alex, love, of course I want that. But the question is, would you? You’ve lived with your dad and brother all your life.

You have a pretty amazing setup on the third floor, with your darkroom and everything.

And I’ll be working shifts where I won’t be home, and you’ll be in the house by yourself.

It’s not so cut and dry for us like it would be for other couples. ”

He presses his lips to mine in a soft kiss.

“Yes. And I know we haven’t seriously talked about this before, but I have to admit, I’ve thought about it.

A lot. And I could leave my darkroom where it is and use it if I need it.

Dad won’t mind.” He bites his lip and looks up at me through his beautiful lashes.

“But Luke’s moving out too. At least temporarily. ”

I pull back so I can see his whole face. “Really? Why?”

Alex nods. “He’s finally going to Portland to visit with our aunt, uncle, and cousins for a bit.

Ever since the cook-off, he’s been talking about going out to the farm to help Uncle Callum and my cousin Gus with those renovations to the property.

He’s now planning to visit in February and have a look at what Uncle Callum has planned so they can get a start on it in the spring.

” He shrugs. “Supposedly he’ll only be there for two weeks, go back in April for the project, then be home a few months after that so he can be ready for construction season here.

But I’m not so sure. Something in my gut says he might just find his niche there.

And that would leave Dad all alone in that big house. ”

I can hear the worry in Alex’s voice, so I pull him against my chest and wrap him in all the love I can.

“Yeah, I get what you’re saying. I’ll be leaving Aunt Viv alone again too.

And I feel bad about that. But they’re grown adults, and it’s not like we’d be moving out of Maplewood.

We’d be a few blocks away, give or take. We’d still see them all the time.”

“Hmm. Good point.” The tension in his body eases, and he snuggles against me. “I think I need a hot chocolate.”

That makes me chuckle. My fellow chocolate fiend. “I happen to know a place nearby that sells hot chocolate.” I jerk my thumb at the little hut.

“Perfect. And after the hot chocolate I’ll need more skating.” Laughing, I hold his hand as we glide to the edge of the lake, then take the few steps to the snack shed.

I order two hot chocolates with extra whipped cream, and we sit by the lake and watch our neighbors enjoying themselves on this chilly winter night.

“So.” I nudge him with my shoulder. “What do you think of my idea?” Fascinated, I watch as Alex lowers his open mouth over the peak of whipped cream.

“Fuck. Baby, you can’t do that to me in a public place. ”

He sucks up the whipped cream and turns to look at me with such innocent confusion, I swear he really doesn’t know what he just did. “Huh?”

I lean closer so my voice doesn’t carry. “If you’re going to deep throat the whipped cream, I’m going to take you home right now.”

“Oh.” In this dim light I can’t see the blush on his cheeks, but I know it’s there. He grins wickedly and I’m tempted to take him home anyway. “Sorry.”

I growl playfully, then lean in and kiss him on the lips, tasting the whipped cream. “Answer my question.”

“About moving in with you?” I nod and try not to hold my breath.

“Absolutely.” He sets down his hot chocolate and flings his arms around my neck.

“Yes. I will move in with you. Definitely!” I hug him back, relieved and excited that this is going to happen.

With a loud kiss to my cheek, he lets go and settles back on the bench, lifting his cup and taking a tentative sip of the hot beverage.

“We should start looking for places immediately. And ask around. Though we probably don’t want to take on a move before the holidays are over.

” He wrinkles his nose. “That might be a bit much.”

I watch him carefully. “You’ll be okay by yourself at home when I have to stay at the firehouse?”

He shrugs a shoulder. “I mean, it won’t be ideal. But I’ll have Tux. And let’s be honest, if it’s horrible, and I hate it, I can always go stay with Dad or Aunt Viv for the night.”

I actually hadn’t considered that. My boyfriend is a genius. “That’s a great idea. They’d love it.”

“And it would make me feel less guilty for moving out and leaving them both by themselves.”

I carefully kiss him so I don’t spill hot cocoa on either of us. “You are brilliant. That’s a fantastic idea.”

He’s practically bouncing in his seat. “Then it’s a plan. We’ll start looking now but plan to move out in January or February, after we find a place.”

“It’s perfect.”

Alex shakes his head. “You’re perfect.”

“Perfect for you, maybe.”

“Yes. You are. And I’m perfect for you too.”

I nod. “Without a doubt. I’m sure we’ll hit bumps in the road, and I don’t exactly have much practice living with a boyfriend.”

He puts a finger over my lips. “I don’t either. And we’ll make mistakes. But I love you. And you love me. And we’ll figure it out together.”