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Nick sat up straight as a vintage square body in excellent condition rolled into Laney’s driveway. His heart was thundering in his ears as she stepped out of the passenger seat and stood in the middle of the sidewalk with her arms out like she was flying, face tipped to the sky, her tongue out catching snowflakes.

Her monumental prick of a boyfriend got out of the driver’s seat and ran over to her, picking her up by the waist and spinning her around. She was laughing and squealing with delight as he tossed her onto the lawn, and she momentarily disappeared from view, hidden entirely by the snow.

Shane disappeared behind the snow bank as well.

He stood a few minutes later, his back covered in snow, and reached out to haul her up. Once she was vertical, he grabbed the edges of her hat, pulling it down over her eyes with a laugh, and kissing her.

He could see her blushing from across the damn street.

Nick snorted an abnormally large amount of blow, even for him, his blood curdling with rage. There was no way that guy would ever know what it was like to live the way Nick had been living for the past year, would ever understand how it felt to fall asleep in your car and wake up hungry.

Shane smacked Laney's butt and sent her squealing inside, gesturing to the garage. She disappeared into the house, the living room light turning on in the dark, as Shane tapped a code into a panel beside the garage door and fussed with the snowblower. He tried to start it a few times but gave up and disappeared to the back of the garage.

He’s probably looking for a shovel.

Nick got out of his car and darted across the driveway – all logic abandoned – racing up the front steps and into the house.