Page 15 of Melting the Ice

When had I become so fucking dramatic?

“And then he got stuck for hours in my room.” Josie’s voice cut through my internal wallowing.

“Oh, come on. They don’t need that story.”

Tally laughed. “Yeah, we want all of it.”

“A bunch of clothes and toys, like, a lot, fell in front of the closet door and blocked him in. We didn’t even hear him until Ray heard a faint knocking on the wall and got him out. It wasn’t until the following day that my mom noticed a big-ass spider and a nest of baby spiders in that closet.”

“Oh my god, no.” Harper gasped, and Anna shuddered, putting her hand to her mouth.

“Fuck, that would creep me out,” Santa said.

“Why did you have to share that story? And you were, like, five. How do you even remember it?”

“Spiders, Micah. Freaking spiders. That shit is a core memory. And also, I think that’s why you turned into such a neat freak.” She paused. “Oh, no. Is it my fault you’re so anal?”

Everyone burst out laughing, and I glared at her.

“Dude. How were you not able to escape some clothes and stuffed animals?” Sin asked.

“It wasn’t just that. She had some fucking life-sized giraffe that fell across the damn closet door. It wouldn’t freaking budge,” I said, shooting Josie another glare. She had the audacity to just grin at me.

“I like wild animals.”

Fucking hell. Heat should not be barreling through me at that statement. I would not think about what it would be like to truly be wild with her.

“On that note, we should probably head out,” I said, and I swore Tally choked on a laugh. I ignored him. “We have a big road trip tomorrow, and I need some sleep.”

“Old man needs his rest after we teased him,” Josie taunted.

“I’m not old. I’m only four years older than you,” I grumbled.

“Yeah, we’re finishing this round and heading home, too,” Cora said, setting her empty glass on the table, and Tally polished off his one beer of the night in a second.

“Wait, but we need more stories,” Sin said.

“No, you don’t,” I muttered, setting down my now empty glass.

“Don’t you all need to be well-rested for your long road trip?” Josie asked.

“Nah. I’ll sleep on the plane,” Sin said.

“We have to go too. Gotta get up early to start baking,” Anna said. “Please stop by sometime this week, Josie.”

“Yes,” Harper said with a grin. “For more stories,”

I groaned, and Josie patted me on the chest. “I won’t share the one with Bessie from when you were fourteen,” Josie said.

“Bessie? Please tell me there was a cow involved.” Sin sounded gleeful, but the joke was on him because there was no Bessie. Josie was teasing them like she’d spent a lifetime teasing me.

I played along, loving the twinkle in her hazel eyes. “Please don’t.”

“Oh, it’s getting late. We should go,” she said, giving me a quick wink. “It was really nice to meet all of you.”

My gut tightened, and I ushered her out as soon as I could.

“You’re terrible,” I said as we got into the car.

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