Page 31 of Frost
Will he feel that way about me once I’m dead and gone too?
“Where are you going?” Jack asks as I stand from the couch.
I hold out a hand to him. “I promised to bake you cookies.”
Smiling, he takes my outstretched hand. I lead him into the kitchen before searching the cabinets. I’ll need to make another grocery run tomorrow, especially since I called earlier today and rented the cabin for another two weeks, but fortunately, I have all the ingredients to make sugar cookies.
“Need any help?” Jack leans against the counter and watches as I grab eggs and butter from the refrigerator.
“Nope. Just stand there and look pretty.”
He scoffs. “Like you did when we fished? A lot of help you were.”
“Hey, I’m making it up to you now.” I get flour and baking soda from the cabinet before searching for a big bowl to put it all in. After finding one, I place it down and turn to Jack. “And it wasn’t all bad. Admit it, you thought I was cute.”
His jaw tics, and it’s obvious he’s trying so hard not to smile. “Maybe a little.”
Pleased with his answer, I grab my phone and search for a good sugar cookie recipe. I have a great one back at home that I got from my mom, but while I know the ingredients, I can’t remember the exact measurements for everything.
“This one looks good,” I say after scrolling through the ingredient list and preparation directions. I set my phone down and start measuring out the flour. Dry ingredients go in the big bowl and wet ones go in a different, then I’ll combine them once both are mixed. “I also have the stuff to make hot cocoa too.”
“I thought we were going to drink wine.” Jack cocks his head.
“We can spike the cocoa with some of Baileys Irish Cream,” I suggest. “It’s my favorite.”
“Nowthatsounds delicious. Count me in.”
Despite me telling him he doesn’t have to help, Jack does so anyway. Working with him in the kitchen turns out to be way too fun. Once the dough is made, it has to chill for an hour, so I wrap it in saran wrap and stick it in the fridge before rinsing out the mixing bowl. As I go to close the bag of flour, though, I flick some on him.
Jack grumbles before reaching into the bag and throwing some on me too. Our laughs fill the air as we start a short—but hilarious—flour war.
“It matches the frost in your hair,” I point out before sprinkling a little bit more on him.
He then blows snow in my face.
I cough and wipe at my eyes. When my vision clears, I find him with a smug smile.
“You play dirty,” I say, pulling him into my arms.
“Don’t start a war you can’t finish, little light.”
My stomach flutters hearing the name. It’s grown on me more than I thought. Maybe because it’s mine, something he created just for me. It makes me feel… well, like I’m his.
“Have I told you how much I like that nickname?” I dust flour off his forehead and meet his blue eyes with a smile. “Because I really, really do.”
Pink colors his cheeks, made even more noticeable because of his pale complexion. “If you like it, I suppose I can keep saying it.”
“You’d say it regardless.”
“Probably.” Jack stares at me in a way I haven’t noticed before. Like he’s searching for something.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shakes his head before opening a cabinet and looking inside. “Do you have anything to snack on while we wait for the dough to chill?”
I reach past him and grab a bag of square-shaped pretzels and round chocolate caramel candy. He watches me with a curious tilt to his brow as I put the pretzels on a baking sheet and drop a candy on top of each one, along with a single pecan.
“What’s that?”
