Page 50 of Knotty, Nice, & Holiday Lights
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I care,” he says, not missing a beat. “You two are my brothers now, right? That’s what brothers do. Or, that’s what I’d like our brotherhood to be like.”
My grin is lopsided as I lean forward, rest my elbows on my knees. “You want to fix his problems?”
“No. Not fix them for him, but help him. Like you all try to help me.” He cuts me a look. “I haven’t known him anywhere near aslong as you have, but even I can tell he doesn’t have any interest in running this place as it’s intended.”
He isn’t wrong. In all the time I’ve known Will, he’s never done anything to try to increase his patronage, nor has he ever expressed a desire to expand. Since I’ve been here, he’s rarely booked other guests. This can’t be sustainable.
Matthew looks to be deep in thought for a while. “I… have this idea,” he starts. “I need to talk to some people first, see if it’s even possible before I bring it up to everyone for discussion, but if it could work,” his mismatched eyes grow excited, “it would be life-changing.”
And for the second time in less than ten minutes, this Alpha, whom I admit I’d considered nothing but a slob of a gamer-bro only weeks prior, has piqued my interest.
“Tell me.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
When I was little, I got to see the snow in person once on a family vacation to the mountains. I learned to ski on the bunny slopes with my brother and mom, and got to watch my dad take on some seriously dangerous slopes like he was an Olympian.
It had been so much fun, but as it usually does, life wound up getting in the way of us having that experience again.
But I never knew what a pain in the ass snow was when you’re an adult, living with it.
There’s over six inches of snow outside right now, and I’m out here in Will’s giant snow boots, because I didn’t bring any, and nearly snapping my back in half to help clear the walkways with Asher and Matthew. Will is using the push snow-blower on the driveway and parking lot.
“You don’t have to do this, love,” Asher tells me. But he’s laughing.
I narrow my gaze up at him, straighten my puffball hat, and stick out my tongue before returning to my shoveling.
Eventually, the walkways, driveway, and back parking lot are finally cleared, and Will is using a salt spreader on everything to melt and prevent ice.
By the time we go back inside, my teeth are chattering, and everything about me is wet, in the worst way.
“I’ll make hot cocoa,” Will says as he flies past me to the kitchen before he even removes his coat.
“I’ll take all your outerwear, love. Toss it in the dryer.”
I hand Asher my coat, hat, and gloves, and he disappears into the laundry room.
Matthew’s hands straighten my mussed hair as I turn to him, bury my face in his chest for warmth as he chuckles. “Someone isn’t made for the cold.” His arms wrap around me, warming my shoulders.
“I don’t mind the cold,” I say into his sweater. “It’s the adulting I hate.”
He’s full-on laughing now before guiding me into the kitchen, where the delectable smell of cocoa invades my senses, making me hum with pleasure.
This time, we all mix our cocoa with some of the peanut butter whiskey, and Asher looks surprised when he says, “This is actually really good.”
I gape at him. “What’s not to love about mixing chocolate and peanut butter?”
Warm on the inside, I excuse myself to go take a hot bath and change my clothes, maybe into something fluffy and soft.
Upstairs, I run the hot tub water and rummage through the cabinet for the bubble bath I saw there, which specifically said it was safe for the jets.
It’s blissfully only a few minutes before the tub is ready and I’ve stripped down, piled my hair on top of my head with a few clips, and slid into the hot water with a moan. I relax into the jets as they do their magic on my cold skin and aching muscles, sinking down into the water until the frothy bubbles touch my bottom lip.
I don’t know how much time has passed when there’s a light rapping on my door, and Matthew’s voice calls my name.
“In the bath,” I call back to him over the humming jets, and he’s at the doorway in a blink, staring at my face above a sea of white bubbles. “Hey.”
