He heads off in the opposite direction and Heath and I continue across campus. I slide my glove-covered hand around his and squeeze.
“Coming over tonight?” he asks, swinging our arms lightly between us.
“Yeah, but I need to do some laundry first. I’ve barely been at my dorm all week.”
“I don’t see a problem. Should just pack your stuff and bring it to my place.”
I slow. “You’d give me a drawer?”
“I’ll give you as many as you want.”
I laugh lightly at how easy it is for him to share himself and his space. Although that’s not really new. Heath may not have experience in being a boyfriend, but he’s always gone out of his way to give me anything he thought I might want. But all I really want is him. No one has ever made me happier and I’ve never had more fun than when I’m with him.
It wasn’t exactly my plan to fall for someone first semester, but I can’t wait to see what new adventures the next one will bring.
“Mav, these burgers are amazing,” Reagan says with a groan of pleasure.
“They really are,” Rhett adds. “I bow down to the grill master.”
Mav waves his hand and dips his head in a mock bow.
The guys bought a patio heater and we’re outside having dinner. Me, Heath, Adam, Rhett, Maverick, Dakota, and Reagan—we’re like our own little dysfunctional family.
My brother is leaned back, beer in hand, smiling as everyone eats and talks. He seems happier. I know our parents’ separation hit him hard, but I think he’s coming to terms with it. So am I. Things will look different now, but at least we’ve got each other.
It’s so weird to think that if I’d come to college with Bryan, so many things would have been different, but the thing I’m the most thankful for is how close Adam and I are again.
Heath and I huddle under a blanket, eating and bumping shoulders occasionally since our hands are full.
“We should play sardines tonight,” Rhett says as he crumples his napkin and sets it in the middle of his plate.
“We’ve got an odd number without Taryn,” Adam says. “You guys play, I’ll hang back.”
“What, no way,” I protest. “We can have three on a team.”
“Mav needs two people to keep him in line anyway.” Rhett nudges him. “Who’s going with Adam?”
“Reagan,” I say too quickly, and my friend’s eyes get large as if she’s afraid I’m going to out her. “Mav helps cancel out some of Rhett’s hiding skills.”
It’s perfectly good logic and Adam nods. “Yeah, that makes sense. What do you say, Reagan?”
“Sure, I guess that’s okay,” she says, barely looking at him.
We head to campus. Heath and I are slower than the others, stopping to kiss every few steps and generally being the obnoxious happy couple.
“Who’s hiding tonight?” Dakota asks.
“Should be Rhett and Reagan, so let’s go with Adam and Reagan,” I say.
Everyone nods their agreement. Playing matchmaker is way too much fun.
“What’s the rule?” I ask Reagan and Adam.
They share a look as they try to decide.
“You pick,” Adam says to her.
“One person has to close their eyes and be led by their partner or partners,” she says the last part looking at our group of three.
“All right. Let’s do this.” Adam’s breath shows in the cold air, and he claps his hands together before he and Reagan head off to hide.
“I’ve got the time,” I call as we all settle in to wait. The ground is cold, so we stay standing and form a small circle sharing our body heat. Heath’s arms wrap around me from behind and I lean back into his chest.
“You two are annoyingly adorable,” Dakota says as Heath leans down to kiss my cheek.
While our friends make fun of us, good-naturedly of course, Heath keeps right on hugging me and I soak it up. Him, our friends, all of it.
“Don’t be jealous, Dakota,” Heath says, speaking near my ear. “You’ve got two. Ginny only gets one.”
Rhett and Maverick attack her from each side, hugging her tightly between them. She squeals and bats at their chests, but she’s laughing as they bounce up and down, jostling her around.
“Okay, okay.” She finally gets free. “Let’s go find Adam and Rea.”
“Close your eyes, Dakota. We’ll lead you,” Mav says.
“Not a chance.” She shakes her head, making her light red hair toss around her shoulders.
Rhett takes a step. “Mav, close your eyes. Dakota and I will make sure you don’t run into anything.”
Dakota gets on the opposite side of Mav from Rhett. “No promises from me,” she says before they start to guide him away.
Heath sweeps my feet out from under me. “Close your eyes, baby doll, I got you.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and let him carry me. I close my eyes, playing along, though I hardly see the point.
“Are you really leading me to find the others or taking me somewhere to make out?”
“That last one sounds real tempting, but the sooner we find the others, the sooner I can take you home and make out with you in my warm bed.”
His lips graze against mine and I lean forward to kiss him harder. He stops, wherever we are, and his tongue sweeps into my mouth, warm and demanding.
He pulls back way sooner than I want, but he doesn’t move.
“Ginny, open your eyes.” His voice is filled with wonder and excitement.
His head’s thrown back and he stares up into the sky. A tiny snowflake falls onto his nose.
“It’s snowing!”
The small white flurries fall around us, slowly at first. Heath sets me down and I hold my arms out to the side. “I love the snow. It always feels so magical.”
I can just make out Dakota’s laughter and the guys shouting and know they’re excited about it too. Heath and I walk toward them in the snow, joining them at the same time Reagan and Adam have abandoned their
