Ethan

The snowball war went on so long that there wasn’t time for Chloe to teach Ethan how to drive the snowmobile. But he didn’t mind. He actually preferred riding on the back with his arms looped securely around her waist. He couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else. He loved the feel of her soft hair lashing his cheeks and the way she leaned into him a bit more whenever he squeezed her thighs.

He took in the snowy landscape that rushed by, noticing that everything looked brighter and more beautiful somehow. He knew he had Chloe to thank for that. Being with her made everything better.

As they neared her house, Ethan noticed a flash of sunlight reflecting off the surface of the pond. “Hey, look at that.”

Chloe slowed the sled to see where he was pointing.

“Is that the pond you used to ice skate on?”

Chloe nodded. “Yep.”

“It looks frozen.”

He caught her smile as she turned her head to look closer. “Wow, you’re right. That hasn’t happened in years. The temperature must’ve dropped pretty low last night.”

Ethan laughed. “Why do you sound surprised by that? It’s freaking freezing right now.”

Chloe snorted. “Oh, Manhattan. This is nothing.”

She gunned the snowmobile and they rocketed across the snow, turning the light snowfall into a blur of icy needles that stung any exposed skin. Surprisingly, Ethan didn’t care. He just gripped Chloe tighter, letting her laughter warm him all the way through.

Chloe

Chloe’s parents were rushing out the door when she and Ethan walked up to the front porch. She let Ethan go inside ahead of her and hung back to talk to her parents.

“Hi, honey,” her mother said. “We’ve gotta do some last minute prep for the wedding. Lunch is on the table. Can you meet us at the lodge after you’ve eaten? We could use the extra help with the wedding today.”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, sweetheart.”

Chloe was overcome with the urge to hug her mother, so she did. “I love you, Mom.”

It felt so good to have her mother’s familiar arms around her. This was the first time Chloe had seen her parents since Ethan told her about losing his.

Her mother’s shock was evident as she hugged Chloe back, slowly at first, until the embrace turned fierce. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

Her mother pulled back and gave Chloe a look of concern. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s great, Mom,” she replied. “I just realized I don’t say I love you as much as I should.”

Her parents exchanged a worried glance, but that didn’t stop Chloe from giving her father a giant hug, too. “Love you, Dad.”

“I love you, baby girl.”

She kissed her father on the cheek and pulled away. “I’ll see you at the lodge in an hour.”

As Chloe turned to go inside, she heard her parents whispering to each other, wondering what all the hugging was about. It made Chloe happy and sad at the same time. Hugging her parents and telling them she loved them was such a simple gesture, but that fact that it caused them alarm meant she didn’t do it nearly enough. She made a mental note to change that.

Chloe walked inside, instantly hit by the stifling heat of the roaring fire. She stripped off her layers and headed upstairs to change. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself to face her sister.

It was time to smooth things over with Margot.