An Unexpected Kind of Love (When Snow Falls #1)

by Hayden Stone

There are two kinds of people in the world: people who put things away as they should, and arseholes who shelve books with no respect for the alphabet.

I’d much rather stay in and enjoy some of the classic introverted activities. Like hiding. And reading.

“Witchcraft,” I remark. It’s the only reasonable explanation. Who knows what sorts of incantations and rituals are needed to repair aging plumbing without divine intervention?

We fuck right off on Friday morning, as Blake’s filming breaks before their last push before wrapping, all the way up to the Lake District.

Consistency error. In the previous chapter it was late on Friday as it references the heat of the day and the Friday commute.

“The world is making poor choices, and there’s plenty enough people with business degrees,” says Blake firmly, glancing at me. “We need more readers and artists and creatives. They’re the real visionaries. The rest is just capitalism. And if you really want, you can still take business classes.”

I should have cut to the chase immediately and told him to go fuck off.”

Yes, you should have.

I glance over at Blake. His profile, like the rest of him, is striking. His lips twist. “Aubrey?” “Yes?” “Why didn’t you tell him about me? That I was the reason you were out of town.” And now I realize what that expression is: hurt.

And you’re an idiot.

“Why wouldn’t I be jealous, or hurt, or whatever you want to call it, when you get a call like that and don’t think it important enough to tell me about it yourself? Like I don’t matter in your world, like I don’t even register,” Blake retorts, arms folded tight across his chest.

Can you really be so dense as to not see this?!

“To be honest, I’m having a hard time believing any of this is real. That someone like you would want someone like…well, me. Ordinary Aubrey. And yes, you’re right, I have too many ghosts, and I didn’t handle that call well, and I should have set some fucking limits, but I didn’t. And I’m scared to actually like you too much, because you’re going to go back to America next week, and where does that leave me? Alone yet again, that’s what.”

😢

What’s wrong with me that I didn’t tell him to fuck off right away?

Exactly! WTF is wrong with you?

“The floor. There’re gouges and things. Some splintered bits. They’re talking about fixing things this weekend. I don’t know.”

And the hole in the wall. He never mentions that.

“We broke up,” Eli says quietly, staring in the vicinity of our feet. Blood pounds in my ears as I try to absorb this news. Am I hearing right?

Oh Christ. Don’t do it Aubrey. Don’t fall for it.

“How about Red, White & Royal Blue and Boyfriend Material? A couple of recent queer romances.”