Page 116 of Not Looking
Randy’s face lit up. “You get it.”
Papa and my sweet omega took several minutes to discuss their favorite horrible movies, then my parents declared that it was time for them to head out to a party.
Randy seemed so content as the call ended and he headed into the kitchen to make popcorn.
Introducing him to my parents over the video call had definitely been the right idea.
I dimmed the lights, but left the small tree in the corner lit—its soft lights casting colorful dots on the wall. Under it sat several presents that we’d agreed to exchange in the morning.
Then my sweet omega nestled into my arms so we could start our movie binge session.
∞∞∞
~New Year's Eve~
Bitter cold seeped through my heavy coat and settled along my spine. My ass felt like it was frozen in place, despite the thermals under my ski pants. The roaring fire in front of us barely cut through the chill.
There was nowhere I’d rather be—because Randy was beside me.
We’d hiked up to the clearing and set up a tent. The plan was to watch fireworks that the resort set off every year over the lake at midnight.
But I also had something much more important in mind—an idea that had started to form that day when Harrison and I were discussing my lacking dowry during the December slowdown, and strengthened as my sweet omega told me about how alphas had abandoned him over and over.
I wanted my beautiful Randy to enter the new year without a doubt in his mind that I’d chosen him, and that I’d always choose him.
My watch beeped, and I pulled the glove of the opposite hand off so that I could silence the alarm.
I leaned over and kissed Randy’s cheek under where the edge of his beanie sat.
“I’m going to start the heater,” I murmured.
He smiled at me and nodded. “Ok.”
I ducked into the tent and turned on a tiny propane heater. The ceramic started to turn orange as it heated, casting the tent in a warm light. I checked the carbon monoxide detector, then left the tent again.
Randy was standing over the fire, a fresh log on top. The wood let out loud pops and crackles as the flame started to catch.
I smiled as I made my way over and pulled him into a kiss. “Are you having a nice night?”
He grinned against my lips. “Yeah.”
“Good.” I led him back over to where we’d been sitting and tugged him against my side. “Do we need to head back down early to let Russy out?”
“No,” Randy replied. “I put down a potty pad for him, and he knows how to use it if necessary. He’s got plenty of food and water, so he should be ok.”
“Ok,” I said.
Randy chuckled. “He’s more comfortable down there than he’d be up here, even if he thinks he likes the cold.”
I laughed. “That’s probably true.”
Randy let out a long content sigh. “This is nice.”
“Mm-hmm,” I agreed.
A breeze made the bare branches above us skitter against each other; a second later, it brought the sounds of people celebrating at the resort. Somebody had said something that made a cheer rise from the crowd.
I forced myself from his side and set a grate over the fire. Then I poured some cider into a blue-and-white speckled kettle and placed it on the grate.
