Chapter 5: More Than Just Fun and Games
1517 Words
The next few days blur together, filled with more impromptu visits from the triplets, more shared moments at the Cozy Cup, and more times when I catch myself laughing at Ethan’s jokes or enjoying the warmth of Matthew’s smile. The ice rink has become a second home, and even Lucas’s reserved nature has grown more relaxed.
It’s Thursday afternoon when Matthew shows up at my work, a grin spreading across his face as he steps through the door. The Cozy Cup is humming with the usual holiday buzz, a mix of chatter and the whirring of the espresso machine.
“Moraine,” Matthew calls, making me turn around from the register where I’m ringing up an order. The sight of him makes my heart skip, a feeling that’s becoming all too familiar.
“Matthew, what are you doing here?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Getting coffee, of course.” He leans against the counter with practiced ease. “But mainly, I came to see you.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Did you just come to interrupt my shift?”
He shrugs, the playful smile not leaving his face. “Pretty much.”
I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head as I finish the order for the customer in front of me. When they walk away, I lean against the counter, eyes narrowing.
“Seriously, you can’t just come and go as you please.”
Matthew leans closer, his eyes searching mine. “I think I can when I’m trying to win you over.”
I feel the heat creep up my neck at his words. I’m not used to this attention, especially not from someone like Matthew Harper. The man is charismatic and self-assured, and here he is, acting like he’s trying to convince me he’s not a spoiled rich kid.
“Can we talk after your shift?” he asks, lowering his voice.
I sigh. “I don’t know, Matthew. It’s been a busy week.”
“You’ll be done by 5, right?” he asks, eyes hopeful.
“Yeah, but—”
He interrupts me, the smirk returning to his lips. “I’ll be here.”
I cross my arms, trying to look annoyed but failing. “You’re impossible.”
He shrugs, his smile only widening. “You like it.”
By 5:30, my shift is over, and I’m exhausted. I walk into the back of the café to change out of my apron, and by the time I come back to the main area, Matthew is sitting at one of the booths, looking as casual as ever, his legs stretched out in front of him and his hands clasped behind his head.
“Didn’t think you’d show,” he says, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Don’t get cocky,” I say, walking over and taking the seat across from him.
“You’re not going to say no to me when I ask you to dinner, are you?”
I try to resist, but I’m already smiling. “You’re so full of yourself.”
“Guilty.”
“I don’t even know what you’d want with someone like me,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. The moment the sentence is out there, I wish I could take it back.
Matthew’s smile softens, and he leans forward, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by something more serious. “Because you’re different. Because you don’t play games. And because I want to get to know you.”
I feel my breath catch in my throat. This isn’t how things are supposed to go. The rich, popular guys don’t go for the girl who keeps her head down and focuses on work. They go for the pretty, popular girls who’ve got it all figured out. But here he is, saying things that make my heart ache with longing and doubt.
“Why?” I whisper.
“Because I see you,” he says simply. “And I think you’re worth it.”
The door swings open, and Ethan walks in, his bright smile cutting through the tension like a hot knife. “Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all,” Matthew says, looking over at him. “Join us.”
Ethan takes the seat beside me, looking at both of us with his usual mischievous glint. “Did I come at a bad time?”
“Not at all,” I say, glancing between the two of them. “We were just… talking.”
“About dinner,” Matthew adds. “And how she’s going to say yes.”
Ethan looks at me, his eyes wide with exaggerated shock. “You’re going to say yes to him? Really?”
I laugh, the tension from earlier melting away. “We’ll see, Ethan.”
“Better make up your mind,” Ethan teases. “Or we’ll just keep showing up at your café until you do.”
Matthew shakes his head with a grin. “You’re insufferable, Ethan.”
“But you love it,” Ethan replies, leaning back in the booth and smirking at me.
The days pass in a warm blur of unexpected moments. We have dinner together at the diner, spend time skating on the lake, and even help out at the town’s holiday charity event, wrapping gifts and serving hot cider to the guests. It’s strange and wonderful, like I’ve been living in a story I never thought could happen to me.
On Saturday, I get a call from Lucas. It’s the first time he’s called me alone, and I’m surprised by the sound of his voice on the other end.
“Moraine,” he says, a hint of uncertainty in his usually steady tone. “Do you have any plans tonight?”
I’m sitting on my bed, surrounded by half-wrapped presents and the soft glow of Christmas lights strung across my window. “Nothing specific, why?”
“Would you like to join us at the ice rink tonight? Just the four of us,” he says, and for a moment, I hear the faintest note of hope in his voice.
I hesitate. I’ve grown used to seeing them all together, but this would be different. Just the four of us.
“Sure,” I say, surprised at how easy it was to agree.
“Great,” he says, the edge of tension in his voice melting away. “See you at 7.”
The lake looks even more magical at night, with fairy lights strung along the trees and the sound of holiday music playing softly from a nearby speaker. There’s a light snowfall, the flakes falling gently around us as we lace up our skates.
Matthew and Ethan are already racing across the ice, their laughter ringing out across the frozen lake. Lucas is standing off to the side, hands in his pockets, watching me.
“Ready?” he asks, the hint of a smile playing on his lips.
I nod, and he holds out his hand. I take it, and we step out onto the ice together.
“Is this what you had in mind?” I ask, surprised at how calm I feel.
“Something like this,” Lucas replies, his eyes meeting mine.
The night is quiet, except for the sound of skates on ice and the distant laughter of Ethan and Matthew. There’s a kind of peace in it, a feeling that’s different from anything I’ve known before.
“You know, Moraine,” Lucas says, breaking the silence, “there’s more to this than just fun and games.”
I look at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. “What do you mean?”
He skates a little closer, leaning in so only I can hear. “We all have our reasons for being here. For wanting to be with you. And I think it’s more than just a holiday fling.”
I can’t help but smile. The night is so perfect that it feels almost unreal, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m dreaming.
“You think so?”
“I know so,” Lucas says, holding my gaze as the snow falls around us.
Ethan and Matthew come over, their faces flushed with excitement. “We’re making a snowman!” Ethan announces, pointing to a spot near the edge of the lake where the snow is perfect for packing.
“Come on, Moraine, Lucas!” Matthew calls, already rolling a giant snowball.
I laugh and reach for Lucas’s hand. “Let’s make a snowman.”
Lucas smiles, taking my hand in his as we follow the others. The laughter, the cold air, the snow—it’s all perfect in a way I never expected. And as I watch Ethan and Matthew make silly snowman accessories and Lucas laugh beside me, I can’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, this holiday season is exactly what I needed.
And maybe, just maybe, the triplets were right. There is something special here, and I’m starting to believe it.
- Writer
