Girl Crush

Chapter 38

 Dani slowly opened her eyes as she heard a knocking on her bedroom door. She tried to get up but found she was pinned to the bed. Eddie's arm had her waist in a lock and his leg was flopped over hers, hooking behind her calf. She attempted to shake him but he just mumbled, pressing his face against her neck and pulling her closer. Dani grinned like an idiot because it was sometimes still so hard to believe that she was allowed to enjoy this now.

"Eddie? Dani?" her mom called through the door. "Just wanted to let you guys know that school is canceled so you can go back to sleep if you want. I'm going to head out to clear some snow so I can get to work."

"Damn it..." Eddie mumbled, pressing his lips against her neck gently. "I have to get up. I can't let your mom go out and do all that."

He rose slowly with a sigh, stretching his arms high before grabbing his shirt from the floor and tugging it over his head. Dani figured she should get up too and help so she grabbed her sweatpants and tugged them on before digging in her closet for her snow boots.

""What are you doing there, princess?" he asked, sitting on the edge of her bed and lacing up his boots. Eddie's usual sneakers got swapped for combat boots in the winter. He was not a fan of wet feet.

"I'm getting ready so I can come help take care of the snow," Dani explained.

"Nope," he insisted, shaking his head. Walking over, he took the boots from her and tossed them back in her closet. "I got it. You stay in here all toasty warm so I can snuggle up with you when I get back in."

"Oh yeah?" she asked with a smile.

"Absolutely," he grinned, kissing her.

They headed downstairs to find her mom grabbing her coat. Eddie stopped her and told her he had it. Grabbing his coat off the hook, he pulled it on, along with a red winter hat that he hated but wore because his ears always got cold. It smushed those waves down but they rebelled, looking as if they would pop that hat off at any given moment.

"You look so adorable right now, I can't even stand it," Dani teased but completely meant it.

"Shut it...living in this place I have to make some sacrifices if I don't want to freeze to death," he mumbled and then he headed out the door.

"That boy is so sweet," her mom said, heading toward the kitchen.

"The sweetest," Dani agreed, following her.

Dani moved to the coffee pot, pouring herself a cup. Standing there, relishing the warmth of the coffee between her hands, she watched out the front window as Eddie shoveled pile after pile of snow off the driveway. He had always been thoughtful when it came to her mom, but somehow it just meant so much more now that he was her boyfriend.

"You know," her mom said, coming up next to her with her own coffee, "you dad used to always do that kind of stuff for me. I never even had to think about it. I would wake up and the driveway would already be cleared and my car would be cleaned off and running so it would be warm. It's nice having someone around who still thinks about those things."

Dani eyes welled with tears again at the mention of her father. Him and her mom had such an amazing love, it was almost unbelievable. It was the kind of thing most people told you didn't really exist. Dani had always known it existed because she'd seen it in front of her but she'd never expected to find her own.

"I didn't think it was possible but I really do think I found what you and Dad had," Dani admitted, her eyes still on Eddie as he slid across the drive, arms waving for balance, before catching himself. She giggled.

"Oh sweetheart, I know you have," her mom countered, bumping her hip against hers. "I know you guys are young, but Eddie is something really special. I've always known that. You don't find many guys who are so thoughtful, kind, and empathetic at his age. He's definitely one of a kind. Don't let him get away."