17. Mylo

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

MYLO

The evening air was cool, and the sun was mostly gone for the day when we came out of the cinema. Holden's fingers were wrapped around mine, his grip firm and steady. It was ridiculous how much comfort I found in that—in him.

It felt like he was saying to everyone, I'm with him... and he didn't care who knew it.

We'd just walked out of the cinema, and honestly? It had been perfect in that low-key kind of way—sitting next to him in the dark, our fingers brushing together in the popcorn we were sharing. I'd never done the whole making out in the theater thing before, and I had to admit, it was really fun.

Now, we were heading toward the ice cream shop I'd spotted earlier. Holden insisted that he owed me for letting him pick the movie.

"So, tell me again why you thought that action movie was romantic?" I teased, nudging his shoulder lightly as we walked. This wasn't my first time in town, but I'd only popped in a couple of times with Noah—and usually just for an errand. I'd never strolled down the street like this.

The street was lined with small shops, each with its own charm.

Holden looked at me, his lips lifting in that half-smile that always made my stomach do flips. "Hey, it was romantic. The guy literally almost died trying to save her. It definitely falls into the romance category."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help but smile. "Sure, if you ignore all the explosions and, you know, cars flying."

He shrugged, squeezing my hand as he looked ahead. "Details, details."

The ice cream shop came into view—a small place, tucked between a bakery and a cute little baby boutique. I tried not to stare too hard at that one, even though my brain—or maybe it was my heart... or both—kept imagining a time when Holden and I might have to go in there because we were expecting a little one of our own.

Don't run before you can walk, Mylo... baby steps.

The sign above the door was faded, but the window was decorated with colorful scoops and little doodles of sprinkles and cherries. It looked homey, and honestly, that's all I wanted right now—just something simple.

Holden opened the door for me, and I walked inside, the bell above the door chiming softly. The scent of freshly made waffle cones hit me, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. This was what happiness was supposed to feel like—easy and light, like I wasn't carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders for once.

We made our way to the counter, and I pretended to study the flavors, even though my mind was only half there. The other half was busy memorizing every detail about Holden—the way his eyes crinkled at the corners as he watched me, the way he stood just a little closer than he needed to. Like he wanted me near him.

"I'm going with chocolate," Holden said, interrupting my thoughts. He leaned in a little, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But if you want to get the mint chip, I promise not to make fun of you."

I let out an exaggerated gasp. "Mint chip is a classic, okay? It's refreshing."

"It's toothpaste," he countered, his grin widening.

"You just don't appreciate the finer things in life," I said, giving him a playful glare before turning back to the teenager behind the counter. "One scoop of mint chip, please."

"Sorry, Holden, I have to agree," the kid at the counter said with a grin, and I shot Holden a smug look.

"Not you too, Davie," Holden groaned, shaking his head as he handed over the cash to pay for both of us before I could even think to argue.

We grabbed our cones and found a spot near the window, sitting on one of the stools as we watched people pass by outside. I could feel Holden's knee brushing against mine, and every little touch sent sparks skittering up my skin. It was crazy—how something so simple could feel so big. I'd spent so long wanting this—wanting someone to care about me, wanting to feel like I belonged. And now, here I was, holding hands with the guy who made me feel all of that and more.

"Hey," Holden said softly, drawing my attention back to him. His eyes were warm, searching mine, and he looked almost hesitant. "I'm really glad we're doing this."

I swallowed, my heart doing that stupid, fluttery thing it did whenever he looked at me like that—like I was the only thing that mattered. "Me too," I whispered, giving his hand a squeeze.

We were still sitting there, our cones half-eaten when the door opened, and a voice cut through the moment.

"Mylo?"

My stomach dropped, and even though I wished it wasn't, there he was—Chuck his arm around him. His mate. Something inside me twisted. It was the same guy from that day at the house, and maybe I'd been too shocked last time, but this time, I really took him in. He was handsome—tall, athletic, the kind of guy who looked like he had it all together. The kind of guy Chuck would be with.

I forced a smile, even though my insides were in knots. "Chuck," I said, nodding at him. My voice came out steady, which I was kind of proud of, all things considered.

"Wow, it's been a while," Chuck said, his eyes flicking to Holden, then back to me. There was something in his gaze—something smug, like he thought he still had a hold over me. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Holden shifted beside me, his presence solid and reassuring, and he slid his arm around my waist, pulling me a little closer. "Yeah, well, Mylo's here with me," he said, his voice calm but firm. He looked at Chuck, his gaze steady, unflinching. "Mylo's mine."

Something about the way he said it—so sure, so certain—made the tension in my chest loosen, just a little. Chuck raised a brow, his lips curling into a smirk, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he just gave a nod, his eyes lingering on me for a second longer before he turned away, his mate following him out of the shop.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, my shoulders slumping as the door closed behind them. Holden's arm stayed around me, his thumb brushing against my side in slow, soothing strokes.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice soft, his eyes searching mine.

I nodded, leaning into him. "Yeah. I just… I wasn't expecting that."

Holden's brow furrowed, his gaze darkening. "He didn't bother you, did he?"

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "It's just weird, seeing him again. I mean, after everything that happened…" I trailed off, not really wanting to go down that road. Not now. Not when things were finally starting to feel good.

Holden was quiet for a moment, then he nodded, his arm tightening around me just a little. "If he ever bothers you—if he ever tries anything—you tell me, okay?"

There was a fierceness in his voice that made my heart swell. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes, and I could see it there—the protectiveness, the care. He meant it. He would stand by me, fight for me if it ever came to that.

I smiled, my chest tightening in the best way. "Okay. I promise."

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, and I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into the warmth of him, the safety of it. Of him.

We stayed like that for a while, just sitting there, his arm around me, the world outside the window moving on without us. And for once, I didn't feel like I was on the outside looking in. I felt like I was right where I was supposed to be.

"You know," Holden said after a while, his voice lightening, "I think we've still got time to hit up Everwild before they close. I've got a couple of things I need to pick up, and I haven't checked in with them for some time."

I blinked up at him, surprised. "The Everwild Outfitters store here?"

"Yeah," he said, grinning. "Did I forget to mention that? My family owns it. It's kind of our thing."

I stared at him, my jaw dropping slightly. "You mean… your family owns Everwild? Like, the whole thing?"

Holden chuckled, nodding. "Yep. It started here, and now it's all over. I guess you could say we've been pretty lucky."

"Wow," I said, shaking my head. "I had no idea. That's… that's amazing."

He shrugged, but there was a hint of pride in his eyes. "Yeah, it's something. Come on, let's go. I'll give you the grand tour."

That feeling like he was maybe out of my league returned...

He stood, taking my hand, and I let him lead me out of the shop, our ice cream long forgotten. As we walked down the street, his fingers laced with mine, I felt it again—that sense of belonging. It felt like Holden was my person, and I was his. And whatever came our way, we could face it together.

Maybe it was too soon, and maybe I should be more careful, but I couldn't help it. I was too damn happy.

We got to Everwild Outfitters, the sign above the door familiar now that I knew the story behind it. Holden pushed the door open, the bell chiming softly, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as we stepped inside.