41. Tyler

Finally.

Finals were over. I was exhausted, but relieved. It felt like I could finally breathe, and I'd have time to shift my focus entirely on Jamie.

As I stumbled into the dorm, he looked up from his book, offering a nod of acknowledgment. Red-rimmed eyes met me, and the weight of the day laid heavy in the room—it was Mum's birthday. We had an unspoken agreement not to mention it, and I respected that as I gave him a silent kiss on the forehead before going straight to the kitchen. As I scoured the fridge, a thought crossed my mind to break my diet. Though what I really wanted was a drink.

Dad was always the one who orchestrated week-long celebrations for Mum's birthday. After he was gone, I kept up the tradition, though it always felt like rubbing salt in the wound. Jamie, never one to fake smiles, made it clear that my efforts were in vain. Now with Mum gone, I wondered how dad would keep her memory alive.

A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. I shot a look at Jamie, who was engrossed in his book. When he looked at me and shrugged, I moved to open it. Then my heart skipped a beat.

Hunter stood there in dark jeans and a hoodie, wearing that brown leather jacket that made his eyes shine.

"Boston," I sighed. I intended on sounding puzzled, but the smile he gave me swept that right out the window.

"Hey baby," mischief sparkled in his eyes as he held up a pair of skates. "So, I know a certain special someone in your life had something they never got to check off their bucket list…"

I clenched my teeth as rising tears blurred the image of Hunter in front of me. He remembered. It was one of those mindless conversations we had while cuddled in my bed, but he remembered. I peered over my shoulder to Jamie, who looked at Hunter with glossy eyes.

"Let me get changed." He shot off his bed and rummaged through his bag before darting into the bathroom.

"Hunter…"

"Don't thank me, Baby. Just because she isn't physically here doesn't mean we can't celebrate with her. Let's embrace the life she wanted."

I launched myself into his arms, the skates clattering to the floor so he could accommodate me. I wondered if this would ever get old, being in his arms—a loud voice in my mind shut that thought down almost as fast as it disappeared.

"Tyler, stop molesting your boyfriend and get changed!" Jamie demanded. "I want to skate!"

I let go of Hunter to see my brother rugged up to the nines with his own pair of skates in his hand. Jamie did like to skate, but MMA was something that he and dad could have together. It didn't hurt that he was good at it either. I saluted him and quickly went to get changed.

I came out of my room to see Hunter flicking through the book Jamie had been reading. "Have you read all her books?"

"Nah, I uh… Only just started," Jamie flustered. "I know they're for adults, but it kind of makes me feel closer to her. I hear her voice and …" Jamie trailed off, cheeks fire engine red.

I scuffed his hair. "I get it, kid. I never thought of that before but maybe now I'll start."

I watched his face relax. Mum did tend to write… let's be honest, it was smut. Maybe it wasn't appropriate for someone Jamie's age to be reading it, but I wasn't going to be the asshole to stop him if it was the one thing that brought him some comfort.

We stepped out of Hunter's car, greeted by the sight of an open ice rink. Families laughed and skated around, a distant melody of Christmas music filling the air. Inhaling the crisp, cold air, I took a mental snapshot of the scene before me as if I could capture it on a postcard and send it to wherever Mum might be now. Snowflakes clung to my lashes and my now too-long hair— a feature I hadn't had the heart to trim since it was Mum's favorite. Though the frigid weather made me miss my beard.

"It's cold as balls," Jamie exclaimed, rubbing his gloved hands together.

Hunter laughed. "Bloody Aussies," playfully mimicking an Australian accent that sounded more British. I went to playfully shove him, but he caught my hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

"Ugh, you two are nauseatingly cute. Let's go skate," Jamie suggested, heading to the concession stand to get our tickets.

I paid over his shoulder, and soon we were lacing up our skates. The first glide on the ice brought a familiar sense of peace. "Mum would have loved this," Jamie said with a mix of sadness and wonder, his gaze taking in the twinkling fairy lights above us. My hand found his shoulder and squeezed, knowing that my traitorous voice would betray the emotions I felt. Hunter's hand squeezed mine, offering me the strength to move forward.

Nestled between my guy and my brother, we slowly circled the rink, silent witnesses to the world around us under the night sky. A couple of kids zipped past us, the sound of their skates cutting through the ice serving as music to my ears. I smiled unconsciously.

Inspired by the kids, Hunter leaned forward and locked eyes with James. "So, James: are you as quick as your Ty here?"

Jamie grinned, never one to back down from a challenge. "Not even close. But I'm faster than you."

Hunter's lips played with a rare smile. "Oh, yeah? Want to bet?"

Jamie raised an eyebrow, meeting Hunter's gaze beneath his snug beanie. "If I win, I get the bedroom, and you two get the couch."

Laughter erupted from all of us in acknowledgment of the amusing proposition. "Sure, kid. Shake on it?" Hunter said, and they sealed the bet.

I positioned them side by side, my scarf in the air. "On the count of three."

The race began, and I leaned against the boards, watching as they dodged people in their pursuit. Hunter's longer legs effortlessly covered distance, but my little brother showcased surprising speed with his nimble legs. I caught the moment Hunter feigned exhaustion, and Jamie took the win. With a victorious grin, Jamie declared, "I won! Sofa for you two! Just keep it down because we all know Cal is the type to peek."

Bent over with laughter, Hunter and I enjoyed the banter. "Ah yes. But what you don't realize, is dorm beds are all springs. So the couch is softer—and un-christened."

Jamie's face twisted in disgust. "Ew! Okay, can I just have a hot Milo instead?"

Hunter looked confused.

"A hot chocolate," I explained. "But while we're teaching you Aussie terms, we call it hot choccy."

Hunter smiled, gliding to my side and wrapping his arm around my back. "Okay, baby, let's get you Aussies some hot choccys." His ‘Aussie accent" may have been terrible, but I found myself enjoying it from his lips. Unaware that I was staring at them, Hunter leaned down and kissed me, soothing me when I tensed in his arms.

"No one knows who we are here, so right now, you're mine."

I bit my lip in an attempt to restrain three little words from spilling out. We skated out of the rink, Hunter holding my hand under the twinkling lights. Even before the hot chocolate hit my system, I could feel the warmth of Mum watching over us. If she were here, she would be on the sidelines, a soft smile gracing her lips.