19. Sean

19

Sean

" S ean, I found a baseball on the shelf with the games. Will you go outside and play catch with me?" Edward asked. He was practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"Sure, I'll be glad to. Get your coat on." Sean grinned as Edward ran toward the coat rack.

Sean knew exactly how Edward was feeling. The resort really was a great place, but it was starting to become claustrophobic. People were starting to get moody. Everyone was doing the best that they could, but it was hard being cramped together. He also suspected that a couple people weren't using their allotted five-minute shower time wisely – or at all. A musty smell seemed to constantly hang in the air.

Sawyer saw them putting on their outside gear. "Where are you two going?"

"I found a baseball and we're going to play catch. Do you want to play with us?"

"I'd love to." Sawyer reached for his boots and started dressing in his gear.

The three of them played ball for about an hour. Edward laughed as he fell in the snow a few times, trying to reach to catch the ball. He also fell a few times throwing the ball. The snow wasn't as deep as it was, but it still went up to his knees in some spots and to his waist in others.

Sean saw that the boy was starting to get cold. "I think you should go inside and warm up. Have some hot chocolate."

"I'm having fun, though," Edward said.

"So are we, but remember, you were half frozen to death a couple days ago. We don't need to risk you getting sick," Sawyer reminded him.

"We'll play again later or tomorrow," Sean promised, tossing him the ball.

Edward brightened a little. "Okay."

The two men watched him go inside. Sean leaned against the porch railing, the cold mountain air biting his skin, as he stared out over the white expanse of endless snow.

"What's on your mind?" Sawyer asked.

"I'm worried about Edward. He's such a great kid."

"He is, and he seems to have formed a kind of hero worship for you."

Sean sighed and dusted the snow off his knees where he dove into the snow to retrieve the ball. "That's what I'm concerned about. But once we get off this mountain, I'll likely never see him again. We live in two different towns and even if we didn't, Elliot would never let him associate with me. I'm just a dirty, murderous shifter, you know."

"For a brief moment, it seemed like Elliot might be easing up a bit. He did thank you for saving Edward and protecting Xyla while you looked for the boy."

Sean shook his head. "It was a moment of weakness. He's been a complete ass ever since. I'm waiting to wake up to find a knife in my chest or my throat cut."

"Elliot is definitely someone I would never turn my back to, then. I don't think he would do anything while you were looking, but he would certainly attack you from behind and cut your throat in a heartbeat."

"Yes, he would."

Sawyer patted him on the back. "Edward's a great kid and is mature enough to know that his father's views aren't right. As a matter of fact, I'm not really sure that he even likes or respects his father much."

"True, although I hate that for him, but it might be what saves him. Edward will see his father's hatred for what it is and decide to take another path."

"We can only hope."

Sean decided to change the topic. "I see that Ellie is still trying to get your attention."

Sawyer laughed. "She's undecided about whether she wants to flirt with me or Tristan."

Raising his eyebrows, Sean asked, "Well?"

"She's a nice enough girl, but I'm not interested in getting intimate with her. I'm saving myself for someone special."

"Sawyer, my friend, that ship has sailed."

"No, virginity is a frame of mind. Besides, Rene Descartes said, ‘I think, therefore I am.' I think I'm a virgin, therefore I am a virgin."

Sean groaned. "Oh, brother. You are terrible."

"Thank you. I'm also hungry, and it's lunchtime."

They enjoyed Franny's chili and homemade cornbread. It was clear that after everyone ate, people were restless.

Sean stood up. "I think this calls for a war. I suggest we form teams to build snow forts outside and create arsenals of snowballs. Then, we have an all-out war."

A few of them looked at him skeptically, but he grinned back at them.

"Come on, guys. Think about it. We'll go outside, split into teams, build some forts, stockpile ammunition, and then go at it. It'll be the best snowball war this mountain has ever seen. Besides, it beats sitting inside, twiddling our thumbs."

Darren raised his fist in the air. "Great idea. War has been declared. I'm in."

All of the guests, except Elliot, pulled on their coats and other winter clothing and headed outside. Sawyer, Edward, and Sean made up one team. The women made a third team, and Darren, Tristan, and Blake formed the third team.

"Everyone has two hours to build their forts and stockpile as many snowballs as you possibly can. After that, it's war," Sean called.

"Alright, Edward. Do you want to help make the foundation for the fort or start making snowballs?"

"Snowballs," he shouted.

"Alright. Make us enough that we can win this war. Pack them tightly."

Edward immediately started scooping snow into his hands enthusiastically. "I'm going to make huge snowballs. They'll never know what hit them."

Sawyer laughed. "Don't make them so big that we can't throw them."

"I won't."

For the next two hours, the three of them worked furiously. Sawyer and Sean packed snow and made a solid wall that was sure to deflect the onslaught of their mortal enemies. Edward continued to produce ammunition like a little snowball manufacturing company.

By the time the two hours were up, they had a strong fort and a huge stash of ammunition.

Sean stood up and threw the first snowball at Xyla, catching her right in the face. "I declare war on you miscreants."

Laughter filled the air as people ducked behind their forts, armed themselves, lobbed their ammunition, and got hit. Sean couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun, ducking from incoming snowballs and returning fire.

The three of them fought hard but soon found themselves surrounded by the members of the other two teams. It seemed that they had formed an alliance.

By the time the fight was over, all ten of them looked like walking snow creatures. Laughing, they walked toward the front door.

Ginny saw them coming and stepped outside with a couple of brooms. "None of you guys are coming inside looking like that. You guys are going to sweep yourselves off first."

They walked back into the yard and took turns sweeping each other off. By the time they finished, there was a huge new pile of snow. The group went back to the door and Ginny decided that they were decent enough to come inside.

Edward hugged Sean and said, "Thanks. That was the best ever."

"Glad you had fun, Kiddo."

The boy quickly shed his outerwear and ran into the dining room in search of hot chocolate and marshmallows. The rest of the group followed suit until he and Xyla were left alone in the foyer.

She smiled at him and Sean's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes were warm and full of an emotion that he didn't dare name. She had changed so much since their first couple of days at the resort.

"You're so good with him."

Sean shrugged. "He's a great kid. He's hard not to like."

Her smile widened, and for a minute, they stood there, looking at each other. A warmth spread through Sean that had nothing to do with the fire in the hearth.

Xyla broke the silence. "I guess we'd better get some hot chocolate before Edward drinks it all."

Laughing, they headed into the dining room.

Dinner was ready an hour later. It seemed that everyone was in a much better mood. Apparently, the snowball fight had been exactly what they needed. The group decided to rewatch the cult classic movie, The Lost Boys. Sean liked the movie, although Marko, played by Alex Winter, would always be Bill, from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, pretending to be a vampire.

Somehow, the resort had gotten a lot smaller and the walls were closing in. Sean had to get some breathing room. Taking advantage of the darkness, he quickly donned his coat, gloves, and boots, and slipped outside. He took an armload of wood that should be enough to get him through the night and walked to his and Sawyer's cabin. He slid down the much smaller tunnel, as the snow had melted, unlocked the door, and went inside.

He had just got the fire going when the cabin door opened. Whirling around, he was surprised to see Xyla slipping inside and closing the door behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I want to spend some time with you."

Sean looked at her for a couple of seconds. "What about your father?"

"Dad would be very angry if he knew I was here, but he took some sleeping pills and went to bed right after dinner. He'll never know I was gone."

"We're both adults. I really don't like the idea of sneaking around like a couple of horny high school kids." The words came out more harshly than he intended.

Xyla blushed and lowered her head. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed. "I know. I don't like it either, but I really want to be with you. I just don't want to deal with Dad's anger. It would be so different if we weren't all packed together on this damned mountain like sardines. Here, there's no way to escape him, and his nastiness is unbearable."

Sean looked at her, undecided. He wanted so much to pull her to him and make wild passionate love to her, but he hated the dishonesty surrounding their situation.

Sensing his conflict, Xyla walked over to him, put her hand on his chest, and looked into his eyes. "Please, Sean. Please let me have tonight."