Chapter 1
Adeline Graham only has one goal in order to survive winter break:
Avoid being home at all costs.
So when she runs into Bruno Holt, her old crush who she hasn't seen since high school, she can't resist hanging out with him—even though she knows she should be staying far, far away.
What Adeline doesn't know is that Bruno already has big plans for them.
And when those include spending time together at her family's log cabin in the middle of nowhere, Adeline can't decide whether it's going to be a complete disaster or the best two weeks of winter break ever.
Only one thing is for certain.
First love never dies.
It's the day after New Year's and I'm at a bar.
It doesn't exactly seem like the right way to start a new year, especially since I already went out last night and it's a Monday.
But given that I'm on winter break and don't have anything else better to do during the next two weeks, I give myself a pass.
That and the fact that whenever I come back home, I can't seem tostayhome.
Home.
What an interesting word that is.
Its meaning changed for me in high school, and now that I'm halfway through my junior year in college, it's lost its meaning altogether.
I don't know where home is anymore.
I guess for now it's somewhere between here in Greymars and my dorm room back in Windhelm.
As unappealing as my dorm room is, I can't wait to go back.
"Adeline!
We're doing another round!"
My friend Celia from high school is excited, trying to grab my attention away from the hockey game I'm watching on TV.
She's the only reason I'm here.
I haven't been the best at keeping in touch with my high school friends over the years, but luckily she's my connection to still having somewhat of a social life in this town.
I turn around to find another shot of tequila being poured in front of me.
It's still weird for me to be able to drink legally at a bar.
I officially turned twenty-one two months ago, but I still feel like I'm out of place and shouldn't be here.
I take the shot with Celia and the rest of our group, following it with a bite of lime and washing it down with beer to diffuse the flavor.
I go back to watching the hockey game.
The Icehawks are in the middle of a power play.
It looks like they might score any second.
"Adeline, are you listening to me?"
"Huh?"
"Bruno Holt just walked in with the Gordon twins.
Can you believe it?"
Immediately, my back stiffens.
Bruno?
There's no way he's here.
I peek over my shoulder because I can't believe it.
Sure enough, I see him standing at the other side of the bar.
Dammit, he's wearing a baseball cap too.
Why does he always have to look so good in them?
Before I can stop gawking at him, he looks directly at me and ...did he just wink at me?
My cheeks heat up, and quickly, I turn my head.
Stop it, Adeline.
You're not fourteen anymore.
I take a sip of my beer to cool down.
Celia stares at me with her mouth open.
"Did Bruno just—"
"No.
He must've thought I was someone else."
"Really, Adeline?
That's what you're going with?"
I shrug.
There's no other way to explain it.
I haven't seen him since we graduated from high school, and even then, the last time we spoke was in the eighth grade.
My mind floods with memories of my younger self, and I cringe just thinking about it.
There's absolutely no reason for him to be winking at me.
"I'll be back," I say, heading to the bathroom.
I take a deep breath once inside, trying to gather my thoughts.
It's crazy that he still affects me like this.
I'm suddenly transported back to my high school locker where we avoided each other, even though his locker was right next to mine.
I tried to come up with the courage to say something to him, but all I got was a door slammed in my face.
Damn him.
A sharp pain fills my stomach and I grip the counter.
I should just leave.
Leave before my emotions get the best of me.
I'll tell Celia I'm tired and go.
It's what I should have done in the first place.
I exit the bathroom and halt when I find Bruno outside.
His expression is worried at first, but it quickly changes into the grin I forced myself to forget about years ago.
"Hey."
I know it's a simple greeting, but I almost feel like it's meant for someone else.
It's airy and light-hearted, devoid of layers of messed-up baggage.
"Hi," I respond, pretending to be normal.
"Do you have a minute?
I've been meaning to talk to you."
I want to tell himno, that I was just leaving, but I nod instead.
Stupid brain cells.
He guides us over to a high-top table and pulls out a chair for me.
This situation is becoming more bizarre by the minute, and I consider that he might be suffering from temporary amnesia.
"Do you want something to drink?" he asks, taking a seat in front of me.
I shake my head, already regretting the shots of tequila I've had tonight.
I want to be completely sober for this, even if it seems like a dream right now.
He takes off his baseball cap.
His wavy brown hair falls free before he smooths it down with his fingers.
I avert my gaze to stop wondering what it would feel like to be doing that myself.
"How's Windhelm?" he asks.
I didn't think he knew I moved there, let alone cared enough to ask.
Nobody asks me about Windhelm when I come home.
They like to tell me everything I've missed while I was gone.
"It's good.
You're in Ormond, right?"
"Yep.
Iskandor.
It's nice.
Good weather year-round.
Not like here.
I was never a fan of the snow."
Of course he got into Iskandor.
It's unfair when attractive people are smart also.
It's like an athlete simultaneously being a comedian.
You should only be allowed to be good at one.
"You look great, Adeline," Bruno says.
"Windhelm seems to agree with you."
His blue eyes shine at me, and I can't help but smile back at him.
I think it's the first time I've smiled since I've been back home.
"Thank you.
You look good too."Obviously.
I begin to wonder if our entire conversation is going to be like this.
Talking about how great our lives supposedly are.
About trivial things like the weather.
The conversations we used to have in middle school were never like this.
They were about movies and sports and whether Mr. Hines from history class was secretly the Night Stalker.
This just feels too ... adult.