Ch. Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 23 Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 23

Chapter 2 

I didn’t say anything else. I just went to bed. 

The next morning, I woke up to voices in the living room. 

Sean and Emma were back from their morning run. They were laughing about something. 

I walked out and saw them standing by the door. Both in running clothes. Both flushed and out of breath. 

Emma was saying something about almost giving up halfway. 

Sean smiled. “That’s because you stayed up too late again. We’ll go easier tomorrow.” 

Three years ago, I asked if we could start running together in the mornings. 

He said no. He needed that time to himself. 

I asked if we could at least take walks after dinner. 

He said he was too tired after work. 

But every single morning for the past three years, he’d been running with Emma. 

Rain or shine. 

He saw me and stopped. 

“Hey. You’re up.” 

He was holding a bag from the coffee shop down the street. 

“Got breakfast. You want some?” 

I didn’t need to look inside. 

Almond croissants. Iced lattes with almond milk. 

Emma’s favorites. 

The same almonds that sent me to the ER two years ago. 

10 COL 

Chapter 2 

Sean had been there. He held my hand through the whole thing. He even took a picture of my medical bracelet so he wouldn’t forget. 

But every time he brought breakfast home, it was almond croissants and almond milk lattes. 

Twenty years with Emma. He knew her order by heart. 

I looked at him. 

“Sean.” 

He glanced up. 

“Why do you keep forgetting I’m allergic to almonds?” 

Sean stopped smiling. 

Before he could say anything, Emma laughed. “Oh god, that’s my fault. I kept begging him to try that place.” 

She touched his arm. “But next time you’ll ask Nora first, right?” 

Sean nodded. 

Next time. 

There was never a next time. 

Emma was already walking toward the bathroom. “I’m gonna jump in the shower.” 

“Towels are where they always are,” Sean called after her. 

Where they always are. 

I knew exactly where. Second shelf. Pink towel. Her body wash. Her lotion. 

Sean couldn’t remember to buy toilet paper. But he always remembered to restock Emma’s things. 

I stood in the middle of the living room and realized I felt like a guest in my own home. 

I couldn’t stay there. 

I grabbed my bag. 

Sean glanced up. “Where are you going?” 

“Out.” 

for Me? Ice Melts and So Did My Love! 

18.9% 

Chapter 2 

He didn’t ask where. He was already setting out plates for Emma. 

The second I stepped outside, I could breathe again. 

I had calls to make. The dress. The venue. All of it. 

At the bridal shop, the woman at the desk saw me and her face lit up. 

“Nora! Did Sean come with you this time?” 

I shook my head. 

Her smile faded. 

I’d been in six times. Sean hadn’t shown up once. 

The first few times, she tried to be kind about it. “He must be swamped at work.” 

By the sixth time, she stopped pretending. 

When she handed me the cancellation form, she paused. 

“You deserve someone who shows up.” 

I didn’t trust myself to answer. I just left. 

Outside, my throat felt tight. 

A stranger could see what I couldn’t for five years. 

By the time I finished canceling everything, the sun was setting. 

My phone rang. Sean’s mom. 

“Nora, sweetheart, dinner’s almost ready. You coming?” 

Then, lighter, like it was nothing: “Sean and Emma are already here.” 

♡ (0) 

(0)