Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Evan paused, just for a breath, then said, “Maybe stand a little closer to Liz–it’ll look nicer in the shot.”
But I knew that wasn’t what he’d said. Not really.
He didn’t offer to say it again, and I didn’t ask.
Instead, I slipped my arm around Liz’s shoulder- quietly, like that was the only thing that made sense to do.
I stood beside the snowman, smiling at the camera, but felt his gaze was somewhat burning.
“Are you done taking the picture?” I asked softly.
He seemed to have just snapped back to reality, pressing the shutter with several clicks, taking multiple shots in
succession.
“Let me see how they turned out.” I walked over and leaned close to him to look at the phone.
On the phone screen, we were illuminated brightly by the snow’s reflection. I was leaning quite close and could smell the scent of cedar and tobacco on him–faint, but enough to make my heart skip a beat.
His finger swiped across the screen as he asked in a low voice: “Do you like this one?”
I was looking down seriously at the photos, not noticing that he was extremely close to me, his voice almost against
my ear.
My heart tightened, and before I could answer, Liz’s voice suddenly came from behind us: “You two are standing so close together!”
Evan and I almost simultaneously straightened up, our eyes meeting briefly before looking away.
Liz, as if she hadn’t noticed anything, bounced back to the snowman and continued tying the scarf around it.
Playtime always passed quickly. By the time we finished taking photos, the sky had begun to darken.
Wisps of smoke were rising from the distant barbecue grill, and the aroma of food drifted through the air, mixed with the cold from the snowy ground, making it particularly enticing.
Lights began to turn on in the camp’s tents, casting warm glows that created soft halos on the white snow.
“Do you eat seafood?” Evan suddenly asked me.
“Yes.” I nodded.
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Alpha’s Regret: False Mate, True Luna
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Chapter 101
He picked out a few perfectly cooked seafood skewers and handed them to me, his fingers looking warm and distinct in the firelight.
When I took the skewers, my fingertips accidentally touched his for a moment, and I felt somewhat stunned.
There were more people at the campsite than I had expected. The tents weren’t densely distributed, but it was still lively, with faint sounds of laughter and children playing.
I heard there would be a bonfire party later, and it seemed some people were already preparing music and
firewood.
“Are you going to participate?” Evan turned to ask me.
Before I could answer, Liz had already thrown herself into my arms, her eyes sparkling: “Auntie, of course you have to join us!”
A gentle smile appeared on Evan’s face. He was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.
It was a call from Ethan.
He picked up the phone and walked a few steps away to answer.
“Want to go drinking later?” Ethan’s voice was as warm as usual.
“I won’t go. You guys go ahead.” Evan’s tone was indifferent.
“What’s wrong with you? You’ve been all mysterious lately, never coming to gatherings. What are you busy with?
At this moment, Liz bounced over again, holding a hot grilled wing: “Uncle, eat the grilled wing quickly!”
Evan bent down slightly and took the skewer from her hand.
Ethan on the other end of the phone had obviously heard this too. “Are you eating barbecue?”
“Yes.” His tone remained restrained and calm.
“Where?!” Ethan suddenly sounded energetic. “Outside?”
“Camping.” Evan responded concisely.
“Holy shit! You really know how to pick places! It’s been snowing these past few days–camping, barbecu snowball fights, and bonfires, perfect combination! How did I not think of this!”
As Ethan spoke, his speech suddenly quickened and his tone became suggestive: “Wait, something’s up with you, isn’t it? You’ve got someone, right? Where are you guys?”
“I’ll come over right now–no wait, I can call Ferris and the others, we’ll all come over!”
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Chapter 101
Evan didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he lowered the phone slightly, eyes drifting toward the fire where Liz was crouched, brushing ash from the side of a log. The glow from the flames caught in her hair, soft and flickering like something from a memory he
hadn’t had yet.
He brought the phone back to his ear.
“Ethan,” he said evenly, “you don’t even know where we are
“Give me fifteen minutes,” Ethan shot back. “I’ve got the group chat open. Drop a pin. I will find you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Evan turned slightly away from the fire, walking toward the edge of the campsite where the snow hadn’t been trampled flat. “We’re three hours out, and the road’s barely drivable.”
There was a pause on the line. He could hear Ethan breathing.
Then, with mock suspicion: “You’re dodging the question. That definitely means you’re not alone. Come on, Evan, who is she?”
(3)
