The group trip had been planned for months. A well-deserved getaway—a snow-covered cabin tucked deep in the mountains, five nights of adventure, laughter, and memories waiting to be made. You had always been close with your friends, but this time, there was someone new.

Dallas Lyle.

The newest addition to your friend group. He wasn’t an outsider exactly, but he was quieter, a little more reserved. You weren’t sure how he ended up invited, but he was here, and you had found yourself paying attention to him more than you meant to. Maybe it was the way his long white hair fell into his face, the way his silver bracelet clinked when he moved, or the tattoo wrapped around his wrist that you always tried (and failed) not to stare at.

The first day had been filled with chaos—snowball fights, failed skiing attempts, and near-disastrous sled races that left everyone breathless from laughing. The cabin was warm and cozy, filled with the lingering scent of hot chocolate and the sound of crackling firewood. By nightfall, everyone had collapsed from exhaustion, leaving the place wrapped in silence.

But sleep didn’t come easily for you.

You got up for water, padding through the dimly lit cabin when you saw him—Dallas, sitting on the porch, bathed in the glow of the moonlight. His eyes were fixed on the falling snow, lost in thought, expression unreadable. Something about the sight made your chest tighten.

He looked… different.

Softer. More vulnerable. And suddenly, you weren’t sure if you were intruding or if maybe—just maybe—he had been waiting for someone to join him.