Chapter 34 - Hot Tub ♡︎

The cold air outside the house carried the sharp scent of pine and snow. When Olive, Jackie, Cole, and Alex stepped out onto the back patio, laughter and music from inside were replaced by the softer, more relaxed sound of voices and bubbling water. Across the yard, strings of white fairy lights were draped over the fence, glowing gently against the night sky.

"Hey! You guys made it out here!" Skylar called, leaning back in the steaming hot tub. Grace sat beside him, her hair pulled into a messy bun, while Nathan floated lazily on the opposite side, his cheeks pink from the heat.

Jackie smiled, rubbing her gloved hands together. "You guys are insane. It's freezing out here!"

Grace laughed. "That's the point! The cold makes the hot water feel even better. You should totally join us!"

Olive's eyes widened a little, glancing from the bubbling steam to her friends in the water. "We... we didn't bring swimsuits," she said softly, her voice almost lost under the sound of the jets.

"No worries!" Grace said cheerfully, hopping up to grab a towel from a nearby chair. "I brought extras — I figured someone might forget. There's a few in the guest bathroom inside. They should fit!"

Jackie looked at Olive and smiled teasingly. "Come on, Ollie. It could be fun. You've been tense all week. Maybe this is the perfect way to relax."

Olive hesitated, tugging at the sleeve of her coat. "I don't know... it's just... a lot of people."

Cole, standing beside her, smirked slightly and leaned down to whisper near her ear. "You'll be fine, tiny. I'll be there too." His voice carried that easy confidence that always seemed to make her cheeks warm.

She glanced up at him, blushing but managing a small smile. "You promise you won't splash me?"

"No promises," he said, grinning.

Nathan laughed from the hot tub. "If Cole splashes you, I'll splash him back, Olive. Teamwork, right?"

That made her giggle. Jackie nudged her gently. "See? Everyone's being nice. Come on — let's go grab those swimsuits. You'll thank me later."

Olive sighed softly but nodded, her nerves slowly melting into curiosity and excitement. As she and Jackie started back toward the house, Skylar called after them, "Don't take too long! The water's perfect!"

Cole watched Olive go, his grin fading into something softer, warmer. Alex noticed and gave his brother a knowing smirk. "You really can't take your eyes off her, can you?"

Cole shot him a look but didn't deny it. "Just making sure she doesn't freeze before she even gets in."

Alex laughed. "Right. Sure."

When Olive and Jackie stepped out from the house, the whole group seemed to pause for a beat. Grace grinned approvingly, immediately waving them over. "Finally! You two took forever—come on, it's freezing out here!" she called.

Jackie rolled her eyes but smiled, tugging her towel tighter around her shoulders. Olive, on the other hand, hesitated at the patio door, shifting her weight nervously from one foot to the other. The borrowed swimsuit felt like it belonged to someone far more confident than her—Grace's style, bold and a little daring. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, glancing down to make sure the towel still covered enough of her shoulders.

Cole's gaze found her instantly. His hand stilled in the water, his posture straightening as if he'd just been hit by a wave of realization. She looked radiant, framed by the faint glow of the Christmas lights, her cheeks already flushed from the cold. He couldn't look away, not even for a second.

Grace, oblivious to the tension building between them, splashed the water playfully. "Come on, Olive! It's nice and warm, I promise!"

Olive gave a shy laugh, her voice soft. "I–I'm coming," she murmured, unwrapping her towel with shaky hands. The cold air hit her skin, and she sucked in a breath, goosebumps prickling up her arms. Still, she climbed the few steps to the hot tub, lowering herself carefully into the water.

Cole's eyes followed her the entire time, and when she finally sat down beside him, he couldn't help himself. His lips curved into that familiar, teasing half-smile. "You should've gotten in sooner," he said, his voice low enough for her to hear over the bubbling water. "You look... adorable."

Olive's face turned a deep shade of pink, and she looked down quickly, trying to hide her smile. "You're just saying that," she said softly, the steam curling around them like a secret.

Cole leaned a little closer, his tone gentler now. "No," he said simply, his eyes warm. "I'm not."___

The laughter carried into the night, soft and easy, blending with the faint hum of Christmas music still playing from inside the house. The backyard smelled faintly of pine and snow and the sweet scent of hot cocoa someone had left on the edge of the deck. The air was crisp, the kind that made every breath visible, but the hot tub was a small pocket of warmth and light against the chill. Everyone was talking at once—Grace animatedly retelling a story about how Skylar's dog had once chewed up one of her presents, Nathan teasing Skylar about his terrible aim during their earlier snowball fight, and Skylar laughing so hard. It was the kind of easy, joyful chaos that only happened when everyone forgot to care about time.

Olive found herself loosening up more than she expected. The warmth of the water seeped into her bones, the bubbling hum soothing and constant beneath their laughter. Jackie leaned over the edge, talking with Skylar about plans for the break, while Grace floated an idea for a Secret Santa redo since half the gifts had ended up swapped or lost earlier in the night. Olive smiled, hugging her knees to her chest, just listening. Every so often, her gaze would flick toward Cole, who sat across from her, one arm draped lazily along the side of the tub, his hair damp and curling slightly at his temple. He caught her eye once, smirking softly like he knew exactly what she was thinking, and Olive immediately looked away, her heart skipping.

After a while, Grace clapped her hands together, water sloshing around her. "Okay, I have the best idea," she declared, glancing at everyone expectantly. "Before everyone leaves, we should totally have a movie night. Christmas movies, junk food—the whole thing."

Nathan's eyes lit up. "Yes! That sounds perfect. We could set it up in the living room with all the blankets."

"Count me in," Skylar said, stretching his arms over his head. "As long as we're not watching anything that makes me cry again."

Grace snorted. "You're the one who cried during The Grinch."

"I was emotional that day," he said defensively, which only made everyone laugh harder.

Olive giggled softly, tucking her damp hair behind her ear. "That actually sounds really fun," she said, her voice shy but genuine.

"It's settled, then," Grace announced with mock authority, pointing around the group. "Tonight, movie marathon before anyone leaves. Non-negotiable."

One by one, everyone began climbing out of the tub, the cool air biting instantly at their wet skin. Jackie was the first to grab her towel, squealing when the cold hit her feet. Alex followed, running a hand through his hair and muttering something about needing to find dry clothes before he froze. Grace and Skylar lingered for a few last jokes before finally stepping out, wrapping themselves in fluffy towels and heading toward the house in a wave of laughter and dripping footprints.

And then, just like that, it was quiet.

Olive blinked, realizing she and Cole were the only ones still in the water. The bubbles hummed softly around them, the faint crackle of the fire pit filling the silence. She glanced toward the house where warm yellow light spilled through the windows, outlining the shapes of their friends moving around inside. The moment felt suspended, fragile, like one of those snow globes you didn't want to shake too hard in case the magic disappeared.

Cole leaned back against the edge, watching her with that same relaxed, unreadable look he always had when he was trying not to say something. "Guess it's just us now," he said finally, his voice low, almost blending with the sound of the water.

Olive could see the reflection of the lights in the water, tiny ripples catching on her skin every time she shifted. Cole hadn't looked away from her once. There was something different in his eyes now—less teasing, more searching, as if he were trying to read the thoughts she was too shy to say out loud.

Olive met his gaze for a fleeting second before looking away, her cheeks warm despite the chill brushing at her shoulders. "You're staring," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cole tilted his head, that slow, familiar grin tugging at his lips. "Maybe I am," he said, not even trying to deny it. "Can you blame me?"

Her breath caught slightly. She opened her mouth to say something back—something playful, something to break the tension—but the words tangled up before they could come out. The air between them had shifted, quiet but charged, and Olive could feel her heartbeat quicken with every second that passed. Cole leaned forward just a little.

"Olive," he murmured, her name falling from his lips like something careful and certain at the same time.

She didn't move away. She didn't even think to. The steam rose around them in soft curls, the glow from the string lights wrapping the moment in gold. When Cole leaned in, the world seemed to still entirely. The kiss was slow at first—gentle, almost hesitant—but it deepened quickly, carrying a rush that caught Olive completely off guard. She felt the warmth of his hands, the soft brush of his thumb against her jaw, the way the heat between them made the cold night feel miles away.

For a moment, she let herself sink into it—the flutter in her chest, the way every thought went silent except for the feeling of his lips on hers. But as the kiss grew more intense, Olive's breath hitched, and her nerves caught up with her heart. Her hands pressed lightly against his chest, her fingers trembling. "C–Cole," she whispered, pulling back slightly, her voice barely steady. "W–wait."

Cole froze immediately, his brow furrowing in concern. "Hey," he said softly, searching her face. "Are you okay?"

Olive nodded quickly, her cheeks flushed and her heart racing. "Y–yeah, I just..." She looked down at the rippling water, her voice small. "Maybe we should, um... wait a little. Before we—before we do that again." Her words came out rushed, a tangle of shyness and honesty that made her blush even harder. "It's not that I didn't like it, I just—"

Cole's expression softened, the teasing smirk giving way to something warmer, gentler. "Hey, hey," he said, his tone low and reassuring. "It's okay. You don't have to explain."

Olive looked up, surprised by the ease in his voice, by how unbothered he seemed. Cole smiled faintly, that familiar spark of mischief returning to his eyes. "We can wait," he said, leaning in just enough for his breath to brush against her temple. "But for the record..." His smirk deepened slightly. "...you make waiting pretty hard."

Olive's face went scarlet, and she let out a small, nervous laugh that made Cole grin wider. He brushed a wet strand of hair away from her cheek before pressing a light, almost playful kiss there—a contrast to the intensity from moments before. "Come on, tiny" he murmured, his voice soft and steady again. "We should probably get out before Grace comes back and starts yelling at us to get out."

Olive nodded, still flustered but smiling now, her chest light and full. "Yeah," she agreed quietly.

Cole stood first, the cold air rushing over him as he reached for his towel. Then he turned and offered her his hand. Olive hesitated only a second before taking it, his grip warm and steady as he helped her up. They stepped out together into the night, steam rising around them as snowflakes drifted lazily through the air, melting the instant they touched the ground.

For a moment, before they headed back inside, Olive glanced up at Cole. He caught her eye and smiled softly, no teasing this time—just that quiet, steady look that said more than words ever could.