13. Brave

13

Brave

Zane

Ivy relaxes with each passing mile, and I soon get used to her arms around my waist. I tried to hide the effect her proximity had on me so she wouldn’t feel nervous riding with me, but that was easier said than done. It’s been a while since I’ve been this close to anyone, and I didn’t think I missed it until now. But the way Ivy holds on behind me, completely relaxed, fills a hollow pit I didn’t know I had. And it’s the perfect fit.

Unfortunately, our time with the snowmobile is almost up. Spotting a family of deer peering through the nearby aspen trees, I stop the vehicle and point to them.

“Oh,” Ivy whispers. “They’re so cute.”

They really are. That’s one of the reasons why I love riding the mountain trails. Few tourists come up here, and you really get to come face to face with nature. There’s nothing more beautiful than that. Except maybe the slight flush on Ivy’s face right now as she watches Mama Deer licking her fawn. Ivy’s eyes are sparkling so brilliantly, they ignite something inside me. I love how much she appreciates nature even though she lives in a city. I saw it during the sled ride, and I’m witnessing it again now. Not that I’d understand how you couldn’t be in awe of such beauty. Still, it’s something I would have never thought we had in common when we first met.

They cross in front of us, casting us curious glances. We don’t move a muscle, not wanting to scare them off. The little fawn isn’t too reassured, though, and tries speeding up across the trail, but his tiny legs wobble, and he stumbles a couple of times. Finally reaching the other side, they disappear into the thick of the forest.

“That was so cool,” Ivy breathes, looking at me.

I nod, then check my watch. “Sorry to say, but we’re going to have to head back. We’ve already extended our time a little.”

“Oh, yeah. Let’s go,” she says, hugging me again.

“How about you drive us back?”

Her hands freeze, and I feel her body go rigid. “What? No. I’m good right here.”

I’m good too, but I want her to have the experience of driving it herself. I know she’s not too confident, but she can handle it. If anything, Ivy has shown me that she’s a tough cookie. The very fact that she’s here alone after her idiot ex-fiancé left her is testament to that.

“Come on,” I say, angling myself to glance at her. “It’s fun. You’ll be great, and you don’t have to go fast.”

She draws her bottom lip between her teeth. “Are you sure?”

I hop off the snowmobile. “Absolutely.”

Her mouth twists to the side as she’s clearly pondering the possibility in her head, until she finally nods and slides forward on the seat.

That’s my girl.

I show her the controls, then settle in behind her. Now it’s my turn to hold on to her, which feels a lot more intimate than the other way around. “Um. Is this okay? I’m not holding too tight?” I ask, clearing my throat .

“No.” Her voice is slightly more high-pitched than usual. I guess she’s still a little scared after all.

“Okay, let’s go. Don’t worry.”

With a nod, she puts her goggles on, presses on the accelerator, and off we go. She’s hesitant at first, or maybe just cautious, but then she speeds up, and I can feel her body relax in my arms.

She even yells, “Woo-hoo!” clearly enjoying the ride. Warmth seeps into my chest as she drives us back toward the shop. She wasn’t very excited to go at first, but I think she’ll have a good memory of this snowmobile trip, which was my entire motive for joining her. She’s brave enough to do this on her own, and I want her to love every second of it.

The shop comes into sight, and Ivy parks the snowmobile in front of the store. Her parking skills still need some work—we’re blocking the entryway—but that’s beside the point.

“That was fun,” Ivy gushes, getting down and taking her helmet off. She shakes her wavy hair, sending up whiffs of her shampoo, and the way it mingles with the fresh pine scent of the air is exquisite. I wish I could bottle that scent and spray it around my house. Wait. What is wrong with me? All this human interaction is clearly getting to my head .

Coming to my senses, I take my gear off. “Told you.”

Ethan marches out of the shop. “How was it?”

We tell him about our trip, and Ivy’s eyes sparkle as she relates our deer encounter.

“Glad you enjoyed the ride,” he says. “By the way, here’s a refund for the second snowmobile.” He hands her some bills.

“Oh no,” Ivy says, waving her hands. “There’s no need. I booked for two. It’s my fault.”

“Please,” he says, placing the bills in her hand. “I insist. Go for coffee or a snack with this one.” He throws me a look. “It’s not often we see him hanging around this part of town. He needs to let loose a little.”

“Oh, come on,” I grumble, rolling my eyes. Why is everyone so determined to interfere with my life? Maybe that’s why I don’t go out much.

Ivy laughs, and my focus instantly returns to her. “Okay. I will. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. Take care,” he says, shooting me a wink before going back inside. I resist the urge to roll my eyes again, but considering the way my heart is racing in my chest, I’d say I’m not one hundred percent angry about Ethan’s interference.

“Thanks again for coming with me,” Ivy says as we start back toward the town center. “I owe you a coffee.” She holds up the money in front of me with a smile. “Should we meet up after my tubing session? Or maybe you have stuff to do? I can take a rain check, or we can just skip it altogether, whatever.” With every word that comes out of her mouth, she turns more pink, and my heart beats faster. She shoves her hands in her coat pockets, looking away.

“We can grab a coffee after we go tubing,” I mumble, completely baffled by the words that escape my mouth.

She does a double take. “You’re coming tubing with me?” she squeals.

“Shhh.” I glance around. “Not so loud. I don’t want anyone to overhear you.” And I’m only half joking about that.

She props a hand on her waist. “People will see you there, you know. You’re not exactly easy to conceal.”

I chuckle. “Trust me, no one from the village goes snow tubing.”

“Then why are you coming?”

“I believe I’m owed a coffee and a snack.”

She just laughs. “Right. Okay, then. Let’s go. I have a feeling some good old childish fun will do you good.”