it’s over. “No reason—just—it’s my big Christmas gift this year, so …” His voice fades out as he starts up again. Town is in view now, just over one more hill and beyond a big field.
“I swear I hear bells.” Dove nudges Max now with each clang, and her heart rate picks up as the snowflakes do. Maybe someone’s getting married in town. Rather than the gentle, almost dreamlike, flow they had a few minutes before, the sky seems to be opening up, spilling the contents of a sack of rice, or a pillow, all over the ground, making the snowmobile work harder. Good thing we’re in this vehicle, I guess, Dove thinks. Although it’s kind of an odd purchase, seeing as Max is only here on vacation. What will he do to get it home? Probably sell it. Or just leave it. Dove shakes her head at the thought of all that wasted money.
“Watch out!” Dove grabs hold of Max’s waist, maybe a little too tightly, as they nearly hit a snow-covered rock.
Max veers quickly to the right to avoid a boulder, causing Dove to giggle out of nervousness. “Oh my god—this is a little too much for me.”
Max stops the snowmobile and takes off his helmet. Steam rises from his hair into the cold air, flakes dotting his lips and face. “How many bells do you think you heard?”
Dove pauses, suddenly putting the snow together with the sound and realizing the clangs were warning bells, the kind she’d been advised about when she vacationed at Les Trois. “Enough that we shouldn’t be out here …” She checks her watch. Five minutes. “Think I could walk into town?”
Max gives her an annoyed look. “We’re talking major snow event here and you’re still hoping to get into some café to chitchat?”
“Don’t make it sound stupid.” Dove’s voice is defensive. How dare he make fun of me or belittle my IM with William. “I mean, thanks for the ride and everything, but …”
Max sighs, thinking, and pulls at his hair. His cheeks are flushed. “Considering the snowfall, we have enough power in this thing to go into town or back, but not both.”
“I thought you said this is the best on the market.”
Max shoots her a look. “It is. But it doesn’t change the fact that if you calculate the rate of the snow and factor that into the distance into town and back to Les Trois …
“Okay, Captain Math.”
Max rolls his eyes. “You have a better idea?”
Dove stands up, unstraddling the snowmobile and breaking away from Max’s body. Instantly she’s colder than she was next to him, and aware of wanting to be back with him, but she’s determined to get into town. “I’m not ready to turn around. I want to walk.”
“Fine—suit yourself” Max crosses his arms over his chest and waits for Dove to move, which she does, finally taking a few steps toward town.
Five minutes later, she’s up to her knees in a combination of old and new snow, her whole body shaking with cold. Hot chocolate. Sun. William in a bathing suit. William on the beach. William rubbing sunblock everywhere. Nice warm things. Not like here. In this frozen wasteland. Ahead, the lights in town are flickering as though it’s already pitch-black.
“You realize, of course, that town will be closed. Except for emergency vehicles and the hardware store, it’s done.” Dove hears Max’s voice, the low hum of the snowmobile catching up to her, but refuses to turn around. “Remember that year we were twelve?” Max eggs her on with the memory. “The Easter blizzard? Kept the roads closed for a week.” Max laughs. “We were stranded at the resort. I seem to recall you and I managed to fill the indoor pool with—”
“Rubber ducks. Five thousand of them.” Dove gives a conciliatory look and wrinkles her nose. “You think this storm’ll be that bad?” She calculates, realizing if it is, she’d miss her flight to Nevis altogether.
Max watches her face, then looks up at the flowing snow. Catching her eye, he knows she needs to hear it will all
“I swear I hear bells.” Dove nudges Max now with each clang, and her heart rate picks up as the snowflakes do. Maybe someone’s getting married in town. Rather than the gentle, almost dreamlike, flow they had a few minutes before, the sky seems to be opening up, spilling the contents of a sack of rice, or a pillow, all over the ground, making the snowmobile work harder. Good thing we’re in this vehicle, I guess, Dove thinks. Although it’s kind of an odd purchase, seeing as Max is only here on vacation. What will he do to get it home? Probably sell it. Or just leave it. Dove shakes her head at the thought of all that wasted money.
“Watch out!” Dove grabs hold of Max’s waist, maybe a little too tightly, as they nearly hit a snow-covered rock.
Max veers quickly to the right to avoid a boulder, causing Dove to giggle out of nervousness. “Oh my god—this is a little too much for me.”
Max stops the snowmobile and takes off his helmet. Steam rises from his hair into the cold air, flakes dotting his lips and face. “How many bells do you think you heard?”
Dove pauses, suddenly putting the snow together with the sound and realizing the clangs were warning bells, the kind she’d been advised about when she vacationed at Les Trois. “Enough that we shouldn’t be out here …” She checks her watch. Five minutes. “Think I could walk into town?”
Max gives her an annoyed look. “We’re talking major snow event here and you’re still hoping to get into some café to chitchat?”
“Don’t make it sound stupid.” Dove’s voice is defensive. How dare he make fun of me or belittle my IM with William. “I mean, thanks for the ride and everything, but …”
Max sighs, thinking, and pulls at his hair. His cheeks are flushed. “Considering the snowfall, we have enough power in this thing to go into town or back, but not both.”
“I thought you said this is the best on the market.”
Max shoots her a look. “It is. But it doesn’t change the fact that if you calculate the rate of the snow and factor that into the distance into town and back to Les Trois …
“Okay, Captain Math.”
Max rolls his eyes. “You have a better idea?”
Dove stands up, unstraddling the snowmobile and breaking away from Max’s body. Instantly she’s colder than she was next to him, and aware of wanting to be back with him, but she’s determined to get into town. “I’m not ready to turn around. I want to walk.”
“Fine—suit yourself” Max crosses his arms over his chest and waits for Dove to move, which she does, finally taking a few steps toward town.
Five minutes later, she’s up to her knees in a combination of old and new snow, her whole body shaking with cold. Hot chocolate. Sun. William in a bathing suit. William on the beach. William rubbing sunblock everywhere. Nice warm things. Not like here. In this frozen wasteland. Ahead, the lights in town are flickering as though it’s already pitch-black.
“You realize, of course, that town will be closed. Except for emergency vehicles and the hardware store, it’s done.” Dove hears Max’s voice, the low hum of the snowmobile catching up to her, but refuses to turn around. “Remember that year we were twelve?” Max eggs her on with the memory. “The Easter blizzard? Kept the roads closed for a week.” Max laughs. “We were stranded at the resort. I seem to recall you and I managed to fill the indoor pool with—”
“Rubber ducks. Five thousand of them.” Dove gives a conciliatory look and wrinkles her nose. “You think this storm’ll be that bad?” She calculates, realizing if it is, she’d miss her flight to Nevis altogether.
Max watches her face, then looks up at the flowing snow. Catching her eye, he knows she needs to hear it will all
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