Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
“One of the rare, amazing ones,” I agree as we walk down the sidewalk, hand in hand, the twinkling lights of the season sparkling above us. The snow and ice crunch under our winter boots, and we can see our breath in the air.
It’s invigorating and romantic.
“Is that it?” Maddie asks, pointing to the small line about a city block ahead.
“That’s it. It doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait long.”
The line is even shorter when we get there.
“I think we should share one,” Maddie suggests. “This is a lot of food.”
“We’ll share one, then.”
I place our order, and when the dog comes out, it smells like heaven.
“You take the first bite.”
I hold it out to her, and she nibbles off the end of the hotdog.
“Wow,” she says, chewing. “That’s good.”
We keep walking as we eat, taking in the sights and pointing things out.
“I might have to come back to town when this shop is open,” she says, peering in a window. “My mom’s birthday is coming up. She’d love that bracelet.”
“Then we’ll come back for it tomorrow.”
She glances up at me, her nose a little red from the cold, and grins. “You don’t have to come back with me.”
“I want to.” I kiss her red-gloved hand. “I’m going to spend as much time with you as humanly possible. You having your own room is a complete waste of money at this point.”
She snorts and then continues down the sidewalk.
“I haven’t seen any northern lights since I’ve been here.” She’s looking up and would have tripped on the broken sidewalk if I didn’t physically move her out of the way. “I thought they’d be going all the time.” She glances at me.
“It’s not as simple as flipping a switch,” I remind her, and she looks up again, wrinkling her nose. “They usually come out to dance later in the evening. You’ll see them. I promise.”
Something in my tone must prompt her to look at me once more, but I only smile.
Oh, yeah, she’s going to see them.
“I think it’s time for dessert.”
She laughs. “Is that a euphemism?”
“No. Although that will come later. Literally.”
“Ha-ha, funny guy.”
“We have to get actual dessert. I personally think you need to try the homemade ice cream here because there’s absolutely nothing like it anywhere. But they also make some incredible cakes that you might like.”
“I’m stuffed. I basically had two dinners.”
“We’ll share something, then. Come on.”
I lead her into another of my favorite restaurants and request a dessert menu when we’re seated.
But rather than order just one thing, I ask for a little of everything, and the plate is heaping when it arrives.
“Dylan,” Maddie breathes. “We can’t eat all of this.”
“But we can try it all.” I wink at her and take a bite of almond cake. “Go on, have some.”
She has a bite of ice cream and moans, making me regret our prolonged excursion.
I want her in bed now.
“Man, that’s good. You can just roll me back to the hotel.”
“No problem.”
* * * *
“Okay, that was fun.”
We’ve just returned to the hotel and are walking through the lobby, hand in hand, full from an evening of food.
“I’m glad you liked it.”
“Liked it? I might have gained ten pounds, but it was worth it.”
I see a man walk out of the elevator. He’s tall, built, and looks dangerous, even with the gray streaking his hair.
When Maddie sees him, she stiffens and drops my hand.
“Shit, that’s my father. Go away.”
She pushes me aside and then rushes ahead of me, trying to act like she doesn’t know me.
It’s fucking hilarious.
I stay back and lean against a column in the lobby, watching as the intimidating man’s hard expression melts into mush when he sees his daughter.
He tugs Maddie in for a hug and asks her a question. Maddie nods, and his face softens even more before he pats her shoulder and then steps away.
She says something to him, and he returns to the elevator.
When the doors slide closed behind him, Maddie blows out a breath and hurries back over to me.
“I’m sorry,” she says with a wince. “I’m really sorry.”
“I guess it’s not time for me to meet your father.”
She frowns and walks beside me, but she doesn’t retake my hand. “This is just a vacation fling. No meeting the parents.”
Right. A vacation fling, as she continues to put it. But the more I’m with her, the more I realize that I don’t want to settle for just one week with this woman. I want to see more of her when we get home.
I may want to have her in my life for a long, long time.
But, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what I want. It’s up to Maddie. If she only wants a short thing while we’re here, then that’s what I’ll have to settle for, no matter how much it irritates the shit out of me.