Page 57 of Wild Nights

I couldn't believe Oliver had kept something so big from me. Especially when it didn't detract from him at all. It only made him more attractive. He was patient and kind with Joey and was stern when the situation called for it.

I pulled out my phone, removing my gloves so that I could snap a picture. When I shoved it back in my pocket, Oliver looked over his shoulder. "You coming?"

"Be right there," I called out, as I pulled my glove back on and continued up the hill. The wind slanted against us, making the trek that much more difficult. When we finally reached the top, Oliver dropped his sled, and Joey mimicked his actions.

"There's a little hill half way down. If you hit it right, you'll go airborne."

"It's super fun," Joey said excitedly, backing away from his sled then running and jumping onto it. He flew down the hill.

"He didn't waste any time," I said watching him fly over the ridge Oliver warned us about, screaming as if it was the most fun ever. Then he hit the ground again with a thud and kept going. His squeals of joy carried with the wind.

"Snow days are his favorite." Oliver raised his voice to be heard over the gusts of wind.

"I don't blame him." My face was cold from the slap of the wind. I pulled my hood up and tied the strings so it would stay on.

"There's nothing better when you're a little kid than anearly start to the holiday break." Oliver grinned as if we shared a secret. As if we were in this together.

I smiled, happy to be part of this moment. "No. I suppose not."

"You want me to give you a push?" Oliver tipped his head toward my sled.

"Let's go down together." I wanted to experience this with him.

Joey had reached the bottom, popped off his sled, and waved for us to go.

"Let's do this, then." Oliver sat on his sled and waited for me to do the same. "One, two three."

I pushed off, and we were sailing down the hill, and when my sled struck the ridge, my stomach soared along with the sled. But when I hit the ground, it pitched me to the side, throwing me off. I rolled a few feet before stopping. A little stunned, I stared up at the sky as more snow fell around me. It was quiet except for the sound of the flakes hitting the packed snow.

"Are you okay?" Oliver's face filled my vision.

"I'm fine," I said as I attempted to roll to the side. It was more difficult because of the thick layers I wore.

Oliver helped me up, and I brushed off the snow. He'd left his sled at the bottom of the hill with Joey. "Let's go the rest of the way together."

Oliver didn't give me a chance to refuse, just situated his body on the sled so I had no choice but to fit into the space between his legs. He pulled me tight against his chest with a hand banded around my middle.

Into my ear, he whispered the countdown then pushed off. We were flying down the hill, exhilaration shooting through me. I couldn't remember a time when I felt this free. Not just of responsibilities but of my rules and guidelines. I was breaking all of them, and I couldn't bring myself to care.

At the bottom, Joey was jumping up and down. "That was so cool. You went flying off the sled."

"It didn't feel as cool as it looked." My back hurt where I landed on the packed snow.

Joey waved a hand at me. "You'll be okay." Then he was pulling his sled by the string back up the mountain.

"I can't believe we have to walk up. Where's the lift?" I teased Oliver as we grabbed our respective sleds and followed Joey.

"This is the real deal. Lifts are for pansies." He lowered his voice so that Joey wouldn't hear him.

"Is that so?" I asked him, my heart feeling light.

"And for people from Maine who can't handle the weather."

I smacked him on the arm. He was so puffy I was positive he didn't feel anything through the layers. "We get snow in Maine."

"When was the last time you went sledding?"

I tried to think back through the years as we trudged up the hill. "It had to be before I was a teenager." I knew it was before Dad left. After that, I felt the responsibility of taking care of my family keenly. I would have been the one clearing snow from Mom's car and shoveling the sidewalk. Then I’d be too tired to go sledding.

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