Page 84 of Wild in Minnesota

“Fern Ethel.” He tossed the last bit of taco into his perfect mouth. “This was amazing.”

“It’s my mom’s recipe so I can’t take full credit.”

“Nope, this was all you.” He pointed to the twinkly lights above our heads. “And these bad boys are staying.”

My heart grew three sizes, along with my stomach, as I finished my second taco and humongo margarita. “I ate too much. I feel disgusting.”

He rose and carried his plate to the sink. “Me too. It’s chilly, but do you want to take a walk to burn off dinner?”

“Yes please.”

I borrowed a ginormous pair of his black sweats and a Minnesota Wild hoodie before we bundled up and strolled hand in hand as snow flurries danced around us on the empty city street.

“This is the perfect snow. There’s no breeze so it looks all magical. It’s like rom-com movie snow.” I took a picture in my mind so I could torture myself in the future whenever there was a perfect snow.

“It’s only perfect because you’re by my side.”

“OMG, that was the perfect rom-com movie line.” I rested my head against his arm.

I think I saw this scene in an old Sex in the City episode which I adore, BTW. Big and Carrie strolling along a city street, all cheery, not knowing the happiness as well as the disasters, that loomed ahead.

But this wasn’t a TV show. This was my life at the moment. The one I had to remind myself was real, and that being in the day-by-day mode was fun. No regrets as we were just living life. Do you honestly believe that pile of steaming horse shit? Shhh.

At the corner, we stopped. He pulled me close and just looked down at me. There were no words, but we were exchanging something that I felt in my soul.

“We’d better get back inside before you freeze.” He pulled my hood up and tied it under my chin, leaving me weak in the knees. “Come on.”

As we walked back in the building with his arm over my shoulder and mine around his waist, it was the perfect fit. I was beaming as thoughts of the night ahead zipped through my mind like a toddler high on Laffy Taffy and Lemonheads.

He’d light a fire, I’d pour each of us another margarita, and we’d curl up on the sofa and watch a movie. Of course, he’d be shirtless because, well, he was shirtless in all my thoughts.

We got off the elevator, and he pointed. “Fern, I think I could beat you to my door.”

Sirens went off in my brain. “What did you say to me?” I stopped, rested my hands against the wall, and stretched out my legs.

“You heard me, lady.” He started to jump up and down like a fighting champion. “Challenge extended.”

“Challenge accepted.” I bent over and touched my toes at the same time he came up behind me and pressed himself against my rear as I roared with laughter. “Let’s do this.”

We stood side-by-side as he pointed. “Okay, crazy chick, it’s on. Ready, set, go!”

We took off down the hall, gaining speed quickly. I was behind and did the only thing I could. I grabbed the back of his coat with all my might and then pushed off him and made it to the door first. I threw my arms in the air.

“Girl, you did me dirty.”

Why did that phrase send a shiver down my body?

He lifted me so we were face-to-face. “Do you know what the punishment is for that?”

I purred, “No, but I can’t wait to find out.”

He put me down, I entered the secret code, and boom, we were inside. He hung up his coat and then took mine. “Should I start a fire?”

He was reading my mind. “Sure.”

We took a few steps to see a fire already going in the fireplace and he looked at me. “Did I start a fire earlier?”

“No—”

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