Page 25 of Chance Encounter

“We’re going to town. That’s all I’m going to say.” Because I know he’ll more than likely make me turn around, which I’m unwilling to do. Maddox needs to see with his own two eyes that no one in this town cares that he’s gay. Okay, maybe there are a few, but I want him to get over the notion that the whole town is out to get him because he’s gay when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“You know you’re infuriating sometimes, right?” He huffs, looking out his window.

I turn to look at him and feel the corners of my mouth tip up. “I pride myself on it.”

Maddox opens his mouth every few minutes, probably wanting to ask me what we’re doing but knowing I won’t tell him.

Maddox leans forward when I pull up to the top of the hill, where a dozen cars are already parked, inspecting each one. “What are we doing here?”

“What’s it look like?” I ask as I get out of the truck. “What does everyone do here?”

“I haven’t been here since high school, so maybe it changed,” he shrugs from the passenger side.

“Well, it’s still the best place to go sledding, and I heard that they’ve got it so damn slick that you fly down the hill at lightning speed. I thought it would be something fun for us to do that’s not inside.”

“Okay,” he nods, looking down at himself and then past the cars where there’s a group of people standing around. “I don’t have a sled or anything.”

“I’ve got us covered. I brought a sled and a couple of inner tubes. You can use whichever one you want. Let’s just have fun.” I round the back of the truck with my compressor in hand and grab an inner tube.

“I’m all down for having fun, but are you sure you want to be seen with me?”

“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I had a problem in being seen with you. Stop overthinking it.” I hand him the now blown-up tube and start on the second one. “I’m using one of these.”

Maddox stands on the other side of the truck and watches each move I make, and once I’m finally airing up our fun, I round the back. “Let’s go.”

I swear he must be in shock. Maddox doesn’t say a word as he follows me to the area where everyone lines up single file to go down the hill. It’s been a long while since I’ve been sledding, but I know there’s no way in hell our first outing could resemble anything like a date.

We’re lucky there aren’t a lot of people here; otherwise, we’d have to wait forever for our turn. It takes less than five minutes for us to be in the front of the line.

With my inner tube held close to my chest, I turn to Mad. “I’ll bet you a hundred dollars that I’ll be the first one down.”

A small crack of his lips is all I get before he picks up the sled and nods. “You’re on.”

“On the count of three.” I hold up my hand with three fingers in the air. “Three, two…”

A loud chorus of “One” is yelled from behind us.

Maddox and I both throw ourselves down the hill. I go down headfirst, and when I look over, Mad is sitting on the sled directing it with the handles. We’re nearly neck and neck, and it seems he realizes it the same time I do. Maddox gets on his knees and then lays down on his stomach. He’s lucky this is one big ass hill; otherwise, he wouldn’t have had the chance to change positions. It works to his advantage, and Mad starts to take the lead. There’s nothing I can do but dip my head and try to beat him down the mountain.

Only I don’t beat him.

Seriously, how does he always beat me in literally everything?

I watch as he comes to a stop and jumps off the sled, and lets out a loud whoop.

“That was awesome,” he yells. “Let’s do it again.” He grabs his sled and starts to walk up the hill at a fast clip until he must realize I’m not following him. “What’s up?”

I don’t admit it hurts to once again lose to him. “I have to pay you a hundred dollars.”

“Pfft, I don’t want your money. I just want to do that again. Don’t you?”

“A bet is a bet,” I tell him, sitting on my inner tube.

“Well, let’s go again,” he says, walking toward me. He holds his hand out for me to take. “This time, you ride the sled. If I win again, you can pay me, but if you win, we’re even. Deal?”

I take his hand and let him help me up. “You had fun?”

“Yeah, I forgot how fun this is.” His brows furrow as he cocks his head to the side. “Did you not have fun?”

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