Page 97 of Snow, Ice, and Spice
“Can we meet the dogs?” I ask.
“You sure can.” Judy lets us pet the huskies, who greet us with excited noises, wagging tails, and licks.
Theo and I take a moment to pet each one. I watch as he gets down on his knees and nuzzles the dogs, laughing as they lick his face. Seeing him so happy sets off a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of me.
Judy gives us a rundown of how to ride in the sled.
“One person gets to sit and one person gets to stand at the back of the sled and steer,” she says.
I elbow Theo gently. “That’s all you.”
He flashes the giddiest grin I’ve ever seen him make. Judy explains that she and Walt will drive the snowmobile ahead of the dog sled and lead us on a forty-five-minute ride through the mountains, complete with stops along the way.
I settle into the sled while Theo stands at the back.
“Are you kids ready?” she asks.
“Ready,” we say in unison.
Walt brings the snowmobile up to Judy, she climbs on, and they ease ahead of us.
I gaze up at Theo. “Happy Birthday.”
Emotion flashes in his eyes as he smiles down at me. He leans down and cups my face in his gloved hand. “Thank you for this.”
He kisses me. When he pulls away, the sound of the snowmobile revving catches our attention. A half-second later we jerk forward as the dogs pull us ahead.
We zoom through the fresh layer of snow on the cold, the crisp winter air flipping around us.
“Oh my god! They’re so fast!” I yelp.
Theo’s laugh thunders behind me.
“They’re huskies. They’re born to sprint to the snow,” he hollers.
“I can see that.” I grip the sled, shrieking as they take turns sharply.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, all good. I feel like I’m in an ice luge.”
For the next twenty minutes, we wind through the snow-covered forest. Every once in a while I twist around to see Theo’s reaction. Every single time he’s smiling, which makes me smile. By the time we make it to our first stop, which is a clearing in the forest next to a frozen pond, my face is aching from grinning so hard.
“Okay, you two. Here’s a cool little spot to take a breather,” Judy says. “Nice and romantic with the full moon.” She winks at us and we both chuckle.
Theo hops off the sled and holds his hand out to me. “Wanna take a quick walk to the pond with me?” he asks.
“I’d love to.”
Together we walk hand in hand the couple dozen feet to the edge of the pond.
“So how’s your first time dog sledding?” he asks.
“It’s bumpier than I thought it would be but so much fun. How didn’t you go flying when you rode with your grandpa as a tiny little kid?”
Theo chuckles. “He would strap me into the sled.”
“Oh. That’s a really smart idea.”
