Page 96 of Snow, Ice, and Spice
I quirk an eyebrow, intrigued. “I’ll be ready.”
Chapter32
Maya
“You’re not making us explore a cave tonight, are you? Because I can get pretty claustrophobic in tight spaces,” Theo says.
I chuckle and zip up my parka and feed Mr. Pudding. “Don’t worry. Your birthday surprise involves zero caves.”
We step out the front door bundled up to the max and walk to the end of the driveway. Never in my life have I planned a birthday surprise for a guy I’ve been with. But Theo isn’t just some guy. He’s incredible. These past couple of months together, I’ve felt the happiest I’ve ever been. He’s the most thoughtful, sweetest, kindest guy I’ve ever met. He’s made me feel so special and supported, and I wanted to do something that would make him feel that way too.
Theo shuffles as he stands next to me. He turns to look at me. “No more clues? Seriously?”
“Nope. Just be patient.”
He huffs out a sigh through his smile and shoves his hands into his pockets. A second later there’s a faint noise in the distance. Then another. And other.
“What was that?” He glances off into the darkness ahead of us.
I try my hardest not to smile. “What do you mean?”
“That yelping sound in the distance. Don’t you hear it?”
I pretend to fuss with the pocket of my parka. “Hear what?”
“Maya.”
That familiar shiver runs through me like it always does when he says my name in that soft growl.
I glance up at him and grin. I can’t help it. I’m too giddy.
He aims a teasing smile at me. “What’s going on?”
Before I can answer, that sound in the distance gets louder. The sound of barking dogs is clear now.
Theo whips his head back toward the darkened street in front of us, his mouth open in shock.
He turns back to me. “Holy shit, you didn’t.”
“I did.”
Just then, two huskies come into view. They run side by side down the hill, revealing another two huskies, and another two, and another two.
I take in the sight of Theo standing next to me, mouth agape as he smiles, his sky-blue eyes wide with shock.
He makes an excited sound I don’t think I’ve ever heard him make before a total of a dozen dogs pull a sled up to us. Behind them is a snowmobile.
A cheery older lady clad in an electric blue parka grins and waves at us from the sled. “Maya and Theo?” she asks.
“That’s us,” I say. I grab Theo by the hand and lead him to the sled.
The lady on the sled introduces herself as Judy, who’s the woman I spoke to on the phone to arrange this. She gestures to her husband Walt on the snowmobile, who waves at us.
“I was told you’ve done this before,” Judy says to Theo.
He chuckles. “Yeah, but not since I was a kid.”
She waves a hand. “It’s like riding a bike.”
