Page 10 of Dump Tackle My Heart
Or at least I think it’s under my breath.
Because next thing I know, he’s launching into an unexpected geography lesson.
“Depends on where you are,” he says. “North Island gets a bit. South Island gets proper snow. We’ve got ski fields, you know. Mountains. Alpine lakes. All that.”
“Oh,” I blink, genuinely surprised. “Guess I didn’t think about that.”
He shrugs, eyes still on the road, one big hand wrapped around the wheel like he was born with it there.
“People always think it’s all sheep and surfing.”
“Isn’t it? Oh, and rugby, of course.”
This earns me a full side-eye. And—damn him—a dimple.
“Rude.”
I grin, despite myself.
“Sorry. I just, you don’t really screamsnow bunny, you know?”
He barks a laugh.
“You don’t really scream wilderness guide, but here we are.”
Oof. Okay. Fair.
I’m not sure if he’s making fun of me for being a city girl, or because my ass is decidedly not in wilderness girl shape—whatever that is. Either way, I was kind of asking for it, so I keep my yap shut.
We ride in silence for a beat.
Just the sound of tires chewing snow and the heater humming low.
My cheeks are too warm, and not because of the vent blowing on me.
“So you’ve really never had Thanksgiving before?” I ask, needing a change of topic.
Preferably one that doesn’t make me picture those thick thighs straddling a snowboard. Or me.
“Nah. American holiday,innit?”
“Yeah, but you’ve lived here for what? Almost two years now?”
“About,” he says. “And yeah, I get the turkey thing. I just don’t reallydo holidays. Never have.”
There’s something in his tone when he says that.
A closed door.
A lock I didn’t even realize was there.
“Oh.” I chew my lip, glancing out at the snow-dusted trees zipping past the window.
“Well, get ready for a whole lot ofholidaythis weekend. We’ve got a short list of all the good stuff, including turkey,stuffing, fake cranberry sauce that comes out in the shape of the can—non-negotiable—and like, three separate pies.”
Tank lifts an eyebrow, eyes flicking toward me like I just said something profound.
“Three whole pies?”
