Page 49 of Things I Read About

“A helicopter?”

“Yeah.” He hands me my phone. “Go back to sleep, I’m going to go out and see if I can get a call out.”

“Ok.” I look behind me, happy to find a blanket draped over the couch. I pull it down and offer Nate his jacket. “Here, you need this.”

He hesitates. “Thanks. Stay inside, ok?”

I nod and lay down, still mostly asleep.

“Sally.”What? He’s back already?“The chopper will be here in fifteen minutes.”

“Oh.” I sit up, holding the blanket to me, because it’s freezing but also because he seems distant again, reserved. “You think the shower works?”

“The water is on, but it would be freezing.”

I moan a bit as I get up, feeling sticky and gross. I hate to feel gross. Keeping the blanket around me, I stand, ready to hobble to the corner where my bra and undershirt landed.

“Here.” Nate hands me all of my clothes and lays the ski suit on the couch.

“Thanks,” I say.

Why is this so awkward?

“Sorry. Because I’m worried, probably.”

Oh no. I said my thoughts out loud? I need coffee.

He looks out the window and I dress quickly, biting my lips between my teeth. He continues, as if scolding himself rather than talking to me. “I should have left you last night and found service. Kat could have actually accused me of kidnapping, or a search party could have been called by the snow mobile company, or by my company. I don’t normally get so distracted.”

“Oh.” I look down at my phone. Kat did get my message, eventually—long after many worried texts had gone out on her end, unanswered.

“I hear it approaching, get your suit on.” He leans down to help me with my bad ankle.

“Yes, sir,” I mutter.

He freezes and slowly looks up at me. His glare is like a warning and a dare at the same time. His exhale is gritty, angry.

I’m not awake enough to decipher what he’s pissy about now. “Sorry, is that offensive or something? For me to say that?”

“No, Sally. It’s not offensive.” He looks down and gets back to work on my pant leg. In a quick zip he’s totally dressed me again and lifted me into his arms.

I zoned out, I guess. Did I say anything else out loud?

Oh man. I really need coffee.

In a blur, we’re on a helicopter, over the mountainside, and zooming back to our resort.

Nate asks if I love the ride and I just smile, terrified to even look out. He offers me chocolate from the bag, and we end up splitting the bar. It’s not coffee but it helps. Then we’re landing. Off to the side of the helipad, I see a very stressed Kat and an unimpressed Janie. Nate helps me walk over to them, holding me up on my left side.

“You are a dead man,” Kat seethes at him.

“It wasn’t his fault, Kat. I’m fine.”

But Nate looks down. “I’m sorry.”

“Nate, you didn’t do anything wrong. You freaking took care of me and kept me alive.”

Janie’s brows pop up. “He did?”