Fine lines

Chapter 26

                                                                                               Tate

The views of Alaska in the morning with sunrises and fresh snow completely glisten around me. We drive through the streets slowly in the taxi to Wyatt's parents ski resort, as I can't take my eyes away from the window, his hand holds mine in the middle seat. I'm so glad I took the opportunity to come here, I texted Dad to tell him I was staying with Ivy back at college for thanksgiving at first before Wyatt asked, I mentioned I was thinking of heading back to Minnesota to see Ivy when she was still visiting me 3 weeks ago and I never told him about leaving with Wyatt, mainly because it's not his business and his response was vague.

"I won't be home until the 28th"

Barely a response and barely any effort to try and see me before he left. I have no idea why he left over Thanksgiving, I'd heard apparently there's some big meeting 2 days after thanksgiving in the city about the scouts that come over and talking about who's next to get drafted. But I don't see why it has to be done then. Out of all holidays. Not that I really care overly, he isn't someone I want to see at the moment. I was happy to take the opportunity to go somewhere else even if I felt bad for ditching my grandparents. They wanted me to go though, enjoy the spontaneous moments. We're only here for 7 days and I want to make the most of my time away from home and with him. I look over at Wyatt while I watch him too staring at the window, looking around with drowsy eyes and his hand resting under his chin leaning on the arm rest.

"Do you miss it here?" I ask

"Yeah, easily. The taller I got the mountains shrunk but that didn't stop me going down them everyday" I giggle

"Ski or snowboard?" He hums as he thinks. "Skiing, I learnt that quicker than snowboarding. Maybe a hockey thing"

"Would make sense, balance and hand eye coordination" He nods in agreement

"You wanna give one of them a go?"

"I'll give it a go, I can't promise my confidence will be high"

"Don't worry, I'll help you down the mountains but we can start off with a kids crash course" I nudge him gently in the waist and he smiles. We continue the drive for another 10 minutes as we edge closer to the town centre and multiple houses, until we reach an area filled with pine trees covered with snow, expanding into an entire Forrest. We drive through a long windy dirt road up a small hill into a clearing of snow, small lodges, ski lifts and larger mountains close by. There's so many people around for the holidays, families with their kids and older adults in the lifts and hanging around the ski jumps and other courses. The closer we get up the road it opens into a larger 2 story wooden lodge cabin. A long blue sign reading."The Alaskian Lodge"

We finally pull up around to the front entrance of the main lodge, the taxi driver opens my door. Stepping out into the coldest air I've ever felt and the smell of pine washing over me. Wyatt grabs our bags out of the trunk and I follow behind him inside. I do a quick hair fix making sure it's not a windy mess and my clothes are straightened out. The nerves finally kick in as I walk inside to the warmth with one of the largest indoor fires I've ever seen. I slowly catch up behind Wyatt as we walk further up to the desk.

"Hey Samson" Wyatt shakes the hand of the receptionist and he smiles widely. He's honestly doesn't look any older then Wyatt.

"Wyatt! My man, it's been a minute" He looks past Wyatt as I stand creepily behind Wyatt like a shadow.

"And who is this?" He looks back to Wyatt with surprises eyes and an even wider grin than before.

"This here is Tate, my girlfriend" he throws his arm around my waist and the tingles rush over me. "Hey" I reply with a smile. He reaches for my handshake. "Well I think your parents have something set up for you in the Alpine Lodge, most secluded and closest to them obviously" Wyatt chuckles as he takes the golden keys off Samson's hand, he reaches down to grab the bags before thanking him. "Lovely to meet you Tate"