Can't Love Christmas

Forty Two

Ash packed all the blankets, towels and warm clothes she could fit into her back seat. She found two hot water bottles and filled them, hoping they would stay warm enough until she needed them.

"I must be crazy to even consider this." She muttered while she tossed her beach bag into the front seat.

The drive to the lake was miserable. She thought about backing out multiple times. She promised Rowan she would be there, but didn't tell him the rest of her plan. He didn't know about her bathing suit, and she could just say she brought all the extras for him. They hadn't made concrete plans for the day, and everything was closed, though she assumed he'd be at the pub later.

Faster than she thought possible, she found herself joining the long line of cars parking on the road to the beach.

"How many people are crazy enough to do this every year?" she muttered as she climbed out of her car. She spotted Rowan's truck sitting in the corner of the official parking lot, so she walked over and knocked on his window. He startled when he saw her.

He wore the biggest parka she'd ever seen, and a towel and blanket on the seat beside him. "Is that all you brought for warmth?"

He looked over at the seat, "yeah. I figured you could keep warm in the blanket in case you didn't come prepared, and then once I dried off you might share with me and it would already be warm."

Ash burst out laughing and he frowned. Catching her breath, she stuttered out, "you thought - you thought I wouldn't be prepared to stay warm? I'm cold just thinking of that lake! Come with me, I have a bunch of stuff in my car, but we can bring it here so it's closer after. I had to park way down the road."

He opened the door and climbed out. His parka was even bigger than she thought. "What are you wearing?"

"My parka?"

"Why haven't I seen it before?"

"It's pretty rare the weather requires this much of a coat, so I don't wear it much. And it was my dad's."

Ash reached over and grabbed his bare hand with her mittened one.

"It's perfect for today."

They held hands until they reached her car, when she started to load his arms up with blankets and towels.

"Ash, how many blankets did you bring? It's going to be cold, but this seems like too much!"

"Nope, it's the perfect amount. Now let's go, it's going to start soon. I want to get the stuff in your truck so I can be ready to take photos of you being my big, sexy polar bear."

"There's nothing sexy about going into water that cold. Please keep that in mind." They shared a smile and continued in silence until they reached the truck.

She piled everything on the front seat except her beach bag.

"What's in the bag?"

"Not much. It's just to put stuff in."

"You know I was basically planning to just whip off my coat and boots at the waters edge, get in the water and then get back out. I wasn't planning to make it a whole process."

"Well, it's better to be prepared."

"Alright. I won't argue with that."

"Plus, this way my arms are free to take pictures, and the towel won't be covered in snow."

The Mayor had a megaphone on the beach, and called all the participants to the water's edge. Ash took a deep breath and mentally committed herself to joining him in the water. She would have to get undressed quickly, but she was wearing too many layers for the quick change he had planned.