ThunderSnow

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Anywhere

First stop, clothing store. 

 Lyn laughed as Eli emerged from the dressing room in fleece-lined jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, topped off with a bright purple and gold knit hat emblazoned with the Minnesota Vikings logo. Damn if he doesn't make even THAT look good. A sexy Paul Bunyan.

Eli shrugged as he held out his arms and turned into a slow circle. "What do you think? Am I a Minnesota boy now?"

Lyn shook her head. "Nah, I think your California is still showing," she laughed as she tucked a piece of his highlighted hair beneath the hat. She patted his arm. "Don't worry, though. We'll give you a temporary pass."

Eli laughed. "What about you? Did you find something?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah," Lyn stammered as she gestured to a small pile of clothes on the chair behind her.

"Good." He clapped his hands together and rubbed them excitedly. "Now, I think we need more winter gear, right? Especially if we're going snowmobiling."

Lyn nodded, ticking off items on her fingers. "Definitely. Coat, gloves, boots, balaclava, snow pants... The rental shop will provide the helmet." She glanced at him sheepishly. "Sorry, I know it's a lot. We could always skip the..."

She stopped as Eli waved his hand in the air. "Nope. We're doing this, Elliston. You can't dangle a snowmobile in front of me and then take it back. So, do they have all that stuff here?"

Lyn laughed as her eyes roamed toward the back of the store. "Yeah, they have a sporting section in the back. They should have everything we need."

"Perfect." He grinned and turned one more circle, gesturing to his clothing. "So, this is a yes? It passes the Lyn Elliston test?"

Lyn laughed. "Oh, it's most definitely a yes."

After a visit to the sporting section, they emerged from the store with bags full of clothing and winter gear. As Eli closed the trunk, he turned and smiled at Lyn.

"We look pretty good," he said with a smile, gesturing to the matching winter jackets they had purchased. He leaned closer to her, teasingly tapping her arm. "It looks better on you, though."

Lyn shook her head. Wrong. "Get in the car, Colton," she said with a roll of her eyes.

After a quick stop at the drug store for personal items, Lyn drove them to the snowmobile rental shop. Eli's eyes were radiating excitement as he bounced on his heels like a kid.

They selected two matching sleds. The rental worker gave them a quick safety review and operation lesson, then handed them their helmets. "You're all set," he said. "Have fun."

They put on their helmets as they walked to the sleds. Eli grinned at Lyn and tapped on the top of her helmet. "You look cute," he said.

"WHAT?" Lyn yelled. With the layers of winter gear and the helmet, all she could hear was the muffled rumble of his voice.

Eli shook his head. "Nothing!"

As they climbed on the sleds and started the engines, he turned to Lyn. His eyes were all she could see beneath the face shield of the helmet and the balaclava, but she could see they were shining with excitement.

"This is gonna be awesome!" he shouted over the engines.

Lyn laughed. "Follow me!" she called out as she waved her arm, then grasped the throttle and launched in a cloud of powdery snow.

"Anywhere," Eli said quietly, his response lost beneath the roar of the engines. Then he opened up the throttle and took off after her.

They rode through several trails through the woods, winding among the giant, towering pines. Lyn stopped as the trail led to a large clearing. Eli pulled up next to her. Lyn yelled at him over the engine.