Bennett — Age 17
Maven cuddled up to me in the middle seat of my truck while I drove, one arm tucked through mine and her other hand holding a milkshake. She gave a little shiver. “It’s freezing!”
I turned the dial up on my heater. Not that it would help for a while in this old truck. “Why did you insist on getting a milkshake if you’re so cold?”
“Just because your birthday happens to be in the coldest month of the year doesn’t mean you should waste an offer for a free milkshake.” She took another long sip and shivered again.
I draped my arm around her and pulled her as close as her seatbelt would allow. “Do I get any of my birthday milkshake?”
She lifted the cup so I could reach the straw.
I swallowed the sweet, cold liquid. Cookies and cream wasn’t my favorite flavor, but that’s what Maven liked best.
“Have you had a good day?” she asked, her green eyes fixed on me.
We’d spent the entire day driving around, collecting free birthday offers based on a spreadsheet Maven had put together and printed out.
We’d been as far north as Burlington and as far west as Port Henry.
The food had been great. Spending the entire day with Maven had topped it all. “Best birthday ever.”
She smiled up at me. “You’re not just saying that?”
I thought about teasing her, but I couldn’t. It really had been epic. “It’s a new top memory.”
“A new one? Does that mean you have others?”
I just smiled.
She pulled back slightly. “You’re not going to tell me what they are?”
“Are we headed home or is there somewhere else you wanted to go?”
She glanced around. The late afternoon light made the lingering snow along the sides of the road look almost orange. Maven pointed. “Turn right there.”
I sent her a confused look. “That’s the road up to The Ridge.”
“Is it?” she asked innocently, nestling into me again and resting her head on my shoulder.
Who was I to question Maven? With anticipation lifting my stomach, I made the turn. Today was just getting better and better.
“Do you think we’ll be able to see the sunset from the top?” she asked, offering me another sip of milkshake.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t been since I was little.”
Her gaze flew to me. “I thought you and Katie—”
I shook my head.
“But…” Her words trailed off as she studied me, then her confusion morphed into pure amusement. She clasped a hand over her mouth, holding back her laughter. “I was so mad at you. For no reason.”
Apparently, I hadn’t imagined the tension between us following homecoming. “Not as mad as I was when I found out Levi took you up here.”
Her expression softened. “Carson told me you got twelve extra laps for knocking the wind out of him at practice.”
“You sure get me into a lot of trouble.”
She grinned. “Am I worth it?”
She clearly didn’t know how hooked I already was. “Most of the time.”
Maven nudged her shoulder into mine. “I’ll let that one slide, but only because it’s your birthday.”
The parking spots at the top were empty. It didn’t surprise me that we were the only ones crazy enough to come up here in these temperatures. I put the truck in park, threw on my emergency brake to be safe, and unbuckled before taking in the view.
“It’s beautiful,” Maven said. “Like a winter postcard.”
I nodded.
Maven unbuckled her seatbelt and shifted toward me. “Okay, I really need to know. What is a top memory of yours? Just one.”
I drew in a slow breath, the chill of the air filling my lungs. “Do you remember two summers ago, when we were sitting on top of the hay bales, eating watermelon?”
“Seeing which of us could spit the seeds farthest?”
I smiled, recalling the memory. “That made the list.”
She scooted closer. “You know what would make my list? The county fair a few years back when you reluctantly agreed to go on the Ferris wheel with me.”
Reluctantly. “Man. I was an idiot.”
Maven laughed. “Not all the time. When we got to the top and it was just the two of us, you told me you liked my eyes. Also a bit reluctantly, but you said it.”
I chuckled. “Wow. I can see why that’s a favorite.”
“And then there was the time we went sledding, and our tube flipped and you landed on top of me.”
My lips parted. “Why would that make your list?”
“Because you felt so bad, you carried me the entire way back to your parents’ Suburban and sat with me until everyone else finished. I ended up having a few bruised ribs.”
I shook my head. “Looks like I have some serious work to do so we can get you a better list of memories.”
Her smile turned mischievous. “I have an idea for one.”
I quirked my head, trying not to put too much thought into where she was going with that comment. “What’s that?”
She turned forward in her seat again, placing her hands stiffly on her lap. “We just sit here together and watch the sunset.”
I shrugged and leaned back in the seat. “Sounds good to me.”
Maven side-eyed me. “You’re fine with this?”
I reached over and grabbed her hand, interlocking our fingers. “Now I am.”
The smile she gave me was worth all the self-restraint in the world. Besides, as long as I was with Maven, I was happy.