CHAPTER TEN
Wilder left the quiet house and jogged over to his car. Everyone was at work or school or, in Shiloh’s case, hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa.
He couldn’t wait until there was enough snow on the slopes for him to start work. Being alone in the big house wasn’t his idea of a fun time, especially when he’d finished all his work.
He’d used part of his morning to finish up the edit on his Iceland collaboration video, getting it ready to be uploaded once he had the approval from the Icelandic company he’d worked with. He’d also taken the time to reply to emails and check in with the handful of marketing clients he had.
Now, after eating a quick early lunch, he was on his way to pick up Alexandra. When he’d called his buddy who owned the Segway tour company, Marty had been more than happy to give the two of them their own personal tour that afternoon at two.
Wilder was actually a little surprised that Alexandra hadn’t backed out. However, he wouldn’t be one hundred percent certain of her going until she was seated in his car next to him.
When he pulled up in front of her building, he sent Alexandra a text to let her know he was there, then he got out of the car to wait for her. She didn’t reply, and it was several long minutes before she appeared, and when she stepped out of the door, she had a tall blond man with her.
After she gestured to Wilder, she turned away from the man and quickly headed in Wilder’s direction.
Though her was tempted to ask who the man was, he bit his tongue. This wasn’t a date. They were just two friends hanging out together. He cared that she was new in the area and likely hadn’t made a lot of friends yet.
Plus, she’d seemed rather stressed the night before. Whenever he was stressed, doing something fun helped to put him back in a better frame of mind.
“Good afternoon,” he said, smiling as she drew close.
“Hi.” Her return smile was fleeting, but he thought it was genuine.
He opened the door for her, then waited for her to settle into the passenger seat before closing it again. After rounding the front of the car, he slid behind the wheel and started the engine.
“How was your morning?” he asked as he pulled away from the curb. “Anything exciting?”
“Not really. I was up at the rink early to skate, then worked out for a while.”
“You skate even on your days off?”
“Of course. For the most part, I try to skate every day, usually early in the morning before anyone else is at the rink.”
Wilder wanted to ask her why she did that if she wasn’t going to skate professionally anymore, but he wasn’t sure the question would be well-received. And possibly, it wasn’t any of his business.
“That’s some good devotion you’ve got going on there.”
“It’s more like a way of life that’s engrained in me now. I can’t remember a time when I haven’t skated every single day. My skating sessions aren’t as long as they once were, but I’m still trying to keep up my skills.”
“I know it can be hard to get back on track after a time away,” Wilder said. “My first time back on skis in the season is always fun as I try to get the feel for it again.”
“Is it like riding a bike?” Alexandra asked.
“It does come back rather quickly, so I guess it must be.”
They fell silent for a couple of minutes as Wilder drove through town to the road leading to Coeur d’Alene, with only music from a Christian radio station playing softly in the background.
“So you said it’s about an hour's drive?”
“Yep. Did you want to grab a coffee or anything for the trip?”
“No. I brought my water, so I’m good.”
“Still can’t believe you don’t drink coffee.”
“If I get sufficient sleep, there’s no need for the pick-me-up coffee might offer.”
“I admire your discipline. If you’re going to treat yourself or splurge on a food, what would it be?”
“I’d probably eat more pasta,” she said.
“I suppose you’re not talking about the boxed mac and cheese.”
“Uh… no. Freshly made pasta is my favorite. I really like it with a bolognaise sauce.”
“I’m a pasta fan too, but usually when I make the noodles, they’re out of a box. I don’t have the time—or the desire—to learn how to make my own pasta.”
“I’ve never tried,” Alexandra admitted. “We had a chef that cooked for us.”
“Maybe you could learn. I’m pretty sure they sell affordable pasta making machines online, so that must mean it’s not only chefs who make fresh pasta.”
“I’ve never thought about learning how to do it myself.”
“Honestly? I can’t believe it would be more difficult than learning to do a flawless Triple Axel.” Wilder glanced over with a grin. “I know I’d rather learn to make pasta than how to do that jump.”
Alexandra gave a little huff of laughter. “Yeah. It took me a long time to get that jump to the point where I could land it consistently.”
“Your hard work has definitely paid off. Which is why I think you’d be a primo pasta maker in no time.”
“Does anyone in your family make it?”
“My brother Zane does. He’s a chef and had already perfected it while he was still in high school. We were all appreciative recipients of his attempts along the way.”
“What about Kayleigh? You said she likes to cook.”
“She does, but as far as I know, it’s mainly fancy French stuff. It’s possible she’s branched out though. You could always ask her if she does.”
Alexandra hummed noncommittally, which Wilder took to mean she probably wouldn’t say a thing to her about it. If he knew anything about Kayleigh—and as her brother, he certainly did—he was confident that she’d love to talk about food with Alexandra. And if she didn’t know how to make pasta, she might be willing to learn along with her.
“So tell me more about your travels,” Alexandra said as they left Serenity behind.
Wilder always enjoyed sharing about his trips and the places he visited. And though parts of his travels had taken a more serious turn in the past couple of years, he didn’t think it was the time to share what he’d learned during his trip to Thailand and how that had led him to the orphanages he now spent part of his summer helping.
Maybe if he got to know her a bit better and felt like she would be receptive to hearing about it, he’d share more.
By the time they neared the place where they’d start the tour, he’d exhausted a lot of the more interesting stories he had about places he’d visited.
“Is this it?” Alexandra asked, skepticism in her voice. “It looks…”
“This isn’t where we spend the whole time,” Wilder said as he found a place to park. “We check in here, then Marty will give us a rundown on how to operate the Segway and have us practice a bit before we set off.”
It wasn’t the snazziest of locations, but since they weren’t staying there, it really didn’t matter. He was just lucky that Marty, who owned the place and gave the tours, was willing to make an exception for them, even though the tours were technically finished for the season. He probably wouldn’t have considered Wilder’s request if the weather hadn’t been so nice.
It was a sunny day, and unseasonably warm, with temps nearing sixty degrees. Any hint of the snow they’d had several days ago was gone. It was nice for what they had planned that day. Not so nice for his hope that the slopes would open soon.
Once the car was parked, he turned to smile at her. “Let’s go!”
She stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Let’s go.”
Her response wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as his had been, but he thought she’d enjoy the experience once the tour was underway.
Marty strode over to meet them, his tall lanky frame clad in blue jeans, a long sleeve flannel shirt, and a vest. He pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head as he reached them and offered Wilder a wide, friendly smile.
“Good to see you again, Wild-man.”
Wilder gave him a hug, with a firm slap on his back, before stepping back to introduce Alexandra. She smiled her professional smile at him as they shook hands.
Marty might look a little rough around the edges—because he was—but he had a heart as big as his home state of Texas. He and Wilder had met when Wilder had come with some friends to take the tour a few years ago.
Wilder had struck up a conversation with him, and they’d ended up keeping in touch over the years. Now he considered the man a good friend, and he tried to see him a few times over the winter season. Marty switched over to cross-country ski tours once winter arrived, and Wilder had gone on those a few times, too.
“So, have you ever ridden one of these?” Marty asked as he gestured to where three Segways sat next to a small building that looked like it needed some fresh paint.
“No. I’ve never had the opportunity.”
“Well, you’re gonna have one today,” Marty said with a grin. “Let’s get you suited up, and then we’ll teach you how to ride a Segway. Don’t worry. It’s really quite simple. We have kids as young as twelve use them for the tours.”
Alexandra was silent as Marty led them into the building and handed them headsets, helmets, and a reflective vest.
“The headsets are so I can speak to you as we ride, and the helmet and vest are for safety.”
Wilder thought Alexandra might complain about how unfashionable both were, but she didn’t. She just took the items and put them on.
Once they were all dressed for the tour, Marty walked Alexandra through the process of operating the Segway. She seemed hesitant at first, but soon, she was moving tentatively around the large space Marty had set up for people to practice.
“Doing good,” Wilder said as she rolled past him.
She flashed him a quick smile, then focused on maneuvering the machine around some pylons Marty had set up. Though she moved slowly and cautiously, she was doing pretty good for her first time on a Segway.
Over the next ten minutes, she continued to ride it around, gradually gaining more confidence.
“Think you’re ready to hit the road?” Marty asked.
“Yep.”
“Perfect!”
The three of them wheeled out of the lot and onto the sidewalk that ran along the chain-link fence Marty had set up around the property. Wilder let Alexandra ride directly behind Marty, with him bringing up the rear just in case she needed something. He’d also see if she got into any trouble.
Marty kept them at a steady pace as they headed for the first location of the tour. Wilder had already heard the spiel a few times, but he still paid attention to what Marty had to say. Since it wasn’t an official tour, Marty didn’t stick to his usual script.
About forty-five minutes into the tour, Marty had them pull over in a park for a break. Alexandra headed off to use the bathroom, leaving the two men to chat.
“New girlfriend?” Marty asked as he sat down on the bench beside Wilder, stretching his long legs out in front of him.
“No. More like a new friend who’s a girl.”
“Really nothing more?” Marty didn’t sound convinced.
“I only met her a couple of weeks ago,” Wilder told him. “She’s not from around here, so I thought I’d bring her on this tour so she could learn more about the area.”
“How did you meet?”
“We’re both working at the resort. She’s a figure skater and is working at the new rink that’s been built there. Of course, I’m still working the slopes.”
“Not yet, though, huh?”
Wilder sighed. “Not yet. Hoping for a good dump to get the slopes covered.”
“I can’t wait either. Too much downtime between shutting down this side of the business and getting on with the ski tours makes me antsy.”
“I hear ya. I came home a bit earlier than usual, so now I’m just trying to fill my time.”
“Hence, why you’re on a Segway tour with a beautiful woman?”
“Something like that.”
“Is there a reason she isn’t a girlfriend?”
Wilder pondered the question for a moment. “I think we’re just too different.”
Since deciding he was going to spend half the year traveling, Wilder hadn’t been sure how to fit a relationship into his life, so he hadn’t even tried. Over the years, he’d wondered what his life might look like in the future, but he hadn’t envisioned anything that would make him eager to settle down.
Alexandra was uptight and so emotionless at times that Wilder never knew what she was thinking or feeling. He couldn’t imagine a more stressful relationship than one where he’d have to be constantly trying to guess what the woman was feeling.
He had no idea what had made Alexandra that way, but he wasn’t about to take on the job of trying to figure her out. Friendship he could do. He had friends with all kinds of personalities. Some types made friendships a bit more difficult than others, but he still made an effort to keep in touch with each of them.
“Sometimes opposites attract,” Marty mused as he glanced in the direction Alexandra had taken.
“True, but there are a lot of things going on in her life. I’m sure she’s no more interested in me than I am in her.”
Marty seemed to accept that and let the subject drop. As they waited for Alexandra to return, Wilder told him how he’d spent his summer, updating him about the orphanages. Marty had become a financial supporter of one of them, so he was interested in what was going on with the ministry.
“Here she comes,” Marty said as he pulled his legs in and got to his feet.
Wilder stood up as well and turned to see Alexandra striding toward them. Her cheeks were pink from the slight chill in the air, and her expression appeared to be more relaxed than Wilder had ever seen it.
“Ready to get back on the wheels?” Marty asked as she joined them.
“Yep. I’m really enjoying it.” She turned to Wilder with a smile that reached her eyes, making them warm and sparkling like the waters of the South Pacific Ocean. “Thank you so much for planning this. It’s not something I would have ever thought to do.”
“You’re welcome,” Wilder said, trying not to think about how beautiful she looked when she smiled like that. “I’m glad you’re having fun.”
After they had their gear back on, they set off for more of the tour. Wilder once again followed behind Alexandra, watching as her hair flowed out in gentle waves behind her as she guided her Segway with total confidence along the sidewalk.
He was relieved that Alexandra was enjoying the afternoon. He hadn’t been sure she would, but he’d hoped she’d at least give it a shot. Which she had. And then some.
Right around the two-hour mark, they made their way back to the lot. Once there, they got off their Segways and returned their equipment to Marty.
“Thank you so much,” Alexandra said as she held out her hand to Marty. “This was a wonderful experience.”
“You’re very welcome.” Marty gave her hand a shake and smiled. “Maybe you can come back again once the snow has melted in the spring.”
Alexandra glanced at Wilder. “I think I might.”
Wilder wasn’t thrilled at the idea of her coming back on her own, but he also wasn’t sure he’d have the time to come with her again in the spring before he left.
“See ya around,” Marty said as he gave Wilder a hug.
“Let me know when you want to ski, and I’ll set you up.”
“Sounds good.”
After saying goodbye, they made their way to the car. Once inside, Wilder said, “Hope it wasn’t too cold for you.”
Alexandra gave a huff of laughter. “I’ve lived a big portion of my life on the ice. The cold doesn’t bother me.”
“You sound like Elsa.”
“The dog?”
Wilder turned to stare at her. “You’ve never seen Frozen ?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t watch a lot of television or movies.”
“I might have to set up a playdate for you with Layla and Amelia to watch it.”
“Is it a good movie?”
“It’s an animated princess movie that was very popular. I think you might like it.”
He expected her to shoot down the idea, but she just shrugged and said, “Maybe.”
“Do you want to grab a bite to eat before we head back to Serenity? I know a great little place that has good soups and sandwiches.”
“Sure. I kind of feel like I worked up an appetite, though I’m not sure how, since all I did was stand up and hold handlebars.”
“It’s all the fresh air.”
Wilder guided the car out of the parking spot and drove to the small restaurant. It was a place he’d visited plenty of times over the years, and they’d never let him down.
There was no problem finding a spot to park, since it was early for the dinner hour.
“This is a restaurant?” Alexandra asked, skepticism high in her voice once again.
She was going to think he only took her to places that were a bit on the rundown side. If she did, he hoped she learned not to judge places by their appearance.
“Yep. This is it.”
When they reached the entrance to the building, Wilder pulled the door open, then held it for Alexandra. She glanced up at him as she walked through the door, then turned her attention to the interior of the restaurant.
Its exterior had a bit of a rundown appearance. With it being so close to winter, all the flowers that were usually in the planters at the front were gone. Inside, however, it was cozy and inviting. At least it was to Wilder.
The sign just inside the door said to seat themselves, so Wilder let Alexandra decide where she wanted to sit.
They’d barely sat down at the table when a waitress approached them with menus and a smile. She told them about the specials for the day, then left to get their drinks.
“What do you recommend?” Alexandra asked as she looked over the large laminated one-page menu.
“That’s a trick question. I really like their cream of tomato soup, especially when combined with their grilled cheese. But I also love their beef vegetable barley with a roast beef sandwich.”
She nodded, then returned to perusing the menu.
When the waitress came back with their drinks, she asked if they were ready to order.
“Do you need a few more minutes?” he asked Alexandra.
“I think I’m ready,” she said, then looked up at the waitress. “I’ll have the cream of tomato soup and half a grilled cheese sandwich.”
“Good choice. That’s one of my favorites,” the waitress said with a smile, then turned to Wilder. “And what can I get for you?”
“I’ll have the beef barley soup and the roast beef sandwich. The whole thing.”
The waitress chuckled. “Sure thing.”
After she left them, Wilder relaxed back in his seat, searching for a topic of conversation. There was lots he wanted to talk to her about, but he felt like her life was a bit of a minefield. Since they didn’t know each other very well yet, he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by asking questions that she didn’t want to answer.
“How do you know Marty?” Alexandra asked.
Wilder would have liked to learn more about her, but as long as there was some conversation, he’d take it. As they waited for their food, he told her about how he and Marty had met and how their friendship had grown.
“Do you have a lot of friends?”
“I suppose I do,” he said. “I consider anyone I’ve had positive interactions with a friend.”
“So, I’m a friend?” Alexandra asked, her expression unreadable.
“We’ve spent time together, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. So yes, I consider you a friend.”
He thought she might smile at that, but instead, her gaze momentarily dropped to her glass of water. “But this isn’t a date, right?”