Chapter Seventeen
Seventeen
‘Sara? Are you OK?’ Henrik pulled me out of the snow again, lifting me up by the arms, like a rag doll.
It was the third time I’d fallen on the way to the husky station, and I was feeling bruised and exhausted. My boots were struggling to cut it on the ice and I was dreading the rest of the walk.
‘Sorry about this,’ I said as we came nose-to-nose.
‘Do you want some help?’ he asked, that flirtatious glint twinkling in his eye.
‘I’m not sure there’s anything more you can—’
In three quick moves he had me off the ground and in a fireman’s lift, dangling over his shoulder.
‘Argh! What the…? How did you do that?’ I squealed into his bum. ‘I’m not sure about this!’ But I got used to it fairly quick. Turns out it was much more fun hanging onto Henrik while he did all the hard work than wading through the snow and falling on my face.
‘Last one here, Kaspar!’ Henrik shouted as he turned me upright and placed me on the floor.
‘Hei.’ An old man in a well-worn sheepskin smiled over as I got my bearings. We were stood next to a wooden sled covered in black furs, with eight, beautiful blue-eyed huskies ready and raring to go. ‘Oh, wow! Hi, doggies!’ I said, rushing over to stroke them.
‘Nei, nei,’ Kaspar said, intercepting me. ‘They are working.’
‘Oh! Of course, sorry. I’m a dog person,’ I said, to explain it.
‘Where are the others?’ Henrik asked as a second sled disappeared over the horizon, its sleigh bells ringing loudly.
‘Gone,’ Kaspar said. ‘They waited, then Tore said to go. He tried to call.’
Henrik checked his knackered old phone with a frown and nodded. ‘Oh. Ja. He did. Must be on silent,’ he muttered, shaking it.
‘Were we that far behind everyone else?’ I said, embarrassed he was having to make a second trip for me. ‘I’m so sorry – it’s my fault for being slow.’
‘It’s good exercise for the dogs,’ Kaspar said, offering up the front seat and helping me in. ‘I take the two of you, OK?’ The sled was like a pram for twins, with one chair in front of the other. Henrik hopped in behind me, and we belted up as Kaspar jumped on the back.
‘Let’s go!’ he shouted, cracking his whip, and the dogs set off, hurtling across the snow at a thousand miles per hour.
‘Hold on, Sara!’ Henrik shouted as we juddered over the snow.
‘I am!’ I yelled back, although I wasn’t sure I needed to. The G-force had pinned me to my seat. Once the huskies made it up the hill, we slowed right down, and I loosened my grip on the sides. I’d imagined a leisurely jaunt through the snow, not Olympic-level bobsledding.
‘You alright up there?’ I felt Henrik’s hand on my shoulder and squeezed it tight.
‘I hadn’t realised it was an extreme sport,’ I shouted as the sled hit a rock and jumped through the air.
Kaspar laughed. ‘Sit back and enjoy the ride,’ he said. ‘The dogs know the way – they’ll get you there safely. Unless you’d rather walk?’
It was a good reminder to live in the moment.
Instinctively, I wanted to close my eyes until it was all over, but I had to remember how lucky I was to get to do this.
Eight powerful dogs were working hard to give us this unforgettable experience, and I most certainly did not fancy a ten-mile walk through the snow instead.
I’d already proven I wasn’t very good at that.
The view from the sled was breathtaking, and it was like flying through a Christmas card as we whizzed along, past frozen lakes lined with Nordic firs while reindeer watched from the sidelines.
The snow reached up to the mountains and the fjords, and tiny white boats glimmered in between, sparkling in the sunlight.
‘Hike! Gahhh.’ Kaspar shouted commands over our heads and the huskies galloped in sync. I felt like a Disney princess on a mission. The other sled was no longer visible, so it was just the three of us and nothing else for miles. Racing along the edge of the world.
Henrik’s hand reappeared with a mini bottle of schnapps. ‘For the cold,’ he called.
‘Is this allowed?!’ I replied, secretly delighted as I cracked it open.
‘Don’t worry – it’s alcohol-free.’
I inwardly groaned and took a swig. Of course it was. Although… if he hadn’t said anything, I’d never have known. It tasted spicy and delicious and I felt it go all the way down, warming up my insides.
‘Cheers!’ Henrik shouted.
‘To an awesome day,’ I said, holding it above my head for him to clink. Never had a soft drink tasted so good.
The huskies veered right suddenly, throwing us to one side, their panting getting louder as they pulled towards the home run. They were starting to get tired, but the end was in sight.
‘Videre!’ Kaspar shouted, cracking his whip. Onward.
We kadunked aggressively over the snow and half my ‘schnapps’ went up my nose. I was desperate to capture this moment and the magnificent view, but we were bouncing around all over the place and I didn’t dare risk my phone being knocked to the floor
The sled rounded the final corner towards Tore and the rest of the guests and not a second too soon. The temperature was dropping fast and an icy halo had formed around my hood – even my nose hairs were crispy.
‘There you are!’ Tore said with a big smile. ‘Did you enjoy it?’ I nodded, breathless. ‘Good! That’s everyone back and accounted for now then.’
‘Where have you two been?’ Ethel asked as Kaspar helped me out of the sled.
‘We were only a few minutes behind you.’ I couldn’t understand why they’d left without me, not that I’d have fancied a twelve-man sled-conga, if that’s how they’d travelled.
‘We waited over twenty minutes. Henrik must have taken you the long way.’
‘Henrik did nothing of the sort,’ he said, appearing next to us and shooting Ethel a look.
‘Time must have stood still,’ she replied, with a knowing smile. ‘I saw the pair of you frolicking in the snow while the rest of us waited in the cold.’
‘Sorry Ethel. It was my fault. Inappropriate footwear as usual,’ I said, showing her my boots.
She didn’t look impressed. ‘For someone so smart, you’re not very well prepared.’
‘I wasn’t meant to be coming here,’ I said, getting agitated. ‘It was…
‘Firefly in Sweden,’ Henrik sing-songed. ‘We know, we know.’
‘Ludicrous,’ Ethel said, shaking her head. ‘Booking the wrong retreat is one thing – I can almost see how that happened if they have the same name. But booking the wrong retreat in the wrong country? I’m not sure I’d want you representing me in court.’
‘She’s got a point,’ Henrik said with a snort.
I laughed. ‘Yeah, fair enough. I’d had a few wines – it was an honest mistake.’
*
I took a detour through the forest for a tree-hugging session, transfixed by a pair of dragonflies who led the way.
The husky ride had put a spring in my step, and I was proud of myself for sticking it out here when I’d wanted to cut and run.
Firefly Forest had jolted me out of myself in more ways than one, and if I’d rushed back home I’d have missed out on so much.
I thought of Henrik pulling me out of the snow and felt warm inside; it was nice to have a man to pick me up when I fell down.
Kaspar must have thought I was a new member of staff when the two of us arrived in matching Firefly jackets – but I was thankful Henrik had found me one or I’d have frozen my arse off.
Not that it really mattered what I’d worn as there was no evidence either way.
The only proof I had of travelling by husky was now forever locked away in my memory, where I could wear whatever I liked.
I was weighed down with an armful of battered old sticks when I finally spotted Willow across the clearing, but somebody else was already there, the two of them in a clinch. My own tree cheating on me in broad daylight! I lightened my footsteps to get a closer look.
It was Henrik. Of course it was. Melded into the tree with his eyes closed, completely content. I gave him a few minutes to come back to himself once he’d stepped away.
‘Oi! That’s my tree,’ I whispered, smiling.
He looked up in surprise, then smiled back. ‘She was mine first,’ he teased. ‘We’ll have to share.’
I playfully shook my head. ‘Only child, I’m afraid. That’s not how I do things.’
‘And how do you do things?’ he asked, moving towards me. The intensity in his eyes made me shiver. We were finally alone and away from prying eyes.
‘I decide what I want, then go after it hard.’
‘I like that,’ he said, raising his eyebrows. ‘And you want Willow. Anything else? Maybe we can come to an arrangement.’
‘Maybe,’ I said coyly, looking up at him from under my lashes.
‘I go hard after the things I want, too,’ he said, his eyes full of longing.
He stroked a stray curl away from my cheek, making me tingle.
I could barely breathe as his lips found mine, kissing me slowly, the passion almost lifting me off the ground.
I clutched my firewood to my chest as he pulled back.
‘What kind of arrangement were you thinking?’ I asked.
He laughed. ‘I’m open to offers. Although Willow really is my tree.
Tore planted her the day I was born.’ He looked up wistfully while I got my bearings back.
‘And that one over there – Elmo – was for Jonas. My mother decided ten was a good age to start tree-hugging, when Willow was the right size and shape for my little arms.’
‘That is so cute.’
‘I know. Although Jonas has his struggles with the wych elm.’
Elmo was thick with branches from top to bottom. I couldn’t imagine it was easy to get in there and find the trunk for a hug. I giggled. Poor Jonas.
‘Do your mum and dad have trees too?’ I asked, looking around.
‘Yep, over there.’ He pointed to a pair of fir trees; one stood taller than the other. ‘Tore and Audhilda. Their trees didn’t get pet names.’ He paused, seemingly lost in thought. ‘We lost her a few years ago. Cancer.’
I reached out to squeeze his hand. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘I can feel Ma’s energy in Willow,’ Henrik said, nudging a pile of stones with his foot. ‘It’s a comfort, you know? To connect with her in nature, have something tangible and rooted in the ground, growing stronger every day.’
My heart hurt for him. ‘Makes sense,’ I said, squeezing his hand once more before letting go. ‘Sorry for interrupting; I’ll leave you to it.’
‘No, no – were you here to hug?’
I shrugged. ‘Sort of.’
‘Then please… go ahead. I insist. Proof the madness in my methods works. Occasionally.’
I hesitated. After that kiss my head was in a spin. ‘I’ll come back later. I don’t want to interrupt you and your… er, mum.’
His eyes sparkled as he smiled. ‘You’re not. I promise. And this conversation is crazy. She would laugh her head off if she could hear us. I’m done anyway, so it’s up to you.’ He looked so desperate not to ruin it for me, I couldn’t walk away. It felt disrespectful somehow.
‘Sure, I’ll stay for a few minutes then. Thank you for… sharing,’ I said, quietly. ‘Not just Willow. All of it.’
‘You’re easy to talk to,’ he replied, before turning and disappearing into the trees.
I took a couple of deep breaths, then put my arms around Willow and gave her a squeeze.
She felt even warmer today. Henrik must have transferred his body heat into her.
Maybe that’s what had happened the day I chose her as well.
It was something he’d been doing ever since he was a little boy.
I nuzzled into the tree and closed my eyes, imagining how it would feel to nuzzle into Henrik.
That fireman’s lift earlier had caught me by surprise, and being so close to him had been fun and exciting.
I’d never had a man sling me over his shoulder like that.
He was packing some serious muscles. I could barely pick up a twelve-pack of Diet Coke these days.
But then he couldn’t just leave me behind, buried in the snow.
It was basic customer service. I cuddled in further, pretending otherwise in my little Viking fantasy, breathing in the greenery of the forest and feeling my feet on the ground.
Would it be inappropriate to invite him over for a drink?
I didn’t want to be accused of workplace harassment.
I wandered slowly back to the cabin, my body throbbing as I thought about the two of us together and what we might get up to, his soft lips on mine. And as I walked up the path to my cabin, I already knew the note stuck to the front door was from him.
Sara,
I’m still worried your fire isn’t lighting fully.
Check it when you get in and let me know if you want me to have a look at it.
Henrik