She scratched behind the dog’s ears. “I do. And he’s the best.”
He laughed and then decided to get out his camera. He took several shots of the surrounding Rockies, a bunch of the dogs and even Jerry. Then there were snaps of Delly—patting the dogs, making a snow angel, looking back over her shoulder at him.
She was so easy to love. Like she had been back before her diagnosis. Open and artless. It was why he’d thought she’d found someone else. She’d stopped sharing. Now he knew why.
Jerry offered to take a picture of the two of them together, so he handed over the camera and they took a couple of pictures: one kneeling down with a couple of the blue-eyed dogs, and another with the mountains behind them. By then it was time to get back in the sled and head back to base.
Delly felt chilled, so he cuddled her close inside the sled bag. When they reached the main yard, Jerry sent them off with good wishes and told them to enjoy the fire and refreshments.
There was hot cider and cinnamon buns waiting for them, and they sat around the fire and enjoyed. But something else was rising between them now, too. Not a goodbye, like the other night might have been. But a new start. Not just forgiveness, but a moving forward. The two of them, together.
It was time he faced the fact that he’d never gotten over her. And the new revelation that he didn’t want to.
Considering he only had a few more days left of his vacation, it meant he only had about forty-eight hours to convince her they were worth fighting for.
There wasn’t a moment to lose.
* * *
Adele couldn’t stop the butterflies in her stomach. They’d been there from the moment Dan had curled his strong arms around her in the sled and hadn’t let up, even though their afternoon was done. They’d finished the ride, thoroughly exhilarated, and she’d felt him watching her as they drank mulled cider and munched on sweets. Now, though, it was time to go home. The afternoon was over. And she was wondering what was next. If there was anything. Was she misreading his signals? Were they a product of her own wishful thinking?
They were almost to her car when he came around to the driver’s side and took her hand. “Delly, have dinner with me. This has been too great a day for it to end already.”
Her heart warmed at his words. “Really?”
“Really.” His body was close to hers, close enough she had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze. “Let’s have a real dinner, something special. Not a quick sandwich or an après-ski at your house. Something decadent and...”
Her throat tightened with nerves as she asked, “Are you talking about a date, Dan?”
His hand covered hers on the door handle of her car. “Yes, I am. A date. Does that mean you’re going to say no?”
She should. She should tell him with no ambiguity that they absolutely could not go on a date. But then, what was this afternoon if not a date? Just because it was outside didn’t make it an un-date.
When she didn’t answer right away, he squeezed her fingers. “Go home, get dressed up. We can do this right.”
“Dan, I—”
“Don’t say no. It’s Friday. I leave Sunday night. We have so little time. Let me treat you to dinner, with candles and wine and music and just...”
“And just what?” Her heart pounded, afraid of what he was suggesting, wanting it more than was wise. If they both knew that he was leaving in two days, no one would get the wrong idea, would they? Couldn’t they enjoy these few moments? Hadn’t they earned it?
“I don’t know. I don’t have any expectations. I’m not looking further ahead than tonight, okay? I’m asking for one simple date, with no weddings to fret over or secrets to reveal. Just you and me.”
“Okay.” She answered quickly, surprising herself.
“Really?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’ll drop you off, go home and change, and meet you...wherever. Text me the location and I’ll be there.”
Her eyes met his. She was surprised at the fire flickering in the brown depths.
“Good.” He pulled his fingers from hers. “Then let’s get going.”
She unlocked the car and got inside, nerves still jumbling around as he got in beside her and whipped out his phone. She smiled to herself as they headed back toward Banff, the highway clear and traffic moderate during the weekend rush hour. Her face felt hot to the touch; she wasn’t sure if she was blushing or if the wind had chapped her cheeks. Regardless, anticipation curled inside her as she wondered what the night would bring.
The drive seemed to take no time at all and she dropped him back at the hotel. By the time she got home, got inside and fed Mr. Num-Nums, she had the text with the restaurant name and time. He’d been able to get a seven o’clock reservation and they were going to eat fondue at a neighboring resort.
She smiled to herself. While she’d organized dinners at this location, she’d never actually eaten there herself, though she’d wanted to. It was bound to be a leisurely meal, nestled away near the river and the golf course, private and romantic. She jumped in the shower and scrubbed away the dog smell and the hat hair, and then let her hair air-dry as she picked out her dress and started her makeup.