Liam stared at the back of Kate’s head, wondering when she would finally look at him. Instead, she turned, her attention following the woman who had just convinced them to do the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard of.
Why would it matter if they were on their own? Who cared if this was supposed to be a couples retreat? Just because the two of them had come separately didn’t mean they needed to be paired up.
Whatever. He’d agreed, and now he had to deal with it. The attendant wandered through the group, telling everyone about the first activity. It was a tour via snowmobile. What more did they need to know?
“This is a trust exercise. One of you will be a passenger; the other will be the driver. And one of you will be blindfolded.”
Several gasps and giggles filled the air.
The woman broke into it. “Don’t worry. The passenger is going to be the blindfolded one. The last thing we need is for one of you to run straight into a tree.”
Laughter erupted from the group.
“Each activity will give you an allotted number of entries for the raffle at the end of the week. The winning couple will get a full refund and another all-expenses paid trip next year.” The woman knew how to hold an audience.
Liam’s gaze shifted to Kate again. She fidgeted with her hands, still avoiding his gaze. He could tell she knew he was looking. She tried to hide it, but the way she was shifting made it clear.
His phone vibrated, and he pulled it out. Letting out a groan, he swiped open the screen to stare at the message from Rebecca. She was giving him her contact information because of Tyson. He groaned again. Hadn’t he told his friend he didn’t want anything to do with a setup? Tyson had gone against his wishes… again.
Liam pressed his thumb on the reply window. He should tell her he wasn’t ready. He should explain that his friend was an idiot and apologize for him. Then, without knowing exactly why, he swiped out of the screen. One date wouldn’t hurt, right?
When he looked up from his phone, the group was wandering toward a line of snowmobiles. Shoot! He shoved his phone into his pocket and grabbed his gloves. Pulling them on, he caught up to Kate.
“We have to stop meeting like this.”
She gave him a strange look. “Really?”
“What?”
“That’s the line you choose?”
He held up both hands and gave her a crooked smile. “I thought it would be funny.”
She rolled her eyes as she continued to stomp through the snow.
Irritation swirled inside him. He hadn’t agreed to couple with her because he wanted to spend time with her. He’d done it to help her out. “Hey, I didn’t have to agree to this.”
“So why did you?” Her voice was flat, unfeeling.
Why do the pretty ones all have an attitude? He jogged around to cut her off and set his steely stare on her. “Because I could tell you needed it more than I did.”
Her angry expression faltered, and she looked away. “Oh.”
Liam shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “We’re going to be together for the next six days. We might as well get along so we can win you that refund.”
Kate’s eyes rose to meet his again. “Okay. Thanks.”
Moving out of her way, he gestured toward the snowmobiles. “Let’s see if we can get you some entries.”
A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. Dang, she was beautiful. Her large eyes paired with her small nose and the freckles sprinkled across its bridge were absolutely adorable. He shook off the thought. He wasn’t here to find a girl. He was here to make good on the promise he’d made Sarah.
Kate picked up a helmet and situated herself on the snowmobile, leaving the space behind her empty.
“Oh no you don’t.” He wouldn’t be caught dead blindfolded while a stranger drove them through the trails in the snow-covered mountains.
She glanced at him in surprise.
“Have you ever driven one of these?”
Kate shrugged. “It can’t be that hard, can it?”
Liam shoved the blindfold toward her. “These are hard when you’re driving by yourself. When you have more weight on the back, it gets even worse. I’m driving.”
Her brows lowered, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she snatched the blindfold and tied it on. He grabbed his helmet and sat on the seat in front of her. She slipped her arms around his waist, and his heart lurched into his throat. Her touch was soft, almost like a caress. It wouldn’t take much to pretend Sarah was the one behind him.
No, he was getting better. He needed to stay grounded. That was what Sarah would have wanted. Liam started the engine and revved it a little before darting forward. Kate’s grip on him tightened, and she let out a sound that was a blend of a laugh and a squeal. “Don’t you dare crash,” she called over the engine. “Get us there safely.”
“Oh, I’ll do more than get us there safely, sweetheart. I’ll make sure we win.” Okay, so the activity wasn’t about speed. But he couldn’t deny how good it felt to experience human touch again. She rested her cheek between his shoulder blades. They wove through the trees behind the tour guide.
There were moments he could pick up the speed. Cold, biting air blasted his face. The wind whipped and tugged at his clothing. The thrill was exactly what he needed to get his mind off darker memories. He was breathing new life into his future without Sarah.
The whole group pulled off as they reached the crest of a hill overlooking the resort. Kate ripped off her blindfold and stared around wildly. Her breathing had quickened, and she had a pretty glow in her cheeks. “That was actually kinda fun.”
Liam held out his hand, helping her from her seat. “It was, wasn’t it?” He peeked at her as they wandered to where the others stood, taking pictures and gushing about the view. They stood there in silence for about fifteen minutes.
Then his curiosity got the better of him. Liam cleared his throat. “Can I ask you something?”
Without looking at him, she shrugged. “Sure.”
“Where’s Mr. Scott?”
She stiffened.
“I heard his name a few times,” he hurried to admit. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
Her jaw tightened, and her eyes lost the little bit of light they’d held. Dang it, he’d gone and been too nosy again.
“He broke up with me a few days before the wedding.”
Liam sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
“It gets better.” She eyed him. “Turns out he was more interested in a girl he worked with. I guess it’s hard not to fall for someone you see every day.”
Dang. No wonder she was in such a sour mood. He couldn’t blame her at all. It made sense that she wanted her money back for this trip. He opened his mouth to tell her this Mr. Scott didn’t deserve her, but the guide interrupted him.
“Mr. Harper, do you feel comfortable pulling up the rear? We’re about to head back.”
He nodded. “Right. Sure.” He exchanged a look with Kate. The moment had passed. But they had almost a full week where he could make that point.
Snowmobiles started up, and the group started their way down the mountain. Together, he and Kate headed for their vehicle. Her arm shot out and gripped his forearm. “Liam,” she whispered, “look!”
His gaze swiveled around until his eyes landed on a huge brown bull moose. The antlers had to be so long that if Liam were to stretch out both his arms as far as he could, he still couldn’t reach both antler tips. The graceful creature was about thirty yards away, wandering up a frozen stream.
“Have you ever seen one of those in person?” Kate’s whisper was full of awe. “I heard there are a few that travel down from the northern parts of Maine, but I’ve never seen them.”
He dragged his attention from the moose to Kate. “You live in northern Maine?”
She nodded; her eyes still locked on the beast. “About twenty minutes outside of Presque Isle.”
“I live about ten minutes away from Presque Isle.”
Finally, she looked at him. “Really?”
He nodded. “Small world.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Her eyes drifted toward where their group had gone. “Uh oh. We might lose them.” She hurried toward their snowmobile and climbed on. “Come on. We have to hurry.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.” He sauntered over to the vehicle. “I have a great sense of direction.”