Read Online Snowflake Wishes by Maggie McGinnis - Free Book Online Page B

didn’t—”
    He put up a hand. “It’s a lot to process, for both of us.”
    He sat back, tapping his fingers on the table, studying her face. “The thing is, Piper, as much as this weekend has been better than a dream come true, I don’t want to end up hurting you again. I don’t. I’m the same guy I was seven years ago. I’m still chasing the high, I’m still traveling the world, I’m still parking my backpack for a month at a time, never quite settling down. That hasn’t changed. And seven years ago, that guy wasn’t right for you.”
    She took a deep breath as her eggs gave up and built a tiny gangplank. “Is there any chance it ever could? Change? I mean, is this what you picture life looking like for you? Forever?”
    He shrugged slowly, like he hadn’t really paused to consider any alternative. “I don’t know it any other way.”
    â€œThen how can you know it’s the best way for you? Don’t you ever get lonely? Don’t you ever wish there was someone to come home to at night?”
    She swallowed hard. How the hell did she know whether he’d ever had someone to come home to, since her? Maybe he had a someone in every place he’d ever been.
    He looked at her, long and hard, then closed his eyes like it hurt.
    â€œI never wanted anyone to come home to you but you, Piper.”
    *   *   *
    An hour later, the silence in the truck cab stretched thin between them. The same impasse that had separated them the first time looked like it might just do so again this time, and Piper closed her eyes, trying to block the visions of Noah’s kisses from her head.
    Suddenly, he braked and swerved to the side of the road, then punched the truck into reverse.
    She sat up straight, peering out the side window. “What’s the matter?”
    â€œI saw tracks.” He pointed out her window, where a small patch of flat land quickly headed over what looked like a huge cliff.
    She put her hand to her throat when she saw the tracks. They ended at the edge. Oh, God.
    He parked the truck and jumped out, grabbing a big black bag from the bed of the truck before sprinting toward where the tracks disappeared. Piper was only two steps behind him, and he put a stiff arm out to catch her when she reached him.
    Below them—far, far below them—she could see the hood of a red SUV, almost covered with snow. Beside it, the Abenaki River ran fast, even in the dead of winter, and she couldn’t see any footprints emerging from any side of the car.
    â€œOh, God, Noah.”
    â€œI know.” He looked around, assessing the landscape with his eyes while he unzipped his bag. “I’m going down there.”
    She put a hand on his chest. “How? It’s a cliff! You can’t!”
    He pulled a neatly coiled set of ropes out of the bag and started tying one around a huge maple, using complicated knots. She pulled out her phone to call 911, but there was no service. Freaking mountains.
    â€œI’m roping in. I’ll be safe.” He tied the other end of the rope around his body as Piper peered over the cliff’s edge. There was no sign of life below, and she was desperately afraid of what he’d find when he got to the car. “Flag somebody down if you can. They can call 911 when they get down the mountain.”
    He yanked on the rope, which held fast, and before she had time to think about the possibilities, his head disappeared over the edge. She watched him descend, bouncing his feet lightly against the rock as he let out the rope, and in twenty seconds, he’d landed on the bottom and she let out the breath she’d been holding the entire time.
    He went to the driver’s door first, yanking it open and reaching inside. Then he tried the back doors, closing them quickly once he saw what was inside. Piper’s stomach clenched as she wondered what he was finding. He