That seems to ease some of the tension as he wraps his arms around me and brings me in close. “You’re welcome.”
“So should we tandem?”
“I think we shall,” he says and then kisses the tip of my nose.
Chapter Twenty-Three
WILDER
“This is humiliating,” Scottie says.
“For all these people driving by us know, we have a flat tire,” I say as we turn into a Stewart’s gas station.
“I really thought we would be better at this.”
“I think the problem is you have no balance,” I say while we push the tandem bike up against the gas station’s wall. I unclip my helmet and fluff out my hair as I turn toward her.
“I had plenty of balance,” she grumbles.
My brow quirks up. “Pips, it’s insulting that you think you can blatantly lie to me.”
She huffs. “It was just different. I didn’t think you were going to be so…large.”
“Come on now. You’ve seen me with my clothes off. You know how large I really am.”
Her expression falls flat. “Really, Wilder?”
“Uh, we were told to flirt. I am flirting.”
“That is not flirting.”
“Would it have helped if I wiggled my brows while saying it?”
“No,” she answers like the grump she knows how to be. “Are we going to push the bike back to camp?”
“I mean, it’s not that far away, so we can try biking again.”
“Yeah, we can, I guess.”
“But first, I think we need some ice cream,” I say and then take her hand, pulling her toward the gas station. “Have you ever been into a Stewart’s before?”
“Uh, I don’t think so,” she says while I open the door for her.
“Pips, they have the best ice cream.”
Her face contorts in confusion when we get to the ice cream counter. “This gas station has hand-scooped ice cream?”
“Yup, one of the great things about Stewart’s. And you can even buy cartons of it if there is a flavor you really like. My dad, before his accident, would come home from work on Fridays during the summer, and he’d bring home a carton of ice cream.”
“Really? That’s sweet. What was his favorite flavor?”
“Crumbs Along the Mohawk,” I answer. “It was everyone’s favorite.”
“What’s in that one?”
“It’s graham cracker–flavored ice cream, caramel swirl, and graham cracker pieces.”
“Ooo, that sounds good. I think I want to get that.”
