“Sledding?” I state in disbelief. “This is how you unwind and have fun?”
Hunter grins as he lifts the shopping bag in his hand.
When I met him in the lobby, he was there, having changed into a pair of jeans and construction boots with his winter coat zippered up. In his hands was a rather large brown bag, which he refused to tell me what was inside. Begrudgingly, albeit excitedly, I got in the Uber with him, and here we are.
“These are for you,” he states as he hands me a pair of snow pants.
I glance down at what I’m wearing—a pair of black pants.
“Thought you’d be cold.”
I try to see what else is in the bag, but he pulls it away. “Is there a pair in there for you?”
“No. I’m a man. Jeans are good enough,” he scoffs as he makes a shooing motion. “Go on, put them on. I can’t have you catching a cold out here.”
“You want me to change. Right here?” I look around at the horde of people surrounding us.
“You’re not undressing, Katie. You’re actually putting on more clothes, so it’s hardly a thing to be modest about.”
He has a point, so I don’t argue. Using his brawn body to keep balance, I slip off my snow boot and slide my leg into the snow pants. I nearly fall over as I try to put my boot back on, so Hunter kneels to the ground, allowing me to put my hand on his shoulder while he places the snow boot back on my foot. After he helps me with the next leg, I’m fully dressed in my winter garb.
Before I get a chance to ask what he plans on sledding in, he takes out two red shovel-shaped things, which are too big to be actual shovels but too small to be anything else.
“Are we digging our way down the hill?” I muse.
“Clever.” He winks. “No. These are butt sleds. Actually, the official name is Flexible Flyer Snow Seats, but the unofficial name is butt sled.”
I eye up the sled and wonder how to use it. “I don’t think my butt will fit on that thing.”
“Of course it will. And it has to because this was literally all that was left in the store.” He smiles brilliantly as he hands me mine and then throws the brown bag in a nearby trash bin. “Ready?”
I walk with him to the edge of the hill. The air is brisk in the early evening night. I toss my sled on the ground and take a seat on it. Turns out, it’s bigger than I thought, and there’s plenty of room on here. The shovel-like handle is in front of me, so I grab it and assume this is how I steer.
I’m kind of perplexed by the whole thing until I look over at Hunter. His large body covers the sled, and he looks rather uncomfortable and oaf-like as he tries to settle himself on it.
My laughter comes out loud, and I spit a little into the snow as I lose my cool at how funny he looks. I have to hold my mitten-covered hand over my mouth to further hide my reaction.
Hunter looks over at me and quirks a brow. “Is this amusing to you?”
I adamantly shake my head while I say the opposite, “Very.”
“Good. Now, get your ass down the hill.” With a push on my back, he sends me flying.
The air whips across my face as I careen quickly toward the bottom. I have to steer my way through kids, and I nearly collide with one. I haven’t been sledding in years and never thought I would in my adult life without having kids of my own. When I reach the bottom, I fall to the side and land haphazardly into a bushel of snow.
I’m giggling as I rise and wipe the snow off my pants. Hunter comes down the hill after me, making a perfect stop, like he’s done this a million times.
“So, what did you think, Katie McGee? You ready to go again?”
I look at his rosy cheeks and beaming smile and nod. “Absolutely.”
For the next hour, we walk up the hill and slide down more times than I can count. My legs burn from the uphill cardio, but my heart is happy from the fun. Hunter and I race among each other and then meet a group of kids who want in on the action. We let the littles in and do our best to beat them. Hunter, being the heaviest, has gravity as an advantage, but this one kid has a sleigh that drives like a car.
Hunter and I fall a few times on the way up, drunk with laughter. It makes it hard to get up again and walk straight, so sometimes, we just stop and lie in the snow and joke around.
It gets dark fast, and the hill starts to clear up pretty quickly. There are a few people still sledding when we grab our sleds and walk toward the park’s exit.
Fifth Avenue isn’t far, so I start to walk toward it and hail a taxi. Hunter pulls me back.
“Not so fast. I did promise you dinner,” he says.
I’m confused by why he’s halting me until he opens his arm and showcases the hot-dog cart on the corner.
“You know, for a guy who hates touristy things, a dirty-water dog is about as touristy as you can get.”
“I know,” he admits. “But they’re really fucking good, and I only allow myself to eat a hot dog if I’m at a baseball game or sledding in Central Park.”
I lift my eyes to the sky and smile as I walk with him toward the cart. “Do you sled in the park often?”
“Not really. Only when my niece is in town.”
It surprises me that he’s the kind of guy who would take his niece sledding. Yes, I know that’s rude of me, but … well, he’s only given me so much of himself to actually see all these years.
We order hot dogs and sodas and then walk them to a nearby bench inside the park. With the trees blanketed in snow and the streetlamps overhead, there’s an ethereal glow to the evening. It’s peaceful despite the sounds of cars driving down Fifth Avenue.
We sit and eat in silence. It’s relaxing, just being here, looking at the stars and having a simple meal. Hunter and I have an easy way of talking, but it’s just as nice to be like this.
“I like sitting here with you. Usually, I’m wound up so tightly, hoping not to say the wrong thing. Hanging out with you these past few days has been a breath of fresh air.”
I look to Hunter with happiness gleaming in my eyes. His smolder is intense as he stares back at me.
“My best friend, Sofia, is the only person I’ve ever really been able to just be me around. And now, you.”
The corner of his mouth rises as he looks down at the snow and chuckles to himself. “Glad I can be a good friend.” His chest rises with a deep inhale. As he exhales, his smile falls, and then he gazes back at me. This time, there’s no smolder, just a neutral expression. “I’m happy I was able to help you with Branson. I am the master at courting.”
“That you are,” I state, unsteady. “Our two weeks aren’t up though.”
“Of course not. We have to get to New Year’s at least.”
“Right,” I state with a firm nod.
I’m done with my hot dog and drinking my soda when the wind sweeps in. My snow pants were great, but my ankles and waistband are soaked. The cold breeze makes me shriek as a shiver runs through my body.
“You okay there, kid?” Hunter asks.
I run my hands up and down my arms. “Yeah, just really cold.”
“Then, let’s get you home.”
We head over to the street, and Hunter walks to the edge, whistling loudly. An available taxi pulls up to the curb, and he opens the door for me.