Page 5 of Desiring Destiny
3
GRIFFIN
“That’s it, you’re getting it,” I encourage Destiny as she slowly skis past me.
I was surprised that she asked me for another lesson when I saw her at the lodge this morning. Mrs. Reinhold, the owner, happened to be standing nearby. The older woman’s silver eyebrows flew up to her matching silver hairline and then she gave me an endearing, genuine smile filled with understanding. She knows my policy on private lessons, so she figured Destiny must be pretty special for me to break it.
If Mrs. Reinhold knows about Destiny, it’s only a matter of time before my Gram finds out and tells my aunt and mother. Grams and the owner of Frosted Mountain Ski Resort have been friends since childhood, and good money says they’ve been gossipping that long as well. I don’t mind. The two of them mean well and the sooner my family is on board with me having a wife, the better.
Reel it in, I tell myself. I’ve only known Destiny for a few days. While I’m certain she’s special and precious and everything I didn’t know I was looking for, Destiny needs more time. She’s vulnerable right now and I’d hate myself if she ever felt like I was taking advantage of her.
“I did it!” she exclaims. Destiny looks at me over her shoulder, her bright smile nearly knocking the air from my lungs. After wiping away her tears yesterday, it’s like a balm to my soul to see her express happiness. I’d like to think I had something to do with it.
“I knew you could,” I tell her as I join her at the bottom of the practice hill. “You knew what to do the whole time, you just needed the confidence to do it.”
My girl beams up at me, her cheeks and nose flushed from the cold and the excitement. Her blue eyes are glittering and it takes everything in me not to cup the back of her neck and pull her in for our first kiss.
"Wow, that was a rush," Destiny says as she blows out a breath. "I mean, I know it was like a three-percent incline, and at no point was I in any danger, but, yeah. Still."
I take her gloved hand in mine, apparently unable to keep myself from touching her in some way. “You have every right to be proud of yourself,” I tell her seriously. “You don’t have to downplay your accomplishment.”
“It’s not like I went down an actual hill or mountain,” she argues, once again dismissing her feelings.
“Every great adventure starts somewhere. You only reach the top of the mountain, so to speak, by appreciating every step along the way. Big or small.”
A soft smile graces her lips and I so desperately want to taste it. I somehow restrain myself, instead choosing to tuck a few strands of her dark hair into the adorable hat she’s wearing. It’s pink and purple and has a large pom pom on top.
Destiny nuzzles into the side of my hand as I comb my fingers through her hair. I brush my thumb against her cheek, savoring this sweet moment between us. My girl is hurting and trying to find her way after the loss of her grandma, but beneath it all, I see a resilient young woman who is only beginning to understand who she is. I just pray I’m the lucky bastard who gets to be next to her when she discovers her own strength and beauty.
“I don’t know why you’re being so nice to me,” she whispers before chewing on her bottom lip.
I caress her chin with the pad of my thumb, gently pulling her lip from the prison of her teeth. Destiny exhales, her warm breath tickling my skin and turning my thoughts decidedly dirty.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I murmur. Her brow furrows and she shakes her head no. “I like you, Destiny.”Likeisn’t the “L” word I really want to say, but I hold myself back. For now.
“But… why?”
It kills me that she has no idea how beautiful she is. Like her skiing, it seems Destiny needs more confidence in just about every area of her life. Damn right, I'm going to be the man who gives her a healthy appreciation for how incredible she is.
“If you have to ask, then I must not be doing a very good job of showing it,” I say, hoping for a smile. Destiny still looks like she doesn’t believe me, but she doesn’t say anything else. “How long is your trip? I need to know how much time I have to prove myself.”
“You don’t have to prove yourself,” she rushes to say. “I feel likeI’mthe one who has to earn… I don’t know. Earn my place? Earn someone’s attention? I… I don’t know what I’m saying. I’m sorry. I’m feeling a bit light-headed.”
“Woah there, it’s okay,” I tell her, gently guiding her to a nearby bench. I grab my water bottle from my pack and hand it to her. “Here you go. It’s easy to get dehydrated out here. People think about drinking water when doing activities in the heat, but it’s important to hydrate in the cold, too.”
“Thanks,” she whispers before taking a swig. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry I was rambling. I must have been confused and… God, I’m a mess, huh?”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and angle us away from the wind. “You’re doing just fine, sweet girl. You’re dealing with some heavy shit. Grief comes in waves.”
“Yeah,” she says softly, nodding against my chest.
I hold her for a few minutes, hoping my presence helps ease the turmoil she’s feeling inside. I wish I could soak up all of her pain, but all I can do is listen and try to understand.
"This whole trip is to honor my grandma," Destiny murmurs after several moments have passed. "I moved in with her when I was just five years old. I never knew my dad and my mom… Well, she wasn't ready to be a mother, I guess." She shrugs and I hold her tighter, my heart breaking for the rough start my woman had in life.
“But your grandma was special, wasn’t she?” I prompt.
“She really was,” Destiny says wistfully. “Grandma Maddy knew everyone in our small town by their favorite cookie, which she made a point to bake on their birthdays. She was fearless in the way she loved people and cared for them, including me. I’ve always been the opposite - I’m shy and have a hard time making friends. In my eyes, my grandma was basically a superhero with the way she could charm anyone.”