Page 82 of Spark

When the plane finally landed, and we were cleared to exit, Darren pulled a large black blindfold from his pocket. I instantly groaned.

“Oh, come on. Really?”

“Turn around,” he ordered.

I released a minor huff and turned around so he could tie the blindfold around my eyes.

“I want to keep my surprise intact.”

I rolled my eyes behind the blindfold. “I think you’re taking this surprise business too seriously.”

Darren chuckled.

30

A Gift

As soon as the door to the plane opened, cold air instantly blasted my body and face. I immediately stepped back, shrinking away from the cold only to press myself into Darren. He helped me down the stairs and into the backseat of a warm car. I could hear more people around us, men shuffling around before car doors slammed shut, and we were on our way.

I could tell it was nighttime from the lack of light and warmth from the sun and I was busying myself in my mind with where the hell we could be that was seven hours away and cold as fuck. There were too many damn possibilities, but I had a lingering hope that it just might be exactly where I thought it was.

I knew Scott was in the driver’s seat, and by the way the car rocked up and down, we were driving on a rough trail. It took us nearly an hour to get to wherever we were going, and as each minute went by, the incline steadily increased. I wondered if Darren would be really that mad if I sneaked a peek under the blindfold. I was beyond tempted.

Eventually, we finally pulled onto another road, and a few minutes later, we stopped. I could hear Scott roll down the window, eliciting the sound of buttons being pushed, followed by the squeaky creak of metal on metal. Gates opening?

We pulled forward, the car making a slow, wide turn before finally stopping, and doors suddenly opening.

“Stay here, Jaden,” Darren said, so I sat back and waited, even more tempted to pull off my blindfold. Barely a minute later, I felt my door being opened and my hand gripped. “Come on,” came Darren’s voice.

I followed his guidance out of the car, allowing him to take both of my hands and lead me off. “Just follow my footsteps,” he said.

We walked for a few short minutes, my boots crunching into what was no doubt snow until it met pavement. Pavement turned into wood and wood turned into a metal railing where my hands were placed.

“Ready?” asked Darren, his voice slightly smug.

“Yes,” I nearly snapped.

And then he lifted the blindfold.

Eagerly blinking away the blurriness, my vision finally focused on the most amazing scene I had ever laid my eyes on. Mountains. Beautiful snow-covered gigantic mountains. It was as if we were in the heart of it all, surrounded by snow-covered pine trees, rocks, and hills. We were standing on a wooden deck leading out to something I thought I’d only ever see on the back of a postcard.

A small lake glistened in the background bordered by mountains upon mountains, the sky an array of stars, like someone had blown silver glitter into the night while a full moon shaded the snow in a blanket of white light, making it sparkle and glisten.

“Oh, my God,” I whispered. “Where are we?”

“Alaska,” Darren replied.

I turned around in shock. “Alaska?!”

“Anchorage, to be more specific.”

I turned back around to admire the view. “It’s beautiful.”

It was everything I’d ever wanted to see, and I suddenly remembered revealing to Darren long ago that if I had ever wanted to travel, I’d want to see mountains. And here I was, surrounded by a dream come true.

I released a long satisfied breath, unable to hide the small smile lingering in the corners of my mouth. Manipulation at its finest.

“You remembered,” I said blankly, staring off into the night. He remembered during our little game of pool that I’d always wanted to see mountains. And here I was.