Snowflake Wishes Read Online Free PDF Page A

good arm, pulling out his most disarming smile, though it was now rooted in abject fear.
    Her feet stayed frozen to the tiled floor.
    â€œI can’t do this anymore.” Her voice was a whisper, but it sent the alarm bells clanging inside his battered head.
    â€œWha—what do you mean? I’m going to be fine. Come here and let me hug you. I’ll be fine in a few weeks. I always am.”
    â€œAlways … until you’re not.” She took a shaky breath, and Noah’s eyes widened as he realized she was crying. Shit. “Because one of these days, you won’t be okay. One of these days, you’re going to go out there with Luke, or Bryan, or I don’t even know who else … and you’re going to think you’re smarter than the elements, and guess what? The damn elements are going to prove you wrong.”
    â€œPiper—”
    She put a hand up, silencing him. “I won’t wait around for you to die on me, Noah Drake. I’m not the girl who’s strong enough to play second fiddle to a mountain, or a whitewater river, or whatever else you come up with to challenge. This lifestyle kills people … and I—I just can’t do it anymore. I’m sorry.”
    â€œAre you saying … what I think you’re saying?” He fought the fog of morphine, struggling to comprehend.
    She looked down at her feet, then lifted her eyes to stare straight at him, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin. Her voice was still shaky, but stronger when she spoke.
    â€œI’m done, Noah. I love you more than life itself, but if this is the path you’re choosing, then I’m out. I can’t do it anymore.”
    â€œIt’s just an ankle … a collarbone.” His voice sounded pathetic even to his own ears as he tried to plead with her. “Please. Let’s just talk about this tomorrow when I’m home.”
    She shook her head. “No, Noah. I’m done talking about this. Every time you go back out there and chase the high, you’re telling me exactly what I need to know.”
    â€œPipes—”
    â€œI’m sorry.” She took a deep breath, blowing it out carefully, slowly. “I just—can’t pin my future on a guy who’s determined to die.”
    *   *   *
    â€œWhat are you thinking about?” Piper’s voice interrupted his memory, and he shook his head to return to the present. The pathway they’d taken led to the Ferris wheel, and now that they were halfway there, he could see its lights twinkling through the firs. There wasn’t a soul around besides the two of them, and as she stopped under an old-fashioned light, he could see tiny snowflakes floating around them, landing on her dark wool coat. She looked up, waiting for an answer.
    â€œYou. Me. A busted collarbone.” He figured being honest couldn’t hurt.
    â€œOh.” Her face fell.
    â€œDo you ever—I don’t know—have regrets?”
    â€œDo you?”
    He searched her eyes, not even sure anymore what she’d want to hear. Did he have regrets? Sure he did. Every damn day. But were they the right regrets? He had no idea.
    â€œYeah,” he finally answered. “Of course I do.”
    â€œMe, too.” She looked away. “But I’m not sure I would have done anything differently, if I had it to do over again.”
    â€œEven though you know now that I survived the past seven years intact?” He tried to lighten her up. “And I’m standing here today with still more bones than metal in my body?”
    â€œNot funny.”
    â€œI’m just saying—we could have had seven good years, right?” He tipped his head, smiling, trying to catch her eye.
    â€œMaybe,” she allowed, “but you’d still be heading right back out on another adventure in a week, risking the bones you have left, right? ”
    Noah stuffed his hands