Page 87 of Breaking the Ice

I wince at the thought, tensing my hands on the steering wheel.

Evan rests his fingers on my forearm. “Hey, you okay? You look upset.”

“Oh, I’m fine. Just worrying about finding a job next year.” Which is sort of true, because that pressure lingers in the back of my mind twenty-four-seven. I clear my throat and point to what feels like the millionth billboard we’ve seen. “Have you ever been to Buc-ees? Wanna stop?”

A slow smile spreads across his face. “You mean that’s not the surprise destination?”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes. “You thought I was driving hours to take you to a gas station for your birthday?”

“I’ve heard it’s not just any gas station.”

He’s not wrong. We fight through the crowds to stock up on soda, beef jerky, and use their as-clean-as-advertised restrooms.

Evan shakes his head in wonder as he re-buckles his seat belt. “It’s like a Dick’s Sporting Goods and a Cracker Barrel had a baby in a convenience store.”

“Would you go back?” I ask, starting the car.

“Absolutely. You?”

“It was a little overwhelming.” I take a bite of my brisket sandwich and speak around it. “Although this is the best gas station food I’ve ever had.”

We chat for the next few hours, laughing and playing Name that Tune off Spotify playlists. I dominate. When we see exit signs for Chattanooga and Knoxville, Evan starts guessing destinations. It’s not long until he hits upon Nashville.

“I guess I don’t actually know how you feel about surprises, but yeah, that’s the plan. Do you want to know what we’re going to do or wait and find out?”

He bounces in his seat. “I love surprises. This is awesome. I’ve always wanted to go to Nashville.”

When he leans across the console and plants a smacking kiss on my cheek, my chest warms and my belly flutters.

I navigate through traffic to find our Airbnb. It’s a cute little condo with a guitar-shaped pool (that’s not open in March) on Music Row. The most important amenity, though, is the highly rated king-sized bed. After walking up a flight of stairs to get there, I put in the key code and fling wide the front door with a flourish.

“Ta-da! Go check out the bedroom.”

Evan raises a brow. “I love it. Wanna rip my clothes off?”

I laugh. “I mean, sure, but that wasn’t a come on.”

“Everything can be a come-on if you put your mind to it.” He winks, and butterflies swarm my belly.

Winding our way through the compact space, we find the bedroom. Evan gasps at the sight of the massive bed, piled with pillows.

“Oh my god.” He groans as he flings himself on top of it. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”

I bite my lip, trying to contain my smile. “I know our mattress at home is rough. I thought you deserved a good night’s sleep for your birthday.”

He grabs my wrist and tugs me down onto the bed with him. The reviews don’t lie—it feels like it’s made of rainbows and happiness.

“We should probably buy a new mattress, huh?” Turning to face me, he traces the line of my jaw with a fingertip.

I shiver and mask it with a shrug. “Seems like a waste of money. We’re only in married housing for less than two months.”

His eyes dim, and he clears his throat. “Well, let’s make the most of this one, shall we?”

The way he kisses me, I’m pretty sure he likes this part of the surprise.

After we test out the bed several times—it’s sturdy and comfortable, and I make a mental note to find out what kind it is for future reference—we get dressed to go explore the city.

“Do we have an agenda?” Evan asks. He slips on his Nikes in the foyer and bounces on the balls of his feet. His excitement is contagious and warmth spreads through my chest.