Would You Marry This Man
Copyright© 2025 by A Kiwi Guy
Chapter 12
A gust of wind danced across the summit, carrying with it the faint tang of snow. Below, the Canterbury Plains stretched wide and golden under a softening afternoon sun. Roy glanced at Sonia, who was staring into the distance, eyes narrowed against the light. Her hair lifted slightly in the breeze, a few strands brushing her cheek.
“Thanks,” he said quietly.
“For what?”
“For going there with me. For being real.”
She turned toward him, her expression thoughtful. “It felt ... overdue. Not just for this weekend, but for life in general.”
“Yeah.” He gave a half-smile. “We didn’t solve anything, but I don’t think that was the point.”
“No. But we named things. That matters.”
For a moment, they simply sat with the silence, no longer uncomfortable or uncertain, just present.
Finally Roy stood and stretched. “We’d better make a move. I don’t fancy navigating those scree patches in the dark.”
“Agreed.” Sonia rose beside him, brushing dust from her trousers. “But I think the descent will be easier.”
Roy gave her a sideways look. “The literal one or the metaphorical?”
She grinned. “Let’s find out.”
...
When Roy and Sonia returned to the motel, dusk was stretching its soft fingers across the foothills. The glow on the snowfields was fading to lavender, and the air carried that crisp alpine coolness that hinted at frost before dawn. They were chatting casually as they walked up the steps to Sonia’s unit when Roy noticed the folded piece of paper taped to the door.
Sonia raised an eyebrow and peeled it free. “It’s from Rena. She and Dave are inviting us to join them in their private quarters for dinner.” She glanced up at Roy. “You up for a bit of local hospitality?”
“Absolutely. Beats us eating leftover wraps on the balcony in beanies.”
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