Chapter 15: Hours Before the Truck

Nina's POV

I woke when the tent flap opened and the cold came in with him.

Tobias stood in the doorway with snow on his shoulders and his phone in his hand.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

"On the ridge. Alexander called."

I sat up in the sleeping bag.

"I told him what you are," he said. "All of it. He didn't know."

"You told him without asking me."

"Yes." He did not look away. "You said next time you decide, and I took the first call without waiting for next time."

"That's what you came to say?"

"No. I came to say I booked two seats on the morning flight out of Oslo."

My mouth fell open.

"Say no and I'll cancel before I take my boots off," he said.

"Why now?"

"Giada's showcase is on the twelfth. She's presenting your thesis, and you haven't seen her do it."

I thought of a pink card with glitter on it.

I thought of a stage and a microphone and my own maps on a screen.

"I want to be in that room," I said.

"I know."

"You'd have gone without asking."

"I would have stood outside your door until you came out," he said. "But I'd have asked."

I laughed, and it hurt a little.

"Fine. Yes. Book it."

"Already done."

"You are impossible."

"So I'm told."

He started to unlace his boots. His hands were slow and not quite steady.

I watched him.

"Come here," I said.

He stopped.

"Nina, we have a drive at five."

"We have hours."

"Is this the part where you remind me about students?"

"No." I held out my hand. "This is the part where I ask."

He crossed the tent in two steps.

He knelt on the sleeping bag, took my face in both hands and kissed me.

It was a different kiss from the one in the storm.

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