Free A Very Crimson Christmas (Crimson, Colorado 4) by Michelle Major Page B

answering. “Maybe. Either way, we’re looking forward to a day on the mountain.”
    “It’s a perfect one,” Mark agreed. He glanced at Natalie then back at Liam. “I thought Jase was coming out with you.”
    “He had to cancel. It’s just the three of us.”
    Mark raised his bushy brows at Natalie. “You know how to drive one of these things, honey?”
    Natalie’s nerves turned to temper in an instant. The guy was fawning all over Liam but barely made eye contact with her. “I’m not your ‘honey’ and I grew up in Crimson. I can handle a snowmobile.” She hoped that was the case, since she technically hadn’t been on one in years. She figured it must be like riding a bike.
    “Feisty,” Mark said with a nod in Liam’s direction. “I like it.”
    Natalie felt her mouth drop open. She narrowed her eyes at Liam.
    “Me, too,” he said to Mark, and she could tell it was a struggle for him to keep a straight face.
    “Which one of you is taking the boy?” Mark led them over to the snowmobiles.
    “Can I ride with you, Liam?” Austin asked, running his gloved hand along the side of the machine. “I know you’ll go faster than Mom.”
    “You don’t know anything of the sort,” Natalie said with a huff.
    “That’s true,” Liam agreed. “Your mother had quite the lead foot back in the day. How many speeding tickets did you get senior year, Nat?”
    She made a slicing gesture across her throat as Austin turned to her, his eyes wide with something that strangely looked like newfound respect. “You used to drive fast, Mom?” He grinned at her. “That’s kind of cool.”
    “It was a long time ago.” Natalie adjusted Austin’s fleece hat with its camo pattern. It seemed like not that long ago his favorite winter hat had Cookie Monster’s face on it. Time went by so quickly.
    “Can I ride with Liam?”
    She nodded. “If that’s okay with him.”
    “Does everyone have helmets?” Mark asked.
    Natalie started to shake her head, but Liam nodded. “Let me grab them from the car.”
    He was back a moment later, handing Natalie a deep maroon helmet and Austin one in hunter green. “These aren’t from Ruth’s,” she said as she put it on.
    “I had my assistant pick them up in Aspen. No big deal.”
    No big deal except the cost of the helmets and the price of renting snowmobiles for the day were luxuries Natalie could never afford on her own. There was so much she wanted to give her son that she couldn’t until she was financially stable. That seemed like a goal always just out of reach.
    “Ready?” Liam asked softly, pulling her from her unwelcome thoughts. His eyes were too gentle as he looked at her. She flipped on her goggles and nodded.
    Mark gave them instructions on the course. She climbed onto one of the machines and started the engine the way he showed her.
    “Hold on tight,” she heard Liam yell, and Austin grabbed on to him as if he trusted Liam implicitly. How she wished life was so simple for her.
    They took off toward the single track snaking into the forest. As she followed, all her worries and concerns melted away, drowned out by the loud hum of the snowmobile’s engine and the beauty of the pristine landscape.
    The trail was clearly marked and well groomed, but Natalie felt as if they’d entered a different world. Snow weighted the branches of the trees, forming a canopy over the trail. Sunlight filtered through, making patterns of light and shadow on all the white that surrounded them. It would have been peaceful other than the roar and vibration of the engine filling the otherwise quiet air. Adrenaline rushed through her as they zipped farther up the mountain. She relaxed as the mechanics of handling a snowmobile came back to her. She held back, then raced forward, testing her control of the machine.
    Liam held a steady speed and slowed on turns, which she knew was for her benefit. Occasionally their movements would loosen a chunk of snow from above and she’d be showered