Hainsey

"Where are we going?" I ask.

Ems keeps her eyes on the road. "It's a surprise, birthday boy."

I roll my eyes and look out the window of her stuffy grey Honda Tuscan and breathe in some fresh air. If I had enough money, I'd take her vehicle in for her and get the air conditioning fixed like any other boyfriend would. But I don't.

I internally sigh. Thinking about how my mom forgot about my birthday this morning or that she's got a terrible addiction is going to wreck this perfect day. So I turn in my seat and watch Ems drive, taking her in, trying to memorize every detail and imprint her onto my memory. Even though we've talked it through and agreed to a long-distance relationship, there's still doubt tainting the edges. She's going to university in Ottawa and she's freaking beautiful – the guys are going to go after her. It's not that I don't trust Ems or anything; it's just that what if she becomes friends with another guy and then realizes it could be more? What if things fizzle and die between us?

I shove the thought away, dig a hole that's seven-feet deep, and bury it, watching Ems as she turns off the asphalt and onto a dirt road. I like watching her drive. And, on top of that, she's got some great taste in music.

"Quit staring at me," she says. "You're making me nervous."

I laugh and rest my hand on her thigh. "You don't get nervous."

She shoots me a glance. "Okay. You're right – I don't usually get nervous. But when it comes to you, I have no control over what happens."

Shivers go down my spine. Damn her and the way she affects me. I thought the boyfriend was supposed to come up with sayings and shit like that. But who am I kidding? She's Ems – the girl is confident and knows what she wants.

Finally, Ems pulls into a parking space. I glance out the window and I'm still lost as to where the hell we are. It's embarrassing – born and raised in Whistler, and I don't know where my girlfriend is taking me.

"Still don't know where we're going?" she teases as she stuffs the keys in her pocket.

I shake my head and undo the seatbelt before I open the door and step out. It's hot today, and I know it's bound to get hotter. If we're hiking, I'm going to be sweating like hell by the end of it. But the thing is, I don't know what we're doing. Ems has been surprisingly silent about what's to come.

"Well," she says as she grabs a backpack from the backseat. "You'll find out soon enough."

All I do is nod. There's no need for words right now because she already knows that I'm curious and have no freaking clue where we are. I also don't have any idea as to what's in the backpack she's got slung over her shoulders.

To the left of where she's parked, there's what looks to be a chain-link fence. When we get closer to it, I notice a yellow sign that says NO TRESPASSING in big, bold letters, and is bolted to one of the poles. Lichen dangling from the lower branches of the tall trees is draped over it. I also notice the opening. It doesn't look like it was legally put there. The sight makes my curiosity increase. What the hell are we doing for my nineteenth birthday?

While Ems does whatever she's doing, I take in our surroundings. First thing I notice is that no one else is here. It's a strange feeling. Whistler is a tourist attraction all year – I'm used to crowds of people swarming the area. So this is a nice change of scenery.

"This way," Ems says, pointing at the hole in the fence.

Again, I just nod and follow. What else can I do? I know, that no matter how sneaky I try to be, I'm not going to get an answer from her.

As we walk down the windy dirt path that's surprisingly worn, the trees become denser, as does the underbrush. At some points, the trail requires us to climb up steep inclines that are extremely rocky, but I don't mind. This is the kind of stuff I've wanted to do for my birthday since she left. I guess I could've, but what fun is it to go alone? Val's never been a fan of sweating unless it involves swooning over some hot Canadian guy. My mom's out of the picture, obviously. And don't even get me started on calling up my dad – worst mistake I ever made the first year he was gone. Haven't contacted him since then.

Finally, after an hour and a half of climbing, sweating, and stopping for small water breaks, we come to a lake that's an awe-inducing shade of blue-green. The mountains that surround it are still snow-capped, and Western Hemlock and spruce trees engulf the surrounding area. Different types of alpine grasses and flowers also dot the area.

I can understand why Ems kept it all a secret.

Breathing heavily, I stop walking and prop a foot up on one of the larger rocks, taking in the beauty. This is why I love Whistler so much – you think you've seen it all, but it still has the capability of making you speechless.

"Beautiful, eh?" Ems asks as she stops beside me.

I glance over at her. Today she's wearing short training shorts, purple and grey hiking boots, a black ball cap, and a purple tank top. "How did you find this place?" I ask.

She shrugs. "Dad took me and Rosa here once when things were still good. I had to call and ask him for the directions again because it's been so long." Ems tears her eyes away from the view and looks at me, smiling. "I figured you'd like to see it. Not a lot of people come here, so it gives us some privacy. Whistler's great, but it almost feels like Vancouver because of all the tourism, y'know?"

I nod, barely able to take in her words. All I can focus on is how she said this place would give us privacy. Shit. Is she really planning what I think she's planning? Was Val right? Oh God. What the hell am I going to do?

Swallowing thickly, I look away and start heading for the water. Contrary to popular belief, guys do get nervous as hell when it comes to the first time. Especially when it's with your best friend that also happens to be your girlfriend. Oh, and did I mention I've known Ems since basically forever?

It's all I can think about until I get to the water. It's crystal clear, blue-green, and inviting under the hot summer sun. Maybe that's what I need – to cool off and get my head out of the gutter. There's no way Ems would want to do it up here. Although she's pretty damn tomboyish, I'm sure she'd want her first time to be somewhat romantic. Underneath all that toughness and recklessness, she's still a girl.

"Hains?" I hear from behind me.

I look over my shoulder and watch as Ems lowers the backpack to the ground. "Yeah?" I ask.

The left side of her mouth quirks up in a saddened smile. "Is this okay? I know you like doing this sort of stuff, but I'm scared I'm screwing it up somehow."

My mouth drops open and I walk over to her, pulling her into a big hug. I hate that she's thinking this. If only I could tell her how much this means to me. The past five years have been absolute shit when it comes to my birthday. Usually, everyone except Val has forgotten it. What Ems has done is beyond what words can describe. Today will definitely go down as the best birthday in the history of birthdays.

"Ems," I whisper, breathing in her scent – sweat, sunscreen, and tanned skin. "This is perfect. Thank you so much."

Like a knee-jerk reaction, Ems hugs me back. I never thought being with her would ever feel so...normal. I know it sounds wrong, but with the way everything else is, it feels like she's the only normal thing in my life.

"I just want it to be perfect," she whispers back.

"It is," I assure her. "It's fucking perfect and I wouldn't change a damn thing about it."

Ems pulls back and takes my face in her hands. God, I love her eyes. The colour is so unique – almost hazel, but not quite. She slowly nods her head. "Okay," she whispers, sounding relieved. "Good."

"Seriously," I say. "This is amazing."

Her smile broadens, and then she's leaning in for a kiss. Her touch is enough to make my knees weak, but her kiss is my undoing. I'm lost – so lost in the touch and taste of her lips, how her fingers play with my hair, and the cute little sighs that escape her mouth. When she releases me a few seconds or minutes later, she rests her forehead against mine and sighs again. I smile. I know that sigh – she thoroughly enjoyed that. And so did I.

"I'll never get used to that," I say, breathless.

Ems pokes me in the shoulder. "Good. I'm not the only one, then."

We both smile at each other for a moment, and then Ems is collecting the backpack she brought. She then proceeds to walk over to a flat-surfaced rock that resides right next to the stunning water.

"What's in the backpack?" I ask as I follow her.

Of course, she doesn't answer.

So, when we're both sitting on the rock, I simply watch as she pulls out a thermos of something (I'm guessing alcohol now that I'm of age) and a container filled with four cupcakes that are coated in colourful sprinkles. The icing is a disaster due to the shifting around in the backpack, but they still look delicious.

"Did you make those?" I ask as she pulls two out and hands one to me.

"Yep," she nods, smiling. "You're still a fan of chocolate pecan pie cupcakes?"

"Hell yeah," I reply, taking a huge bite of the one she handed me. And goddammit – the thing is freaking delicious. I actually have to stifle a groan. Everything about this cupcake is perfect. But it's not just the flavour profile that's getting to me. I can't remember the last time someone made cupcakes for my birthday, let alone took me somewhere beautiful. The familiar burn of tears begins to tug at my eyes. Shit. I can't cry right now.

So I bite back the tears and focus on now. I'm not going to ruin everything she's done for me by letting my emotions get the best of me.

"Well," Ems says after we've finished our first cupcakes and started on the second ones. "Now that you're officially an adult, you are allowed to try this." She holds out the thermos.

I take it cautiously. "What is it?"

Ems grins at me. "Just try it."

I eye her one last time before taking a sip. I definitely taste Coke, but there's the potent taste of alcohol along with something spicy. There might be some lime in there, too. It's just about as good as the cupcakes.

"So?" I ask after a couple more sips. I hold the thermos out to her. "What is it exactly?"

"Do you like it?" she asks, taking the drink back.

I nod.

After a sip, Ems tells me it's spiced rum mixed with Coke and fresh lime juice. I tell her it's my new favourite, considering it's really the only drink I've had.

We spend the next hour passing the drink back and forth and just talking. Talking like we used to when we were kids, about everyone and everything. And it feels so damn good. This is something I could do every single day and never get sick of. Being with Ems and doing something so simple is like being under the warm rays of the sun – they keep you warm and make you happy.

When the drink is gone and we've cleaned the container free of leftover icing, we decide that it would be a good idea to go swimming. It seems like no one else is going to be hiking up here today, so we might as well do something.

"I bet the water is freezing cold," Ems says, kicking off her hiking boots.

"Who cares?" I shrug. "The lake could be filled with ice and I'd still go in – that's how hot it is."

"True," she laughs.

It only takes a few minutes for us to strip down into our undergarments. And I think it's the best decision we've ever made. Damn – she looks amazing in nothing but her black bra and underwear.

After I've tossed my shirt to the ground, Ems looks me over, fighting back a smile. "Sometimes I think the only reason you still play hockey is to maintain that body," she teases.

I roll my eyes. "Totally, Ems. That's the main reason why. Gotta keep it good looking for the ladies."

"Lady," she corrects, tapping me on the nose. "I'm your girl and you're my man. Don't forget that."

I run a hand through my hair. "Don't worry, babe. It's just you and me."

"Good," she smiles, taking my hand. She glances up at me, that devilish glint in her eyes. "Now it's time for a swim."

Her next move catches me by surprise. I know Ems has always been spontaneous when it comes to moments like this, so I guess I should've been expecting it, but a cry of surprise escapes my mouth when she shoves me off the rock and into the water.

And it's fucking cold. Like teeth-chattering cold. Goddamn those glaciers surrounding us.

When I break the surface, Ems is laughing her ass off. Naturally.

"You better watch yourself, Ems," I call out.

She's laughing too hard to even acknowledge what I've said, so I take that as my opportune moment to extract revenge. Reaching up, I grab her hands that are hanging hopelessly beside her hips and pull her down to me.

The last thing I hear before the freezing water engulfs both of us is her piercing scream.

When I break the surface once again, she's glaring at me.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," I shrug.

She tries, oh, she tries so hard to keep that glare pinned on me, but a smile breaks through, and then she's swimming over to me. This is the closest we've ever been to having no clothes on, so when I feel the skin of her legs wrap around my waist, a shiver coaxes my spine.

I look up, taking it how the small drops of water slide down her sharp cheekbones and remind me of quotation marks surrounding defining words. With one hand, I rest my palm against her cheek and brush away the remaining water with my thumb.

"I don't want this summer to end," I whisper before I can stop myself.

Her body tenses the slightest bit again mine, but she shakes her head. "We're going to figure something out, Hains. Don't worry. I didn't come back here just to leave you again. I swear."

There's something in her words that brings back the hope that has been slowly chiselling itself away as the days have passed. For a second I wonder if there's something she's not telling me. That head of hers has always had the ability to concoct crazy plans. God knows what's going on up there. But I don't say anything. Whatever Ems is doing, I'm game. If it means staying by her side, then bring it on. I'll do whatever it takes.

"I know," I whisper, leaning in. The tips of our noses brush together. "We're going to be okay."

She nods one last time before closing the remaining space.

I don't think there's any possible way this day could get any better.