Jake

If the Okanagan hasn't already wowed me enough, then this puts the cherry on top. In the hours leading up to our wedding, Gemma and I have decided that we're going to do as many touristy things as possible with the crew. Today, me, Gemma, Cassian, Nolan, and Morgane are at ZipZone in Peachland. It's Canada's highest freestyle zipline, and it includes six of the highest, longest, and fastest ziplines, which all criss-cross over Deep Creek Gorge. Right now, one of the employees is going over all the safety measures, explaining what needs to happen, where we go once we've crossed the gorge, et cetera. While the others are paying attention with keen interest, I'm trying not to lose my mind over the fact that I'm about to climb into a harness and go careening across a gorge. I trust the safety of the harness. What I don't trust is my heart combined with my fear of heights – I don't think I'm going to make it across that gorge alive.

Okay, that's a fucking lie. I'm scared of every aspect of this. 

But despite my fears, the view is phenomenal. All I can see are aspens, the creek below, pine trees, a stellar view of Okanagan Lake. I ignore the lines that we're going to be hooking up to. It's best to not focus on those at the moment.

"Okay," the employee says, clapping her hands together. There's a smile on her face that makes my knees wobble. It's the kind of smile that says Okay! We're ready to go! Damn that smile. "Let's get you guys suited up and on your way."

Taking my hand, Gemma guides me over to the equipment area. It's a storage unit that's been fashioned into an equipment closet. Different types of cables, helmets, harnesses – the works, are all hung up on the walls in neat little rows. On the far end, there's a map of all the line systems and the pricing of the different packages. I'm beginning to wish that we would have done the hour-long one instead of the two-and-a-half-hour one.

"This one should fit you," Gemma says, handing me a bright orange helmet.

I take the helmet and stare down at it, wondering what the hell I've gotten myself in to. Maybe I should have stayed back with Hanna, Penelope, and Parker – the smart people who had enough common sense to admit they were afraid of heights. I should have listened to Hanna, who pulled me aside and told me, in her nineteen-year-old voice (where the hell did the time go?), that I didn't have to go through with this. To be entirely honest, I'm worried this is going to be a repeat of when Gemma laced the pasta sauce with laxatives. Only...there will be no laxatives and I'll just end up puking my guts up because of my own fear and stupidity.

"Jake," Gemma says, a crease forming between her brows. She reaches up and cups my face. "What's wrong?"

I exhale deeply, daring to look her in the eye. "Is it too late to admit that I'm terrified of heights?"

Gemma's mouth forms this cute little 'o' as she stares at me. Normally, I would be proud of rendering her speechless, but those moments usually involve our clothes being scattered across the floor and several careless hours in a bed. Not a gorge that looks like it drops directly into hell. Seriously – the gorge in question is enormous, with two large mountains on either side, jagged rocks protruding from the sides, thousands of trees, and a creek like looks as big as my pinky finger from here.

Closing her mouth, Gemma tugs me out of the storage container and guides me over to a tree. One that is far away from the gorge, thankfully. While the rest of the group stows their belongings in the provided lockers and help themselves to the complimentary water bottles, Gemma and I stand here, looking like outcasts. I watch, over her shoulder, as the rest of them begin to suit up with the help of several employees. I'm sure our private conversation isn't going to last long, considering how excited everyone is about ziplining, but the tiny reprieve from feeling like I'm about to plummet to my death is nice.

It's warm out today, a sweltering thirty-two degrees, with no clouds in the sky and no breeze; I take off my light sweater and hang it over my arm. Gemma also removes hers, and then we're both in shorts and workout shirts. Gemma's is so loose and transparent that I can see her hot pink sports bra underneath.

"You could've backed out," Gemma says, staring at me with her seafoam-green eyes. They're wide and concerned. "Or you could have told me you were scared of heights and we could have done something else."

I shake my head. "You were excited about coming here, Gem. I didn't want to take that away from you."

A crow flies overhead. The rest of the group breaks out in laughter as they begin suiting up in their harnesses. I reach into my pocket and pull out a tube of Gemma's lip balm. The two of us are at constant war when we're home; we always fight over who's lip balm is who's.

"Hey!" Gemma exclaims, yanking the lip balm out of my hand. "I was looking for that this morning! Stop stealing my lip balm, Jake."

I pluck the lip balm from her fingers, popping the lid off and sliding the tube over my lips. The only time I ever really need to moisten my lips up is during the winter when they become chapped, so I will admit that right now, this is just to poke fun at Gemma. Besides, she's the reason I got addicted to this vanilla-flavoured lip balm in the first place. I always make sure I have one when I go on business trips because it makes me think of her. "I was holding onto it for you, Gem. No need to thank me."

"Uh-huh, sure," she drawls. "Nice try, by the way – you're not getting out of this conversation. What are you going to do, Jake? We've already paid for the activity. And I don't want to force you to do something you're scared of. Have you ever zip lined?"

I pop the lid back on the tube of lip balm and hand it to Gemma. She sticks it in the side of her sports bra. "No," I reply.

"Do you want to try it?"

I hesitate but eventually tell her the truth. While I'm terrified of heights, I don't want to miss out on something like this. "Yes."

"Are you usually better at conversations when you're not scared?" she teases.

"Yes," I repeat. This time, a small smile breaks through.

Over Gemma's shoulder, I can see Nolan staring at us, probably wondering why we've separated ourselves from the group.

"Jake," Gemma says softly, stroking my bicep with her painted nails. A pleasurable shudder rattles my body – I love it when Gemma touches me like is. It feels intimate, though it's so far from it. "I want you to come and enjoy this with all of us. But if you don't feel up to it, then stay back. No one is going to judge you." She pauses, a frown on her face. "Okay, well, Cassian will probably hold this over your head for a while, but I definitely won't. If this were a goat farm, you'd be carrying me around on your back so those little fuckers couldn't get to me."

A laugh breaks free. It sounds a little strained, but it's a genuine laugh, and I have to wrap my arms around Gemma and give her a hug. "I'll come," I whisper. "I don't want to miss out on this, either. But we might have a repeat of Cape Scott Provincial Park when I arrive on the other side."

Gemma playfully punches me in the arm. "But it won't be caused by laxatives this time."

"Exactly," I smirk.  

"Hey!" Cassian shouts before Gemma can say anything else. "Save the make-out session for the hotel room, you two! We're all ready to go, so get over here and get your asses in gear."

Gemma stares at me with her beautiful, concerned eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," I nod, dipping my head down and pressing a small kiss to her lips. "It's you and me until the end, Gem."

"Good," she smiles, subconscious licking her lips and tasting the vanilla lip balm. "Then let's go before Cassian has a bitch fit." 

I snort, allowing Gemma to guide me over to the storage container so we can be fitted with the proper equipment. "I'll go first," Gemma continues, squeezing my hand in a comforting manner. "Make sure you go right after me, though, okay?"

I nod, eyeing the harness in the hands of one of the employees. I don't understand how a fucking harness is supposed to hold my weight and keep me safe while I speed across a gorge, but I need to have a little faith. Gemma wouldn't do anything unless she knew it was safe. And even though I don't trust the company who made the lines and the harnesses and the pulleys, I do trust Gemma. And that's enough for me to run off of.

When Gemma and I are suited up, we follow the employee that's been working with us over to the start of the zip line. Already, there is a line hanging down, the one that we get attached to before we jump off of the wooden platform into nothing but air. I'm sure Gemma and the rest of the group can see me assessing the safety of this system, but I don't care. I don't understand how they're all so damn calm at the moment. But after glancing at Gemma, who sends me a reassuring smile, the strain on my nerves lessens a little. She thinks this is safe, so I have to trust her. I keep repeating that in my head like a mantra.

Gemma is the first one to volunteer to go, and as she's being hooked up to the line, I volunteer to go second. I give my fiancée an ambivalent thumbs-up before she takes a deep breath and jumps from the wooden platform. A small gasp of awe goes through the crowd as Gemma's happy scream-laugh echoes through the gorge.

"Okay, Jake," the employee says. "You can step right up."

Because Cassian is watching me closely, probably wondering how the hell I've managed to come this far, I step up onto the platform, my knees turning to Jell-O. And it only gets worse as the employee hooks me up and then tells me I can step off the platform at any time. I don't want to do this. I'm fucking terrified. But the longer I stand here, the more my curiosity begins to peak. On the other side, we get to do some hiking and see views that can only be seen from specific points. I don't want to miss out on having a good time with my fiancée, either.

So, with one more deep breath, I let Gemma's words guide me off of the platform. 

It's difficult to explain what zip lining is like, but the one word that pops into my mind after I get over the fact that my stomach has dropped like it does when I'm on a roller coaster is invigorating. Slowly, with the wind blowing in my face, I open my eyes and stare at the world around me. From here, everything looks different, and for a moment, I almost believe that I'm flying. From all directions, I can see different views of the gorge, as well as the lake and the mountains on the other side of the lake. My heart is beating a million miles per hour as I do all this, thumping wildly in my chest.

It's actually kind of...fun. Once you get past the fear of plummeting to your death, that is.

But the best part of it all is when I cross the gorge and see Gemma standing on the wooden platform, waiting for me with the happiest smile on her face. And after I'm unfastened from the line and several feet away from the gorge, my knees still a little wobbly, Gemma jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. "I'm so proud of you," she gushes, burying her face in the nook of my sweaty neck. "Thank you so much for doing this."

I hug her back, feeling the cool metal of her ring pressed against the skin of my shoulder. "For you, Gem," I murmur, running my hands through her ponytail. "I'd do anything."