Chapter 1

On New Year's Eve, my husband, Waylon Wood and I decided to take a trip to Highland's Snow World before stopping by my parents' house for a visit. Afterward, we'd return to his family's home to celebrate the holiday.

Waylon and I met in college.

Growing up in the freezing Northeast for 18 years, I couldn't wait to escape the cold and went to a college located in the South. That was where I met Waylon, and we fell in love.

For him, I didn't hesitate to marry far from home and settle down in the South.

Because of my busy work schedule, I hadn't been back in three years. This trip was the perfect chance to not only have some fun but also spend some quality time with my parents.

Waylon, however, wasn't thrilled.

"Why on earth would anyone go to Northeast in the dead of winter? Are you crazy?" he grumbled.

I retorted unhappily, "You complain the summer's too hot, the travel's rushed, and the vacation's too short. Now that we finally have a decent break and Snow World is open, why not enjoy it for once?"

Waylon still seemed reluctant.

I wrapped my arms around his and softened my tone as I said teasingly, "Babe, just think of it as my treat. I'll cover all the expenses. You just need to show up and have fun!"

That finally did the trick. His tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and he nodded with mock reluctance.

"Fine, I guess."

Overjoyed, I started eagerly packing for the trip.

Highland's frigid weather was no joke and we didn't have proper winter gear.

Nonetheless, my mood was great knowing we'd soon be visiting my parents and having a fun trip. So I ended up splurging on a high-end down jacket for Waylon, which cost several thousand dollars.

The moment our vacation began, we flew straight to Highland. But before I could even take in the stunning sights of Snow World, we got into an argument over the hotel.

Waylon frowned at the suite I'd booked and said grimly, "How could you spend my money like water? A standard room would've been fine! Why go for something so flashy? You're so wasteful!"

His words instantly set me off.

"What are you saying? I used my money to book this suite! And isn't traveling all about enjoying yourself? The 'standard room' you're talking about is probably one of those dingy little motels with a single bed for 80 bucks a night. I wouldn't step foot in a filthy place like that!"

Just hearing him mention standard rooms annoyed me. During our honeymoon, he'd booked one of those dirt-cheap motels, and I was furious. After that disaster, we hadn't traveled anywhere since.

Now that I'd paid for the hotel myself, he still had the nerve to throw a tantrum and call me wasteful.

Frustrated, I threw my luggage onto the bed, flopped down, and started scrolling through my phone.

If he didn't want to stay, he could leave—I'd enjoy the room by myself.

I'd hit a nerve, and Waylon's face darkened momentarily. But after a while, he put on a smile and started coaxing me with sweet words.

Traveling was supposed to be fun, and I didn't want to ruin the mood either. After some persistent sweet-talking, my anger finally subsided.

On the first day of our trip, I went all out.

Snow World was breathtakingly grand, and I was ecstatic, dragging Waylon around to snap pictures at every corner. Even though my cheeks turned bright red from the cold, I didn't care one bit.

When we took a break, Waylon stepped away to take a call while I happily sifted through the photos, picking out my favorites.

I was so engrossed that I didn't notice the sour expression on his face when he returned.

Waylon and I had both been part of the astronomy club in college, and we'd once promised each other we'd watch the aurora together someday.

When I learned that a once-in-a-millennium massive aurora was expected over the next few nights, I made special plans to head up to the ridge that evening to see it.

It would be the perfect way to relive our youthful memories and forget the tension from earlier.